Fourteen Years Ago
Kevin was awesome. Kevin was special. Everybody liked Kevin, especially the grown ups. They told him he was precious and sweet and they liked him better than some of the other kids, that's for sure. That's how he knew, even at the tender age of five, that he was going to grow up to be incredible. He liked their attention and he liked sitting on his Momma's lap while his Dad patted his head and his Grammy fed him cookies. Kevin liked to play with his older sister and feel his newest sibling kicking from inside his mother.
The grown ups at church loved him too, they told him that h was blessed. He knew scripture better than any of the other kids in his religion class. He strove like no other to be at the top, in school and at home. But it was in the hallowed halls of the church that he found his niche. Always used as an example of how to behave, Kevin flourished and his ego consumed a steady flow of compliments.
The only black spot in Kevin's life was his brother, Jack. He was four and feisty and he didn't like Kevin very much at all. While in the sight of grown ups, Kevin was a model older brother. But once they turned their heads, he ignored the little one and pushed him away. He didn't like the way Jack clung to him and tried to copy him. He didn't like the look his Momma had in her eyes when they brought the little snot bucket home from the hospital. One day, fourteen years ago, the slowly brewing storm came to a head.
That night, Kevin tossed and turned in his trundle bed for hours before he sat up and kicked the blankets off his legs. His stomach knawed at him, regretfully empty of any dessert. None of the Price children had managed to earn the home made doughnuts from their grandma all thanks to Jack. The little jerk had ratted them all out for taking the broccoli off their plates and slipping it to the dog under the table, which was totally not a sin! And now Kevin was dying.
He rubbed his tummy through his cowboy pajamas. He needed a doughnut. He would die without it. If Jack hadn't gone and told on them. He could hear the other child snoring peacefully across the room. For the first time in weeks, he wasn't having a nightmare. At least he felt better.
Then, Kevin got an idea. A wonderful, perfect, harmless idea. He swung his feet over the side of the bed and touched his toes to the floor. The tiniest squeak wafted through the night air. He paused and then stood in one quick motion. There was no noise, his siblings slept on.
Step by quiet step, Kevin made his way past his parents room and down the stairs to the kitchen. He climbed into his normal chair at the table and reached for the box of doughnuts his grandma had left there only a few hours before. He lifted the top of the box. Heaven, in the form of fried pastry and maple flavored icing, was within reach.
Kevin brought the snack to his lips and let out a small noise of pleasure. Grammy always made the best stuff, the best cakes and cookies and Kevin loved it more than almost anything. He devoured it quickly and was about to pick up a second when he heard a clatter behind him.
Jack, teddy bear in hand, stood in the doorway with his sippy cup at his feet. Juice leaked slowly from the lid. The brothers froze, suspended in the moment of oportunity. Kevin was the first to break it.
"Don't you-" He was cut off by Jack yelling at the top of his little lungs for Mom and Dad. Kevin lunged from his perch on the chair, slapping a sticky hand over his younger brother's mouth. They fell over, grappling on the floor until Mr. Price's booming voice ended the scuffle.
"KEVIN. JACK. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" The big, imposing man stood with his hands on his hips. Mrs. Price stood with her arms crossed behind him, her gaze zeroing in on her two sons.
The boys scrambled to their feet, both trying their best to look contrite.
"Kevin. What happened?" And there it was. That moment of no gravity where the entire world hung in the balance and Kevin was in complete control. The power rushed through his veins, he was giddy with it.
"I woke up in the middle of the night. I heard something. I came downstairs. Jack was eating the doughnut. I tried to stop him. But he ate it. I told him it was a sin. He got real mad at me. I'm sorry, I should have stopped him."
Later that night, after Jack got the scolding of his life and Kevin got a doughnut for being such a good son, he lay on the cusp of sleep. His stomach was full and he wouldn't have to deal with his younger brother for the next fourteen days. He could sleep soundly.
Only when he closed his eyes, he wasn't playing on the beach with Mickey and the cowboys on his jammies. He was hot and sweaty and his feet hurt and there were bad things everywhere. Doughnuts with faces glaring at him. The broccoli from dinner was throwing bits of itself at him. The most horrible creature stood above him, laughing. It's eyes burned and horns spiraled out of it's forehead. Kevin screamed.
And woke up screaming. And he screamed. Until his Momma burst in and craddled him to her chest. Terror shut his mouth, he wouldn't speak of it. He held on tight and prayed to Heavenly Father. He never told his parents what he dreamed of that night. He never confessed. But from inside his mothers arms, Kevin could see Jack and his eyes condemned him.