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The golden grains tumbled across the empty beach, chasing the glistening waves as they reached forward blindly at the shore. The trees swayed softly in the gentle breeze, whispering to the world.
On the shore by a small cross, which was clumsily buried in the sand, a solemn teenager sat. His eyes were downcast as he traced the scrawl on the flaking wood with the pads of his fingers.
Sean Diaz.
“Hey, bro.” He murmured, his bleached hair obscuring his face.
The sun glared down at the scene, beating the poor boy’s back with scorching heat.
“It’s my birthday today. Remember?” He whispered. “I’m turning 16. I-“ pausing, he sniffled. “I’m the same age as you now.”
He smiled weakly, his lips trembling.
Daniel Diaz was now the same age as his dead brother.
Daniel stared at his crude grave, knowing his brother lying still barely a foot beneath. His fingers dug into the heated sand, perhaps hoping the feel brother once again.
“I can still see your goofy grin when Mum brought that cake out in Away when I turned 10.” He chuckled. “You looked so dumb, hanging around the door while she walked in. All your noodle limbs folded about.”
The teenager smiled. Leaning back, he closed his eyes and recalled the birthday fondly as the waves continued to dose the burning grains.
***
It had been calm, for the first time in a year. He’d finally been able to stay somewhere he liked for over a month.
Daniel reminisced how his Mum had made the cake, startling him awake as he heard her clatter around the kitchen. He had been confused- what the fuck was Mum doing in the kitchen at 4 in the morning?
He had turned over to ask Sean, only to find the other bedside devoid of his lanky form.
“Oh, shit!”
Daniel’s head turned back to the kitchen, having heard his brother’s hiss.
“Sean?” Karen asked.
“Uh- I may have...um, mucked up a bit.”
Curious, Daniel inched out of the bed, padding towards the ajar door. He peered around, observing what had happened.
There were bowls and spoons scattered about. Flour coated the mini fridge, leaving a trail around the length of the kitchen, and one of Sean’s socks was soaking in the sink, the water red and brown.
Suddenly anxious, Daniel’s gaze quickly snapped to Sean’s back, seeing him single-socked and huddled over something in front of the trailer’s window. Karen had quietly walked over, peering at his side.
“It looks great, what do you mean?”
“It doesn’t-! Uh.” Sean’s flare of indignation was snuffed out as swiftly as it came. “I...” He sighed, “I just want it perfect y’know? It’s Daniel’s birthday, and we finally have all this and I really really want him to enjoy himself-“ He rambled.
“Sean.” Karen’s voice was firm. It jolted the tall teen, but whatever he was making was still hidden from view. “He’ll like whatever you make.”
Sean sighed, and Daniel heard him mutter, “I hope so.
Later, after Daniel rushed back into bed and woke up near noon, he finally saw what his family had made him.
“Morning, enano.” Sean had said, chuckling as Daniel drowsily rose, his hair askew and gravity-defying. Ruffling his younger brother’s tangled locks, he stretched and swung his legs out the bed.
“Morning...” Daniel replied, dazed from the bright light filtering into the meagre room.
“C’mon, sleepyhead. There’s breakfast at the counter- better get there before I eat all those pancakes~”
Daniel gasped. “No fucking way.” He clambered out of bed.
“Hey,” Sean lightly tugged his ear in warning. “Language.”
The young boy grumbled, stumbling out of the room with his brother in tow. Upon glancing at the table, he abruptly stopped.
“Happy Birthday!” His brother cheered, gently nudging him forward.
A colourful bouquet of slightly wilted flowers stood proudly on the tabletop. A card stood up against it with a new, shiny football beside it, and a minuscule paper stack lay docile.
Karen walked into the trailer; a lit, lopsided cake balanced in her hands.
“Happy Birthday, Daniel.” She smiled, watching his reaction.
“M-My birthday?”
Sean frowned. “Yeah, enano. It’s today.” He looked away, seeming guilty. For what, Daniel didn’t know.
Karen hummed. “Want to blow out the candles?”
“Duh!” Daniel squeaked, before he flushed in embarrassment, “please.” He continued.
Sean laughed behind him, and Daniel wacked at his legs. Sean dramatically fell to his knees, feigning pain, and draped his upper half against Daniel for support. Squawking, the birthday boy tried shrugging (cough shoving) his brother off to no avail. Reluctantly admitting defeat, Daniel stared at the homemade treat in wonder.
The cake was decorated in red frosting, the chocolate flavour encased in the vibrant, artificial colouring. A wolf was illustrated on top in white icing, slanted and proudly sitting among a cascade of rocks (Karen assumed it was a comic reference, thankfully).
“Make a wish, Daniel.”
Grinning, Daniel blew out the candles as his brother and Mum belted out the birthday song, sitting at his sides.
The day passed in a blur of sugar and fun, so much so Daniel’s cheeks ached from the force of relentless laughter and wide smiles.
Huddled in bed, the tiring day coming to a close, Daniel talked with Sean while Karen busied herself with Joan in the other ‘room’.
“Did you have a good day?”
Daniel looked at Sean, who stubbornly wore his eye patch to sleep after frightening Daniel (he was not actually, thank you very much) one morning.
“The best!” Daniel faced his brother, sleepily answering.
“That’s good.”
Daniel blinked, “Hey, Sean?”
“What’s up?” He replied, cocking an eyebrow.
Daniel felt a surge of inexplicable gratitude swell in his chest.
“Thanks...for always being there.”
Sean smiled sadly. “I try, enano. I try.”
But Daniel barely heard his soft words as he drifted off the sleep, comforted by the day.
Daniel's hands felt sticky, but he kept his eyes screwed shut. It didn't stop the liquid pooling at his elbows, clinging to his skin and sinking through to his bones; it didn't stop him whimpering at the eerie silence that suddenly fell around him; it didn't stop the red pouring out from a wound centimetres away from him.
"Let me have this," he whispered, forlorn.
Daniel’s eyes watered, but Sean didn’t appear to notice. Cold tears rolled silently down his smooth skin, dampening the sheets.
“Sean, please. Stay.”
Daniel is alone, but he hadn't always been alone. Once, he would've celebrated his birthday with someone he loved.
God, he wished he wasn't alone.