CHAPTER 15 (Catch me if you can, I dare you)
BRENO: I always knew I had a twin, I would watch him run, he was the ‘golden boy’ even though we are mirror images of each other, minus the scar on my face. Tia Ana, would not allow me to play with him, she would beat me with the wooden spoon, when I asked to play with Ian. We went to different schools. I would as Roberto about him, but he would shrug and turn his back on me. I never liked Roberto, I never liked the family. When I was five I drowned their cat, the feeling stayed with me, the feeling of being stronger. I saw Ian once. I don’t think he will remember, it was a few weeks before prom, and the schools had a fun day, we raced against each other, he won, no one could beat Ian. He fleetingly turned to me, and asked me what my name was, all I had time to say was “Breno.”
I grew up in several foster homes, the buggering started when I was six, it ended when I killed the teacher, and I left the school, and my so called foster parents. They had no time for me, I was a drag on their lives, but no one wanted me. As for the teacher, he got a pencil in each eye, it went in so far, it punctured his brain. I was seventeen, and angry. I often followed Ian. I knew what Mama was doing to him, and I wished it on him, I had the same, and no one gave a crap. I watched him at prom. Roberto stole his date, and Ian ran away with his pinto between his legs. I killed the whore, then I went after Mama, but Ian beat me to it. Shit, I always wanted to see the expression on her face the day she saw me. Too late, started planning my revenge on Ian, he had it all, a scholarship, a place to stay. I lived on the streets, for a while, I rented myself out, good money. But the fat bastard that punched me, well, I shoved a broken bottle up his rectum. I always had my eyes on Ian. Then he got married, moved into a fancy house, hell he opened his own practice. I lay it thick on him, the drugs, the tape recordings, it was much easier, when Marisa had the affair, I could come and go freely. I would watch him run, trying to shake off the demons that plagued him, he wasn’t fast enough to out run me, no I lived in his head, I made him believe, he was a killer, that he had split personality. Then I became bored. So I took his life. The night I killed Marisa, Ian was sleeping in the boathouse. Chained up. I wonder if his doctor will find this out. Hmm. Time will tell. I had the time of my life, I fooled Roberto, I fooled Marisa, and then I met the lovely Eloa, and no, I wanted her. Ian was still incapacitated. It was good, the first two months were awesome, I started to hate Eloa, I think she wanted ‘Breno” more than she wanted me.
That night on the beach I snapped, I don’t like music at all. I did what I dreamt of doing for so long, I killed Roberto and his entire family. I knew where Carlos lived, well I had a vague idea, and he too had to go, the most fun I had, was giving Ian his life back. He crumbled. Getting the bodies from the morgue was easy, I was the night watchman. I took them out, and took them back, washed them and put them back where they belonged. I resigned after Ian became a saint, and sold my fucking home. I will destroy him. I want to destroy him, I want him to hurt, I want to watch him break, and then I will kill him, and assume his identity, you don’t need a degree to drive a car.
I want to be married to the sexy Carolina, oh the things I can teach her, and I need a scar on my face, I am working on that, I should have it by tomorrow. Once its healed. I will pay doctor Melo a visit, I honestly want to know just how good a shrink is, if I can fool him, I can fool anyone. I can be sweet, doesn’t mean I need to like it, but for the warm body of Carolina, I nice car, and friends, yeah, why not. As for the scars Ian has, I have them too. He has more than I have, the only person that saw them was Eloa, and she is taking a dirt-nap.
I don’t want to kill the Doc and his irma~o. I want what Ian has, I don’t think I will out right kill Ian, no I want him to see this, I want him to watch and feel what it feels like to have nothing. I don’t like animals. Not at all, for Carolina’s sake I will tolerate them, and hell I hate cat’s. All in the name of love. Ian is battling to get a grip on his new life, I was good for Ian. I will be better than Ian. He is playing with the dogs. It gives me the chills. I know that cop is watching me, I wave to him, he really doesn’t give a shit, he watches me, I watch him, and I watch Ian. It’s fun to watch Ian trip and fall.
The cop has to go, Mick, well he is ‘my’ friend I need to keep him around. I have to leave the sun is rising, and I need a scar. I have a clear picture of Ian’s. This tattoo dude I know, said he can do it, and if he doesn’t, well, then I will have to tattoo him. All fair in Ian’s world. The tattoo was perfect, I went to Ian’s barber, the man thought I was Ian. Perfecto. Had my hair cut, Ian has I slight stubble. I must say, the scar really does make us sexy. I rented a room for Ian, once I have access to his bank account, I will set it up with a television. And live footage of my life. The burning question is? Do I have a split personality? Hmm I will soon find out.
IAN: I am alone on the road today, Mick has another client, and he assured me, Breno was nowhere to be seen. I kissed Carolina, on her cheek, and went for my run. The voices are not as strong as it was, the images, well they are still vivid. It will take time to adjust to my new life, I run, I push my legs, faster, and faster. Run Ian run. The air burns in my lungs, it’s a good feeling. I am fit for my age. I can still run the hell out of anyone, the other morning a stray dog chased me, well I left him and Mick way behind, luckily the dog didn’t bite Mick. Slap. Bastard. Slap. Take your clothes off bastard. I run faster, and faster, I got lost, I don’t know this part of town. Hell I felt like a fool, I called a taxi to take me home. I asked the driver to wait, I showed him my Uber licence, and he waited. I paid him, and hoped we could have a beer some time. ‘Grow up Ian.’
