My Brother's Keeper (a Superman story)

Chapter 5: Dark Secrets Revealed

Clark's POV

I looked at my little brother, the fear in his eyes and expression killing me from inside. I never realized my secret would ever be this scary for him. He was aware of the existence of meta-humans and even aliens, and as such those things did not scare him but for some reason, my secret and the fact I had powers, were somehow fueling his fears.

"Omar, I'm not going to hurt you!" I raised my hands, trying to get closer to him but with every step I took, backed away.

"No, stay away from me!" he cried, his big soft eyes filled with tears, red from crying.

"Omar, it's me. Your brother!"

He cried, only now noticing how violently he was trembling.

I once again tried to get close but he backed away. He got up and started running and I sped and grabbed him, then took him into the house where he started to resist me. He ran into the kitchen and fell as he ran, breaking a glass cup, and cutting his arm.

"Don't get close!" he extended his hand in an attempt to maintain a blockade between us.

"I'm not going to hurt you!"

"You already did!" he continue crying, his vulnerabilities suddenly coming to light.

My brother, being younger, was more vulnerable because of his lack of life experience he had, which he filled by taking self-defense and kickboxing classes. And it was that lack of experience that was making him feel this fear because he did not realize that as his brother I would never hurt him.

"How?" I felt my eyes watering up as well.

"You left me when I needed you most. You never tried to check on me and now I find out you've kept secrets this big from me?!" he continued crying, the fear and anguish further tearing me apart because it was now that I was beginning to realize that I should have told him the truth about who I was, all along.

"You need to trust me! And if you let me explain..."

"Explain?!" he shouted. "How can you have an explanation for this?!... I don't even know who you are! I realize I never knew who you were, ever!"

"It's me, your brother. The one you've looked up to since you were a child."

"Are you?"

"Yes" I tried reaching out to him but he backed away.

"Leave me alone!" he begged.

"Omar, please..."

"If you mean me no harm, you will leave me alone and let me go!" he retained that look of fear.

I backed away, nodding lightly to put him at ease. He was really scared and while now I wanted to share my secret with him but something told me it would not only scare him, it will likely make him hate me more.

He finally got up, grabbed his satchel, and skateboard, and ran out.

I stood in the kitchen, looking at the few droplets of blood from the cut on my brother's arm when he frantically tried getting away from me.

This was not how things were supposed to happen. I should have balanced my life, work, and relationship. It was obvious he needed me more than I realized, and I left him behind when he was at the most vulnerable stage of his life.

Losing not just his best friend but also our dad, was what had him in this state. He needed someone to be there for him, someone to guide him and that person should have been me. I should have been there when he needed me. I neglected him and now, I was facing the consequences of having left him behind.