Chapter 4: Connected

"Can I read it?" Morta asked.

"When I'm done Mort."

"Don't call me that." Morta climbed onto the arm of Kid's big, comfortable, library chair.

"Why not?" Kid asked, turning a page and devouring the information with his eyes.

"You know why." Morta glared at him with golden eyes.

"So you finally looked up the etymology of your name?" He met her eyes, amused.

"Yes. Now shut up."

"And you know it's-"

"IT'S REDUNDANT, YES, I KNOW!" Morta collapsed on the floor sobbing, cursing herself and her name. "It's not fair, I have no meaning. I'm just a repetition of my father. I'm not even worth being an individual. Why am I living? I deserve to die! I want to die~!"

Kid sighed and patted her on the back. "It could be worse. You could actually be named "Death" and that would make it even more obviously redundant and all the more humiliating. At least Father had sense enough to name you something else so you're under the radar."

"You think so?" Morta sniffled and looked up at her seven year old brother.

"Yes."

Morta sat up cross legged and wiped her eyes.

"And his reason for naming you Kid?"

Kid stiffened and sighed. "Who knows…"