I stalled the car twice. The passengers are in a world of their own. The day went well. I received my first call from Carolina, she asked if I would buy the dogs food. “Yeah, sure, do you need anything?’ She said no. I stopped at the store. I don’t know what to buy. I look in my wallet, I do have money, thank God, an elderly lady saw my predicament. “May I help you?”
“Por favour signora, I have two, Labradors, and I have no idea which is the best food for them.” She pointed to a bag. “It’s the best there is, I used to work for a Veterinarian, trust me, they will love it.”
I thanked her, bought the food and a bunch of flowers for Carolina. I might be young, but I am not stupid. She was so happy, the dogs, well I think they were even happier. We spent the evening watching movies, I had to catch up. “Ian.”
“Hmm?” Manners Ian. I looked away from the screen, at her.
“Do you want to go to my bedroom?” My pulse throbbed in my ears. I was so scared. I didn’t know what to say. Fuck, what do I do. She will know, well she will. “Carolina…” I stopped the rejection was tangible. “Yes, I would love to go to your bedroom, I tried to recollect everything Mick had told me. I am going to crash and burn. My heart beat so fast, I wished I would pass out. My scar’s. “Carolina, I didn’t have a normal childhood, so look at me, before….” She unbuttoned my shirt. Then touched my body, well at least one part of my anatomy knew what to do. I kissed her. I was glad that she didn’t say a word about my scar’s. I was gentle, for one, I have no idea what I am doing, and I know she is pure, that memory was burnt into this brain. It was the most exhilarating feeling being one with her. I held her for a long time afterwards. “Did I, am I?”
“You are marvellous Ian. I can hear your heart beat.” She lay her head on my chest, I played with her long hair. I looked at my wedding ring, I have never really looked at it, then the onyx. Did it belong to my Dad? I wonder where did I get it, I wished Roberto was still alive, I don’t like all the blanks in my head, I feel like half a person. All I know is now, and who I was when I was seventeen. I fell asleep. The dogs woke me, they were barking profusely. I switched on the lights, and got dressed. I called Mick, he said he was outside, but he can’t see anyone. I switched on the lights in the garden. I saw him, the guy with the hood. I called Mick. “He is in the back garden, a black hoodie is pulled over his face. Mick jumped over the wall. The guy was too fast. I let Mick in. “Carolina is still asleep.” He gave me a sly smile, and I blushed, I made us tea. I missed him. “The dogs alerted me, don’t look at me like that, I still kind of feel like a fool, Mick. It’s a strange world, I am a stranger to this world.” He patted me on my back. “I sent the notes off to a handwriting specialist, it’s one way to find out how many passengers he has.” Mick tapped his head. “That was a damn good idea, by when will you get the feedback?” Mick said by tomorrow, he will call me to meet him at Melo’s. We said goodnight, I locked the door, and went to my bed, I don’t think I am ready to sleep next to Carolina. Not yet.
BRENO: That was too close, but I know now that I can out run Mick, I will never outrun Ian. So I need a full proof plan. I can’t take him at home, those dumb mutts. I can’t take him out in the open, I will have to catch him. Two days later and I was ready. I waited for Ian to leave the house, fuck he can run. I left a body out, so hopefully that will slow him down. Mick was not in sight, the cop was asleep. All the long nights finally caught up. Ian tripped over the body, I ran and injected him, he was strong, he nearly punched my lights out, I had chloroform, that knocked him out. I changed our clothes, dragged the body back to my van, then fetched Ian. I dropped the body back at the morgue, and drove Ian to his rat-hole. I left him food and water. And locked the door. I hope I thought of everything. Ian was chained up, I left him a note, if he called for help, the next photo he received will be of a dead Carolina. I hope that covered that, I drove home.
“Morning, why did you go back to your bed?” Carolina handed me a cup of coffee. Bastard, he took what was mine. “I am so sorry, Carolina, it won’t happen again, I toss too much, so I thought I would spare you a restless night, I need to go shower, I tripped over a fallen branch.” I kissed her cheek, I watched Ian long enough to know some things at least. The dogs came running in, the growled at me. A-holes! “I think I smell strange.” I ran up the stairs, I need to get rid of those dogs. I loved my closet, I chose the best suit. When I came down the effing dogs growled at me again. “I wonder what got into them?” I asked innocently. “I need to get to work, have a good day.” I kissed her cheek and left. I picked up my first passenger, and it felt amazing. I was on such a high until Mick called me to meet him at Melo. Shit I don’t know what this is about.
I greeted Melo and Mick, I have no idea what Ian called them, I will have to have a chat with my bro. “The handwriting specialist found a few things. The notes were written by one person, the writing on the photo by another, the handwriting on the photo, matches yours Ian.” Well I could pretend to be shocked I was dumbstruck. “Mine, how is that even possible?”
“He doesn’t know, but he will look into it.” How the hell was it possible? The photo I took was of Ian, the morning he tripped over the body, and stripped in the back yard, hang on, he wasn’t Ian then, he was Alejo. We are identical twins, it could be possible, that we could share the same handwriting.
“There is no ways I took photos of myself and sent them to me.”
“We know that Ian. Calma amigo, I am only telling you what the specialist said, come, have a beer with us, I think this has been a long week, we all need a break.” Meo came with us. I don’t like cerveja, but I drank it. I will have to talk to Ian, there is too much I don’t know. I had two cerveja’s and left. “Have a date with my wife, I winked at Mick.” He gave me the thumbs up. I drove to the room. My brother was not a happy man.
MICK: “Brother, how well do you know me?” Melo shrugged. “Mick, as well as I know myself, why do you ask?” Mick put down his drink. “Because that is not Ian Alvesio, I bet you my savings.”
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