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Chapter 42: Guilt

Brax felt his face covered in blood, his lip was bleeding, his nose heavily bleeding, in which he tried stopping himself from choking as he breathed in, and he knew he had a cut at the top of his head from when Danny slammed his head against the floor.

Brax's entire body was numb, he felt like he would never move again. It had been a long time since Brax let his pride fold after one of Danny's beatings but this time the intensity was the worst he had ever experienced, mainly because it involved their parents valued alcohol and of course because Brax had gotten in the way of Danny trying to hit Casey who he was well over, furious with.

Brax lay on the floor defeated and let the tears escape his eyes. After about half an hour, Brax struggled and forced himself up and walked down into the bathroom. Brax looked at his reflection, he had a large cut on his head, bruising over his nose and left side of his face and the blood all down his face made him look a mess, not to mention his upper body which was red raw and purple. Brax cleaned himself up the best he could then went to find Heath and Casey.

Heath and Casey sat on the beach. It had been two hours since they left Brax at home with Danny. Heath played with shells in his hand as Casey played in the sand.

"Heath, when is Brax gonna come?"

"I don't know Casey."

"Shouldn't he be here by now? It's been ages. Will Daddy hurt him bad?"

Heath was irritated by Casey and all his questions. "Enough with the questions! I don't know!" He snapped.

Brax noticed his brothers on the sand and approached them, holding his sore abdomen. Brax sat down on the sand next to Heath, who felt relieved at seeing his older brother, but was shocked at the state he was in.

"Are you ok?" Heath asked. Before Brax had a chance to answer Casey came running up the sand toward him, not noticing how he looked, he was just so excited to see him. Casey jumped onto Brax's lap and hugged him.

"Ah!" Brax shouted in pain. Heath was annoyed Casey had hurt Brax again and slapped his arm.

"Get off him! You're hurting him! Haven't you done enough?"

Casey surprised at Heath's reaction pulled away and noticed Brax's look of pain as well as his bruised and bloodied face. Brax could see Casey was upset by the situation and could see his eyes become glassy. Casey quickly got off Brax and ran down the sand in tears.

Brax sighed, "Why did you say that and hit him for?" Brax questioned.

Heath who was now tossing the sea shells on the sand replied, "He deserved it. He hurt you." "Heath…"

"This is all his fault! If he listened to me none of this would have happened and you wouldn't…you wouldn't look like that." Heath added irritably.

"Heath, taking it out on Casey, isn't going to change anything."

"Aren't you even mad? Look at what Dad done to you because of him!" Heath yelled.

"Heath you know it's not Casey's fault Dad hurt me. I choose to protect you boys and if that means having to get hurt to keep you both safe then so be it. So don't take it out on Casey okay?"

Heath grunted. "Heath please."

"I'm just…just worried about you."

"I know its hard mate, but I'll be alright." Heath got up to go find Casey but was held back. "I'll go."

Brax stood up and wandered down the sand to where he saw Casey leaning against a rock crying. Brax placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, don't listen to what Heath said, he's just concerned."

"But it's true. I'm sorry I made Daddy hurt you. He should have been hurting me."

"Casey no, don't you say that." Brax pulled Casey up to look at him.

"I'm sorry I cause you so much trouble." Casey turned back away, he felt so guilty over what had happened, and how Brax looked frightened him. Brax lent down and pulled Casey back to him.

"Enough with that talk. I want you to listen to me. You did something wrong, but I do not blame you for what happened afterwards okay?" Casey wiped his eyes. "Come on lets' go back to Heath."

After staying at the beach awhile longer, the boys headed up to the takeaway shop across the road, all three were starving. Brax handed Heath some money to go and buy them some hot chips, which they ate while they sat on the grass, before heading home.

Cheryl was sitting on the couch and Danny had left for the night. Cheryl noticed Brax's face when he walked in.

"What'd you get yourself into this time Darryl?" She laughed.

Brax ignored her and guided his brothers inside. Brax sudden took a deep breath in and coughed. Heath looked at his brother worried and figured he needed to rest.

"I'm going to go to bed. Come on Case, time for bed." Heath took Casey to his room, looking back at Brax struggling to breathe one last time.

Brax went to bed not long after his brothers but found it difficult to get comfortable enough to sleep, with his body aching and his lungs searing with pain every time he breathed in. Heath couldn't sleep either, seeing his big brother hurt so badly weighed heavily on his mind.

Casey thrashed about in his bed, he managed to have gotten to sleep but he was overcome with nightmares, he could not get the image of Brax's bruised body out of his mind and kept seeing the flashback of Heath yelling at him not to touch the alcohol and Danny hitting Brax. Casey woke feeling guilty and it just wouldn't go, he was too scared to go and talk to Brax, so decided it would be best if he left, that way his brothers would no longer get hurt because of him. Casey packed a few things in his school bag and snuck out the front door.

Heath being frustrated with not sleeping got up to get himself a glass of milk. Heath noticed the front door unlocked and knew his mother had locked it before bed. He glanced down the hall to where he saw Casey's bedroom door open. Heath went to Casey's room and saw it empty. Heath rushed to the front door and saw Casey a few houses down. Heath ran down the path and yelled.

"Casey! Get here now!" Heath ran up to Casey and grabbed him. "What do you think you're doing? Get back inside!" Heath pulled Casey towards the house.

"Let me go! I have to go away, I hurt everyone."

"Do you think Brax would want this? What about hurting him with running away? Not to mention what he done to protect you! You're not going anywhere!" Heath shoved Casey through the front door.

Cheryl stirred at the noise, but could not be bothered to get up and investigate. "Darryl, get up and see what that noise is!" Brax groaned he could never get any rest.

When Brax walked out and saw his brothers in the open doorway bickering he became annoyed. "What's this?"

"Casey was trying to run away. I found him and dragged him back. He thinks he hurts everyone and has to leave." Heath stated.

Brax groaned and glared at Casey. "Casey I went over this with you already!"

"Sorr…" Casey was cut off. "It's 12:30 in the morning! I'm sore, tired and do not have time for this!" Brax let out a cough as he yelled.

"Both of you get to bed right now!" Casey quickly ran back to his room. When Heath went to leave, Brax stopped him. "I expect you to tell me the minute something like this involves Casey."

"I just thought…" "Understand?" Heath nodded and headed to his room. Brax closed the front door and went back to his room. Groaning as he laid back down on his bed.