"Together."

if the first and last words of a story were the same, but had different meanings

“Together.”

“Wait for me! I don’t wanna stay here alone!” 

My younger brother shouted at me as I started the engine before he got to the car.

„Scared of staying alone with aunt Rose?” I laughed at him. 

“She absolutely terrifies me, you know that. The weird jewels all over the place, I think she might be a witch.”

“Or she’s just an old crazy woman Theo.”

“But the worst… this cat…”

“Don’t tell me you’re scared of an old cat!” I laughed even harder, making his lips' corners go up. 

“He looks as if he wants to scratch my eyes out!” He laughed out.

And we drove.

We have been living with our aunt since our parents had an accident a few years ago. They had been on a boat cruise but something went wrong and the ship sank. Our mom drowned, dad, however, left us with her sister and disappeared from our lives.  Since then it’s been just us against everything else. Even though we were staying with aunt Rose and she was our legal guardian she never paid much attention to either of us so we had to take care of ourselves. It was just the two of us, me and Theo.

“Where are we going?” Asked Theo, looking at me.

“I was thinking of driving up to this lake out of town, you know the one where we used to go on weekends with dad.” He looked at me precariously,

“You know how I feel about swimming Ava…” I turned my gaze onto him, I knew. Ever since our mom died it has been this way, he never once set foot in the water. It broke my heart as before we used to go swimming together frequently and he loved it. 

“Oh Theo, I know. But you will need to break through it eventually, you haven't come swimming with me for years now. Come on, it will be fun.” I said and gave him an encouraging smile.

“Remember how we used to jump off those rocks? You always did the best dives!”

“Yeah, I always liked that…”. I saw a hint of a smile building up on his face.

“Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise.” 

He stared into my eyes unsure for a second but finally gave in.

“Okay.” 

“I knew you would agree! It will be just like the old times! I can’t wait to see you doing a flip again.” At that he smiled, finally breaking through his comfort zone.

We drove until the car passed the last sign, welcoming the by-drivers entering the town. I left the car at the side and there we were. The place that felt like childhood. So peaceful and beautiful, perfect to be filled with laughter. An old big water willow throwing a pleasant shade, the canyons surrounding the basin, and the water. As blue as the sky, glimmering with the summer sun. One just couldn’t not be in love with this place.

I looked at Theo, his eyes as bright as I hadn’t seen in a long time. It was a good idea to bring him here, I knew it. We threw our things onto the grass and ran along the shore until we stopped at the rocks. I began to climb, but he hesitated. I looked at him,

“I’m right here, come on.” I said as he looked at me, nervous. He slowly climbed up to the top and I took his hand. 

“Together?” I asked with a hopeful smirk on my face,

“Together.” He replied.

And hand in hand, we jumped. And oh my word it was amazing! The submerge into the blue infinity, rippling against our skin. I missed it so much. And especially that Theo was here, finally overcoming his fear. He swam up next to me, and let me tell you, he was so happy. We didn’t waste another second, we went to jump again, and soon it was just like always. 

A lot of laughing splashing, competing for the best jump, just laying in the water until we got hungry. We set up a small picnic next to my car and ate, observing the lovely scenery building up before us. We lay in the sun letting it sparkle against our faces, absorbing the August heat. Theo turned to me with a soft smile,

“Thank you for convincing me to come. I really missed it, and I was so scared I forgot how much joy it brings me.” 

I grinned, 

“Oh, and how much better than you I am at rock jumping!” He shouted and momentarily he sprung to his feet running into the water. I let out a snort, 

“You wish!” I screamed as I ran after him, laughing.

As he dove his flip, I climbed the rock and jumped myself. I reached the surface laughing and shouted,

“Have you seen this? A perfect dive! Who is the best now!” I swam back to the shore,

“Theo! Please tell me you have seen this, it was awesome!” I looked around, there was no way he just missed the best jump of my life. I got out of the water and began to collect our things and put them back in the car, in the meantime he jumped some more. When I was done I expected him to be ready and getting out of the water. However it seemd to be such fun for him that he didn’t want to leave, it made my heart warm. I called for him, 

“Theo! We need to head back!”, but there was no response. I tried again.

“Theo?” Still no reply. There was no sight of him near the shore so I went to check the rocks. There too, I didn’t see him.

“Theo!” I shouted once again. That’s when I began to worry a little. I was just about to go check the shore again when I saw him. 

Surrounded by the beautiful canyons, in the shade of the wonderfully big, old water willow, was my brother. Not moving, floating at the surface of the majestically shimmering, sun-lit, water, blue as the sky. 

The same water he has jumped into hundreds of times before, the same water that used to bring him so much joy, the same water he did not want to go into, the same water I told him to jump in. 

None of the hundreds of times he had jumped into the lake mattered now. There was only one jump that did, the one that ended his life, the one that somehow, because of a slight slip or lack of focus caused him to drown.

This caused the outcome that he was so scared of, the end that our mom was met with.

I stood there frozen for a second, not able to move. When I accessed my senses again I ran down to the water, rocks leaving scratches over my legs, and swam up to him. I dragged him out of the water, crying. 

“Theo! Hey Theo! Can you hear me?!” I began to say.

“Theo!” I repeated over and over until my talking turned into shouting.

It was obvious he didn’t hear me, it was obvious that there was nothing anyone could do to reverse what had happened. There was no reversing the fact that my little brother had died because of me. Because I told him to come. Because I told him to swim. Because I told him to jump.

Because I told him nothing bad would happen. I promised. 

Now, he was dead. His fragile figure lay completely still, his face so young, still carrying that boyish expression. 

“ Come on, come back, please…Don’t leave me, Theo. Don’t leave me.” I whispered.

I kneeled over his body, sobs uncontrollably coming out of my mouth, 

“Wait for me. I don’t want to stay here alone…”