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1 The End

Our lives are ether by the thin air of good intentions; a line of dominos, ready to fall Which shirt to wear on a cold winter’s , what crappy junk food to eat for lunch It starts out so innocently, you don’t even notice: go to this party or that , or read that book, and then, soe and career; your boyfriend or wife

Soafter a while They blur into an endless strea seamlessly to the next question, the next decision – yes, no, no, yes The line of do one by one Click, click, click, they tumble faster until you can only see the two that really mattered:

The beginning, and this, the end

Oliver, and Ethan, and I

‘What are you doing, baby brother?’ Oliver takes half a step towards us ‘You’re scaring Chloe’ He looks fro to assess the scene, his brain ticking quickly behind those sharp blue eyes ‘Just calm down’

‘I am calm!’

‘We can talk about this’ Oliver tries to soothe him

‘No!’ Ethan insists, his voice a hoarse yell The sound sends shivers of fear through me I’ve never seen him like this before, so wild and erratic Out of control ‘I’ to your lies any more It’s all bullshit, every word of it You can’t talk your way out of this!’

‘I’m sorry,’ I whisper, crumpled in the corner ‘I’m so, so sorry I never meantI never meant to hurt you’

‘It’s too late for that!’ Ethan screams

I flinch back, shaking, looking desperately for so between et help; I catch his eye, trying to gesture, but instead of leaving, he just inches towards us

‘Shh, Ethan, it’s OK’ Oliver holds his hands up, a sign of sub Just put the knife down’

Ethan looks at the blade in his hand, like he’d forgotten it was there The steel glints, bright in the candlelight, so pretty I could ally truths it could write

‘Ethan, please,’ I beg ‘Don’t hurt us’

DISPATCH: Nine one one, what’s your eency?

CALLER: Please, you have to send so!

DISPATCH: OK, we’ll send help Just calm down, and tell me where you are

CALLER: II don’t knohat to do There’s so much blood, I can’t make it stop

DISPATCH: Where are you, honey? What happened?

CALLER: Up by Echo Point, by the lake I tried to get hi!

DISPATCH: I’ an ambulance now Tell me what happened, where is he hurt?

(Silence)