The Other Earth by Derek Schumacher (reading like a writer .TXT) 📕

Neil would ponder for a bit on what to say. Does he just go along with it? He couldn't tell if that was the best idea or not, but he couldn't feel anything. He just wasn't sure what he should do.

"I forgive you, Marcus. There is no reason to be upset anymore, I'm here now."

Neil felt as if he told the greatest lie in the history of forever. And to his own brother, of all people. But he couldn't crush his hopes, not like he had his destroyed. He wanted Marcus to be okay, to be better than he was. At any cost, no matter what. No one should have to suffer like that.

 A quarter of the way to the field was where the brothers were currently. They had made it down the slope, and were once again on flat ground. On the side, they would occasionally watch the stones and trees go by one by one.

"So, Neil, you made all of that stuff back there? I didn't know you were into crafts."

In truth, he really wasn't. He just needed to make improvements or new things, or else he'd die. Funny how that all worked, how all this preparation, all the building, gathering, sleeping, eating. It all meant nothing in the end. Life was unfair, and unjust. There was nothing he could have done in the end, only watch, and cry inside.

"I was only doing what I had to", Neil responded. He at least wasn't lying this time.

"I see, so you were really trying to survive out here, all by yourself?"

Well, that was the point. At least, it was supposed to be. It wasn't easy either, with the constant threat of the weather, the shades, and everything else, Neil wasn't in for an easy ride for the start. But the thing was, none of that mattered anyways. Because at the end of the journey, it didn't matter what had lead up to it.

"I am, yes", Neil would speak back. Was he really alive? Was this man still surviving to this very moment? He didn't feel like much of anything, nor could he feel anything either. It was like he was disconnected from everything around him, even his own brother, who came all this way to be with him.

A bit more time passes, and the halfway mark was reached. Neil glanced over at the hut on the other side of the river as they crossed the bridge. All of this time, the hut and the bridge, all wasted. He tried so hard to be able to last, to survive, to be the one who would make it.

"Why did you come back?", Neil mumbled to his brother. He was indeed confused. Why would someone come all this way just to see their kin, who they left behind all this time? What would have been the point, the reason behind all of it? There must be some other motivation.

"You see, before we all left on the rockets, to be able to escape the planet, mother and father were slaughtered by the shadow creatures. They didn't make it, only I did. As we blasted off, I was scared and alone. I didn't know if you made it on the ships or not. But, after a while, I decided to check to make sure, and couldn't find you. That's why I'm here, with you. You're the only family I have left", Marcus responded. It was true, all of it. Neil was the only thing he had left, and if he was gone, there really wasn't much else to live for. He had no love life, no nothing after family.

Neil felt horrible. He wasn't the only one that was alone. Sure, his brother had other people around him, but no one he knew. He was without family, without anyone, and he didn't even know it until not too long ago. He should have been there with him, but no, he went out into the wilds by himself, and left his brother to suffer the loss of their parents by himself. What a disgrace.

"But it's going to be alright, because now we're here and together, the family is back together", Marcus assured his brother with a smile. He really was happy, and Neil could almost feel it too. He could almost feel a tiny bit of warmth within himself, among the numb feeling of absolute nothingness. He can't seem to understand what's happened to him, and he's not sure he wants to know either.

Only a quarter of the way left to the fields. Neil could feel it, the place that he needed to go, to be back where it all began. It felt like it held some sort of intense significance to him, especially now. His body almost urged him to move forward, ignoring anything his mind would tell it.

"Say, brother, have you run into any of the shadow creatures?", Marcus asked. Neil knew all too well what he meant. Shades. But, should he say that he has? Should he worry his brother any more than he already has? Maybe he should just lie again. He doesn't want his brother to have to conflict any thoughts about him, he just wants him to be safe, to be happy.

"I have not", Neil responds, the lie burning him in the back of his head. But, it's for the best, the best for Marcus. He wants him to be able to not have to worry.

The brothers would look at eachother, and then look away, gazing around at the scenary. A few times Marcus would comment on the trees and stones, and Neil would just look over. He once felt an unbelievable passion for all of nature, and now, he couldn't seem to feel a single thing, not a thing close to that past feeling. He wasn't really himself anymore.

