Short Story Saturday

Today is Short Story Saturday! I actually wrote this while visiting with my brother on the deck.
I had to use my mom's laptop cause my computer was shut off. We were installing new light fixtures and it was safer to turn the power off everywhere in the house, not just the kitchen.

David Douglas hated climbing. He hated the wind; the rocky slopes; the cold thin air. It was all a pain in the ass. Just to visit his brother Kevin.

Kevin moved up to the mountains years ago after their father died. He never got along with their mother, and after a particularly heated argument he moved to the mountains.

Kevin always loved the mountains. As kids he would always drag David on his adventures to explore as much of the mountains as he could. David remembered one time Kevin kept pushing him to climb a dangerous looking ridge. David was so nervous when he finally agreed he lost his grip and fell and broke his arm. He spent the week in the hospital and several months after with a cast on. 

Their mother never let Kevin forget it.

David finally reached Kevin’s front door. He kicked the dirt off his hiking boots and knocked forcefully. A moment later Kevin answered.

“David. I didn’t expect to see you for another week.” Kevin stared at David emotionlessly. “Why did you come up?”

“Can you let me in? It’s bloody freezing out here!” David pushed past Kevin into the warmth of the mountain cabin.

David sat down next to the fireplace. The cabin was covered in thick rugs. Some hung from the walls. There were no windows uncovered, and a kettle was sitting on the fire. The only table was next nearby the oven on the other side of the cabin.

“I was just about to make tea.” Kevin said, pulling the kettle from the fire with a long metal rod. “Did you want some?”

“Sure.” David leaned back in his chair and stared at the fire.

Kevin handed David a mug and sat across from him. The two sat in silence staring at each other and drinking their tea. The only sound was the wind blowing outside.

“So are you going to tell me why you came a week earlier than your usual monthly visits?” Kevin finally broke the silence.

David sighed and set down his mug on the floor. “It’s about mom. She’s dying.”

Kevin’s face remained stoic. He took a deep sip of his tea before speaking. “How long does she have?”

“Two weeks.”

“You could’ve come next week and told me.”

“God dammit, Kevin!” David cried. “This is our mother! How can you be so callous!”

“Our mother was dead to me ten years ago.” Was Kevin’s callous reply. “She’s never come to see me in all that time; I see no reason why I should go see her now on her death bed.”

David gripped the edge of his chair in anger. He wanted to yell and tell Kevin he should care and at least see her once. He knew it was futile. For the past ten years they had the same conversation about how he should come down from the mountain. Kevin would always refuse.

“Is that the only reason you came or do you have other business you want to tell me.”

David stood up and walked back to the door. “No. That’s all.” He said finally.

“Will you be coming next week or are does this count as your monthly visit.”

“I’ll see you next week.” David prepared himself for a blast of cold and opened the door. He turned back to Kevin before he left. “Do you want me to send an invite to the funeral?”

“No.”

David nodded and shut the door behind him.