Chapter 77

Jeff's POV

Forest green eyes. The eyes I used to see everyday. The eyes I see now, before me, staring back into mine. Liu, my dear older brother... Everything about this situation was just so puzzling. How is he alive? After what I did.... He couldn't be able to come back.. He couldn't be able to look so...real. Everyone else had this vibe to them but, even at a distance I couldn't feel that vibe, that feeling in the air. He was different. This one is different.

He just stood there, staring at me as I was frozen with confusion, shock and joy. It was an odd mixture of emotions and it didn't work well. Finally, I got my legs to work and I took a step forward, then another and, another until I was sprinting at him full speed. Once I was right in front of him, I barreled myself at him and hugged him tightly, practically clawing at his clothes. I held the back of his head and shook from the mixture of emotions I had. "Liu..." I whimpered. He didn't give any sort of response. He just...stood there.

I quit hugging him and cupped his face into my hands. I examined him and said, "What happened to you? Why do you look like this? How are you here?" I brushed his brunette hair back and just kept looking at him in awe over this unexpected reunion. Despite the stitches on his face, I couldn't help but marvel over the fact that he's right here in front of me. I couldn't suppress my silly grin and my eyes stung from holding back tears. "I've missed you," I told him. "I just can't believe you're here..."

There was a long pause of silence between us and I grew worried. Can he talk? Why isn't he doing anything? "Liu," I beckoned him softly, "Liu, say something, buddy. C'mon..."

He just kept looking directly into my eyes, though this time, he raised up his stitched up hands and felt at my face. His eyes darkened with a sort of sadness and he backed away. That's when he finally spoke.

"Why...would you do this to yourself...? Why...would you do this to me...?" he asked, grimly. I tensed up and looked away. "I don't want to talk about this right now...," I muttered.

Liu stepped up to me and practically got in my face as he said, "No, we will talk about this. Do you understand?"

The tone of his voice scared me a little. He wasn't yelling at me, or anything, he was just talking with a deadly seriousness. I felt like if I declined he'd bite my head off. I nodded reluctantly and he inched away from my face. I'm feeling uneasy right now. But why? He's not doing anything to me but standing and talking. Why am I so unnerved?

Liu looked down at the floor and said something that I could barely understand, though I managed to interpret it. He said, "The last thing I ever saw was you." He looked back up at me and clutched my chin tightly as he hissed at me, "The last thing I saw was this face...! This...unfamiliar face. And, knowing it was my brother made me feel all the more unfamiliar with everything." He shoved my chin a little as he pulled away and turned his back to me. There was another long pause of silence until Liu spoke once again.

"I wasn't scared, you know? I was...I was okay with it... That's what scares me..." His shoulders tensed and he added, "And, now that I see you again...I can't help but not be scared. It's a...it's a deep and terrible feeling, Jeff. It's getting near the point of agonizing pain."

Knowing that I was causing my brother so much turmoil just by being near him, hurt me. It hurt me more than it should've and I felt terrible for his frustrated emotions. "Liu..." I said softly. I quietly made my way closer to him and gently touched his shoulder.
Immediately, he spun around and shoved my hand away. "DON'T TOUCH ME! Not with your sin executing hands...!!!"

I jolted from the volume of his voice and I only felt more terrible. "Liu...please, let me help you."

"I'm too far gone for help," he stated almost immediately. His blunt and grim tone scared me again. He had this look of pure, utter betrayal in his eyes and he looked away again, frowning hard. "I miss your old face, Jeff..." He muttered. "I miss my brother..."

My breath hitched. "Liu," I said, with a nervous chuckle, "I-I am your brother. I've always been your brother-."

"NO!!!" Liu snapped as he abruptly looked in my direction. The look on his face stunned me. He looked as ferocious as a tiger, his brow furrowing as he snarled at me. "You are NOT my brother and never will be! You're just a horrible man, a criminal, a poor, sinful bastard! You have no right to even consider us as brothers."

Again, I jolted from his volume and I could feel my chest tighten from how hurt I felt. The longer he looked at me, the more his snarling face softened until he had an expression of a strange sadness. He relaxed himself and told me, "Do you remember...when you got your own room..?"

