If You Scream, You're Next

I can still feel the controller on my hands. It's vibrating. The smell of burnt toast floats through the air. I don't mind it though. I think burnt toast smells nice. I'm kind of weird in that way. My name is Tyson, and from the day I was born, I was a weirdo. I think petrol smells nice. I can't smell my armpits. I’m sixteen and still haven’t broken virginity, which apparently makes me a walking mystery at school. I don't know why everyone's so obsessed with it. My bro, Hayden, agrees. Hayden's really my only friend at school. At home, Mum and Dad treat Jace and I like pieces of shit. They don't talk to us, barely ever say "I love you" and really hate us. The only reason Jace has an Xbox and I have a Switch is because our grandma loved us so much. But she passed away. Years ago. Cancer. I can feel the tears coming down my cheek. I pause the game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and go to the bathroom. I slam the door. I miss her. The tears stream down my face. I grab some paper and wipe them off. Life is hard. Life is unfair. I walk back into my room and hop back on my Switch. Only someone else is already playing.

"Jace!" I cry, laughing. "What are you doing in here?"

Jace smiles at me. "I was hoping my big brother would play some 2 player Mario Kart." he says. I chuckle.

"Sure." I say. I throw him a controller, and he catches it. I love Jace. No matter what happens, we are in it together.

2 hours later

"Tyson! Jace! If you want dinner, start cooking!" My adopted mum yells. I call her by her first name, Fran. She's a real pain in the ass. Always making us cook. They can cook themselves. Why do we have to do it? I groan as I sit up and pause the game.

"Hey!" Jace shouts. "I was winning! I was about to get a red shell!"

"We got to get some food brah." I say to him. Jace shrugs and puts down the controller