Desolation

Prologue May 2011 “How’s the college and university application process coming along?” Kent looked up from his computer, his scowl turning to a smile when he realized the interruption was his brother and not his father. They were starting to sound a lot alike. “Benny, when did you get home?” “Just now.” “Did Susan come back with you? Is she coming to visit over the break?” Kent had only met Benny’s college sweetheart once but she’d been great, the funniest person he’d ever met. She wasn’t a shifter, but that didn’t seem to matter to Benny. Benny glanced at his feet. “No. Uh, Susan and I broke up, just before exams.” “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” There was genuine regret in his voice. Benny cleared his throat. “So, you’re graduating next month, I hear.” He closed the bedroom door behind him. It was still early afternoon, and it wasn’t likely their dad was home yet, but it was better not to take any chances. “As long as I pass all my exams. I’m worried about my English. I can’t graduate without that and words were never my strong suit.” “You’ll do fine. That’s why I went into law. Business is more your thing, numbers, people, you’re good at that.” Benny settled on the edge of his younger brother’s bed. “You’re filling out all the applications and scholarships and everything else?” Kent hesitated, swiveling his office chair back and forth as he picked at his jeans, eyes down. “Sort of.” Benny’s face pinched. “What do you mean, sort of? There are deadlines you know. You’ve already missed some of them. Dad’s not going to like having to pull strings to get late paperwork accepted.” “I know. It’s just, I don’t really want to go into business or economics. I know that’s what Dad’s got his heart set on, but I just can’t imagine doing that for the rest of my life.” He had eyes, he saw the way his dad acted, the things his dad did to cope with the stresses of owning a big company, and he’d heard the darker stories about his older brother too. Apparently, law school was beyond stressful. Kent didn’t want to follow them down that road. “You know, law is cool too. Or medicine. Dad won’t mind if …” The laugh came out more of a snort. “Won’t mind. He’ll be pissed. At least if I wanted to follow you into law, or study medicine, he’d only be pissed for a little while.” A dark sense of dread settled into Benny’s chest. “Kent, what are you up to?” “I applied to a community college and got accepted. Got a full ride, too.” “Community college is way beneath you, beneath this family. Dad has expectations.” He knew he sounded too much like his dad, but Kent didn’t understand what that man was capable of. This is what I get for defending him, protecting him. He has no idea what he’s walking into. “I know that. I just … Benny, I’m good at this.” Benny let out an exasperated sigh. “At what? What are you planning to study?” “Electrical Engineering Technology.” Benny exploded to his feet. “You’re going to be a f*****g electrician? With your grades? You’ve got the smarts to get into any program at any university, Dad’s willing to pay for the whole damn thing, and Theo would bend over backwards to get you a student placement in any pack in the country, and you’re going to throw that all away to become an electrician?” Kent turned away and closed his eyes. “I thought you’d understand. I thought maybe you’d back me up on this.” Benny paced and raked his fingers through his blond hair. He needed to get it cut again before his dad started making comments on his sloppy appearance. “Kent, buddy, I get it. You don’t like where Dad has pointed your life. I don’t like the choices he made for me either and I know Martha’s had her fair share of fits. But this is our life, this is what’s expected of us. Please, you have to …” “What?” Kent said, exploding out of his chair. “Be a good little soldier and obey Dad’s every order? Do you even want to study law? What about Martha?” Benny stood and walked to the door, pausing with his hand on the knob. “I don’t want to be shut out of my family, and if you’re not careful that’s what’s going to happen to you.”