Daddy Lazarus, pt. 19

Jared and Dominic fight. David watches in horror.

Jared and Dominic fell to the floor, the son atop the father. Jared pressed his full weigh against Dominic’s throat. To his delight, could feel the old man’s windpipe cracking beneath him. They locked identical blue eyes.

“Jared, stop!” shouted David. 

“You—” spluttered Dominic from the carpet.

“I brought you back into this world, and I can take you out of it,” snarled Jared.

“Help me, David, God damn it, hel—” Dominic’s eyes bulged. 

David aimed a feeble kick at Jared but didn’t follow through. His father’s arms flailed.

“Harder!” his father grunted. 

Jared looked up at his brother. 

“You touch me, and you’ll be next, idiot.” 

David’s breath quickened at the taunt. His teeth clenched. He swung his leg, closed his eyes, and imagined knocking the wind out of his brother.

David’s foot connected with his father’s left side. Dominic’s ribs snapped. The sewn-up star in his chest burst in the reverse image of his suicide. The eruption lavished Jared’s face with blood. 

Dominic coughed up bubbling red. His breathing labored. 

“David…?” 

Jared, dazed, bedewed with blood, slid off his father. 

“Dad, oh Jesus, oh my god, Dad,” David knelt beside his father and cradled his head. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t, I—”

“Do not take the Lord’s name in vain. It is all right. I know you were—” He coughed. “—to help.”

 Jared said, “Dad, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t. I’m sorry, I just—”

“Shut up,” said Dominic. He spit blood with every word as if it were his own fangs’ poison. He turned to Jared. “I won’t forgi—” Here he choked with more violence than before. “Won’t leave you nothing. Won’t come back.” 

Jared turned away from his father. He stared at the snow falling outside.

Dominic Bethany’s heart sent waves of blood into the carpet a second time. He sighed.