Jacob and Josh

[Gemini Cricket]

Jacob sits at the kitchen table.
He watches the clock on the wall say 2am.
Been sitting so long that his arm sticks to the linoleum top.

Jacob turns his head, sees that picture on the wall.
Him with a trophy and dad's hand on his shoulder.
1st place for track and field.

The picture sits above another of Jacob in a singlet.
A ribbon adorns the frame, 1st place in his weight class.
That was a tough match.

Brother Josh has no adornments.
Josh likes cigarettes and the backseat of his Camaro.
He gave Mary Lee that bruise in that car.

Dad yelled at Josh the other day.
He threw him into the refrigerator.
The thump opened the freezer door.

Josh moved out yesterday.
He packed everything in a laundry basket.
And fled.

Jacob gets up from the table.
He goes to the garage.
He grabs his large Army duffle.

As a streetlight blessed the kitchen with a puddle of bright.
Jacob drags the heavy bag across the room.
A streak of liquid maroon spills across the floor.

A delicate arm of a woman unfurls from the sack.
Her nails make a protesting scratch on the tile.
Jacob now gently tucks her back in.

Jacob heads down to the unlit cellar and leaves her in the black ink.
Jacob reaches the sink and grabs a sponge.
He scrubs the floor as he sees a childhood painting on the fridge.

Jacob looks at the picture of a house, a tree and the sun.
He sees the name 'Josh' scribbled on the bottom.
Jacob can only think that he won't be the favorite son anymore.