Death By My Little Brothers Lies

Because of my younger brother's petty tantrum, I was sent flying ten meters away by a pick-up truck.

My lungs were punctured, and I was clinging to life.

But when my mother arrived, she scooped up my brother who had merely tripped, and rushed toward the hospital in a panic.

I begged my mother to save me, but she didn't even look back, shouting, "Why are you still acting out for attention at a time like this? Do you have any idea how close your brother came to breaking his leg?"

In the end, I died at that intersection.

Yet, when she learned of my death, the mother who had hated me so much cried until she went blind.

1.

The rhythmic beeping of the monitor flattened into a chilling, continuous tone. I was dead.

I watched myself float up, ethereal and detached, drifting down the hallway, following the sound of my mother's voice.

"Silas, look at Mommy. Are you okay?" My mother was stroking my brother's knee.

"This Leo, he's absolutely worthless! His brother is hurt like this, and where did he go? How could he fail to protect him?" my father roared in rage.

"Don't even mention him! Once we get home, I won't let him off easy!"

"Brother didn't mean to push me, please don't be mad at him..." Silas said, acting hesitant.

"What? That little bastard!"

I let out a bitter laugh. It was always like this.

I had been treated like an outcast since I was a child, all because of this manipulative brother of mine.

He constantly stole things from his classmates at school, which eventually escalated into blatant robbery.

Whenever the other parents showed up at our door, he would put on an innocent face and push all the blame onto me.

"Brother wanted them, and he forced me to take them! I was too scared to refuse, he would have hit me!" Silas would cower in my mother's arms.

"What? Leo! If you're going to be a delinquent, don't drag your brother down with you!"

"It looks like you need a real lesson to remember your place!"

"How could you be this kind of kid? You always seemed so well-behaved! I really can't judge a book by its cover!"

Silas often stole my things, then would lie on the floor, rip his clothes, and tell our parents I'd snatched his toys and hit him.

For this, my father would often pull down my pants and teach me a 'lesson' with a belt.

The more I cried out that it was my brother who stole my things, the harder he hit me.

He wore out several canes hitting me.

At those moments, Silas would hide behind my mother's shoulder, pretending to cry while secretly making faces and sticking his tongue out at me.

No one ever believed me.

"Dad, don't get so worked up. Brother is probably still mad at me about the computer..."

"What about the computer? I promised him he could have it if he got first place, but his lack of character makes him undeserving. Of course, I gave it to you instead! You're the one who is actually sensible and sweet!"

My heart twisted in pain.

That day, my father had come home late from a dinner party and, for once, visited my study while I was working.

He had personally said, "If you get first place on the next big exam, I'll reward you with a computer."

My father kept his word about the computer, but it was stolen by my brother.

Because Silas told him that he'd seen me cornering a girl at school, kissing and grabbing her.

He claimed when bystanders tried to intervene, I yelled, "Do you know who my dad is? How dare you mind my business?!"

He claimed that when he stepped in to stop me, I kicked him aside and forced myself on the girl despite her resistance.

And so, instead of receiving my reward when I came home from school, I didn't get the computer, and I was beaten black and blue.

From my father's brief, angry remarks, I learned the reason behind the punishment.

My desperate attempts to defend myself were dismissed as an inability to repent.

Silas stood by, occasionally exclaiming, "This computer is so easy to use!"

Every terrible thing my brother told you was true, except the protagonist wasn't meDit was your precious son, Silas.

And my car accident? That was his doing, too.

"Silas's father, Leo is still in the observation room. He needs emergency surgery," the nurse said, seeing that my brother was fine, and approached them.

"How is that possible? I saw it myself when we arrived! Silas's knee is swollen! That ungrateful brat is perfectly fine!" my mother shrieked.

"How much did that little monster pay you to stage this show? Go back and tell him to stop being so disgusting! Tell him to get over here right now!"

The nurse waved her hands, terrified, and held out the critical condition notice. "Please, take a look..."

My mother glanced at it. "Oh, look at that, a fake notice! He's really committed to this act! Does this wolf in sheep's clothing think he's clever? It won't be that easy to trick us!"

My father snatched the paper and ripped it to shreds. "I'm sick of his constant lying! So, he's dying? Tell him if he wants to die, he should go die somewhere far away!"

I looked at my monstrous parents, tears streaming down my face.

Never mind. I don't need it anymore. I'm already dead.

But even in death, I never received the love of my parents.

Instead, I had to endure my brother's defamation.

Only a few hours ago, because of a shoe my brother had intentionally thrown into the road, I bent down to pick it up. That was when he suddenly charged and pushed me toward the speeding truck.

The driver swerved into the guardrail, but I was dragged by the high-speed tires and crushed under the chassis, my internal organs severely ruptured.

Meanwhile, my brother only fell and scraped his knee on that very shoe while running back after causing the mess.

"Dad, is Brother okay?" Silas asked in a weak voice, tugging at his shirt.

My father, who was still furious, softened instantly. He lowered his head and whispered, "Good boy, Silas. Just focus on healing and don't worry about these things."

"That's right, Silas. You're just too kind, which is why your brother hurts you over and over again!" my mother said, tucking in his blanket.

I had long since grown used to my brother's manipulative 'pick-me' act.

He had once stabbed through my palm with a screwdriver just to steal a toy my parents had bought for meDa rare gift.

