Charles Knightly makes a Promise.

Charles Knightly woke up the next day, fighting the urge to blow off work and hang out with his friends.  He knew they would have the "goods" with them and he could try to forget about memories and the stress building up from the snobs that he had to work for and be kind to everyday.  As he drug himself out of bed and rubbed his eyes. Eyes that never let anyone know when he was having trouble he or needed a friend that would be there for him.  As prepared for work, he could hear his younger by about seven years brother walking down the hall talking to the stuffed grey bear he had gotten for his eighth birthday.

Charles chuckled to himself wishing he could be that innocent again.  "I won't let Chris suffer the way I have been for the past five years.  I will never hurt him."  The words sounded hollow as Charles hung his head in shame.  "I hurt him every time I share a needle or sell to some kid at his school.  I want to change. I really do." He put his face in his unfeeling and scarred hands.  He heard the door open but didn't look up.  He knew there was a draft in the house so he paid no heed to the door opening and closing as if someone was walking into his room.  A room that was clean except for the multitude of black clothing strung out on many of the chairs. This was Charles's safe haven.  He never showed his room or his emotions to anyone, not even his eight year old brother that had been taken prematurely from his life.  Chris walked into the room and sat on the bed by Charles. As he put his small, feminine hand on Charles's back he said. "You don't have to hide anything from me." Chris's voice soft and fairy-like. "You don't have to hide anything anymore."
Charles lifted his head.  Just hoping that Chris was there and not in the ground.  It has been 6 years since the accident and everyday Charles wakes up wishing he could go back and change who had died that night.  If I had been taken Chris would be in a home that cared for him.  Instead of being with a brother that barely cares about his own life.  I have to keep going for his memory.  He would want me to.  Charles sighed as he realized that Chris wasn't there and he was kidding himself hoping that Chris would be there.  As Charles walked down the hall he remembered the promise he made to Chris.  "I won't leave you." Staring into the dark liquid, Charles closed his eyes seeing that night again behind his eyelids.  He closed his eyes fighting waves of guilt and nausea at being the one to live and not his younger brother.
There were days when Charles would yell at the Lord for taking Chris away at so young of an age.  There were many times when Charles would wake up and fight the urge to take one too many pills and not wake up. Or drive to the beach and jump into the ocean and never come back.  Chris appeared by Charles standing in the small, lonely kitchen.  "You didn't know it was going to happen.  It's not your fault that the driver hit us.  You had no way of knowing that he would be driving after he drank too many."  Charles's eyes shot open at the soft sound of Chris's voice.  "But I should have been the one to go. You had a life ahead of you.  A life without the influence of drugs.  You were the innocent one." He sunk into the old and worn kitchen chair as tears ran down his cheeks.  "I promised mom I wouldn't let anything happen to you Chris.  Now look at us.  She is in rehab and you are dead and in the ground."
After regaining some of his sanity and pride, Charles looked at the clock on the wall and sighed.  After changing into his work clothes, he headed to the door of the one story home.  He paused for what seemed like ages looking at a picture of him and his eight year old brother two days before the accident.  "It's been six years Chris and it still feels like you are here.  I guess I can try and make it through one more day."  He headed out the door, locking the ancient looking door behind him.  Chris walked silently beside his brother.  He seemed to have aged in this afterlife even though he had left his earthly body.
Charles looked around at the people and houses he passed as he walked to the bus stop. "Chris I don't know if you can hear me but here goes.....I promise to stop my drug use.  I promise to try to make something of myself and go back to school and finish. Other than it might seem weird being twenty-one and still going to high school."  Charles chuckled to himself thinking of the different looks he would get from people.  He wasn't the most nice looking person ever.  He had pierced his lip and both of his ears and wore dark, thick mascara. He wanted to be able to go and do activities he hadn't be able to before. He could go to a much thought of theme park, or a concert and not have to worry about having to deal with cops or finding a ride home. He wanted to meet the love of his life and hopefully raise a family....but never leave them. Never hurt them like his mother and father had done to him and his brother.

The greyhound bus started to slowly come into view.  Charles looked at it and sighed. He looked down at his younger brother and smiled. "I promise to meet you here everyday and let you walk me to work." He said hearing a woman scoff at him talking to the sidewalk.  Even though Charles wanted to believe he was going to be meeting his brother, he knew in the bottom of his heart that Chris was dead and never coming back. But the joy of being able to go to the bus stop and feel as if Chris was there was worth the looks and laughter.  It was the enough to give Charles the strength to not skip out on work, sell to one more kid that reminded him of his brother, or to take one more puff that could possibly cause him to kill someone else's little sibling.  As the bus pulled to a slow, creaky stop, Charles waited to get on the bus. He was pushed and shoved as the people fought like lions to get a seat.  He thought about calling Sophie and seeing if she wanted to maybe catch a movie.  Charles watched the stop slip from view as people crowded around him and the bus drove away.  "See you tomorrow Chris." He whispered and closed his eyes just waiting for this horrible, noise bus ride to be over.  They would always be inseparable no matter what happened.