The Other Side of Greed by Lily Zante
Prologue
Twenty years ago …
BRANDON
“Take me with you,”Kane begs.
“I can't. The lady said it's just me for now.” I'm crying inside because I have to show him I'm strong. I'm his older brother and I've got this. Kane hugs me, throwing his skinny little hands around me, like a wretched rat hanging on to a sinking ship.
“Come on, now, Brandon.” The lady from the home walks over to take my hand, but I'm not ready to go. I will never be ready to go, not like this.
Kane wails. “Don't go! Don't leave me.”
“Kane,” she says harshly. “Move away. Your brother has to go.”
“I don't want him to go.” His sobs shoot a round of bullets through me. I can't listen to this and walk away. I've never walked away. He is all I've got, and I am all he's got.
I hug him tightly. “I'll come back for you, okay? I promise.”
“Brandon.” The woman’s voice is stern. “You need to come with me NOW.”
I give Kane the biggest hug of my life. Life is cruel. It’s never been fair for the likes of us. “I'll come back for you, little buddy.” I kiss his head, he tilts his face upwards, looking at me with wet, soppy, sad eyes. My heart breaks into a million pieces.
“Step away before I—” The woman tries to pry Kane’s hands off my body, but he doesn’t give an inch. Instead, he kicks her. Hard. The sound of his boot smacking her shin is loud enough to make me wince. I felt that. She wails, reaching down to rub her leg. “You little—”
Two others grab my little brother. He's so small and skinny, powerless to fight them off. They grab him like he's a convict. “Come here you little shit. Don't even think of trying anything.”
“Brandon! Brandon!” he cries, as they drag him away, a tiny nine year old.
“I'll come back for you. I'll find you, I promise,” I yell. My insides fracture as he is taken, kicking and screaming, away. It’s the last vision I have of him.
When he disappears, I fall apart. My body shuddering as I howl, my sorrow twisting and tearing me to pieces.
“Wipe your face.” The woman shoves a tissue in my face. “You can't meet your new family looking like that.”