I looked up at him, wondering where this was going. He continued and said, "You were only six...and you were so nervous about getting your own room. Almost every night, I'd wake up to soft whimpering down the hall. It was always coming from your room. I checked on you and I would see you...sitting on your bed, your back against the farthest corner of your walls, clutching your blanket with shaking hands. I would always see your sniveling face...just utterly terrified of being alone...in that dark, lonely room. Once this became consistent, I ultimately knew that you always needed me, no matter what. So I promised you I'd sleep outside of your door to make you feel better. I never told mom or dad, just to not embarrass you. In the weeks I did this, I would always have an aching body from sleeping on the cold floor, and I was always tired. I did poorly in my classes for a while and, my health dropped but, I didn't regret my choice. Every sacrifice I ever made was for you. Because you needed me. If anyone made you sad, I'd be there to make sure you smiled again. If anyone threatened you, I'd curse them down to Hell. If anyone hurt you, I bludgeoned them with my own fists until my knuckles bled. I did all of this for you. Because you needed me. And...I needed you, too."

I did remember. I remembered all that he did for me. From helping me with homework, to getting into one on four fights with other kids who hated our guts, he was always there for me. And, I have appreciated that determination my whole life. Yet, in the end, I repay him with pain and betrayal. "I remember," I replied. He didn't look at me. He just looked away.

"So, Jeff," he started, "give me a reason to still call you my brother. Give me a damn reason to still see you as the brother I knew and loved, protected and bled for and never gave up on! Give me.... One. Damn. Reason."

My head was spinning from the pressure. I thought and thought, but nothing could cover the fact that I murdered him and betrayed him. I fought for us, but in the end, the burden was always put on him. How can I find any reason in that?

"I...I don't have a reason...," I said, truthfully. What was the point in trying to come up with something when there is nothing? Liu nodded and remarked, "At least you're still honest." I sighed. He sucked in a deep breath and said, "But, honesty doesn't change the fact that I don't seem to know you anymore. I don't trust you, at all. But, I don't trust you because you hurt me and that you've changed." He turned and walked up to me with a hard look in his eyes. He continued on by saying, "I don't trust you because there is something you haven't told me. What is it?"

I stared at him, trying to understand what it is he wants me to confess. What could he want to know? I've never kept anything from him. I couldn't seem to understand this at all. "I-I don't-."

"Yes, you do know," he interrupted, "you just don't want to admit what it is. What is it, Jeff? Tell me."

"I really don't know what you're talking about," I stated. He growled and swiftly turned on his heel and started walking away. I was taken aback by this and I went after him. "Liu, please, wait! Tell me what it is you're looking for! Please, just wait!" I caught up to him and grabbed his arm, but he grabbed my wrist and violently shoved me away. He glared daggers at me and said, "Don't touch me, you bastard!" My body stiffened and I stayed in my place. "Liu, please, just tell me what it is you want me to say. Give me something-."

"I'VE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING," he yelled at me. "WHAT MORE CAN I SACRIFICE?! I HAVE NOTHING, JEFF! NOTHING!!!"

My body trembled slightly from his harsh voice and I was about to speak again when he interrupted me again. "You know what? You want a hint? I'll give you your damn hint!" He raised up his hands, as if presenting something, and suddenly the area around us brightened as I saw flames dance across the floor. The fire formed a ring around us and I stared at it in anxiety. The heat spread around in the air as the flames whipped and thrashed. I turned towards Liu to see him holding a gleaming silver dagger towards me. Wh...what is he doing...? What's happening right now...? Liu gave me a vicious look and growled at me, "C'mon, little bro. Let's see if you can finally put down your big brother in a fair fight."

Within seconds, Liu came charging at me, with a wild, ferocious look in his forest green eyes. I dodged to the left as he swiped his dagger at me. I ended up stumbling over my own feet and falling over. I looked up and immediately rolled out of the way as Liu came pouncing towards me. He hit the floor and snapped his gaze towards me with a wicked sneer. I scooted away as he stood and swiped down at me. I kicked up his legs from out under him and he fell over onto his side. I quickly took this time to get back on my feet. As I did, so did he. He got up and wielded the dagger in his hand again. He twirled it around and prowled towards me. "Liu," I stammered, "Quit it! Snap out of it! Liu!"

