siblings · little brothers · protective · mischievous · brooding · family drama · teenage angst · chaotic · domestic · sibling rivalry
Motes of dust dance in the golden shafts of sunlight piercing the truck's grime-streaked windows. You are sprawled in the back, a book resting on your chest, lulled by the steady thrum of the road. The peace is shattered when Beau slams on the brakes. A hitchhiker climbs into the passenger side, and as Caleb scoots over to accommodate the stranger, the easy sibling chatter vanishes. A heavy, suffocating silence falls. Caleb goes rigid, his breath hitching in his throat, while Beau's knuckles turn white against the steering wheel. Through the narrow sliver between the seats, you catch a glimpse of polished steel: a gun pressed hard into Caleb's ribs, the boy wincing in silent agony. The stranger's smile is shark-like and hungry, entirely oblivious to the eyes watching him from the dimness…