Chapter 2

He walked towards his house. The lights were on, laughter drifted from the open window.

It sounded like a party, but he knew it was just his family, celebrating something for Kevin, probably.

His existence in this house had always felt like an intrusion, a temporary stay that had overstayed its welcome.

Brenda and Gary had married when Ethan was ten, Kevin eight. From day one, it was Kevin' s house, Kevin' s parents.

Ethan was the unwanted baggage from Brenda' s past.

He was a shadow, a reminder of something Gary wanted to forget.

He opened the front door.

The chatter stopped.

Brenda, Gary, and Kevin were at the dining table. Steaks. Baked potatoes. A real meal.

Brenda looked up, her smile faltering. "Oh, Ethan. You're home."

She gestured to a plate on the kitchen counter. A single, sad-looking hotdog on a bun.

"There' s a hotdog for you, dear."

Leftovers again. Or rather, the pre-planned meal for the uninvited son.

He' d eaten countless meals like this. Small, unsatisfying portions while Kevin got the best of everything.

Kevin needed to "build his strength" because of his "delicate constitution."

Ethan, apparently, could thrive on air and resentment.

He was seventeen, almost a man, always hungry. But his hunger never seemed to register.

"Thanks," Ethan said, his voice flat. He wasn't hungry anymore.

Brenda even picked up a small bowl. "Here, I saved you some green beans. You like green beans, don't you?"

She knew he hated canned green beans. She' d served them to him for years.

"No, Mom. I don't like canned green beans," Ethan said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Brenda looked flustered.

Gary put down his fork. "So, have you come to your senses, boy?"

Brenda quickly interjected, her voice uncharacteristically gentle, a tone she usually reserved for Kevin. "Ethan, honey. We need to talk about college. About Kevin."

Ethan remained silent.

Brenda' s voice hardened. "Your stepfather is right. You need to do the right thing. Kevin deserves this chance. You owe it to this family. After everything we' ve done for you."

Everything they' d done to him, more like.

Gary slammed his fist on the table, making the plates jump.

"Damn it, boy! Are you going to give Kevin that community college spot or not? Show some respect! Your mother is talking to you!"

He stood up, his face red. "If you' re going to be selfish, if you won' t help your brother, then you can forget about any college. You' ll get a job at the mill full-time after graduation. And you' ll pay for Kevin' s tuition. Every damn cent."

He took a step towards Ethan and slapped him hard across the face.

The sting brought tears to Ethan' s eyes, but he didn' t flinch.

He' d been hit before. It was part of the background noise of his life.

Kevin started to whimper. "Dad, Mom, please don' t fight. It' s my fault. I shouldn' t even try for college. I' m just a burden." He sniffled, looking pale and distressed.

Brenda rushed to his side. "Oh, Kevin, no, sweetie, don' t say that! It' s not your fault!"

Gary patted Kevin' s shoulder. "Don' t worry, son. You' re going to college. Ethan will do what' s right. Or he' s out on his ear."

Kevin then said, his voice trembling, "Maybe... maybe I should just leave. Then Ethan wouldn' t have to give up anything for me."

He made a move as if to stand up, looking utterly heartbroken.

Brenda' s face crumpled. "No, Kevin! Don' t you dare say that!"

Gary' s eyes blazed at Ethan. "See what you' re doing to your brother? Apologize to him! Now!"

Ethan looked at his mother, his stepfather. Their faces were contorted with anger, with feigned concern for Kevin.

He felt a coldness spread through him. These weren' t just people who didn' t care about him. They actively wanted to tear him down to build Kevin up.

They were his blood, but they felt like enemies.

Suddenly, the front door opened and Sarah walked in, followed by her father, Mark Thompson.

Mark was a Forest Service ranger, a friend of Ethan' s deceased biological father. He was one of the few people in town who was consistently kind to Ethan.

"Evening, folks," Mark said, smiling. "Heard some shouting. Everything alright?"

He then saw Ethan. "Ethan! Congratulations! Heard you got into Stanford! That' s fantastic news, son!"

The room went quiet.

Sarah stepped forward quickly. "Oh, Mr. Thompson, there' s been a change of plans. Ethan decided it' s best for him to stay local and support the family. Kevin' s the one going to community college, in the honors program."

She smiled brightly, a horrible, false smile.

Ethan said nothing. He couldn' t reveal the NSA program.

Gary grunted. "That' s right. Ethan' s finally learning some responsibility."

Brenda nodded, avoiding Ethan' s eyes.

Mark looked confused, then concerned, glancing from Ethan' s stoic face to Sarah' s strained one.

Kevin suddenly gasped, clutching his head. "Ow! My head! Ethan... he threatened me earlier... about Sarah... he said..." He stumbled and lightly knocked his head against the doorframe.

It was a pathetic, obvious act.

But Sarah, Brenda, and Gary rushed to him.

"Kevin! Are you okay?"

"What did Ethan do?"

"That boy is a menace!"

They fussed over Kevin, who was now moaning softly.

Sarah helped Kevin towards the door. "We need to get him to the ER! He might have a concussion!"

She paused at the door and glared at Ethan. "You know he' s fragile! What is wrong with you? Why do you deliberately torment him?"

Then she was gone, helping a perfectly fine Kevin out to her father's truck, with Brenda and Gary following, full of concern.

Mark Thompson looked at Ethan, a deep sadness in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, shook his head, and followed them out.

Ethan was left alone in the silent house, the remnants of the steak dinner mocking him.

He felt a despair so profound it was almost peaceful.

He walked out to the backyard. There was an old, rusty barrel they used for burning trash.

He went to his room, a small, damp space in the converted garage. He pulled out a shoebox from under his bed.

It was full of Sarah' s old letters, photos of them smiling, small trinkets she' d given him.

He carried the box to the barrel.

He lit a match and dropped it in.

The papers caught quickly, flames licking at the smiling faces, the handwritten declarations of love.

Smoke billowed up into the twilight.

He heard a car door slam. Sarah was back. She must have dropped Kevin and his parents at the ER.

She saw the smoke and rushed into the backyard.

"What are you doing?!" she cried, her face pale as she saw the burning contents.

Ethan looked at her, his face calm, his eyes empty.

"Just cleaning out some old junk."

She stared at him, shaken by his coldness, by the finality in his voice.

Brenda returned later, her face etched with worry and anger.

She found Ethan in his room, staring at the bare walls.

"Kevin is a wreck," she said, her voice trembling. "The doctor said his anxiety is through the roof. He says... he says he needs Sarah. He says she' s the only one who understands him, the only one who can keep him calm."

She wrung her hands. "Ethan, you need to step aside. For Kevin' s sake. He' s... he' s talking about not wanting to live if things don' t get better for him."

Ethan said nothing.

Sarah appeared in the doorway behind Brenda. Her eyes were red-rimmed.

"Ethan," Sarah said, her voice barely a whisper. "Kevin... he' s in a really bad way. I... I told him I' d go on a few dates with him. Just to stabilize him. Just until he feels better."

She looked at him, her eyes pleading. "If you really love me, Ethan, you' ll understand. You' ll let me help him. It' s just for a little while."

A test of his love. By dating his stepbrother.

Ethan felt something inside him finally, irrevocably, die.