An Apple A Day (Wattys2019)

2nd Intermission

Third Person

20 Years Ago

"Here girl, here!"

Elias shakes his bag of catnip, sprinkling some in a thin layer over the dirt. It's been two months of combing the woods relentlessly looking for his cat. The middle child hangs back behind his manic mother and bitchy older brother. He smokes a cigarette. An electric jolt of excitement sparks, it makes him smile as they walk over the spot where he disposed of the cat, still a little circle of leaves and twigs framing the ritualistic headstone. Ludwig isn't interested in detaching for the cat either. A bitterly flutters by and Ludwig pulls out his big sheet with al their names on it.

"This one looks like owl eyes! Look, big brother!" He points in excitement. He wants to be a biologist when he grows up, the middle child thanks that's a great idea.

The middle child rolls his eyes. "Elias is 'big brother', don't call me that. It's weird,"

"I can't call you psycho that's mean!" Ludwig insists.

"Everyone else calls me it," he growls to himself, before smiling sweetly down at his younger brother. They've stopped to talk, the others' footsteps disappearing from earshot. "No, you're right. I should choose what you call me. I'll choose a name I like, that fits me,"

"You're super good with science and stuff!"

"I'm not that good, it's not like I'm a doctor,"

"Hm, Doctor," Ludwig contemplates with a giggle. "Calling you Doctor makes you sound like an old man! I'm gonna call you Doc. Like Loony Tunes! What's up, Doc?" He proposes with a grin.

"Doc. I like it," he nods, emotionless pout breaking into a grin. He really does like it, now his entire self seems packaged inside that sound.

"Hey Doc, where's mum an' Elias?" Ludwig asks after a sort silence, looking around them.

"They're right-" he points to where he last saw them, now another vacant spot among the trees. "Oh, typical. And now I'll get blamed for losing them!"

"Calm down, Doc,"

"Oh shut up," he sighs, brushing back his fringe. "Come on, we'll find them,"

They trudge around the forest for hours, lost in the labyrinth of trees that all look the same and paths Doc is certain someone designed deliberately to trick and confuse people. A pretty good joke, something he'd do. Night has began to engulf the air around them, obscuring everything into jagged black shapes that blend together at the ends. Every trail becomes a fork in the path, and every corner they pass is a wrong turn. Every wrong turn a dead end. Doc becomes more and more frustrated, the anger boiling into side of him. Steam spouts from his ears. Where can all the pressure go, other than be expressed as rage?

"This is all your fault!" He seethes at a hysterically frightened Ludwig. "Why did you have to stop and talk to me?!"

"S-Stop blaming me f-for everything just cause you don't like me!" The child cries. "You're just like mum!"

Doc slaps him hard across the cheek, grabbing a sharp stick and pressing it into the soft skin of Ludwig's neck. "I am nothing like her!"

He hears the child crying and gets off, helping him to his shaking feet. "Sorry. Are you thirsty? I am. Let's find a well. Wells are useful," He sighs, berating himself in his head for harming his brother. He loves Ludwig, really he does.

"T-There was one about a mile back Doc!" Ludwig tells him in a shaking voice, stepping back nervously. He's scared of Doc now.

"Great, I'll race you," Doc offers and Ludwig seems to forget his fear.

They sprint to the well, Doc slowing down to get his little brother win, lifting him up in celebration of his jubilant victory. "Well done, Ludwig!" He spins him around the air before they at on the edge of the well, drawing up water in the old metal bucket. The water is pretty clear, filtered through the well system.

"Maybe the kitty came here for a drink!" Ludwig surmises.

"Huh? She's not here, she's buried by the-" Doc realises his finger is loosely pointing in the direction he buried the cat.

"You know where she is?" Ludwig smiles. "Where?! Elias will be so happy we found her!"

"I don't know where she is,"

"But you just said you did," he frowns. "Doc, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" He buried his age in his hands, letting his fingers slide up to tug at his hairline. "Let's keep looking,"

"Doc?"

"Ugh - what?!" He snaps.

"What did you mean 'buried'?" His voice slows to a frightened whimper. His eyes go wide and Doc knows is smartypants little brother has figured it out. The evidence has always been there really. "Did you kill Elias' cat, big brother?!"

"Yes, I killed the damn cat!" Doc declares angrily, pulling his knife from his pocket and throwing it to the ground, where it stabs into the soft Earth. "Elias thinks everything is my damn fault. Maybe he should feel some pain once in a while!"

"Y-You..."

"But you aren't going to tell anyone, are you Ludwig?" He starts walking forward, Ludwig walking backwards in fright, eyes fixed on Doc. "You aren't mother's favourite either. You must understand! She blamed me for him leaving, so did Elias! You don't want her go hurt me again, do you?"

"You..."

"Speak up, brother dearest," he reaches out slowly to grabs his brother's arm. The child rips away.

"YOU PSYCHO!" Ludwig pushes him to the ground with a surprising summoning of strength. Doc lands squarely on his back, scraping against the ground with skid marks of dirt on his shirt. He props himself up in time to see Ludwig running away, sobbing and wiping away his hot tears.

"Ludwig, watch out for the well!"

His pale form disappears into the shadows of the forest, Doc scrambling to his feet as he heard air whoosh past his ears, dancing along to a scream from up ahead.

He rushes to the well where blood is smeared along the side. His brother is lying beside it, head dripping crimson as a deep purple gash forms at the edge, crushed skull scattered around his limp body. "Ludwig!" He leans over on his hands, staring down into the black tunnelled eyes behind glasses, void of the sweet sparkle of life. "Can you hear me?!"

"Not likely,"

Doc turns to see a man standing right behind him, bloodstains built in layers over his jacket cuffs, small scars framing sharp cheekbones. "Wh-What happened to my brother?"

"He fell down and hit his head off the well," the enigmatic man states in a monotone. He's smiling and bends down, caressing Doc's cheek in his large hand. "He was boring anyway, not worth saving,"

"Saving?"

"Ordinary people deserve death. Does the rest of us a favour. Your brother was boring. But you..." he smirks, grabbing Doc's jaw and inspecting each facial feature. "Are so very fascinating,"