[ Gilbert's P.O.V ]
2 years ago
"Come on, brother! The pirates are coming after us!"
I watched as my little brother, Ludwig, dashed before me into the forest of trees that surrounded our house. His small bear feet made imprints in the wet soil below, leaving little footprints behind him. My own bear feet pressed over his tracks as I ran behind him.
"We have to get above ground! Their swords will be licking our ankles if we stay down here!" I shouted, hearing a string of giggles erupt from him.
We were playing out imaginative game called "Island". We were stragglers on an abandoned island and we survived in the palm trees. However, the 'palm trees' were just the regular, tall trees around our house. In the game now, apparently, pirates were after us and we needed to get away from them.
I chuckled as I watched Ludwig quickly scurry up the tree, tiny hands grabbing at every open branch. Closely I followed, climbing up the same branches my little brother climbed.
It was an incredibly cool day with the perfect amount of sunlight which made it a wonderful day to go out and play. Up above, the sun peaked through the treetops, leaving a beautiful pattern of light green shadows on the ground below. Directing my attention back up, I pulled myself higher up the tree before settling myself on a thick branch.
"Ha ha! Those pirates can't touch us up here!" Ludwig yelled happily, sitting atop his own sturdy branch.
"Yeah, those suckers have nothing on us!" I exclaimed with a childish cheer, leaning back calmly against the tree trunk.
People often made fun of me for always hanging with Ludwig and playing these childish games with him. Hell, I'm 16. Boys my age would be out in malls hanging about or doing who knows what behind their parents' backs. I would be doing the same but I have to stay with my brother and keep him happy and well. That's my responsibility. Besides, I do have my own group of friends at school. We hang out every week or so at least once— and once a year we go up to one of their family's lodge in the mountains which is very neat.
Ludwig let out a sigh of triumph as he lied back on the tree trunk as well, looking up at the treetop. I watched his joyful gaze look past the leaves and through the little openings that revealed the clear blue sky.
"Hey Gil," Ludwig said with a smile, continuing to stare up at the sky, "do you think we'll be able leave this place one day? Like, go on a real adventure?"
I exchanged the smile with a nod, "Of course. I promise you one day we'll go on all sorts of adventures! Just me and you, bro. We'll go everywhere in the world."
His smile flickered a bit. "Just us, right? I don't want to bring dad with us."
I bit my lip for a bit, my eyes trailing to the bruise on my brother's cheek.
Our dad was never the best person. He constantly bashed on my brother and I for the silliest and most meaningless things. It was impossible for us to ever please him. I believe it's because he blames us for mom leaving us even though I know full and well that mom left because he never did anything to help out around the house. Yet, he always blames us for it and puts so much shit on us. I understand the entire gravity of the situation and know what's truly right from wrong, but Ludwig is so young. Whatever dad says, he believes. Dad constantly yells and slaps him around, calling him every name in the book.
"No. Dad won't be coming with us." I responded strongly, making sure Ludwig knew I meant it. "Only nice people are allowed on our adventures. The only nice people in the house are you and me. Dad won't be allowed to be with us."
Ludwig nodded, his face dropping all happiness that he once bore. I felt my heart fall to my stomach. I hated my dad for yelling at Ludwig. When I was the only child, I believed everything Dad told me. Every insult, every remark. I don't want Ludwig to grow up believing the lies Dad drives into his mind. He's only 8 years old and I know he believes everything without any self contradiction.
"Gilbert... I know dad is mean and everything," Ludwig mumbled, lowering his head to fidget with the twigs growing from the branch, "but... what if he's right about what he says about me. What if I really am stupid and useless-"
"No, Luddy, you're not. I promise you you're not." I interjected quickly, frowning. "You're not stupid or useless, okay? You're incredibly smart and clever in so many ways. I know you'll go far in life with your intellect. Hell, you're one of the smartest kids in your class! Don't ever think little of yourself."
He kept his head down, the twig in his fingers bending and twisting. I continued.
