Eat

-Dimitri Sokolov:

The next morning, the first thing I did was make breakfast for both my brother and Nikolai.

Pancakes, eggs, some fresh fruit—nothing extravagant, but enough to fill us up for today.

I made sure the presentation was perfect for Nikolai, with a smile on my face as I served it to him.

He deserved it.

He deserved every bit of care and happiness I could give him.

But Damon? Damon deserved nothing, but I still have to feed him.

After breakfast, I made my way down to the basement, holding a second plate of food.

My steps echoed on the stairs, the sound sharp and deliberate as if to announce my arrival.

I pushed the door open, and there he was, sitting on the cold floor, leaning against the wall, his body slumped and lifeless.

He looked like a shadow of himself—pale, gaunt, his skin stretched tightly over his bones.