During the last few moments before the arrival at the fields, there was a moment of silence, neither brother spoke to themselves, or to eachother. They didn't even look at eachother. Both just looked ahead, watching the destination grow closer and closer. The evening hours had begun to show themselves, the sky turning orange, and the surface beginning to slowly darken.

Finally, both of them stopped, and looked at eachother. The time had come, but for what? Marcus had no idea why he was here, back at where he started. But Neil had a perfect idea, or at least something inside of him did. Something understood a lot, a lot of things he didn't himself. It was a strange feeling, like part of his body knew, and the other didn't. Like he was divided down the middle, with no way to attach one half to the other.

Suddently, Neil had an overwhelming feeling in his head. Something was trying to take him over, to force him to speak something. He tried to resist, but it was no use. With no willpower, there wasn't much driving him in the first place, besides the thing within him, which was now going to speak.

"Marcus, my dear brother. I must have a word with you, a serious topic, and something I should have told you from the start."

Marcus glanced over at Neil, and nodded, as a show that he was ready to listen. He had many questions yet for his brother, but they could wait till after whatever he had to say. It had been so long since he had heard Neil's voice, and it sure had changed a lot, but sometimes change is a good thing.

"A day ago, I was pulled down to the depths of the lake by three of those shadow creatures, and I drowned."

Marcus, for a split second, chuckled in disbelief. His brother was standing right before him, how could he have drowed in the bottom of the lake? But, then he looked at Neil once again, and remembered his wet clothing, and the gray skin and eyes. No, how could that be? That doesn't make any sense, someone can't come back from the dead. That's not how anything regarding life works at all, especially from what he's known all his life.

"I'm not sure myself, why I'm here, but I cannot feel anything. Nothing at all. I've been stripped of my emotions and feelings."

This is unbelievable. Why would this happen? He came all this way to be with his brother, to comfort him and apologize for what he's done. They were going to make up, and go about being brothers once again. It was going to be great, a happy ending. A chance to be able to be happy again! He was the only family he had left, and now, this? What's the point now?

"But, I have a plan. A plan to do something, regarding those shadow creatures, which I call shades."

This things have murdered his parents, his brother, and so many people that he once knew. If there was some way to get back at them, Marcus was all for it. The things he was hearing began to frustrate him beyond belief.

"In order to carry out this plan, I must release myself from this body."

Wait, what? What does that even mean? He doesn't mean that, does he? Why would he have to do that, of all things? What's even going on anymore? Was Marcus losing his mind?

"I must kill myself, in order to release my spirit from my body. After that, I will attempt to conjour this thing that has taken me, and use it against the shades."

This is practically the most insane thing he has ever heard in his entire life. But, what else is there for a plan? Marcus had no idea whatsoever. Was he to trust his brother with this? He wasn't sure, but he seems confident enough in himself on this one, does he let him do it? He would lose the only person he can relate to, his last family member. But, if they could get back at the shades, would it be worth it? They had destroyed both of their lives now. Maybe this was the right course of action, to try and stick it to the monsterous beings for murdering so many humans.

"I understand", Marcus responded to his brother's plan. It was going to be tough, but he knew that this could be for the greater good, and a chance to make right what was wronged all that time ago.

"Then, it is settled", Neil replied, and put his hands to his face. Marcus wanted to look away so badly, he didn't want to watch his brother commit such an insane act. But he couldn't seem to look away. He began to have conflicting feelings. He didn't want to lose his brother anymore, he couldn't bare seeing the only family member he had left die infront of him, especially by means of suicide. He moved in to try and stop him, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

But Marcus was too late. As he approached his brother, Neil pierced his throat with his hands, and grabbed his head, snapping it backwards. His body fell to the floor infront of Marcus, lifeless.

"No, this can't be happening! Neil, talk to me! There has to be another way, you can't die on me! Please, don't! Get up, Get up brother! This isn't right, please! Brother, Brother please! I don't want you die! You're all I have left!"

Marcus broke down into a sobbing session, falling to his own knees, holding his face and punching the ground. His sobs were interrupted multiple times with gasps to try and continue to breathe. He was overcome with emotion, his anxiety of the unknown had begun to skyrocket. Was he going to have a heart attack? That would be best, then he could be there, with his brother, in death.

But that wouldn't happen. Neil still layed there dead, and Marcus was still alive. This is a living nightmare. How could things come to this