He only responded with a growl as he charged after me once again. I leaped out of the way and watched Liu with scared eyes. He's literally trying to kill me! What should I do?! I-I can't kill him. He's my brother!

I gasped as Liu came at me once again. He was only able to nick the side of my face as I dodged him again. The graze was almost near my eye. Liu glared at me through his brunette hair and said, "What's the matter? Come and fight me, Jeff! Come and end this! The only way you'll ever get out of here is if you end everything! So come on and kill me, again! If not, then I'll be glad to repay the favor!!!" He rushed me again and, this time, he managed to catch me before I could dodge him. We both fell to the floor with a thud and he sat on top of me. He raised his dagger up and brought it down on me, but I quickly held his wrist back, letting the dagger's tip nick me only a little.

"Finally," Liu huffed and punched me across the face. This set me off and I bucked up my hips to throw him over. It worked and I got on top of him. I pinned his arms down and growled, "I don't want to fight you! I just couldn't bear to make myself do that! Let alone kill you again!"

"You had no trouble the first fucking time!" Liu growled as he thrashed around under me. I grit my teeth and said, "That's all in the past! Things are different now. I've changed! And even back then, I regretted my choices and my heinous ways! All I ask of you now is to not make me relive that nightmare all over again! Please, Liu!"

He paused for a second, but only for a second, until he shook his head and yelled, "NO! I don't care if you have to suffer now! I've been suffering since the day I died! This would all end if you'd just man up and finish me off like the monster you are!"

I clenched his wrists tighter and growled, "I will NOT do such a thing anymore!"

"Then you're a damn fool!!!" Liu yelled and head-butted me. I grunted and staggered away from him. As I was getting up onto my feet, Liu stood and swiftly kicked me across the face. I fell over, spitting up blood that seeped from my mouth. I glared up at Liu and shakily got on my feet. He prowled around me again and I kept my eye on him. What more can I do? Obviously, Liu won't listen to reason and my only key to getting out of this damned place is to win this fight. But in order to do that I have to kill Liu all over again. Just the thought of doing it again made me dizzy. How could I have made myself do it the first time? How can I ever do it now? I looked at my brother, staring into those flaring green eyes that were so intent on killing me. It hurts to see those eyes look at me in that way. My eyes went along the stitches across his face. I could only imagine the pain of seeing them on yourself and thinking of how terrible the memory was. I felt the knife in my pocket and shuddered. If I don't start defending myself, Liu will be the one killing me. I can't die. Not now.

I pulled the knife out of my pocket, gripping the hilt until it hurt. Liu frowned harder at me and stepped closer. "You don't know how badly I've waited for this..." he hissed at me. I frowned at this and raised up the knife, preparing to fight back. Liu gave me a devilish grin and charged at me once again. This time I didn't dodge him. He swiped at my head and I ducked. I wrapped my arm around his, pulled him in and kneed him in his side. He growled and shoved me away. I stayed on my feet and rushed him once I regained balance. He kept dodging and ducking under my slashes until he slipped past my arms and socked me in the face. I yelled out in pain and wasn't quick enough to stop him from slashing my chest. I winced from the searing pain and glared at Liu.

"Angry now?" Liu taunted. I huffed and ran at him. I threw continuous slashes and jabs at him but he'd always avoid them. I was growing fed up with this and took the risk of tackling him down. I sat on top of him and punched him in the face over and over again. Blood spewed from his lips and nose and stained my knuckles. He eventually threw me off and I landed in a crouching position. He got up and I slashed his shins. He winced and went to kick me across the face but I ducked in time and leaped up. I landed a punch to his face as I came down and he staggered back.

