Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

Chapter 42

Grabbing Randy’s fist, Sarah forcefully pushed it back down.  Stepping beside the bully, Sarah folded her arms across her chest as she stared expectantly at the boy.  “Not so tough now, are we?” she challenged.

She could tell the boy was frightened as he began to backpedal away from her, however he didn’t get far as he backed into Eli’s imposing form.  To put more fear into the bully, Eli smirked down at him as he began to crack and flex his knuckles.

From the corner of her eye, Sarah could see a few of the other boys making a break for it, but for her that didn’t matter for she knew who the real culprit was behind her brother’s beating.  When she stalked over to Randy, the boy tried to escape, but luckily, Eli was there to grab him, keeping him in place.

“I…I…I’m sorry,” Randy nervously stumbled out, “I…I’ll never lay a hand on Brandon again.  Please don’t hurt me.”

Grabbing him roughly by the shirt, Sarah leaned down, pulling him close to her face.  “You’re damn right you’ll never lay a hand on him again because if I find out you do, me and my partner in crime here will make sure you end up on every milk carton from here to California.”  Pulling him closer she added through clenched teeth, “Here’s a golden rule for you to remember, mess with my brother, you mess with the family, got it?”

Tears shimmered in Randy’s eyes as he eagerly nodded his head up and down.  “Yeah…yeah, I get it, I get it,” he cried out.

Smiling at him she replied back, “Good.  I’m glad we came to an understanding.  But, we still have some unfinished business.”  Grabbing his arm, she pulled Randy over to the spot where two other boys were still holding Brandon. 

She had to admit, her brother didn’t look to good at the moment.  His face was pale, but the area around his eyes was red and puffy.  Obviously he’d been crying.  Knowing this, added more fuel to Sarah’s anger.  How could anyone be so cruel to her little brother?  Sure, he could get on her nerves from time to time, but what sibling didn’t.  Brandon was a good kid and didn’t deserve any of this.  Tightening her grip around Randy’s arm, Sarah yanked him to stand beside her.

“P…Please, let…me go,” Randy whimpered out through his tears.

Scowling at the cowardly boy beside her, Sarah glanced back over at Brandon.  His chin rested on his chest as his eyes remained fixated to the ground.  His body had no strength left as he hung limply between the two boys holding him up.  Taking a step closer she realized he was shivering.  Reaching out her hand, she touched his coat and shirt.  They were both wet.  Taking in the rest of her brother’s appearance she noticed his pants and shoes were dry.  How could that be?  What the hell did these boys do to him, she wondered.

Resting her fingers under Brandon’s chin, she lifted his face to look at hers.  He looks so pitiful, she thought to herself.  “Brandon…” she said softly, hoping to get his attention.

For a moment, she wasn’t for sure he heard her for his eyes had this dull, vacant look to them.  Sarah thought for sure he was going to pass out at any moment for he obviously had no strength to stand up on his own.  “Brandon, it’s me, Sarah,” she told him, hoping a light of recognition would spark within his features.

Everyone remained silent for a few moments as all eyes remained glued to Brandon.  It seemed like an eternity before Brandon’s eyes finally fixated on his sister’s.  Tears trickled down his cheeks as he whimpered out, “Sarah, is…is that really you?”

Silent tears fell down her own face as she wiped away her brother’s.  Smiling at him she answered back, “Yeah, it’s me, Bran.  Are you okay?”

Brandon took in his surroundings.  When his eyes fell on Randy she could see the terror in his eyes as he struggled with the two boys holding him up.  “Let me go!  Let me go!” he cried out frantically as he tried to break free.  “I don’t want to go in the creek again!”

Looking at the two boys holding her brother she ordered them to let him go.  They quickly obliged, releasing the distraught boy.  Brandon’s legs crumpled beneath him as he instantly fell to the ground.  Looking down at the broken form of her brother Sarah asked, “Brandon, what happened in the creek?  What did these morons do to you?”

Bringing his knees close to his chest, Brandon wrapped his arms around his legs as he began rocking himself back and forth.  Shaking his head from side to side he answered back fearfully, “I don’t want to talk about it!  I don’t want to talk about it!”  Looking up at Sarah he said in a timid voice, “I just want Mom and Dad, I just want Mom and Dad.”

“Okay, Brandon.”  Glancing over at Eli she said, “Eli, I need you to go get my parents.”

Once Eli was gone, Sarah glared at the two boys standing behind her brother.  “Tell me what happened at the creek?” she demanded angrily.  When neither boy answered she yelled out, “NOW, or I’ll make sure all three of you walk with a limp for the rest of your pathetic lives.”

