Logan coughed lightly, sitting in the cave, "Ten hour days, huh?"
"More or less," a man nodded, pulling his handkerchief from his face to eat his lunch, "Might want to make sure you get a little more for lunch kid," he pointed to Logan's sack.
"Don't worry about me," he bit into his meat pie, "At least not about my food intake." They'd gone days without eating before. A few hours was nothing.
x
"Come on, Peggy Sue. Eat up girl. That means you too Irma," Victor spread the corn for the hens.
He sighed and checked to see how dry the clothes and bed spreads were. He would have to go in for work soon. He wanted more straw for the bed and another layer above them.
Vic decided to allow the blankets and clothes to dry more. Laundry day seemed to be coming more and more often in their household. The heck was wrong with him? Who heard of a man past twenty year still wetting the bed. Vic shook his head and checked the garden. He'd just have to stop drinking before bed. That worked before.
x
Vic hummed to himself as he cooked some jerky stew before bed. Suspicion seemed on point. Logan hardly ever worked at the factory this long.
A groan could be heard from the door as it opened, revealing the missing son.
"How was work, you look like crap," he noticed how covered in soot and dirt he was.
"I kinda feel like it," he walked in, getting the towel from the water and wiping his face.
"Why don't you just wash completely? And you can wear those same clothes tomorrow."
"Got it. Dinner smells great," he quickly washed himself.
"Jerky stew," he looked over, "So, how's work in the mines?"
The teen shrugged, "Dirty. Long, strenuous. How was work in the gardens?"
"Almost killed another fox," he poured some stew on a bowl of rice for his brother, "Why didn't you tell me you were changing jobs?"
"We need more money, they're always hiring and they pay more," he chugged some water before diving into his food.
Vic nodded, "Wish you'd have just told me instead of hide it."
Logan scoffed, "Why? So you can convince me not to? Say we were fine for money?"
"How long until you thought I'd notice you come in covered in soot and smelling like sweat and coal?" He rolled his eyes, "I smelled you when you got to the forest edge."
He hadn't exactly thought that far, "I'm not quitting."
"Wasn't gonna tell you to quit. Just talk to me first. How far do your lies even get you normally?" He scoffed and sat to eat, "Think I'll go looking for me one tomorrow. "
"Where you thinking of going?"
"Where ever is available. We're well hidden here so the garden should be OK. I think I've dissuaded the rabbits and foxes for now." He ate a spoonful.
"Think you'll keep the sheets dry tonight? I don't have money to buy another set of pajamas yet."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he rolled his eyes and took the plates to be washed.
"Alright, I'm hitting the pot before bed. You'd better do the same," he sighed before going to the outhouse.
"Will do."
X
Victor panted, tossing and turning in the bed. He was sweating bullets.
"Don't you hide from me, boy!"
"No.."
"Where you at!?"
"No, no..."
Logan cracked an eye open, hearing his brother whimper in his sleep. He could see him jolting and twitching, "Victor?"
"I'm gonna fix you. Fix you good boy!"
"No, pa." He shook his head. As his brother shook him.
"You're having a nightmare, wake up."
Victor felt himself grabbed and clawed the arm, sitting up with a gasp. He heard his brother moaning in pain and saw him holding his arm, "What happened?" Logan's claws were out.
"You were having a nightmare," he lifted his hand to look at the bleeding claw marks.
"Sorry," the elder looked to his arm and grabbed a cloth to put against the wounds, of course they both healed but it didn't stop him from worrying.
"I'm ok," he pulled his arm away, groaning as he claws receded back into his arm. He sighed at the growing dark area on his brother's crotch.