Hi everyone! I'm finally back, I've been really busy recently but thanks to the Easter holidays I've got some free time on my hands. I've had this story written since December/January time but had no time to publish it until now. I've got other stories planned that I hope to publish soon but until then, here's "Dealing With Death" hope you enjoy, please leave your thoughts I always enjoy reading them Kayxxx :)
Chapter One
"Ethan wake up" he could hear a voice distantly call followed by a few bangs "Ethan for God sake it's freezing out here!" He opened his eyes to find he'd fallen asleep on the couch..something he never did. He scanned the room and to his surprise he found empty cans of alcohol scattered across the messy floor. "Ethan!" The voice called again, reminding him of the reason why he was awoken in the first place. He fixed his glasses on his face and wondered to the window, where the shouting was coming from. "Cal?" Ethan called in surprise. "Just open the door!" Cal replied, causing Ethan to spin and head instantly for the front door. "What's going on?" Ethan mumbled as Cal brushed passed him. Cal ran straight to the living room and pulled a blanket over him. "God did you have a party or drink all this by yourself?" Cal laughed looking at the empty cans knowing both scenarios would be unlikely. "What's going on?" Ethan demanded ignoring his brother. "I lost my key, I told you to stay up so you could let me in, remember?" Cal explained. Suddenly it all came back to Ethan. "Seriously Eth did you drink the whole crate? That was meant for me and Max when the match is on this Saturday" he sighed. "Yeah I um, fancied a drink, I'll buy you a new crate before then" he explained, he still seemed out of it.
This wasn't like Ethan at all, he didn't like drinking. He never just "fancied a drink" something was up and Cal could see it. "You're still drunk" Cal stated seeing Ethan leaning on the wall, allowing it to take his weight. "I'm not" Ethan protested, his speech was slurred slightly when he spoke, which didn't help his argument in the slightest. Cal looked at him knowingly, "what's up with you? You never drink" he continued not allowing this to slip. "Why does there have to be something up? Have you ever stopped to wonder maybe I just wanted a drink? You go out drinking constantly and I don't question you, I don't see how this is any different." Ethan snapped. "It's completely different." Cal replied sternly. "Well then-" Ethan stopped himself suddenly, a look of realisation grew across his face as he felt bile filling up in his mouth. He turned and darted up the stairs, collapsing to his knees before the toilet just in time for him to vomit into.
He lifted his head out of the toilet and slumped back against the bath. He turned to see Cal standing in the doorway holding a glass of water, "I've been here many times, glass of water, two paracetamols and sleep, that's the only cure" he laughed as he handed the glass and two tablets to his brother. "You can barely handle one pint never mind one entire crate Ethan, what's gotten into you?" Cal asked sincerely as he knelt down beside his brother. Ethan looked up at him sheepishly "tomorrow's mum's anniversary, I, I, was having a drink on her I suppose..." he explained hesitantly as he took a sip out of the water swallowing the tablets as he did so. Cal took a seat next to Ethan and sighed "A whole year ay? That's gone fast" he leaned his head back against the bath. Ethan stayed quiet, he held his head down and kept his eyes fixed on the ground. "What are you thinking?" Cal nudged Ethan seeing he was deep in thought. "I'm focusing on trying to keep these tablets down or they'll have no effect what so ever" Ethan joked with a hint of seriousness. Cal smiled sympathetically as he listened to his brother poorly trying to cover up the fact he was hurting. "I'm thinking about how it doesn't feel like she's gone, it's never really felt like she's gone. I know it sounds stupid but I always imagined her showing up one day and it was all just one big joke, though I realise now it would be a pretty sick joke to pull-" He stopped himself as he felt his stomach heave and he retched once again into the toilet. He kept his head leaning over the toilet bowl as he took some deep breaths, his body felt weak. "I just wish I got a chance to say goodbye to her you know? I suppose the fact I never said goodbye is why it doesn't feel real" He admitted with a hiccup. Cal looked at his younger brother unaware of what to do, they'd never really gotten into this deep of a conversation before. "How much of this conversation do you think you'll remember tomorrow?" Cal asked "what conversation?" Ethan joked. "Haha, well in that case I suppose I can tell you anything then...Ethan I'm so happy I got to know you again, God knows where I'd be without you, you're always there for me" Cal spoke, he cringed at himself after hearing how cheesy what he said sounded. He looked at Ethan and saw the paleness to his face, he could also see that he was struggling to stay awake, he looked awful. "And so I'm going to be the responsible one for once and be there for you right now and get you to bed" Cal helped Ethan to his feet and slowly walked him to his bedroom. "Mum loved you Caleb, she always admired how you got on with your life and travelled, she thought I was an utter failure for staying in the same place all this time, but I just couldn't leave her to be alone..." Ethan stated as Cal placed him on his bed, he lay back and allowed his head to sink into his pillow. "No no, that's not true Ethan-" Cal started but soon stopped again as he'd noticed Ethan had fallen asleep just seconds after his head hit the pillow. Cal sighed as he looked at his unconscious brother knowing tomorrow was not going to be any easier, he never knew how Ethan felt until tonight, it made him see a side to him that he'd never seen before.