Foreword (skip if spoiler-shy):
This one desperately needs a rewrite, which I am doing as part of a uni assignment (also looking at what this dream says about my psyche, which is ... interesting). There are things in this rendition that I added, such as the names, the stone-with-a-hole necklace and the resolution, and aspects that were purely from the dream, including the yellow stone bracelet and the tap-tap-tapping.
It's a strange story and not one I expect many people to like, but it has that dreamlike quality to it and I actually enjoy the enigma of it. It arrived almost fully formed from my slumber and I don't intend to try and work it into something more story shaped. I almost think it has too much exposition as it is.
Anyway, enjoy if you will!
Word count: ~2,000
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The Brothers
In the end, there were seven of us.
In the flaking house next door there lived four brothers: the tall one, the sunny one, the frail one, and the mad one. We never saw him, that mad one, my three sisters and I … but we heard his laughter at night, and we all knew him for what he was.
Our father, strong and sensible, often went over to the brothers’ house, to cook with their father, a jolly man with permanently red cheeks. They cooked sauces and chutneys, jams and stewed fruits; their creations kept in jars in the cupboards, enough to feed a small army for several winters.
Father said to us, Never go to that house unless I am there, and even then, give me proper warning.
He would not say why.
We wondered if it was because of the mad one, or because it was simply inappropriate for young girls to enter a house full of men.
On my sixteenth birthday – that traditional time of rebelling – I stood out the front of the brothers’ house. It was a sunny summer morning, and cicadas whirred loudly in the trees. I felt emboldened but also exposed under the glare of the sun. I took a deep breath and went to step onto their lawn –
Someone appeared.
I had my foot raised, ready to bring it down, but immediately I pulled back. My feet came together with a snap.
It was the eldest brother, the tall one, on his way to work. He had a suit on, and I could see the sweat sticking wisps of his dark hair to his forehead and collar – it was far too hot for suits.
He stopped when he saw me, and then continued down the small slope from the front door. You’re the eldest Hayley girl, aren’t you? I nodded mutely, and he smiled easily. He stopped a couple of metres away, still on his front lawn. He looked back. Harry? One of the girls is here.
There was a clatter, and another brother appeared. It was the sunny one, the cheerful one, the one who took the dogs for walks and sang in the backyard. His eyes were wide, and he looked surprised and pleased. He ran down the stairs to stand next to his brother. Hello.
The tall one nodded to me and went to his car, driving away and leaving me and his younger brother staring at one another.
What’s your name?
Don’t give it to him, something whispered inside of me. I blinked, surprised. Why ever not?
He gave his first. I’m Harry. He did not offer to shake hands.
I … I’m Luce, I said. I wondered if he knew I was reluctant to give my name.
He smiled. Nice to meet you, Luce. He stepped off the lawn and onto the footpath next to me. Why did that seem significant? Did you want anything? He asked. One of his dogs came running down the path to him, and he pulled at its floppy ears.
No, it’s my birthday today, that’s all…
His face lit up. Really? Happy Birthday! You must be … sixteen? I’m nearly eighteen, now. Hey, I’ll give you a present! He fished around in his pocket and brought out a dark stone, with a leather thong tied through a hole in the centre. Here ya go. He draped it over my head so it hung around my neck.
I felt myself blush.
I did not talk to him for much longer, and he soon walked me back to my house. My sisters swarmed around him and he laughed and smiled and said hello to all of them.
He said Happy Birthday once more, and then went home.
Too late I realised.
He had taken my heart with him.
The next day I found myself standing outside their house again, staring wistfully at the front door. It was not so hot today, the sky was cloudy and a thin breeze threaded through the eucalypts. The cicadas still roared.
I did not attempt to step into their yard.
I waited for a long time. It was foolish, I knew, but foolishness has always been a part of love. Eventually I gave up, and turned to go back, but from the corner of my eye I glimpsed a figure, standing on the driveway. I quickly turned back to see the youngest brother, the pale, sickly one. He stood quietly.
Are you looking for my brother? He said. Harry?
I hesitated before I nodded. The boy came down the path slowly, his back slightly hunched, treading carefully, as if stepping too hard would shatter his legs. He stopped when he saw the stone necklace around my neck.
Did my brother give you that? He looked confused.
I nodded again.
He paused, and then reached into his pocket. I’ll give you this, then.
It was a bracelet made of pale, greenish-yellow stones. He slipped it over my hand.
Why are you giving me this? I asked, confused.
His frown deepened. For protection, he said. He turned to go. You may come inside now, if you wish, but don’t take off that bracelet. He stopped. Didn’t you want to see my brother?
I followed him inside.
Harry looked rather alarmed to see me, and his eyes sought his younger brother’s. The pale boy shrugged imperceptibly, and turned to me.
I’m Glen.
I’m—
I don’t want to know. He cut over me.
I wasn’t sure whether to feel offended or relieved.
I spent a happy day with them. Harry and I played with his beloved dogs, and the frail Glen stayed in the shadows of the back porch, as if worried the sun would come out.
It was almost dark by the time I went to go back home. The two of them saw me to the gate, along with a number of excited dogs. I turned to thank them.
