Death Is Fraternal

By Thomas Fiorini

Death Is Fraternal is a psychological thriller that follows the evolution of a sociopath into a psychopath. Rather than focus solely on the horror of his actions it takes you into his mind to see how these horrific acts make him more powerful. The story centers around fraternal twin boys, Tim and Travis Gordon. Even though they aren't identical twins they share a bond stronger than imaginable although they are polar opposites in many ways. Travis was the dominant one and had become a sociopath at a very early age. He fed off his much weaker brother, forcing him to participate in many of his own sadistic plans. Growing up Travis was becoming more sadistic all the time, evolving into a full blown psychopath. With every unspeakable act Tim saw his brother get stronger and more twisted and it terrified him. He wanted to stand up to Travis but he knew it would be nearly impossible. The truth of the matter was Travis would force Tim to help him carry out his sadistic plans and even blamed him whenever their mother discovered what they had done. As they grew up it became apparent to Tim that his brother was getting more twisted and sadistic all the time, turning into a full blown psychopath.

Tim also struggles with dreams he is sure are of horrific childhood memories though he can't quite see them clearly enough to understand. These dreams invade his sleep nearly every night, causing him to wake up in a cold sweat. He is sure the dreams have something to do with how his brother had become so sadistic. He also knows he is headed on a collision course with his brother and he has to find a way to wrestle some power away from Travis. All odds are against him but Tim knows he has to find a way to stop his brother or run the risk of becoming nothing more than another victim.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Fiorini
• Release date: Jan 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311543059

Thomas Fiorini

Thomas Fiorini grew up in the midwest and is an avid reader of thriller and suspense novels. Having always enjoyed writing as well he decided it was time to write his own novel. He wrote a lot of short stories and poems over the years but this book represents a chance to realize his dream. He took the traits of many of his favorite authors and blended them with his own thoughts and style.

Book preview

Chapter One

It was brisk for a summer day in July, especially in Virginia where it was usually sweltering this time of the year. Jean Gordon watched her two boys, Tim and Travis head out the door to play. Be back in time for dinner! she yelled as they ran down the steps and across the yard. Jean felt a chill creep slowly down her spine causing her to tremble quite noticeably. She almost ran after the twins to tell them to come back and stay in the yard today, but she shrugged the feeling off as silliness and went back to the laundry. It was hard raising two boys alone, especially two boys like she had. She hadn’t so much as looked at a man since her husband left when the boys were very young. Her time was spent taking care of them and for some unknown reason she was afraid to bring a man into their lives.

Like a lot of twins Tim and Travis were always together and today was no exception. Travis was always the dominant one and Tim pretty much followed him along in every way. Even though they were not identical twins they still shared emotions and thoughts with each other without even trying. After playing on the swings at the park for a while Travis told Tim he was bored with this. Let’s go see what’s going on down at the river Travis said. They found a spot to hide behind the teenagers who were swimming and playing at the river’s edge.

Travis told Tim to grab all of their clothes they had left lying in the grass while they were swimming. Tim didn’t want to get them pissed off but Travis kept pushing until he gave in. He crept ever closer and closer until he was sure they would turn around and see him. Luckily they were too busy playing in the water and he grabbed all he could carry and ran as fast as he could. He never looked back and ran right past Travis and didn’t even turn around to risk a look behind him.

What are we going to do with all of their clothes? Tim asked Travis when he finally caught up to him. Travis looked through the pockets and found $35 between them all as well as a set of keys. He took the keys and money and tossed the clothes in a trash can at the park. Tim didn’t like the look on his brother’s face with that almost sinister smile. Let’s find out which car this key is for. Travis told Tim. Tim knew better than to argue with Travis even though he knew this was a bad idea. The last time he argued with him Travis had jammed a stick in the spokes when he was riding his bike and he flipped over the handlebars.

No, he was going to go along with Travis on this one. They searched the parking lot car by car and finally found the old beat up Plymouth Horizon the key belonged to. Travis told Tim Let’s go for a ride! But Tim just couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Travis, neither one of us can drive a car! Tim pleaded. Travis told him to work the pedals and he would handle the steering. He had seen their mom do it enough to figure it out.

Tim thought about fighting Travis on this but decided that he would just have to go along. Travis started the car and Tim got down on the floor to operate the pedals. Travis told him to step on the gas and they were actually moving! Travis steered the car as well as he could and told Tim to go faster. Tim was oblivious to whatever Travis was doing so he pushed harder on the gas pedal. He couldn’t see a thing but he could tell they were moving pretty damned fast.

A few seconds later they came to a sudden halt, the sound of metal grinding and crashing. He expected Travis to be shocked but he squealed in delight instead. It was an eerie sound but Tim had heard it before and knew his brother was in his own world right now. He wouldn’t hear Tim if he bothered to say anything. Travis scared Tim when he got like this, like he relished bad things happening instead of worrying about them. Tim knew this was not going to be a good night.

Tim crawled out from under the dash to see what had happened and he saw a van and a really sharp convertible next to them with huge gouges down the side of each of them. The Horizon was smashed all the way down the passenger side after sideswiping the two other cars. Travis, what happened? Tim asked. Travis just smiled and said, That was awesome! Tim asked him if anybody was in the other cars and Tim thought Travis looked rather sad when he replied No, they were both empty.

They got out of the car and ran home as fast as they could. When they were eating dinner a couple of hours later their mom was watching the news and Tim got really worried when the lady on TV talked about the wrecked cars at the park. He looked over at Travis and saw that familiar smile, or should it be called a sneer? Either way it was obvious his brother was pretty proud of his earlier exploits.