The smaller of the two unknown boys finally spoke up.  “We…we were just trying to scare Brandon.  Randy was the one who held your brother’s head under water.”

“They wrapped that jacket around Brandon like he was some crazed nut,” Randy quickly shot back, nodding his head towards the jacket in question.

The smaller boy glared at his friend before turning back to Sarah.  Pointing his finger at Randy he said, “It was all his idea.  He hates Brandon!”

“Well, you two idiots helped, so you’re just as much to blame as me!” Randy shouted back.

“Shut up, both of you!” Sarah hollered out over their arguing.  Looking down at Randy she said, “So, you like dunking people’s heads under water, don’t you?  Well, I think its time someone taught you a lesson on what could happen if you leave someone under water for to long.”

She smiled inwardly as Randy’s face paled before her eyes.  “Wh…what are you going to do?” he stammered out fearfully as she dragged him over to the creek.  Stumbling along the way, Randy looked back at his two buddies and pleaded, “Todd, Zach…do something!”

Todd and Zach quickly exchanged looks.  Shrugging their shoulders, Todd the shorter of the two, said, “Sorry Dude, but we…a got to go.”  And with that, both boys quickly bolted up the hill.

“Guys?  GUYS!” Randy shouted out frantically.  “Don’t leave me with her, she’s frigging crazy!”  However, they ignored his pleas as he helplessly watched his friends run up the hill, leaving him alone with Sarah.

Stopping at the creek, Sarah followed Randy’s line of vision.  Grinning she commented, “Well, it looks like you’re all alone now, just like my brother was when you dragged him down here.  I believe it’s poetic if I do say so myself.”  Smile vanishing, she looked down at Randy with cold, steely eyes.  “Get down on your knees!” she ordered. 

“You can’t be serious?” he asked shakily.

“Oh, I’m serious, serious as a heart attack.  Not get down!” she ordered forcefully, pushing him down to his knees.

Tears began to cascade down Randy’s cheeks as he sobbed profusely in front of Sarah.  “Please, please don’t do this,” he whimpered out.

Squatting down to his eye level, she roughly grabbed him by the shirt, bringing his face close to hers.  “Oh, what’s the matter?  Is the little baby getting scared,” she taunted as Randy’s sobs got louder.  Shaking him to get his attention she hissed out, “I can’t believe you expect me to stop when you didn’t show one ounce of mercy for my brother back there, you little punk!”  Grabbing the back of his neck she added, “I’m sorry Randy, but you’ve had this coming from the minute you began tormenting my brother’s life.  As they say, what goes around comes around.”  And with that, Sarah pushed his head into the water.

A small surge of satisfaction flowed through her veins at seeing this scumbag thrash about before her, suffering the same way her brother did.  After about twenty seconds, Sarah pulled him out.  Randy coughed profusely, gasping for air.  “Please, let me go,” he sobbed.

Tapping her finger on her chin, she pretended to think over his pleas.  “Oh, what’s a girl to do?  Do I A, let you go, or B, continue my own warped little version of Olympic drowning.  Oh, I think I like option B the best.”  Before Randy had a chance to say anything, Sarah once again pushed him face first into the water.

After about twenty-five seconds, she once again pulled Randy out of the water.  Letting go of him, she got up on her feet, giving him a disgusted look.  “Now, get out of my sight before I really get mad.”  Not one to be told twice, Randy quickly jumped to his feet and scurried away.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Sarah went back over to Brandon who was now lying in a fetal position, shivering uncontrollably as he babbled about things that didn’t make any sense.  Pulling off her coat, she laid it over Brandon.  “Everything is going to be okay, Bran.  Eli should be coming along any minute now with Mom and Dad,” she said soothingly, running her hand over his dampened hair.  “Just relax, you’re safe now.”

She waited by Brandon’s side for ten, long, agonizing minutes before help finally arrived.  Eli came running out of the trees with her mother right behind him.  “Hey Sarah, I couldn’t find your Dad, but I found your mother,” Eli panted out heavily as he leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

As Eli stood off to the side watching over them, Miss Parker knelt down beside Brandon.  Grabbing his hand she gasped, “He’s freezing.”  Sarah watched as her mother dug into her coat pocket, pulling out a cell phone.  Throwing it to Eli she said, “Dial Jarod or Josh’s number and tell them to get over here quick.”  As Eli did as he was told, Parker locked eyes with Sarah and said, “Eli told me what happened on the way over here.”  Looking back down at Brandon’s shivering form she whispered out softly, “Brandon, it’s me, its…Mom.”

