Page 23 of Clouded by Envy

“Thanks, Wes. These will be perfect to go with the rest of my costume.” Luca beamed, holding up the feathers, and his excited smile made Bray remember Halloween was only a few days away. Each year, Bray normally spent the holiday with Brenik while Ruth handed out candy. Ruth would sew them outfits each year, and the older they got, they still continued the tradition. But not this year, or any in the future.

“No problem, Lu. You know”—Wes’s head whipped to the side to face Bray—“she’s never seenHook.”

“What?” Luca screeched, hands flying in the air and slamming down on the couch. “How is this possible? I let it slide withBrainscanthis morning because that isn’t as well known, butHook? I’m turning it on right now. Is that okay, Wes?” He was already digging through a cardboard box of VHS tapes beside the TV, until he found the one he was looking for.

Luca came back, shoving the picture on a VHS box in her face. “She looks like you, only with different wings.” He pointed to a picture of a fairy on the cover.

“What?” Wes laughed and grabbed the box out of Luca’s hand. “Are you kidding me? Bray’s hair is long and black, she has blue eyes, and her skin is the palest I’ve ever seen.”

Ripping the box back out of Wes’s hand, Luca said, “To each their own. Our opinions differ in this case.” Luca turned to face Bray as Wes strolled into the kitchen to start cooking dinner. “Anyway, it’s like aPeter Panretelling, only Peter is old.”

“If it’sPeter Pan, then I’ll watch it.” She smiled and bumped her shoulder against Luca’s.

9

Brenik

Why do I have to feel like this?Brenik thought when he woke from his sleep. There was something inside him that caused him to feel this way. He loved his sister and knew things would have been different if their mother had stayed for them—for him. But she did not.

Bray had always been there, even when he hadn’t wanted her to be. Maybe one day he would realize how thankful he actually was for her and finally let the jealousy cease to exist. It had already started to wane after the Stone’s gift to him.

Pushing away the covers to sit up on the edge of the bed, Brenik rubbed a hand down his still-tired face. He got up to search the room for a pair of shoes, but found nothing, only a wristwatch inside the top drawer of the dresser. It was already six-forty.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to see anyone at the moment, but that was the old Brenik trying to get inside his head: the loner—the wanderer—the outsider.

Admiring himself in the oval mirror, Brenik appeared perfect, except for the wrinkles in his shirt from sleeping. He glided his hands down his face one more time, appreciatively feeling the smoothness of his skin. Before he left for Jeremy’s, he glanced at the portrait of himself and smiled.

“I see you didn’t find any shoes.” Jeremy laughed as he opened the door wider for Brenik to enter.

“Too lazy to put them on. Maybe I’ll borrow some of yours later.” Jeremy’s own feet were also bare, and they looked to be about the same size as Brenik’s.

“Depends on which pair.” Laughing even louder than before, Jeremy waved him in to where the couch was. “Here, sit down, the game’s about to start. I’ll go grab us a couple of beers.”

Brenik sat down onto the already warm cushions of the leather couch, and they crunched and squeaked with each movement. He found the noise exasperating.

“Here you go,” Jeremy said as he popped off the lid and handed Brenik the cold glass bottle.

“Thanks.” Gripping the bottle tightly, Brenik sipped the cool liquid and found the taste inadequate. Maybe later he would ask for something stronger. That time didn’t come because after a few moments, he immediately regretted drinking anything. “Bathroom?” he asked in a rush.

“Over there.” Jeremy pointed in the direction of where it was. Brenik shot for the door, throwing it closed behind him. He had forgotten about earlier with the orange—when the black liquid had bubbled up his throat, slow as a snake slithering out.

The beer didn’t come out as liquid either, but made a soft plopping sound as the solid thing thumped into the water—the inky black object the size of a worm.

“You all right in there?” Jeremy knocked on the door with worry in his voice.

No, Brenik knew he was not all right. “Yeah, the beer didn’t sit well with my stomach.”

“From one sip?” Jeremy asked incredulously.

“Yes!” Brenik snapped, not meaning to and instantly felt bad.

“There’s mouthwash in there if you want to use it.”

“Okay.” Turning toward the sink, Brenik noticed the bottle of green mouthwash, and the stack of paper cups sitting beside it. Hesitantly, he lifted his head from the toilet and stood to grab the bottle.

Pouring the liquid into his mouth, Brenik swished it a few times before hurrying to spit it out, not wanting to vomit up anything else black and solid.

After calming himself, he exited the bathroom and found Jeremy already seated on the couch, legs spread wide open with the beer propped in his hand against his thigh, while intensely watching the game.

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