Liu regained his balance and rushed towards me again. He tried stabbing me with his dagger but I kept dodging his attacks. I tried slipping in a jab to his side but he caught my arm, threw me down to my knees and pulled my head back by my hair. I felt a painful shock rush through me and I screamed in pain as his blade had pierced my back. He twirled it around, making me cry out in more pain. I felt the blade move back and forth and up and down under my skin, scratching muscle and tissue. I grit my teeth and grabbed the hand that held my hair. I pushed myself up against Liu and flipped him over me. His grip on his dagger lost and it was left lodged in my back. I reached around and pulled it out, wincing and shouting out from the pain of taking it out. I finally got it out and I felt blood run down my back and stain my clothes. Before I could do anything with the dagger, Liu kicked it out of my hand and sucker-punched me in the face. I stumbled to the right and held my jaw as it pulsated from the impact of the punch.

As I looked back at Liu, he ran at me with his dagger raised to stab me. I caught his arm in time but he elbowed me in the face multiple times with his other. He did this enough times until I was forced to let go of his arm, which resulted in his dagger entering my shoulder. Liu violently jerked the blade around and then yanked it out as he kicked me down. I was on my knees, holding my bleeding shoulder whilst thinking about what to do next. He's fast. He avoids my attacks easily and he makes sure to leave a nasty scar whenever he hits me. He's good. But, I can still take him.

I quickly get back on my feet and raise my leg to kick him. He caught it and tried flipping me over but as he twisted me I placed my hands firmly on the floor and as he spun me I kicked him across the face with my other leg. This definitely caught him off guard and he stumbled back. I landed safely on the floor and took this time to attack. As he was stunned, I ran up to him and drove my knife into his side. He grunted from the hit and stabbed his dagger into my side. I winced from the striking pain but held my ground. We held the back of each others' necks as he kept twisting our blades around. "Looks like...you've learned a few things over the years..." Liu breathed as he glared right into my eyes. He jerked the dagger further into me and my breath hitched. "A-A few, you say...? Heh, that's cute."

I reached my hand up further and yanked on his hair. His head was pulled back and I risked letting my knife go to jab him in the throat. He gagged and pulled his dagger out of me as he moved away from me. He coughed and gagged as he held his throat and I went in for another attack. I stabbed him in the shoulder and yanked him down until he was bend over so I could knee him in the face. He cried out in pain and I shoved him back. He fell to the floor, panting and gagging, with his body shaking and twitching from the wounds I inflicted. I stared down at him with a hard expression. This is my chance. All it would take is one simple stab through his neck and this will be over. He'll be finally out of my life for good!

Wait... W-Why would I think like that...?

I shook my head and took a step forward to execute my finishing hit. As I kept my eyes on his trembling and bleeding body, I couldn't help but feel...reluctant. I'll be killing my brother, for the second time in my life.

Can I really go through with this?

Of course I can! I did it once, I can do it again, dammit! I grit my teeth and finally made it to Liu. I grabbed him by his hair again and picked his head up. I aimed my knife at his neck and clenched it one last time. But, instead of driving the blade through his neck, I did nothing. My hand would do nothing but shake as I kept trying and trying to make it do my bidding. Out of frustration, I screamed out and slammed Liu's head against the floor. I walked away from him, pulling at my hair from the stress of this situation. I hung my head and sighed. "I...I can't do it.."

Liu looked up at me and just stared. "I can't kill you," I muttered, "I just can't do that to you again.."

He spit out some blood to the side and said, "Cut the caring crap! I know you can do it. You can do it with no hesitation! Stop trying to care about me when that's not how you feel about me! Admit your true feelings and get this over with!"

"Admit what true feelings?!" I snapped. "What the hell do you want from me?!"

"The truth," he stated. I shook my head and turned away from him. I heard him huff as he struggled to stand up and he said, "Tell me the truth, Jeff. Tell me what it is you can't bring yourself to admit."

"There's nothing for me to admit!" I argued. Liu stifled a wry laugh and said, "There's always something to admit. And, right now, I'm getting sick and tired of waiting around for you. So, let me give you another hint, little brother."

