Cain's Mistake

Alex's POV in the flashback.

Song - "Brothers" - sung by Vic Mignogna

Song - "I Know I'm a Wolf"- Young Heretics

How can I repay you, brother mine?
How can I expect you to forgive?
Clinging to the past
I shed our blood, and shattered your chance to live
Though I knew the laws, I paid no heed
How can I return your wasted breath?
What I did not know has cost you dear,
For there is no cure for death

My weight sunk into the mattress as I sat down by my sleeping brother's side. Like the light sleeper he was, he woke up to it. "Mm.." His eyes opened slowly as he looked up to me, "What's the matter?" He asked sleepily.

"Get dressed." I half-whispered.

He didn't question me after that. We strolled down to the direction of Toluca Lake through the fog and light rain. It hardly rained in Shepherd's Glen so we didn't have raincoats. Josh used the flashlight I gave him to guide us. He had it by his pillow every night ever since. Besides, I didn't really need it. I guess the flashlight not only helped him see through the dark, but also got rid of his fears. I wanted to talk to Josh alone. I couldn't do it in our house because Dad would probably yell at me for waking up my little brother. I might as well be a stranger in that very house. Josh was always the favorite, I was shunned. I wasn't sure why. It was like Dad didn't want me to experience the joys of life. I thought he was ashamed of me. I looked down at the dog tags and tucked them under my shirt. He gave them to me because he wanted me to become a soldier. He didn't show me love or compassion because a soldier didn't need that. At least, I thought that's why he shoved me to the side.

When we finally reached the dock, I jumped into one of the empty wooden rowing boats. Josh followed by hesitantly. I began rowing away from the shore.

"What are we doing here, Alex? Dad'll freak if he finds out."

"Give that to me. Someone will see us." I said as I put my hand out.

"Nooo!" His grip on the flashlight's handle tightened as he shook his head in protest. He wasn't going to let go of his light.

"It's okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.." I reached for the light and Josh handed me the light with shaky hands. He didn't need it when he had me. I pulled the flashlight away from him before he could protest. He looked down at his trembling palms. I wasn't sure if he was shivering out of fear or because of how cold it was. I dropped the flashlight by my side and faced him. He observed his surroundings as he spoke, "Why are we here, Alex? What's going on?"

I ignored his questions. I couldn't answer that myself. "What's the matter? You scared?"

"Oh, no! I'm cool." He shook his head as he placed on a brave smile, "..It's just Dad never lets us out on the lake."

"Not you anyway. Dad thinks you're a little baby who can't do anything on his own." I smirked.

"Oh, yeah? Then, why'd he give me this?" Josh pulled on the silver chain that wrapped around his neck and something small and silver shined in his palms.

"What is that?" It was hard to see through all this fog. Was it a locket?

"Dad's ring, but he told me not to show you, so I guess that makes me cooler." He hung up the necklace, showing it off. He was not just showing off his non-existent coolness, but the fact that he was obviously favored. He knew it and he was rubbing it in my face. My eyebrows knit in the middle as I eyed the silver ring.

"Let me see it." I demanded as I yanked it out of his hands. His protest was ignored as I looked down at the necklace. It didn't look like much at all. Was it even made of real silver? "It looks like a piece of crap." I said with an amused smile.

"It is not. It's worth more than a million dollars that's why dad gave it to ME! " I gasped at his tantrum, mocking him. I shook the necklace like I was jingling keys in front of a dog. I wanted to rile him up, tease him. "Give that back!" He demanded and lunged for it. He tugged onto the chain. "Give it back! It's mine!" Josh stood up and the mini-session of tug-and-war began. He pulled onto it with all his might as I held it in a tight grip. I was too amused with his attempt to notice in time that his own strength caused him to fall back. "Ahh!" His neck slammed against the edge of the wooden boat and he rolled off into the water.

"Josh! Oh, my god.." I grabbed the flashlight and raced back to his side of the boat. I shined the light onto the dark water, "Josh!" I kept yelling out his name. Hoping for some sort of response. Hoping for him to shoot out of the water yelling out, 'Gotcha!', but that moment never came. I sucked in a breath of air and dove into the dark cold water, my light in hand. Josh! I wanted to scream out. I scooped him into my arms the minute I saw him floating to the bottom. I swam to the surface and looked down at him, "Josh? Can you hear me?" A bright light suddenly shined upon me.

"Alex!"

"Dad!" I yelled. He threw down the ladder from the fishing boat and I grabbed onto it. I climbed to the top and faced him. His appalled expression said he knew what happened, but he couldn't believe it. I had a hard time believing it myself. Dad took Josh from my arms and looked down at him. His drenched clothes clung to his small body, Josh was still holding the necklace. Dad looked at me with anger flashing his eyes. "Do you know what you've done?"

I took away his last breath, his last words, his chance to live. I shed his blood.

"It was an accident."

"This is not the way it's suppose to be. I chose you!"

It should have been me.

"Now, you've ruined it for all of us!" He looked away from me, then back at Josh. My brother. His son. Our Abel.

"No.. No.. he's okay right?" This isn't how it's suppose to end. We're brothers. We're family. We watch out for each other. My legs went numb and I fell to my knees. This isn't happening. This isn't real. I never went out to the shore. Josh never drowned. This didn't happen.

"No.. I can save him.. I can, I can save him. I can save him.. He's okay.."

"He's okay."

Rabbit, please stop looking the other way

It's cold out there so why not stay here
Under my tail.