BROTHER

He was born when I was 10. He was my darling but my parents always had problems with him. The bigger he grew so did the complains. I always felt that my father had an axe to grind – he couldn't stand him. Each spring he sprang up and was growing bigger and stronger.

I kept an eye on my father; I feared for him. I once dreamt that father performed a war dance after hacking him. I saw he got me while I was sleeping and tied me to the bed post to avoid my resistance while mother watched with a broad grin. I begged and cried to spare him... I cried my eyes out but father seemed to be under some spell. Father performed a war dance immaculately and hacked him. He shamelessly continued his celebrations till the wee hours of the morning while the entire neighborhood watched.

I woke up in sweat and was shouting, "don't kill him, don't kill him", I had tears in my eyes. I looked around and breathed a sigh of relief that it was a dream and rushed to the window. I felt peace.

He had not come from their seed.