Sarah thought for sure her mother’s voice would bring Brandon out of the state he was in, but it didn’t; it just seemed to make it worse as his rocking back and forth became more violent.  “Brandon, it’s okay, I’m right here,” said their mother as she tried to calm him down, but nothing seemed to work.  Glancing back up at Sarah, her mother commented with frustration, “I…I don’t know what to do to calm him down.  A mother should know what to do…”  Looking back down at Brandon, her mother once again tried to soothe away Brandon’s fears.

“No Mama, No!” Brandon cried out as he reached out his hands for someone that wasn’t there.

Stunned, Sarah looked over at her mother.  Tears fell down her mother’s cheeks as she caressed Brandon’s cheek.  “I understand now, Brandon,” her mother whispered out softly.  “I know what your nightmares are about.”

Looking between the two, Sarah asked worriedly, “What nightmares?  Is something wrong with Brandon?”

Never taking her eyes off Brandon, her mother answered back, “He knows about my nightmare.  The one that haunts me day in and day out.”

Sarah wanted a further explanation, but seeing the solemn look in her mother’s eyes she decided not to ask anymore questions.  A strong breeze blew through the air, chilling Sarah to the bone.  Teeth chattering, she hugged herself, doing her best to keep herself warm.  Her mother must’ve sensed her discomfort for she got up from where she was sitting and wrapped her coat around Sarah’s shoulders.

Sarah couldn’t help but be somewhat surprised with her mother’s actions, especially after all the fights they had over the past few days.  As her mother sat down in her previous spot, Sarah stared at her and whispered out softly, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” her mother replied back as she cradled Brandon’s head in her lap. 

Her brother’s condition seemed to be getting a little better, but not much.  Sarah knew there had to be something to calm him down, but what?  Then she remembered.  It was something that her mother used to do for Brandon when he was baby.

“It’s been a long time since you’ve done this, but this might calm him down,” began Sarah, “When Brandon was a baby, he was very colicky.  I remember you and Dad tried every trick in the book, but nothing seemed to work, until one night.”

A wistful smile appeared on Sarah’s lips as she recounted the story.  “I think Brandon was about ten months old.  It was just us three at home.  Dad and Josh went with Sydney to some basketball game or something.  Anyways, Brandon was doing okay until late that evening.  He cried and cried, but nothing calmed him down until you started singing him this one song, and it worked ever since.”

“What song is it?” her mother asked.

“It’s from one of those Disney movies.  I think it’s from Dumbo or Bambi.”

Her mother stared at her for a few moments, before a knowing smile appeared on her lips.  “I think I know what the song is.”  Glancing down at Brandon she commented light heartily, “You guys might want to cover your ears for protection.  My voice may cause hearing loss.”

A genuine smile appeared on Sarah’s lips.  “Don’t worry Mom, I’ll take the chance.”

Sighing, her mother shook her head from side to side.  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she muttered under her breath.

Sarah couldn’t stop smiling as her mother started to sing to her brother.  Hearing her mother singing took her back ten years, to when she was six years old.  She could still remember sitting on her parent’s king size bed as her mother’s soft voice surrounded her, making her feel safe, just like it did now as she remained transfixed on her mother’s face.

“Baby mine, don’t you cry.  Baby mine, dry your eyes.  Rest your head, close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine,” her mother sang as she wiped away Brandon’s tears.  Smoothing back his hair she continued, “Little one, when you play.  Pay no heed to what they say.  Let your eyes sparkle and shine, never a tear, baby of mine.”

Sarah watched with amazement as Brandon’s eyes opened up.  When his eyes fell upon their mother, he smiled at her.  “Mom…you’re here,” he said in a hoarse voice.  “I…I thought you were gone.”

Tears flowed freely from her mother’s eyes as she bent down, placing a tender kiss on his forehead.  “Yes Brandon, I’m here,” she whispered out softly.  “And I’m not going anywhere.”  Holding him in her arms, she rested her chin on top of Brandon’s head as she continued to hum the song.

Sarah hadn’t realized she’d been crying until she felt a few tears hit the top of her hands.  Quickly wiping them away, she glanced over at her mother and stated, “Boy, has this been one heck of a weekend.”

Her mother chuckled softly as she opened her eyes to glance over at Sarah.  Reaching out, her mother rested her hand on top of hers and replied back, “Yes it has, but hopefully things will get better from here on out.” 

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…