Chapter 1

  I pushed through the drunk crowds clogging the entrance of Sarah's Late Eats, cursing under my breath as a group of rowdy college kids blocked my path.

  Sweat dripped from my forehead into the uneven hairs of my unkempt beard. I glanced at the large light-up clock hanging above the counter and groaned.

  Twelve fifteen. Late again, Erik. Idiot.

  “Damn it,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair before it got stuck in tangles. The diner buzzed with the crowd of students. Their booze-lined stomachs demanded greasy burgers and crispy hash browns covered in cheese, onions, and peppers.

  Sarah, the owner, spotted me from across the room. Her face twisted into a scowl as she stormed over, heels clicking against the tile floor.

  “Erik! This is the third time this week, you need to—”

  A loud crash from the kitchen cut her off. Pots and pans clattered to the floor, followed by a string of curses.

  Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose, inhaling sharply. “Just . . . get to work. Now.”

  I nodded, moving past her, but she grabbed my arm.

  “Hey, we’re having a talk after your shift. Don’t sneak out again.”

  I clenched my jaw, dug my fingernails into my thumb, and forced a nod. “Yes, ma’am.”

  I’m definitely sneaking out.

  I grabbed an apron from the hooks outside the kitchen and tied it on, slipping through the swinging doors. Grease sizzled on the flattop, and the sweet scent of waffles mixed with burned oil. My coworkers darted back and forth like pinballs.

  Receipts flapped above the grill like a hundred frantic flags. I squeezed between the two line cooks, feeling their glares burn into my back. Even with five people on shift, we were still understaffed. Basketball season always drew in the biggest crowds, and during the season there would be games on Wednesdays, which really messed up my schedule, causing me to always be late.

  I grabbed a knife and hopped into prep work. The rhythmic chopping of vegetables kept my hands moving and my mind empty, which allowed me to zone out and fantasize about far-off worlds and life other than this. Working multiple jobs had a way of beating me down, so I took any time I had to let my mind wander. Heavy shuffling and a barrage of curses snapped me back to my reality as Mike, my closest friend in the diner, squeezed beside me.

  “Move over, shrimp,” Mike barked at one of the shorter line cooks, who shot back an insult about Mike’s freakish height. It was the typical banter between kitchen staff that can only be earned, and understood, if you worked in one.

  “Jesus, Erik. You look like a damn zombie,” he grunted, tossing seasoning into a bowl of raw meat.

  I jabbed my elbow into his side without looking up. “Wow! Thanks, buddy. That means I’m still up and walking around right? I must be getting great sleep.”

  Mike snorted. “Seriously, man, rough day?”

  I sighed, my knife pausing mid-chop. “Just the usual. Double shift at the warehouse, then straight here.”

  Mike let out a low whistle. “And the kid?”

  “Noah’s fine. He’s eighteen now, old enough to stay home alone. He’s got this big history project due at school tomorrow, so I hope he finished it. I prepped all the notes for him so all he has to do is make the damn thing. He better make it on time to school tomorrow.” I started to grumble toward the end of my sentence. A change in mood Mike seemed to notice.

  Mike tilted his head. “Erik, bro. You’re too young to be taking care of a teenager. How much sleep are you really getting?”

  I shrugged, resuming my veggie massacre. “Sleep’s overrated.”

  “Not for a twenty-five-year-old. You still need sleep to stay healthy.”

  I ignored him, dumping the diced vegetables into a bowl and sliding it down the line.

  “The sleep can wait, Mike. I need the money,” I admitted, voice low. “I’m barely making enough to put a little bit aside for his college. So I went and picked up a side gig at the library. You know, weekend stuff.”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Mike shook his head. “Three jobs? That’s insane.”

  “Oh, it’s not that big a deal, and it’s worth it. I’m almost there, you know? Just a few more months and I’ll have enough saved for his tuition. Only took five years of saving!” I laughed and wiped sweat from my forehead with my arm.

  Mike exhaled, forming patties. “That’s great for your little bro, but, man . . . Don’t you think it’s time you started living your own life?”

  I grabbed a baking sheet from below. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, you’re killing yourself for your brother. And that’s admirable, it is. But when was the last time you did something for yourself? Had a night out? Went on a date? You were going to take that archaeology apprenticeship.”

  My jaw tightened. I tried to dig my nail into my skin, but the rubber gloves blocked it. “Noah’s all I’ve got, Mike. He needs me. As soon as he’s in college and has all the money he needs to start his life, I’ll start mine.”

  “I get that, but don’t they make, like, scholarships for his situation?”

  “Where are my burgers?!” Sarah’s shout interrupted us. I was grateful for the out.

