Page 98 of Where Sinners Repent

The words rip from my chest, anguished screams that sound distant to my own ears.

“You’re sorry?” Frank murmurs, his eyes darkening with sick amusement. “Tell that to your brother.”

The scent of burning skin makes me gag, as he holds the end to Kai’s forearm. Just adding to the hundreds that already litter his skin. It barely pulls a reaction from Kai.

“Kai,” I sob, squeezing my eyes shut. “I’m so sorry, Kai.”

I’m a coward. He’s the one getting tortured, and I’m the one who can’t even look. I’m the reason he barely talks. I’m the reason he’s not like the other kids our age. I’ve ruined him. Every fuck-up is marked on his body.

I try to be good. Try to shut my mouth and be as invisible as I can to Frank and Sheree. I do everything they tell me to do. But their bar is so high that I can’t help but fail. Which means I fail Kai.

Finally, his dark eyes slide to mine. Long lashes fluttering is the only sign that he’s in pain.

“You’re okay, Kai,” I whisper, blinking through my tears. “I’m here. Please keep your eyes on me. Stay with me.”

Without his shirt on, I see everything that I’ve caused him. Sometimes Frank beats him with the buckle on his belt. Sometimes he uses his fancy knife. Sometimes it’s burns like tonight. And sometimes it’s his bare fists.

This can’t keep happening.

Fuck! This can’t keep happening.

“Yes, look at your brother, Kai,” Frank sneers. “Look at the reason why you are in this position.”

The way he sucks on that cigarette so casually sickens me. Hatred so strong makes me grit my teeth and glare back at the man.

Making him a silent promise.

This will be the last time he lays a hand on my brother. This will be the last night spent in this hell. He must see it, because his eyes flare with excitement. Taking it as an excuse to abuse my brother even further.

Continuing to burn and torture him.

For the first time, I don’t keep my eyes on my brother. I keep them on Frank. His smile grows wider with every second. He thinks he’s won.

Thinks breaking another body will end the same way every other one has. But he doesn’t notice the way every breath I take is steadier than the last. He’s too busy enjoying his own power to realise it’s already slipping from his fingers.

The promise replaces everything inside me. Whatever happens next, when the sun rises, Frank will never stand over my brother again.

Will never stand over anyone.

Eventually, he got bored with decorating my brother’s skin and left us strapped to our beds. With every bit of strength I could muster, an hour later I’m free from the belt around my wrists.

Kai doesn’t say a word as I untie him and help him to his feet. My forehead falls against his, my last silent promise of the night. Promising him that I’ll always protect him. That I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for all the pain I put him through.

With my hand in his, we sneak through the house. Just like every other painful night in this house, Sheree and Frank are high as kites, passed out in their room.

Seeing them like this, they look so weak. It makes me wonder why I haven’t done this sooner.

It makes me thirsty for their blood.

As carefully as I can, I reach into his pocket, my hand wrapping around the heavy knife. The one he has used to cause so much pain. The purple knife is his pride and joy, and it’s been plunged into Kai’s body more times than I can count.

It only makes sense that he dies from it.

Everything else goes black. I barely feel the warm spray of the blood that coats us. Barely hear Sheree’s screams before I’m turning on her and driving the knife into her body.

I slice and slash and plunge until the wet sounds of flesh are louder than my screaming.

Blood fills my mouth, coats my tongue, and drips down my body. Turning to Kai, he looks like he’s walked out of a horror movie, having joined me at some point, blood staining his entire body.