Disclaimer: I still don't own anything, I'm afraid. But perhaps, if I would send an angry letter at Terry Gilliam... Do you think he would give me the rights to mess with the Brothers Grimm? I hope so... *Evil Grin*
A/N: Another fast update, don't you think so? But now... I have the feeling I'm talking to no-one, actually, because there haven't been any reviews for the last chapters. =P Ah... As long as I can still post my chapters, knowing you read it (?) it's okay I guess... But believe me: reviews would make my day! =D
Will easily noticed Jake had written this story about their family when he read his own description, which he deemed absolutely true: he, in fact, was tall, handsome and strong. But instead of feeling flattered, he only became angrier by those words. Was it because Jake thought so lowly of himself? No… He didn't care very much about Jake's feelings. He cleared his throat and went on, wanting to know how his brother would end it: with the hard, sad truth, or another fairy-tale?
'The children plus their mother were all happy together, until faith decided to strike with the worst punishment ever. It made the pretty girl fall ill. The eldest brother was told to fetch a doctor as quickly as possible by selling their cow and paying the medicines with the earned money. Only if he did that, their sister would survive. But the older one was foolish and sold the cow for some extraordinary beans from a stranger on the road. Magic beans, as he had been told by the man.' The blonde cast another glare at his older brother, who was strangely enough still looking at him without any expression of emotions in his eyes. Perhaps Will would have to beat him again if he wanted to know what was truly behind that look. Or perhaps he didn't even want to know.
'In another story, there's explained what those beans actually should have done. They should've made the girl feel better than ever. That story has a happy end. This one doesn't, because when the eldest came home and happily told his story, his brother and mother weren't very pleased. In fact, they were really, really angry and disappointed. The youngest even hit him hard, fast… Long. Their sister died and soon, their mother followed. She died from grief and remorse. Remorse because she was the one who had created such a foolish, little boy. A monster.
Years later, the boys had both matured. Or rather, one of them had. The eldest was still stuck in his little fantasy world where everything was fine, like his brother regularly reminded him of, and believed up till now the beans were actually magic ones. And that's why this story hasn't got a happily ever after. Because the end of that hell hasn't come yet.'
They both were quiet for a while. Jake dropped down onto a chair facing his brother, and Will stood a few steps away from him and glanced from him to the book and back again with an intense look. It was the blonde that broke the silence.
'Hell, eh?' he asked, though it was more a statement than a real question. 'So that's how highly you think of me? Well, thanks a lot, Jake,' he added, before smashing the book shut, quickly hiding it in his shirt to investigate it later, and he dashed out of the room, slamming with the door. Jake sighed, utterly confused and… Broken. Then, a warm drop of salty water started to form in his eye. Another in his other eye. And another, and another. But he refused to let them slide down his cheeks once again and eagerly brushed the tears away with the back of his hand. They were annoying.
Well, he certainly had learned his lesson by now. Being rude and witty in front of Will hadn't helped to solve the problem at all, nor would it help ever. And now, this was his punishment. A life of hate and shame. He didn't like it one tiny bit.
He removed his glasses and polished them again, more absent-mindedly than ever, before getting up from his chair and dropping them on his bedside-table. Another sob escaped his mouth as he sank down onto his soft mattress, hoping their stay in Gottingen wouldn't get any worse. That shouldn't even be possible, actually.
He carefully laid his head on his pillow, kicked out his shoes and snuggled deeply under the still cold blankets. He didn't care if it was only five in the evening – the day had been long enough for him already. He just needed sleep now to get it out, to forget what just happened. To forget… Everything. A last thought floated through his troubled mind before he buried his head deeper in the white pillows and drifted off to sleep: tomorrow would be better.
Well, he was definitely wrong there.
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