He suddenly charged into me and shoved me down to the ground. I fell and watched as he backed away from me, with an evil glare in his eyes. Before I could get back up, I felt a scorching pain on my body. Bright, scarlet flames engulfed me and I couldn't get back up. The fire spread all over my body and singed every bit of clothing and skin. I screamed in pain and writhed within the flames. The pain was unbearable and my lungs filled with nothing but heat. My own insides burned and I couldn't find a way to get out of this. I could see Liu, watching me in pain as the fire overtook me. He only watched. I screamed out into more agony as the flames thrashed and whipped my skin. The heat suffocated me, causing me to choke and gag on it while still screaming from the pain. My throat hurt from all of the screaming.

As I watched the flames dance and the heat distort my surroundings, figures began to slowly fade in until a whole crowd of people surrounded my burning body. Not only did they watch me writhe but they laughed at me. They cackled with glee at my own pain and wouldn't step one inch forward to help me. No one helped me. Liu was in the crowd, though he was the only one not laughing. He just watched me with those forest green eyes. Not one bit of emotion in those eyes. He felt nothing towards this scene. He felt nothing towards me. I looked away from him and begged for this to stop. I begged for this torture to end. I begged for this to stop so I wouldn't endure this agony again.

No one would help me. They only laughed. The heat of the fire struck me to the bone and I was grief stricken to see that my bone became visible. When I stretched out my hand to somebody, my fingers were reduced to bones. I trembled and screamed at the sight and curled into a ball as I was being burned alive once again. The fire wouldn't stop. It just wouldn't stop. No one came to end my pain. I looked up to see Liu again and was disappointed to see that same expressionless yet taunting face staring back at me. I frowned and screamed at him like an animal, "YOU SON OF BITCH!!! YOU FUCKER!!! YOU'RE STANDING THERE, WATCHING ME SUFFER!!! HOW DARE YOU?!?! HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME WHILE I'M IN AGONY?!? YOU BASTARD!!! YOU WEREN'T THERE TO HELP ME!!! AND NOW YOU'RE ONLY WATCHING!!! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!!! YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

The laughter only increased and the heat seemed to increase too. I was going to die here while my brother watches. I can't die. Not like this! Not while people laugh at my suffering and mock me as they loom over my burning body. But what more could I do? I can't get up. All I can do is writhe like a dying insect. As the flames rose and the laughter kept echoing in my ears, my strength slowly decreased until I came to the point where I knew my efforts were futile. I just watched as everyone around me kept mocking me, including my own brother. The one person who I regretted killing the most. The one person that made me feel so much guilt that I was thrown into various stages of depression and rage. The one person who would make me want to take back every wrong I did and earn his trust and care again. I fought for Liu. I fought with Liu against the bad parts of the world. I fought. I suffered and now I'm suffering again, because my love wasn't enough to keep us safe. Everything I did wasn't enough. My efforts were never recognized and counted for as strong and worth-full. Everything I did never mattered. Because all that mattered was Liu!

My breathing was growing shallow and my vision was growing hazy. My ears were ringing as I was beginning to lose my hearing. Flames would be the last thing I see as I die, right here and now. My head lolled to the side and through the lashing fire, I could've sworn I saw a familiar shade of bright ocean blue. I strained my vision just to see the blue that stood out over the scarlet. I felt a feeling of surprise and joy leap through me as I saw someone I never expected to be here.

"Ellie?" I said, despite how terribly hoarse my voice was. Her face was contorted into one of concern and panic. Her mouth was moving. Was she talking to me? No... she was screaming. But I couldn't hear her. Everyone else around her was still laughing at me, while she screamed. Her hands balled into fists against her chest as she seemed to practically scream her lungs out. Tears streaked down her cheeks, making me feel terrible for whatever was causing her to cry. The ringing in my ears began to subside until eventually I could hear the laughter and the crackling of flames again and Ellie's screams. They were desperate and pleading yet stern in their own way. She screamed at me...

"You promised!"

Her voice echoed in the air, overpowering the crackling of flames and the laughter of the crowd. Her voice filled my ears and struck a cord in my heart.

"You promised!"

I felt my eyes sting from tears instead of the heat and I choked out a small sob. My hand clenched into a fist, allowing me to feel my own bone, and I trembled even more.

"You promised!"

