He Smashed the Rest

The car accident changed everything.

Ellen escaped into bottles and slurred words and mental fog. She offered slices of her memory in exchange for the short moments of relief her demon called addiction promised. And that demon grew hungrier each day. It demanded more, and more, and more. And she always remembered to feed it.

Her oldest son found his own relief. Conner escaped into long shifts and textbooks and the coffee he needed to keep himself going. He tried and failed and learned that he could not save her, but he made sure the lights stayed on and bills were paid. He thought it would help, but his mother only grew worse.

Soon, his brother became sick of everyone else escaping. Sean watched his family disappear into death and drink and distance, until he felt something deep inside of him snap.

He hunted down every bottle in their house and he poured some down the kitchen sink; he smashed the rest on the street outside while she wailed. He thought it would help; his mother still grew worse.

Days passed. Her mind unraveled, terror consumed her, and death took her.

In the wake of everything, Conner grieved. Yet he also felt an immense relief collect inside him, followed by guilt at that relief. The last thing he wanted was for the cycle to repeat with Sean. He tried to tell himself that he had to remain strong, and do his best to take care of his brother. Running away was not an option now. That night, his nightmares overflowed with rats and bones and broken glass. And for every night after.