"Dad is the stupid one for thinking you're nothing. You're one of the smartest and capable kids I've ever seen and I'm not just saying that cause I'm your brother. Dad is... He's a terrible person, Luddy. He's not right all the time even if he claims he is. The only time he is right on anything is when he says our house sucks cause it does. And that's not our fault. That's his fault."
Ludwig nodded, biting his bottom lip. "I guess..."
I fell quiet for a bit, a silence settling upon us. My blood boiled with anger towards our dad. I knew as much as I reassured Ludwig he was okay and that Dad was terrible he wouldn't be able to believe and comprehend this with me fully. He is still a child. Children are devoted to their parents no matter how cruel they are. They believe the shit that's thrown at them and accept it sadly. It's not until they grow up and mature to realize what kind of crap parents they have. It took me ages to realize and I want more than anything to break Ludwig's childish devotion to our pathetic dad.
"Do... Do you think on one of our adventures we can see mom again?"
The question squeezed my heart as I heard it. We both loved our mother. She was the sweetest person we've ever known. When she left, I was for it. She wasn't happy with Dad. Dad stressed her out and blamed her for everything wrong. He would constantly yell at her and force her to do every single thing, putting every chore and responsibility on her back. I preferred her to leave and break all connection because that was best for her. I didn't want her having to endure Dad... I would take all the insults in the world for her and that's exactly what we did when she left.
"Of course. We can go visit mom and maybe she'll even want to join us on our adventures!" I piped up encouragingly, grinning genuinely at the thought. "You know how she loved playing with us."
Ludwig chuckled, reaching up to pluck a leaf from the branches above. He waved it around like a flag before letting it float gently down to the forest floor.
"Yeah! The three of us will be the best adventurers ever! We can be the three musketeers!" I laughed at the name, reaching over to ruffle Ludwig's usually gelled back blond hair.
For a good twenty minutes, the both of us simply sat in the tree and talked about where we would go. Ludwig had big sights on going to Europe, more specifically Germany. Our family came from there and we used to hear wondrous stories from our grandfather about the life and history there. It sounded like an amazing place we both desired to go at least once in our life. Traveling the vast mountains, exploring the native wildlife there, discovering the traces of family history embedded in German soil. All of the war stories and ancestral facts passed down to us only fueled our curiosity and need to go see what we can for ourselves.
When the sun began to melt away for the moon I decided it was best we go back inside. Dad never liked it when we were out for too long. Plus, I always make sure to try and avoid as many unneeded lectures and smacks as possible for the both of us.
"Hey, Lud, lets go back. We don't want to get swallowed up by the darkness out here." I said , swinging my leg over the branch as I got ready to climb down.
Ludwig nodded, straightening up as well. "Yeah! Let's go! The pirates will probably climb up here soon! We have to leave before they come!"
I chuckled in agreement, finding my footing before slowly descending back down to the forest floor. Ludwig climbed down beside me, sticking his tongue to the side in concentration as he climbed. The sun had already disappeared so it wasn't as easy to see everything as it was before.
The thought of going back to the house caused a stir of displeasing feelings inside me. Up here in the trees and out here with Ludwig... it was our only way to escape life back there. It was refreshing and relaxing. Since I was 16, it's my age peak where boys start to lose their sense of childish desires and fun and go towards being an adult. I didn't want to be an adult yet, or at least lose my child charm. Being out here with Ludwig... it's renewing. It's nice to just let go and be a kid.
Snap.
My thoughts were suddenly interrupted as I heard a branch above me crack. Shockingly, I saw Ludwig's body tremble as he held on desperately to the unstable branch.
"G-Gil!" He cried out, feet scraping the tree trunk as he desperately tried to find some footing. However, there was none. All the other branches had snapped off and become simple nubs. He'd accidentally went to a dead end part of the tree.
"Hang on! I'm coming!" I shouted reassuringly, beginning to climb back up to reach him. Looking down, I noticed how far away we were still from the floor. Shit.
The branch continued to crack and splinter at every passing second as I climbed, luring whimpers from my little brother.