Ellie was looking right at me and I stared into her beautiful blue eyes. The blue eyes that bring me so much joy every time I see them. They always brighten up my day. It's those same blue eyes that I want to see every single day, for the rest of my life. I want to see them tomorrow, then the day after that, and the day after that. I want to see them again... I want to see them again!!!

"You promised!!!"

Promise that once this is all over that...that you will still be alive. Promise me that you'll make it and I'll do the same.

I made a promise. Both of us made a promise. It's one promise that I want to keep. One that I will never break and will honor and defend until I'm unable to move at all. And here I am, burning. I was almost going to accept death. Almost.

I lifted up my shaking, burning hand towards Ellie. Her expression of concern turned into one of happiness. She gingerly reached out her hand towards mine, despite that mine was practically nothing but bone. Just as the tips of our fingers would touch, her hand dissipated into mist. I felt a painful pang in my heart when I saw she wasn't there anymore. But, miraculously, the exposed bone was getting covered up by flesh and I could feel my whole body tingle as the same process was happening to the rest of my damaged areas. I felt rage well up inside me, knowing that I couldn't hold Ellie's hand this time and that she was only an illusion. But, I'll make it to her soon. Once I end this and get out.

Despite the flames that thrashed wildly around and on me, I hulled myself up until I was on my feet again. My body was trembling from the effort but I managed. The crowd around me stopped laughing and I seethed in rage. I took a step forward and another. The crowd dissipated into mist, taking their shocked gasps with them. I didn't care about the crowd. My eyes were set on Liu. I finally realize what he's been wanting me to admit all along. I finally know the truth that he wants so badly.

I walked out of the fire, but took some along with me as flames clung to me. They didn't hurt this time, though. Liu's expression turned sour as he sneered at me. I growled, "I made a promise. I'm going to keep that promise. And, that's all you need to know." Without any sort of warning, I ran and tackled him down to the floor. He was caught by surprise as it showed on his stitched face and I punched a flaming fist right onto his jaw. His head jerked to the side and I kept doing this over and over again. "You son of a bitch! You were always the one that mattered! The better brother! The better son!"

Liu went to stab me with his dagger but I quickly caught his wrist and practically crushed it. He groaned in pain and I made him drop the dagger by breaking his wrist. He screamed and I yelled at him, "No one cared about the stupid little brother! No one noticed the stupid little brother! All anyone noticed was you while I was stuck wallowing in your fucking shadow!!!" I grabbed the dagger and raised it above his chest. "Mom and dad always loved you best, didn't they?" I said with a quivering voice from all of my anger. "They always preferred you. They always wanted you! What about me, huh? What about me?! What about when I was suffering without you?! They didn't do shit! What about when I was burning right before their eyes?! It was too late! What about when I snapped?! None of you did a thing to help me! All I wanted was some help! That's all I wanted!!!"

I stabbed him once, twice, as many times as I wanted. "The kids at school always liked you! They always wanted to hang out with Liu. Even the fucking teachers loved you! And me? I didn't get jack! No one cared about where I stood in the world! No one fucking cared! Not even some lousy teachers! But you know what? I endured the worthlessness! I endured it all! Because of you!!!"

He began spitting up blood but I didn't stop there. "You were my brother! You were supposed to love and protect me, but look how I ended up! Look at me, Liu. FUCKING LOOK AT ME!!!" I gripped the frame of his face and turned his head so he could see me. I pointed at myself, the dagger still in my hand, and hissed, "You see this? This?! This face that isn't what you grew up with?! This fucking face that you find so unfamiliar?! I look like a monster, don't I? I look like a fucking monster! I'm not the little brother you used to look after. I'm not the little brother who shivered in fear in the corner anymore! I'm not your little brother anymore! I'm a fucking devil! And you're nothing but my victim!" I slashed the blade across his face, earning a loud scream of pain from him. The cut spread from his jaw, across his nose and up to his forehead; bleeding profusely. I grinned with glee at the sight and stabbed the dagger into his chest once again.