Then, when my mother came running at the sound, he scratched his own arm slightly and burst into loud sobs.

Even though his own toys were already piled up like a mountain.

He only wanted what I had in my hand.

My hand was left permanently damaged, unable to play piano anymore, and to top it off, I was fiercely punished by my father.

He sat across from me eating ice cream, occasionally screaming, "Stop hitting Brother! He didn't mean it!"

My hand was swollen like a bun, my bottom was shredded from the beatings, and I begged my mother for mercy while crying out for my father. One ignored me, and the other hit me even harder.

Just like when I got off the ambulance and begged my mother to save me, only to be met with her look of disgust.

My father swatted my hand away. "Stop making a scene! Your brother is hurt so badly, it's a matter of life and death. Can't you be a little more mature?"

Yes, you know it's a matter of life and death, so why did you use your power to force every doctor in the hospital to attend to Silas? He only had a scraped knee! I was the one whose life was hanging by a thread!

Was I even their biological son?

I couldn't help but shed tears.

My mother suddenly picked up her phone and started dialing a number.

I glanced down, and my pained heart felt a spark of warmthDit was my number!

The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered.

Of course, because I was already dead.

"That ungrateful brat, how dare he not answer the phone after doing something so wrong! Silas, rest well, I'll make sure your brother comes to apologize to you!"

My father looked at her impatiently. "Forget it! Why are you looking for that punk? Don't mention him in front of me again! If you have the time, put more effort into taking care of Silas. This child is our real blessing."

"I just wanted to tell him to stop lying around and come here to serve his brother. At least that way he wouldn't be a total waste! Alright, alright! Silas, Mommy's going to peel an apple for you!"

My brother returned home surrounded by our family.

"Silas, have some grapes."

"Silas, Mommy is going to make your favorite crawfish."

"Mom, let me help you? I've been lying down for days!" Silas leaned against my mother's waist, rubbing his head against her and acting spoiled.

He always knew exactly what to say to please them.

Unlike me, I always hid my emotions inside.

Even with a thousand grievances, I bore them in silence, wiping away my tears and continuing to fantasize that one day things might changeDthat my parents would love me even a fraction as much as they loved Silas.

"Silas, just rest and play your games. You have your mom and dad here for you."

Watching my parents happily head into the kitchen, my brother's innocent expression vanished instantly. He smugly propped his feet up on the coffee table, carelessly tossing grape skins all over the floor.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Walking in with my brother was none other than my best friend, Spencer.

The only person in school who had shown me any kindness.

My soul floated above the living room, shouting anxiously, "Spencer! Are you here to see me? I knew that even if the whole world forgot me, you would still be thinking of me!"

Unfortunately, I couldn't make a sound.

"What took you so long?" my brother said.

Wait, when did they get to know each other? I'd never seen them speak at school!

"Silas, are you okay? I heard you hurt your leg? Let me see, does it still hurt?" Spencer's voice sounded so sweet and concerned.

"You're my brother's best friend, isn't it weird for you to care about me?" my brother teased as they walked in, arms around each other.

"You heartless thing, I only talk to him because of you! Didn't you say the best way to destroy someone is to take away everything they think they have?"

"Then when are you going to break up with him? When are you going to make him suffer? I can't wait!" my brother cackled.

My heart went cold.

I had given my heart to everyone; why did they treat me like this?

My friendship with Spencer was the source of my happiness.

One day, I was walking along the school path.

I was shoved around by a few classmates.

They threw a basketball at my head and stomach over and over again.

They cursed, "You dirty thief! That's for stealing our things!"

For my brother's sake, I gritted my teeth and refused to reveal the truth.

They kicked me around like a soccer ball until I finally collapsed, unable to take it anymore.

They kicked my stomach repeatedly.

Until a voice rang out from the distance: "The teacher is coming!"

The group cursed and scattered.

The raindrops falling from the sky seemed to pity me, to sympathize with me.

He had covered my head with his coat like that.

He sat with me in silence, his eyes red.

That day, I learned his name was Spencer.

Every time he walked toward me under the gaze of the crowd, every time he stood up to defend me, my broken heart slowly began to heal.

I told him everything, treating him like a brother.

I never expected...

"Oh, Spencer's here! Stay for dinner!" my mother shouted from the kitchen.

I followed her with blurred vision, watching her rummage through her bag and pull out her phone.

The phone had been ringing incessantly.

"This is Silas's mother. What... he's already dead? Are you joking?" My mother stood frozen.

I heard it clearly. The hospital was notifying the family to pick up my remains.

She paced the room anxiously, her mood volatile, muttering, "Impossible! I clearly saw there wasn't a scratch on him, how could he be dead!"

Then, she frowned, as if considering the possibility.

My father pushed the door open. "What's dead? Why are you talking nonsense on the day Silas is discharged?"

My mother looked at him blankly. "It's not me. The hospital called and said Leo is dead, and we need to contact a funeral home."

"That little monster has some tricks up his sleeve! He's actually colluding with all these people to lie to us! He's just jealous that we're taking care of Silas and no one is paying attention to him!" my father bellowed.

"You're right, that must be it! He wants us to go to the hospital to pick him up, no way! If he says he's dead, then let him stay dead out there and never come back!" My mother regained her composure quickly, saying it with conviction.

"No, let's go see him and call his bluff! If he isn't dead, I'll kill him myself!" my father grabbed my mother's arm.