Chapter Three: The Life We Were Given

my brother's keeper

"Even now after all the living the two of us have done, I smile when I remember Bills constant courage."

 

"Hey. Let’s keep the level of crap to a minimum" said Bill with a half-hearted evil eye. 

 

"No matter how many times I think of that day - I hear Bill’s voice calling for me.”

 

"Ok that's it I'm telling the story," Bill said:

 

 "July 8th a date I will never forget I was nine years old and Howard, seven. My only chores that summer was feeding the family dog and burning the trash. We had a routine Mother and I. One bag, one match. However on July the 8th one match would not due. Still hoarding a bag of Black Cats and sparklers a plan was formed. A simple thing really a few twigs and some dried hay.

 

Now the question of where to set this fire. Somewhere so Momma can’t see it from the house. The mouth of the barn a good choice. Howard covered in Billy the Kid garb, was running and hiding behind rocks all the way there. I set off a few Black Cats and lit two sparkers for Howard. Off he went running and hiding first here and then there. I set off a few more Black Cats and went to the fire pit to burn the trash. Looking back that is where I should have built that little fire. A small shift in the wind keeps my secret in the barn. The smoke settled in there for no one to see. I was feeling quit clever. Till crackling and a low hiss made me stand up to look over the small hill that separated the fire pit from the barn.

 

"Howie!" I cried. My gut within that very breath turned to lead. Fire was rolling out of the loft. I had only been away for 5 minutes tops. I stepped out to run to Mother, and turned in a flash to run back to where I had seen Howard playing. I’ve killed him, I cried. Sobbing for a second or maybe two as I topped the hill. The entrance to our childhood playground was black from soot whirling with smoke and flames. The heat moved me back and I looked at every tree and rock hoping to see him there. As I fanned the area a sparkle from the depths of the barn caught my eye. In the mist of the fire I saw my old Billy the Kid silver hat rim.

 

No words entered my mind, no plan, no thoughts. I just took to running straight into the barn. Thank the Lord, I ran straight to Howard. Who was lying on the ground froze in fear. He looked right at me. Blaming me I felt. I reached down to grab him and the brads on his vest set my hands to burning. I did not turn loose of my bubba, I didn’t let go even after I pulled him free of the barn and was swept up into my mother’s waiting arms. For a month I wore bandages on my hands and for a month we slept in the same bed. Both worrying over the other and both thankful for the life we were given."

Author's Note

any comments are welcome

Reviews

[roarke]

Now here's the change, is this first person? I don't have a problem with the switch of pov, the setting of the story allows it, but the abruptness does throw the reader for a second. It seems the narration of the story in the last chapter was shifting and now in this one has become first person. Daring if handled properly. Think of transitions here.