"I loved you, Liu. I looked up to you. But you put me down multiple times! I just loved you so much that I didn't want to realize that! I suffered without even knowing! All for you, because of you! I loved you..." I stopped stabbing him and leaned in real close. "But now," I hissed, "...now that's over. That's in the past. Because now I finally realize the truth that you've been wanting so desperately to know. Now I know you're a filthy, no good, son of a bitch...!"

I slashed the dagger across his face again and screamed out in anger. I raised it up above my head and I screamed, as loud as I possibly could, the three words I never thought I'd utter to him.

"I HATE YOU!!!!"

I drove the blade into his chest and kept screaming, "I HATE YOU! I'VE ALWAYS HATED YOU! YOU ALWAYS HELD ME IN YOUR SHADOW AND I HATE YOU FOR IT! YOU PATRONIZED ME OUT OF PITY AND I HATE YOU FOR THAT! I HATE YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU EVER DID TO ME! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!!!!"

Blood splattered and flew around in droplets as I pierced Liu's chest with his own dagger. His blood caked my hands and the dagger until no silver was left to gleam. I cursed out my own kin as his blood pooled around us. The flames left on my body danced around and fueled my rage and adrenaline. I stabbed to my heart's content. I stabbed until my arms grew tired and even then I kept going. I stabbed knowing that I was killing my brother all over again but this time I finally know how I feel about him and how he feels about me. He may have been my brother once but now...he's nothing.

As it seemed like forever went by, he finally stopped breathing and it seemed as if there was no more blood to splatter. I sobbed as I stabbed him a few more times then I dropped the dagger and panted. The flames on my body slowly ceased until they disappeared and I leaned over the corpse of my dead older brother. I tried to contain my tears but I ended up bawling either way. I sobbed like a little kid. I sobbed like how I used to cry when I was six, in that dark lonely room of mine, without my brother to protect me. I leaned my forehead against Liu's and let my tears fall on his bloodied face. I gingerly closed his eyes so I wouldn't have to see those forest green orbs stare back at me with no life whatsoever. I just mourned once again over the loss of my brother; of what was once my brother. Now nothing but another lifeless body that I condemned to death.

I don't know why I feel so terrible. This was just an illusion, a nightmare. This wasn't real. Liu was just a figment of my imagination. He couldn't have been real. Right? It's killing me not to know if he was or wasn't.

I pounded my fist against the floor and screamed out in anger. I leaned my head into Liu's neck and mumbled through tears, "I hate you...so much..."

After another forever filled time, I stopped sobbing and lifted myself off of my brother. I stood and looked down at him, feeling...a heavy weight come off of my shoulders. All of these years, I actually envied and hated my brother. And he had eventually hated me too. I looked at him one last time, before I turned away and started walking. My legs were weak and I stumbled from time to time. To my dismay, my legs finally gave out and I fell to the floor. My breathing was shallow and my vision was fading. I could hear my own heart beat as it palpitated to a slow and steady pace. I had laid there on the ground until everything faded into black and I fell unconscious.

...

I could feel dirt and gravel under me as I woke up to see that I was in an abandoned building. I groaned and turned around onto my back, looking up at the gaping hole in the ceiling. Wires and metal pipes stuck out of the broken areas of the building and dust gently flew down. Am I back...? Did I make it out...? I stayed laying down for a while and I felt something wet drip down the side of my face. I covered my mouth and choked out a small sob. I wasn't mourning again. I was just happy.

"I made it..." I said through hiccups. And I just stayed there, looking up at the sky, not feeling one ounce of regret. I did it. I got out and faced my fears. Now...now I can go on without anything to hold me back. I atoned for my sins. And now, I can keep defending my promise to my Sunshine. A real smile came across my face. A smile that I haven't bared in a long time. The joy I felt was immense and I kept letting the tears fall and fall. A slight chuckle escaped my lips and I raised my hand up in the air, flipping the finger to the sky. I laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed, while tears still fell. "I fucking hate you, Liu," I chuckled, with a warm smile. I dropped my hand and kept staring up at the sky, thinking about how that son of bitch must be watching with a damn frown on his face. But, that doesn't matter anymore. I lay there, enjoying my laughter and tears, knowing that they were worth it. They were all worth it.

I fucking made it, Liu.

I made it, Sunshine.

I made it.