Almost Brothers Ch. 04

"Oh shit!" Rusty echoed.

"What did the car look like? What color was it?" Scott asked.

"Blue? I think. I don't remember. It was old, rusted, maybe a Chevrolet?"

"FUCK!"

Rusty went to Scott. He put an arm around him. "Look, let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe, just some new people in the neighborhood. We don't know."

"Its him, Rusty. Its him. Oh fuck, its him." Scott looked at Rusty with genuine concern. "FUCK! I don't need this SHIT!"

"Come on. Come on, Scott." Rusty held him as they went back into the house. Rusty bolted the door and Scott sat on the sofa.

"Fuck." Scott said, again and sighed.

"You ok?"

Scott looked up at Rusty. Finally, he said, "Yeah. I'm ok." Scott managed a weak smile.

"I gotta get some sleep. Didn't get much last night." Rusty said, almost grinning.

"Yeah, sure. See ya in the morning," Scott said. He looked at the TV but could not concentrate.

Rusty sighed. He looked at the door and made sure, one last time, it was bolted and then went to his bedroom. He undressed and crawled into bed, looking up at the ceiling. He didn't think he would get to sleep soon, but he did.

Scott couldn't sleep.

He went to bed around 11 pm and watched TV until 1 am. He finally turned the TV off and layed nude on his bed, glancing at the clock every now and again. Wearing nothing, he got up and walked out of his bedroom, facing the closed door of Rusty's bedroom. Slowly, he opened the door. Rusty was asleep, laying spread eagled on the bed, also nude. Scott tiptoed into the room and grasped the blankets on Rusty's bed. He covered his Brother and then stood a couple of feet from the bed looking down at Rusty to assure himself everthing was ok. Rusty snored softy. He padded to the windows and spread two of the shades to look outside. He glanced up and down the street. Nothing. Scott sighed softly. Taking one last look at Rusty, he left the room and silently closed the door.

He went down the hall. The echoes of his voice and Darrell's shouts plagued Scott's mind. He willed them to be silent. Scott went to the front door of the house and, sure enough, the deadbolt was in place. He flipped the lock, cracked the door and peered outside. No problems here. Scott opened the door, further, and looked around to make sure no one was stalking his house. He walked to the edge of the overhang, still nude, and looked up and down the street. "Come for me, fucker. You want me? Here I am. I dare you," Scott said to the silent street. "I'm not afraid of you." A dog barked, breaking the silence. A chill ran down Scott's spine and his balls pulled up to his body.

He stepped back into the house and slid the deadbold into place. He walked to the patio back door and ensured himself the lock was done. Scott walked down the darkened hall and, just to satisfy his mind, one more time, he opened Rusty's bedroom door. Rusty had turned over on one side and was now facing the door with the blankets pulled up to his chin. Scott was reminded of the first night, the first time he layed in Rusty's bedroom after coming home from the hospital, after that terrible night that his life changed forever. And Rusty was the one who changed it.

"I love you so much, Rusty!" Scott's face scrunched up, tears flooded his eyes as he remembered laying in the bed, his new bed, next to Rusty's bed, like real Brothers do. And Rusty telling him everything would be ok. Tomorrow, Scott would be going back to their highschool. And Rusty telling him it would be OK. Everything would be OK. Scott put his hand to his mouth and stifled the sobs, as he had done many times while hearing his Mom's crys of pain. He closed the door.

"Oh no way, Dad! Ain't no way I'm going to let you take this away from me, like you did Mom. No way!" Scott wiped the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. "No fucking way."

Scott collected himself then went to his bedroom. He fell into his bed and cried into the pillow until he fell asleep.