Monsters

Bram - Age 17: Forgiveness

Kirg, Wren, and Jess had just sat down at the table and started talking when Bram sat down across from Kirg. 

All conversation stopped as they paused to stare at him, surprise etched into every face. 

"What?" he demanded. "I can't sit here?" 

"Don't you want to go sit with the other manwhores?" Jess said in a fake sweet voice. 

He quirked a brow, "Jealous because I get more attention than you?" 

She scowled, and Wren laughed. 

"My brother isn't a womanizer," Kirg said defensively. 

Bram looked at him in surprise. Kirg was actually taking up for him? 

Jess snorted, "Yeah, we were not  talking about female attention." 

Wren glanced at Bram's suddenly uneasy expression and changed the subject, "What bring you here, Bram? You've not sat with us in a while." 

He gave her a quick smile of thanks before saying, "I finally followed Asher's advice and started seeing the councilor again a few months ago. I realized the reason I'd pulled away from people was because of what happened to us when we were younger..." 

Kirg flinched, "We promised not to talk about that at school." 

"Yeah," Bram sighed, rubbing his neck, "but you run and lock yourself in your room when we get home. So, I figured I'd talk to you here. I'm sorry I ever blamed you, Kirg. It wasn't your fault." 

Kirg's throat felt tight, and he immediately felt tears threatening, "Stop it, Bram. Not here." 

"Then where, Kirg?! You can't keep pretending it didn't happen!" 

"What happened?" Jess finally asked. 

Bram's jaw clenched, and he met her eye, "Our first caretaker was an evil woman that abused and raped us. Repeatedly. She would tie Kirg up, and she'd threaten to kill him if I didn't go along with whatever she wanted." 

He saw Wren's pink skin go white. She gasped, hands flying over her mouth, "Oh Mylanta. How horrible."  

"Yeah," Bram agreed, his eyes focusing on his twin. "Dad--Sorcha-- is the one that rescued us along with Ishka and her Mom, Luken." 

"I think you're getting 'mom' and 'dad' mixed up," Jess started. 

Wren gave her a look, "Really? All this information, and that's what you're focusing on? I'm so glad she was able to get you guys out. And I'm glad you're getting counseling, Bram. Is it helping?" 

Bram nodded, "I internalized everything for a long time. I blamed myself. I...blamed Kirg...but now I know that it wasn't our fault." 

"It was my fault," Kirg muttered brokenly, his forehead against the table, tears streaming down his face. "You were always stronger than me. You could have fought. You could have--"

"And look how well fighting turned out for Mom," Bram told him. "She beat him until he was incapable of moving and then did whatever she wanted anyway. Dark Lady was the one at fault, not me, not you, and not Mom." 

"But--"

"Do you blame Ishka?" Bram demanded. 

Kirg's whole body recoiled, and when his head shot up, his eyes were black, "Don't ever say that! She's the only thing that kept me sane!" 

"But she watched," Bram said. 

"She shared my pain--"

"Because she couldn't do anything else. Just like us," Bram said firmly. "It wasn't your fault. Just like it wasn't her fault."