Dead or Alive: Makes No Difference-Ch. 3

Milo rubbed tiredly at his brown eyes. One thing he hated was paperwork and after working on it for four hours straight, the pile he and Caitlyn had been working on didn’t seem to be getting any shorter. Caitlyn had taken off a couple minutes ago to take a bathroom break, leaving him alone. They had been pretty silent which was nice. He didn’t always like arguing. It seemed like that was what they always did, no matter what. They could agree on something and still argue about it. He knew the reason they both fought so much though, they were both as stubborn as mules. Neither one was willing to give in to the other. He shook his head of these thoughts as he stood up and stretched. His muscles were tight from sitting so long without moving. He walked over to a filing cabinet and started looking through the different files briefly as his fingers brushed over them. His fingers stopped suddenly though when he came across one file. It had the name David Vermodi written on it. David had been his older brother. Pulling the file out, he opened the file and read the contents that were written inside.1

It said that he’d died of a disease unknown to the doctors. A specialist had been brought in but they hadn’t figured out what it was either. Milo remembered that year, he remembered when David had first fallen sick and he remembered when David died. He remembered all of it like it was yesterday.2

12 Years Earlier3

Sixteen-year-old Milo sat in a chair next to his brother’s hospital bed. David looked so weak to him, nothing compared to the brother who had insisted on wrestling him to the ground only a year earlier whenever he got the chance.4

“So, the doc says I’m not gonna make it.” David said casually as if he was having just another conversation.5

“You’ll make it, they just need to find out what’s wrong.” Milo replied, not wanting to think about his brother dying.6

“Look at me, Mi, I can’t keep fighting and the tests they’re pointless, the still haven’t found anything and it’s been four months. Come on, you have to get back to those friends of yours sometime right?” David said looking at Milo. He was grinning as he said the last part. Milo didn’t respond though because he knew that he’d chased all his friends away. When David had first gotten sick he had still hung out with his friends, but after a while he just stopped. He hadn’t wanted to leave his brother. He never told David that he’d chased his friends away though because David would only get upset with him for doing so.7

“Listen, Little Brother, my life’s done, I’m fine with that. Not like my grades were up to par to do anything special anyways. But, just ‘cause my life’s done doesn’t mean yours is. You’ve got the highest GPA I’ve ever seen, although you can’t really go past 4.0, but still. Do something with your life, you hear me? All those books you read have to be put to use at some point right?” 8

“David, you can’t stop fighting. You have to get better.” Milo said firmly.9

“I’m not getting better, I know that and I know the doctors have no idea what to do. My body’s too weak to fight any more, it’s too tired, I’m tired.” David told him honestly. He’d learned when they were both young that Milo didn’t like things sugarcoated and liked them told to him straight up. David always liked to be honest with his serious, little brother.10

Before Milo could say anything else a nurse came in and announced that visiting hours were over and Milo had to go home. Reluctantly Milo left.11

“See ya tomorrow, little brother.” David said with a grin on his face.12

“I’ll be by after school.” Milo promised.13

“I know. Now get goin’ or Mom and Dad’ll worry.” He said. Milo left, making sure to look back once before completely leaving the room.14

Milo walked into the hospital the next day, his keys in his pocket and his bag slung over his shoulder. When he walked into his brother’s room he found the bed empty and made.15

“Where’s the person who was in that room?” Milo asked the first nurse he saw, his mind panicked.16

"I'm afraid I don't know. You'll have have to ask the doctor." she told him. Keeping his mouth shut he quickly went in search of his brother's doctor. When he found him he asked what had happened to his brother.17

“He died last night, I’m sorry.” Dead? Milo didn’t want to believe it. It wasn’t possible. His parents hadn’t said anything and he’d never heard the phone ring after he’d gotten home. He quickly found his brother’s doctor and demanded answers.18

“I’m sorry, I thought somebody had given you and your family a call.” The doctor said.19

“What happened? He was alright when I came to see him yesterday.” Milo demanded.20

“After you left his body started shutting down, by the time the night was over his heart had stopped and we couldn’t get it started.” The doctor explained. Milo didn’t want to hear any more, he stormed out of the hospital. The next time he stepped back into any hospital was when he first started med school, his mind set on helping those like his brother.21

Now22

“Vermodi.” Caitlyn said firmly, knocking Milo out of his thoughts. He quickly put the folder away and turned to look at her.23

“What?” he questioned.24

“Luke found something and I figured you’d want to check it out.” She told him.25

“What is it?” he asked warily. He knew Luke had a prankster side to him and he knew that on rare occasions Luke would play pranks on him.26

“You need to come look.” She told him. He looked at her for a second before deciding to believe her.27

“Ok, where is it?”28

“Room 327.” His interest was piqued.29

“Alright.” He followed her out of the room and walked beside her in silence to the abandoned part of the hospital. When they reached the room, which the body had earlier been found in, Luke was there and Caitlyn pointed to the wall. Milo brought a hand through his black hair as he read the words written in blood.30

WHEN YOU PLAY WITH FIRE SOMEONE’S BOUND TO GET HURT31