Brothersong (Green Creek #4) - T.J. Klune Page 0,184

and Tanner and Chris and Gordo, snowman wrapping paper in his lap holding a shirt with his name on it.

Here was Ox, running with me and Kelly under the light of the full moon, and he was laughing, laughing, laughing.

Here was Ox, heart tripping at the sight of a girl named Jessie, dropping tools and walking into a wall.

Here was Ox, and he was watching our mother sing an old Dinah Shore song, that she didn’t mind being lonely when her heart knew he was lonely too.

Here was Ox, asking a man with a secret smile if they could be friends.

Here was Ox, pressing his palm against Bambi’s sweaty forehead, a newborn Joshua wailing in her arms.

Here was Ox, his forehead against Dominique’s, telling her that she had a place with us, that she could stay as long as she wanted to.

Here was Ox and me, sitting in a car, and he was saying he’s never kissed a guy, and then I kissed him, and oh.

Here was Ox, taking Gavin in his arms and saying that this was the place he belonged.

And here, here, here was Ox, and his heart was full. Joe was smiling at him. It was such a tiny thing, but it meant more to Ox than almost anything else in the world. Joe was smiling, and Ox loved him fiercely.

this, Ox whispered, this is what you have made me into this this this is what i have become because of you thank you thank you for loving me for holding me for making me whole.

Everything.

We gave him everything we could with the last of our strength.

His eyes were blazing.

Livingstone snarled.

And then Ox pushed up, and Ox pushed down, and Livingstone tried to pull away, tried to stop him, but his fangs were caught in Ox’s hands, and his jaws creaked and groaned as his mouth opened wider and wider, tongue snaking out.

Ox said, “Go to hell.”

He pulled the jaws apart as wide as they would go, and then widened them further until they snapped, bones breaking. While the beast’s lower jaw hung uselessly, Ox pulled his bloody hands from the fangs and grabbed him by the snout.

He twisted Livingstone’s head as hard as he could.

The beast’s neck broke.

His one remaining eye dimmed.

He collapsed to the ground, his shift melting away.

His arm slid from Ox with a wet squelch.

We all hit the ground.

Ox stood before us, skin pale as he swayed.

I could see through the massive hole in his stomach to the trees behind him.

He said, “Mom?”

And then he too fell.

Joe broke his shift, screaming Ox’s name. He ran to him, pulled his head into his lap. He tilted his head back and howled a song of horror.

I hit the ground on human hands and knees.

“No,” Gordo said in a choked voice. “Ox? Ox!”

I turned my head to see Gavin standing above his father.

Livingstone’s neck was at an odd angle. His jaw had been broken, and he made a gurgling sound, blood pouring from his mouth. His arm twitched as if he were trying to reach for his son.

His heart stuttered.

And then it stopped.

Gavin turned away.

Joe was screaming Ox’s name over and over, and Gordo knelt beside them, muttering under his breath, holding his hand out over Ox’s stomach. His fingers shook as his tattoos glowed, but the hole in Ox’s stomach wasn’t healing. It was too great.

“Help him,” Joe sobbed, looking up at all of us. Tears streaked down his cheeks. “You have to help him. You have to fix him. You have to make him better, please, oh please don’t leave me, Ox. You can’t. You can’t.”

Our mother settled behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She leaned her forehead against the back of his neck. She was crying.

Gordo gasped and pulled his hand back, his tattoos going dark. “No,” he muttered, shaking his head. “No. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.” He leaned over Ox’s face. Ox’s eyes were open. He tried to smile, but it twisted into a grimace. “We’re going to fix you,” Gordo promised him. “I can do this. I can do this. Ox, you have to hold on, you hear me? You have to hold on.”

Ox reached up and touched his face, mouth opening and closing soundlessly.

Gordo’s whole body shook. He turned his face in Ox’s hand, kissing his palm.

We all gathered around him. Rico and Tanner and Chris looked shell-shocked. Jessie was crying, Dominique’s arms wrapped around her shoulders. Mark put his hand in Gordo’s hair. Kelly