Blood Brothers
Joe Petty


Her soft hands rested on my shoulder and the only sound in the room, were the rats eating the crumbs I had lay at my feet earlier. I spoke to her, but continued staring at the skull embedded in the center of the wall. A skull that had emeralds for eyes, and gold where its teeth once resided.

“Did I ever tell you I had a brother, Allesandra?”

“No, I don’t believe you have told me much of your mortal life. Are you certain, now is the time?” I could sense her unease as she slid beside me in the dirt.

“Yes, I must remember…” I stared deep into the emerald depths before me and began again.

His name was Umberto, or rather; I was… there were days, when we were the same. When I left him to study in Rome, we made a pact. A pagan ritual so far removed from God, that I feel it may have been my undoing. It had been his idea. We sat in the middle of the chapel our hands extended out to each other. He rested his right on top of my left, and with his left hand he drew out a needle. Ah, the pain was exquisite. He knew somehow that we would never see each other again, and so with this piercing and mixing of our brotherly blood we would become one. The needle, slid gently into his hand, his eyes watered as he pushed harder, and a sigh of relief escaped his pursed lips when the tip poked out of the bottom. He bit the edge of his top lip and continued through the little pocket between our hands and in compassion he pushed harder through mine. My body shuddered as it moved into and quickly out of my hand. The tears brimming in our eyes eventually overflowed and we sat there, pinned to each other; I leaned into his arms and licked the drop that had fallen from his eye. My brother had been my lover and my companion for 25 years. And, at that moment I accepted that this would be the last time we would be together. Our blood had dripped into a goblet we had placed between us. He looked first at it and then into my eyes and I smiled. With a deep breath, I held the needle with my right hand, and slid my left up to be complete with his. And then with one quick tug, I pulled it all the way through. We nearly fainted into each other’s arms, but His lips were upon mine and our breath had mixed as our blood had. With a tremble I pour out my final remark, spoken silently between our lips.


I know that in this world Mortals cannot have the best Yet to pray for a part of what was Once shared is better than to forget it.



I drank from the goblet, and handed him the rest. We lay in each other’s arms, until the early morning, where we were discovered. The friar had been buffeting about the chapel preparing for my send off, when he found us covered in blood behind the altar. As he lowered to check for my breathing, my eyes opened and he fell back. I gently nudged Umberto, and he ran quickly from the chapel. I gathered the needle and chalice, before helping the friar up. And made my way out as well.

I rose from my spot, Allesandra’s hand trailing off my body as I moved to the skull I had been gazing at. “This is him…” I kneeled before the lost face of my beloved brother, it’s teeth even with my lips. My hand stroking the place where his cheeks would have glistened, and I leaned in to kiss yet another of my lost loves.