  He's right. I need some damn sleep.

  Hours later, the sky lightened as the last of the customers stumbled out. The clock read nine a.m. My body ached as I peeled off my greasy apron and tossed it into the laundry bin. Sarah was busy at the register, so I made a quick escape out the back door.

  “Later, Erik,” Mike called. “Remember what I said. You gotta live, man.”

  I waved without turning back, then hopped on my bike and headed home.

  I cursed and dodged commuters, pushing my aching muscles. Cutting through the park, I spotted them—Noah, lounging in the grass with a group of teenagers.

  Oh, you little shit. I cursed.

  Braking hard, I nearly toppled over. I caught myself and glared at him. “Noah, what the HELL do you think you’re doing? It’s Thursday. You should be in school!”

  He groaned, getting up. “Again with the stubborn coddling, Erik. Why do you even care? How many times do I have to tell you? Stop acting like a parent, stop acting like a brother, for god’s sake.”

  “Are you kidding me? Why do you always say shit like this? I’m trying to help you. Go to school. That’s all I ask! You have that big project. You’re just gonna blow that off? I did a lot of work for you!”

  Noah laughed mockingly, pulling a small white carton from his pocket. He lit a thin cigarette and took a long drag. “You aren’t in charge of me, you know? This whole “big brother savior” shit is all your own self-imposed punishment. I don’t need you. Mom and Pop are long gone. Why won’t you just let me do what I want? We have no one to tell us what to do.” Smoke puffed out his mouth as he spoke and walked closer to me. “We should enjoy our freedom.”

  The words hit like a punch, but I clenched my fists and stared down Noah. “Let you do what you want? What, and just abandon you like that? You’re my brother, they wouldn’t have wanted you to be some sort of dropout. Why are you throwing away these chances I am giving you? Life isn’t fair. It chews you up and spits you out. You need all the help you can get!”

  “Maybe I don’t want those chances!” He turned his back. “Did you ever think about that? Did you ever think about what I want? Or were you too busy playing martyr?”

  I grabbed his arm and twisted him around. “This isn’t about what you want, Noah—it’s about your future.”

  Noah scoffed. “My future? You have no idea what I have planned for my future. I want to decide for myself. I deserve that. And I certainly won’t let you of all people decide my future.”

  He punched me in the gut—not enough to hurt, but enough to make a point—before storming off.

  “Give me a break. You? Caring about my future? You have no clue who I even am these days. You’re never home, and when you are, we don’t talk. We haven’t talked much since the accident. I bet you don’t even know what I’ve been doing these past few months.”

  I looked at him, confused. “What have you been doing? Just how much school are you missing to slack off?” I could feel my blood boiling. Why did teenagers have to be so . . . infuriating?

  “Slack off . . . That’s funny. You’ll find out soon enough as I’ll be out of your psychotic, controlling hair.” He walked back to his friends, picked up his backpack, and waved to them.

  “I’m out, guys,” he said before he hopped on his bike and pedaled away. I let out an annoyed sigh and picked up my own bike to follow after him.

  Controlling? I’m hardly controlling. I’m taking care of him! He needs to get to school, and I’m sure I can calm him down. He’ll thank me one day, I thought.

  I let out a sigh and waved his friends away. “It’s no big deal. He’s just upset I embarrassed him.”

  “No one said anything,” a tall, skinny girl said dismissively.

  I shook my head and went home. The argument with Noah replayed in my mind as I weaved through the morning traffic again. His words cut deep, but I knew some of them were true. In a sense . . . he was saying the same thing Mike was.

  I’ve accepted the blame on my part . . . but why do I let myself suffer?

  About fifteen minutes later I pulled up to our small ground-floor apartment. Noah’s backpack was abandoned just outside like he had rushed home to catch the toilet.

  Why would he leave this out here? So reckless.

  I walked inside and went down the hallway to the third door, our door. Inside, I heard muffled voices. I raised an eyebrow and jiggled the doorknob to find he had locked it behind him. I groaned and reached for my key.

  “Noah! I swear, if you have your friends over, I—”

  I unlocked the door and froze.

  Noah stood alone in the living room. But behind him, a massive black vortex churned, sucking the air around it. The shape was like a magical-looking portal, taken straight out of a video game and placed in my living room. Inside it, black and purple smoke twisted like a whirlpool.

  Noah glanced at me, smiling.

  “Geminae animae!” he yelled—and stepped into the void.

  “Noah, WAIT!”

  Without thinking, I lunged after him.

  The world dissolved into blackness.

  “You are not supposed to follow,” a voice whispered from beyond the dark. Then I felt pain erupt through me.