Quite by chance, one of the dogs leapt as I turned, and his teeth caught the bracelet on my wrist.
It snapped like ice under pressure.
Both boys’ eyes widened. Get out of here now! Harry yelled, and pushed me on to the foot path. I blinked and Glen was already gone, disappearing back into the depths of the house, moving unnaturally fast. Go! Harry’s usual cheerfulness was gone, to be replaced by only panic.
I ran.
The rest of the evening passed normally. My sisters were surprised when I burst through the door, chest heaving, but I begged them not to mention it to our parents. They nodded solemnly, as if making a pact.
I lay in bed that night and thought about Harry. Something had gone wrong, I’d messed up a rare opportunity … and it seemed unlikely that I would see him again.
Tap. Tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap—
I sat bolt upright as I became aware of the noise. At first it was quiet enough to be mistaken as water dripping, but it became louder and louder, getting faster and faster, coming from the other side of the room. Someone was tapping on my window.
My first thought was Harry. I jumped out of bed and went to the window. I could smell something sweet and strong, like bad perfume. I pulled the curtains apart.
A white face, framed by lank dark hair, leered at me.
I fell back from the window with a gasp as the man outside threw himself at the window. A crack ran through it, though it didn’t shatter.
The smell became stronger.
I found myself gasping again as I launched up and away. The man cackled, and I recognised his laughter; it was the mad brother. I couldn’t scream. I ran from the room.
I found myself in my younger sister’s room. She looked up drowsily. What is it?
Oh no … I moaned, as the tapping began on her window. She looked over at it, and reached for the curtain.
No! I shrieked, and snatched her hand away. The noise changed from a tapping to a banging, and my sister looked scared.
Luce? She said. I dragged her into the hall. My other sisters and my parents were waiting there, looking confused and annoyed.
The tapping began on the door. My mother went to answer it.
Don’t open the door! I screamed, and ran to bar the way. The tapping became thunderous, but I could barely hear it over the sound of my heart.
Luce… my father said, his face growing fearful. That look almost undid me, then. Did you go next door?
The door splintered behind me.
I felt a thin hand grab my chin, and just as suddenly wetness streaked up my neck. The sick, sweet smell enveloped me and I felt like throwing up.
Paralysed with fear, I could see my parents react, saw my sisters shriek, but I could not hear them. I drew in a breath and screamed, HARRY!
The hands on my chin and neck were wrenched away, almost taking my head with them. There was a crash and a thud from behind me and I turned to see not Harry, but Glen, wrestling his brother to the ground. The mad one snapped like a beast, tongue slathering, and his eyes remained on me.
My knees gave way, seeing the pure malice and recklessness in those eyes.
Hey! Glen yelled at me. The bracelet! He kicked it over. It had been roughly reformed, and without questioning I picked it up and slipped it on my wrist.
The mad one quietened. He blinked, looking around. I saw that he looked very like Harry … no … he looked like the tall one, the worker.
Glen released him.
The mad one, the tall one, sat limply on the ground. His eyes were as clear as they had been when I had first spoken to him, that morning the day before. He got up slowly and limped out the door. Glen – a reformed Glen, tall and strong and beautiful – looked at me sadly.
Do not take it off.
I could only nod.
*
Glen spoke to me of his family throughout the rest of the night. His words slipped into my mind like fish and just as quickly slipped out again. I could only grasp the essentials.
We are light and dark, day and night, Harry and I.
Our brother is chaos and order, rolled into one, and we are his guardians.
He will lust for you until the next accident, the next girl who steps where she should not.
I listened silently, tears streaming down my face, and unexpectedly he put out a hand to wipe one away.
Why did you let me in? I said through my tears.
He looked at me steadily. You are in love with the Sun. You are in love with Harry.
I tried to sound adult. Love isn’t that simple.
…Yes, it is. He held my gaze for a long moment before glancing away. I knew you would not give up on seeing him easily. I thought to protect you. But you should give him up, he is not human, he does not care for you.
There was doubt in his voice. I stroked the stone Harry had given me, and saw his panicked face once again. I don’t believe you.
Fine, suffer. It was because he was interested in you that you became involved. You should never have given him your name, he said, getting up irritably. He looked at me. If you look through that stone at him tomorrow, you will see him for what he truly is.
Isn’t that proof that he wants me to accept him?
Glen looked confused. You humans think too much. He turned to go. You may come round again tomorrow. Harry is too weak to see you now. I doubt your father will try to stop you now that the worst has happened. He gave me a piercing look. He tried his best to protect all of you, in spite of the monsters next door. He even befriended our lonely father, shunned by all for his strange sons.
He had reached the door. Goodbye, daughter of our father’s friend. When you see me tomorrow, I shall be the frail one again. He left without another word.
*
The following day I stood outside their house. Harry appeared almost immediately, his face creased with worry, hands clenched at his side.
I’m sorry, he said.
I held out my hand, and he took it, each of us standing on either side of the unspoken line between his world and mine.
Will you look through the stone? He asked. His face was almost fearful, but strangely resolute.
Doubt surged in my heart. I was afraid of what I would discover. I did not want to know that he was different.
His face fell, as he looked at me, and it tugged at my heart.
I lifted the stone with my free hand…
and looked.
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