"Gilbert, hurry!" Ludwig pleaded, the scraping of the bottom of his shoes echoing in my ears as I climbed.
My breathing quickened as I watched myself travel up, feeling as if I wasn't making any progress. Ludwig was still so far up. I hadn't noticed how much faster I was going than him.
All of a sudden, the world around me suddenly began to slow.
The final snap of the branch broke through my ears, piercing my heart. In horror, I watched Ludwig fall backwards from the tree, arms and legs flailing helplessly. He fell right beside me and further, his tiny hand reaching up for something to reach and hold onto. I quickly threw out my hand out in an attempt to catch him but the air was too thick. My hand couldn't reach his fast enough. He slipped through my fingers and in defeat I was left to watch him fall straight down.
"Ludwig!" I screamed, my entire body frozen in fear.
I will never forget the sound of the deafening crack when he reached the ground. He fell staring up at me and landed still locking eyes with me. I shakily shuffled my way down the tree, tears blurring my vision.
"Luddy? Are you okay?"
No answer.
"Ludwig, please answer me. A-Are you alright?"
Silence.
Through my haze of silent panic, my foot missed a branch and I, too, felt myself tumble down to the Earth below. There was a sudden sharp pain in my side and leg as I felt a rock lodge into my torso but that didn't matter. I dismissed the growing warmth that trailed down my knee and stomach. Quickly, I crawled over to where Ludwig was, looking over him.
I will never forget the sight of him. He lied still on the damp soil, unresponsive. His blue eyes were half lidded, still staring up at the leaves above. They held no shine anymore. They were dull. His face was frozen in despair, I saw as he fell. It was forever engraved across his facade. Beneath his head, I saw a puddle of wet crimson seep into the dirt.
"L-Ludwig?" I mumbled, shakily putting a finger to his neck. There was no pulse.
"Hey, Luddy, w-wake up..." I pried, my heart racing. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.
I shook him, eyes darting everywhere on his body for whatever responsive sign I could get. But, I got nothing. Only the uneasy silence and sight of my still brother.
This... This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. My little brother... My only family. He couldn't be... no... He couldn't be...
I slipped my arm underneath his neck, feeling a cry break through my lips as I felt the distinctive sticky red liquid flow from him. My body trembled as I held him close to my chest, eyes wide with disbelief. This couldn't be happening. I wouldn't accept it. I wouldn't.
"L-Ludwig! Please! A-Answer me!" The words cascaded from my lips with the salty tears that poured down my cheeks. My shoulders shook as strained cries erupted from me. "Don't be dead... Don't be dead! You can't be d-dead! Please...!"
My entire world was destroyed. My own brother... dead in my arms. I wasn't fast enough to save him. If only I was closer to him, I would've been able to catch him when he fell. If only I was able to reach him in time. But... I didn't. And for that reason he was limp in my arms, eyes forever open with the sight of broken hope.
I screamed out into the night as my countless attempts to receive and answer failed. I felt my voice crack and break constantly as I yelled and sobbed and cried. I ran my hands through Ludwig's hair, feeling myself grow sick at the feel of him growing cold. Everything was going so fast. So so fast.
Just a moment ago, we were talking happily together about adventures of the future. And now... Now I was holding the body of my dead brother, drenched in his blood.
"No- No, you can't b-be dead, you can't-" I screamed, words slurring together with my cries, "W-We have to go on adventures...! You... You and I- fuck, Ludwig, p-please! Please... Please don't leave me! I'm s-sorry...! I'm so sorry I w-wasn't fast enough! I'm sorry! Please come back! P-Please!"
He didn't come back. He never did.
He slipped through my fingers and his blood was forever on my hands.
My little brother... My only family that mattered. He... was gone.
From that, I lived a nightmare that I never woke up from. The events of that day and failed actions I made constantly plaguing me.
...
A/N:
Just a quick insight what happened with Gil and Ludwig.
I consider Gilbert the main character of the story so I wanted to go more in depth with his internal struggles since it's big to his character.