I Knew the Liar Who Won

I Knew the Liar Who Won

I had always been an obedient girl. If they asked me to sit and behave, I would sit and behave. If they told me to be quiet for more than two hours, I would stay quiet for more than two hours. That's how my life worked. Every day was the same. Wake up, get ready, find something to eat, escape out of the house to run from the yelling, go to school, hide for hours until it was safe to go back, eat, sleep, repeat. My older sister, Caraline, and my younger brother, Nicholai, knew what it was like to have parents screaming at each other day and night, but not anymore. Not when the two most important people in your life are dead. Sure, sue me for being blunt, but when most of your family are killers, you need to be able to handle the truth.

The fighting started about five weeks ago, perhaps a bit more, I never paid attention to dates. Buildings have collapsed, thousands dead, and no one understands why this is still going on. The East is sending us into battle, hoping we will rule over the West. This hasn’t gotten either side anywhere, which is such a shame, I just want this to all end. Though, I am starting to believe the end of this war is near. Mainly because I just witnessed my ex-boyfriend, Lear, turn himself in, while saving the East soldiers, after he betrayed us. I know, it gives me a headache trying to comprehend this. I remember when my life was less bloody and shooty and more like school sucks and I like watching the ducks. Yes, I was quite the poet in school, but my life has never been easy.

It started when my parents had me. The fighting, yelling, accusing and mainly the hitting. Caraline had always tried to protect me, but sometimes caring for the person we love, just gets ourselves hurt. Caraline was the protective older sister, who was too afraid to stand up. Nicholai was the mistake, the accident, and I was the middle child, who bore the pain for all three of us. I can’t even think of a day when my family were all happy to be in each other’s company. My old man was a wealthy businessman, who had taken over the long-standing family business, passed on from a father to his son. That’s when things started to get muddled, Caraline was the oldest but was female, meaning she couldn’t have the job. Though being the only male child, Nicholai was out of the question, “Your brother is useless to me, he disgusts me. That boy is a mere speck of dirt on my shoe. He’s not my son. Caraline is much too fragile to work in the industry,” He had stared me down, with those cold abusive eyes and whispered, “You and I are the same, Camille. We fight for our honour, we stand up for our siblings. You will take the lead when my time ends. For now, show me your worth.” I remember hearing those words for the first time. I wasn't anything like my father, I wasn’t going to be manipulated into doing anything, especially ordered by him. 

I blink and rub my temples like I was forcing myself out of my trance. The dream of the past. I watch the soldiers pack up the enemy’s tents and supplies, taking them for their own use. Lear was taken away five minutes ago, meaning I’ve been standing there, surrounded by my own thoughts, forgetting the situation I’m in. I slap my cheeks slightly, waking myself up and ran back to Lear’s apartment. I sigh, it totally isn’t awkward to be living in the apartment of a traitor, who then turned back to our side. I unlock the door, close it, then collapse onto the couch, my head spinning. I can’t tell if the ringing in my ears are from the gunshots or my head telling me it’s time to sleep because I’m going delusional. I wish I hadn’t told Lear anything. I wish my brother and sister were alive. I wish Robin was alive, which sounds crazy, but she was a good person. I wish we could have peace. I was wishing for a lot of things, but I know none of them will be granted.

I’m standing in the middle of the rubble of smashed cars and crumbled buildings.

“I’m sorry Nicholai, I need to do this, for the Eastern side, after what Cara did-”

“Ok. Kill me Cam-Cam,” Tears well up in my eyes when he uses the nickname from our childhood. I lower the gun, I can’t shoot my own brother, not after everything we’ve- no, everything he’s been through.

“Just do it, Camille. I’m glad you’re killing me, I don’t want it to be anyone else. Besides, you’re doing me a favour, it means I don’t have to do it myself,”

“No, no, no, don’t say that,” I drop the gun, putting my hands on his cheeks, wet with tears, like my own.

“Nothing is keeping me here, Cam. Not even you can stop me, I don’t have the will to live anymore,” I shakily picked up the gun, sobbing as my brother whispered those three words, “I love you.” before I shot him right in the temple. I remember the ringing in my ears, much like the ones from earlier. The dream changes, Caraline stands in front of me, smiling. The scene replays from a month ago, but it feels like it was yesterday.

“Look after Nicholai for me, okay?”

“What are you doing, Cara?”

“I’m helping the East,”

“Why?! Just stay with me! You don’t have to anything for the East! I need your help, Cara, I can’t run Father’s business by myself! I… I can’t.”

“Don’t be stupid, you’re strong and independent, you’ll take over the family business, and you’ll be okay. Do you hear me, Cami? You will be okay. I’m doing this for you, remember that.”

“Lower the gun, Caraline!” I had screeched desperately, the tears falling too fast for me to count. Here was my older sister, sacrificing herself, not knowing the consequences.

“Don’t do it, Cara. Mother, Father and Nicholai won’t be able to live, I won’t be able to. Please think about what you’re doing!”

“I love you.” She had whispered, before stabbing herself. Little did I know that those words were the ones my brother would say when I shot him.

I bolt up from the couch, realising tears are streaming down my face, just like in my memories. I sit up, pulling my knees to my chest, rocking back and forth. Hysteria is bubbling at the surface and I know it won’t be long before I crack. It doesn’t help that the memory of telling my Father I wouldn’t be continuing assisting in him the family business. I remember his cold gaze, saying it was my responsibility and I couldn’t fail him now, or ever. I remember standing up, fists clenched, telling him that my brother and sister were dead and that he didn’t care. I watched his eyebrows raise like I was telling a stupid joke, before he stormed off, muttering quietly, but loud enough for me to hear. “You are just as fucking pathetic as your siblings, no wonder they’re dead.” 

I let out a shaky breath and get off the couch. I need to do something. I need to avenge my siblings. I need to… Tears are still spilling down my face, I can’t do anything. I don’t know how to do anything, or who to trust. I don’t have anything to offer at the table of war. So many people I know are gone. My siblings, Robin, Lear, my mother and disgusting father. Especially the last one, that cruel man who would tear down my mother, hitting her, or making her feel guilty. He deserved to die. It’s time to make a stand, Lear had made that clear. This idiotic war is going to end, and if that meant dying for my side, then so be it. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Helloooo friends, I know this is an extremely short story, ;P but I didn't really have much to write about with this prompt. It's not my best work, but if you have feedback or you want a Part 4, please let me know! Hopefully, ur day is blessed with✨