Youth
by Shane McKenzie
Annie ran the knife across the boy’s throat, her brother Johnny holding him in place. The boy’s arms and legs thrashed as his life poured from the wound and into the dark hole. Annie heard Grandpa giggling down below.
As much as she hated it, she had to cut them while they were alive. You got more blood that way, let the heart do all the work. Grandpa had to be at least waist deep in blood by then. They had been pouring the stuff down there for weeks now, just like he wanted.
“Just lower me to the bottom of the well, kids,” he said. “Just keep pouring the blood down, one child at a time.”
Annie didn’t like the idea, but she couldn’t say no to Grandpa. Johnny loved it. The second Grandpa gave them their instructions, Johnny got right to work. He brought three kids that day. Annie didn’t think it would work but did as she was told.
Grandpa had been given six months to live. For the first couple of months, he just sat around the house, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. Annie knew she would have to take care of her brother when Grandpa was gone, but didn’t want to think about it. She loved her Grandpa. Ever since her parents went with God, he was all she and Johnny had left.
Grandpa had been staring down into the well for hours at a time. Just drinking his beer, looking into the dark hole. When Annie would ask him what he was doing, he would just hug her and weep. Grandpa didn’t want to die. He started reading up on ways to prolong his life. Legends about the fountain of youth caught his attention.
He went on and on about it. How all he had to do was swim in the magical liquid and he would get better. He even talked about all the fun things they would do once he was young again.
After a while he told them that they would have to make their own fountain of youth.
Grandpa had been in the well ever since.
Annie had been lowering some food and water for him, but most of the time he turned it away. All he wanted was his health back.
Johnny took the boy’s body and dragged it toward the shed. They had been dumping the bodies in there, not quite sure what to do with them.
“Bring more. I need more!” Grandpa screamed.
“Is it working? Do you feel anything?” Annie screamed back.
A long silence. Johnny walked over, wiping blood on his jeans.
“Not yet. It’s not enough, I need more!”
Johnny smiled. “No problem, Grandpa! I’ll get right to it!”
“I want Annie to go this time. She needs to help with the hunting.”
Johnny looked disappointed. He loved the hunting part, while Annie usually did the killing. She didn’t want to do it. She didn’t even know where to look.
“Johnny needs to stay here with me and keep me company for a while,” Grandpa said from the well. His voice had an echo and Annie could hear him splashing around down there.
“Fine, Grandpa. Can I do it tomorrow?”
“No! My time is running out, and I need more blood. Go now!”
She stomped off, leaving her brother at the well. He frowned as she walked away, slamming his hands into his pockets and leaning against the stone.
“My mommy will get mad if I go anywhere.”
“You’ll be right back. I just wanted to give you some toys. If you don’t want them, I’ll give them to someone else.”
“Wait, I do want them. Where do we have to go?”
“Just follow me, I’ll show you.”
Annie extended her hand to the little girl, who grabbed it as they walked down the road. Annie quickly made her way into the woods where nobody would see them together. It was the quickest way home, anyway.
“The toys are in the forest?”
“Yeah, I had to keep them hidden so nobody would find them. They’re really great toys. You’ll see.”
The house came into view, and Johnny smiled as he saw his sister emerging from the trees. She didn’t think it would be that easy.
“Good job, sis. That didn’t take too long,” he said, walking toward her.
“Who is he?” The girl asked.
“That’s my brother. He knows where the toys are hidden.”
“Yeah, just right over here,” Johnny said, taking the girl away from Annie.
Johnny led her to the shed where he pushed her in and locked the door. The girl’s screams were barely audible, her fists pounding on the wood.
“Why’d you put her in there?”
“Grandpa wants to talk to us first.”
Johnny grabbed Annie by the wrist and led her to the well. Grandpa’s weeping echoed from the darkness.
“I got her right here, Grandpa.”
“I’m so sorry, Annie,” Grandpa said.
Johnny shoved her from behind, sending her body crashing into the well. Her head hit the stone wall as she fell, nearly making her lose consciousness. She crashed into the blood, swallowing a mouthful of it as she was submerged. Gasping for air, she thrashed in the liquid, trying to find something to hold onto. Her hand found soft and wrinkled skin.
Grandpa held her close, his arms wrapped tightly around her.
“I’ve always loved you, Annie. This is the only way.”
Grandpa’s teeth sunk into her neck, blood pumping into his throat. He took big gulps, holding her twitching body in place. Annie fought to get away, but felt herself getting weaker. Grandpa drank, letting the blood spill onto him, rubbing it on his body. Annie stopped moving and floated face down in the red pool.
“Grandpa! Did it work?” Johnny screamed from above.
A long silence, and then, “Why don’t you come down here, Johnny. Grandpa needs your help.”
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