Letters From Mickey pt 1

Mickey was ten and his brother James was eight. James talked a lot and tried to impress Mickey. Mickey was strong, thoughtful and quiet. 

James was running ahead of Mickey on a marshy path along the river. He held a stick. He was using the stick as a gun. He was telling Mickey of all the animals he was going to kill. He was telling Mickey how he was going to win awards for being the best shot anyone had ever seen. He was telling Mickey he was going to protect the house now that their dad was gone. He told Mickey if he wanted to, he could shoot him.

James stops in his tracks and points his gun at Mickey. James asks him if he's scared. Mickey doesn't say anything. Mickey stares at James. Hard. He doesn't blink. James tries to act stoic, but wavers. He drops his eyes, his gun follows. 

Mickey stepped past James and continued on the marshy  path along the river. 

1 second. 2 seconds. 3 seconds. 

James was back in lead telling Mickey the only food they were going to eat would be the animals he'd shot and dragged home. James rounded a bend and was out of site. Mickey could hear James talking to himself and making the sounds of a gun. 

Silence. 

Mickey assumed James was hiding. He wanted to try and scare him. 

Mickey kept walking and James jumped out from behind the bend waving his stick in Mickey's face. From the stick hung a pair of women's underwear. 

James danced around Mickey and laughed maniacally. He asked if he'd just found the spot where Mickey brought his girlfriends. With one swift move, Mickey grabbed the stick and tripped James. He was on top of James rubbing the underwear in James' face. James was screaming. He wriggled free and ran down the path. Mickey chased after him. 

James stops in his tracks. He's gone white. Mickey bumps into him. James bends and starts throwing up. Mickey looks at James, then down the path. 

A naked woman lies face down in the marsh. Dead.

Mickey doesn't look away.