A couple of days later there was a knock at the door and when Tim answered it his heart sank. Standing there before him were two uniformed policemen. They asked to speak to his mother and before he could turn around she was already behind him. Can I help you? she asked but somehow she knew her boys had gotten into trouble. Ma’am, we need to talk to you about an incident that happened on Tuesday. Officer Blackman said.

There was a car that was stolen at the park and wrecked shortly afterward. he said. She told him she didn’t understand what this had to do with her and he began explaining. He told her that witnesses had told them two young boys were the ones they saw running from the car after it had crashed. Tim and Travis matched their description so they were taken down to headquarters for a lineup. She begged them not to take her sons, they are only little boys. she cried out.

At the station they were quickly identified and turned over to juvenile authorities. Tim was terrified but Travis seemed to relish the experience. Ms. Crandall from Norfolk Children’s Services took the boys to her office where they were joined by an elderly gentleman. They soon found out that he was Dr. Shelton, the therapist assigned to their case. So how are you boys doing this morning? he asked. Tim just sat there near tears and didn’t say a word. Travis looked much like the proverbial cat that ate the canary as he boasted We’re great! as Tim began to cry.

Dr. Shelton asked Ms. Crandall if she could take Travis out to the outer office while he spoke to Tim. The tears stopped as if someone flipped a switch and Tim said, I want Travis to stay with me. Dr. Shelton insisted however and Ms. Crandall led Travis out of the room. So tell me Tim, or is it Timmy, do you understand why you are here? Don’t let Travis hear you call me Timmy! He told me Timmy’s a baby’s name and we aren’t babies! Dr. Shelton apologized and told Tim to please tell him why they were in that car.

It was all my idea so leave Travis alone Tim said, though he knew it wasn’t the truth. He went on to say that he made Travis go along and he did it because he was bored. I was just playing around so what’s the problem? he asked. You can’t take other people’s things and call it playing around Tim, the doctor said. Don’t you see that you could have hurt someone or been hurt yourself? Tim turned away and just sat there, refusing to talk any longer.

Dr. Shelton went out to talk to Travis and told him that Tim had admitted it was all his idea. That doesn’t mean you aren’t still in trouble too he said. He asked Travis if Tim was always pushing him to go along with him and Travis said He always makes me do things I don’t want to do but he scares me so I go along. The doctor told him he would make sure Tim got some help so this would never happen again. Travis simply smiled, seeming very content at the moment.

Jean Gordon was finally allowed to see her boys and asked what was going to happen to them. Dr. Shelton told her that would ultimately be decided by the court but most likely Travis would be able to return home soon. What about Tim? Isn’t he coming home soon too? The doctor explained to her that Tim admitted to being the one that was responsible for everything so he would have to wait and see what was in store for him. She burst into tears, saying she couldn’t bear to leave without both her boys.

Jean was surprised at the hearing for the boys when the judge ordered that both boys could come home. Tim wasn’t happy to hear that he would have to continue seeing Dr. Shelton a few times a week. Travis just shrugged it off like he didn’t have a care in the world. Tim looked at his brother and thought he saw a smug sort of smile. The truth is that Tim is afraid of Travis, so afraid he can’t tell a soul because he knows he will pay for it in the end. That is why he lied and took the blame for him.

Chapter Two

Jean Gordon often thought about that year in '99 when the trouble started with the boys. Being honest with herself she knew it started more than a few years before that. But how could little boys be so destructive at such a young age? She ignored the signs for a long time, convincing herself that she was reading something into the whole thing. The twins were different than other boys because they were somehow connected together, feeding off each other for everything. They shared emotions and intelligence; both having tested as young geniuses.

They also shared something else, something not so positive. Jean knew it though she refused to accept it. They shared a cruel and destructive way about them. She knew Tim was the one who dragged Travis into going along with his sick behavior. She didn't know how to stop it because Tim scared her, with the things he said and the nonchalant way he admitted responsibility for such horrible acts. Between dead animals and thefts in the neighborhood it was bad enough, but when she found out the latest neighborhood tragedy she was appalled.

The twins were 11 when she suspected they were involved in three little five year old boys’ near death experience at a local park. The kids' story unfolded in the news about being blindfolded and held captive in an old abandoned cabin at the park. They were reported missing one Saturday in June and were found three days later. They couldn't identify their captors but told police there were two boys who sounded kind of the same. One of them bossed the other one around they agreed. In fact, he told the other one to kill them a couple of days after they were taken.

He told the other kid he was crazy and no way was he going to do that they told police. They argued and the one kid told the other one that he would just kill him along with the three of us they continued. After hearing the other kid give in and say he would do it all three of them had begun crying hysterically. Next thing they knew they were being put in a car trunk, thinking they were surely going to die. They couldn't even make out the muffled voices as they felt the car start to move. After a few minutes the car stopped and they heard one car door open and close right before the car started moving again. Now there was no muffled chatter that they could hear, just the sound of the car's engine as they drove.

After about 20 minutes the car came to a stop and the trunk was opened. They heard the one kid tell them to take off and don't say a word to anybody. They took off their blindfolds after they heard the car drive away and when they looked they didn't see anybody. They couldn't see anything but darkness all around, not a moon or star in the sky. They walked toward the only distant light they could find and it was the next morning that someone saw them and stopped to help.

Jean knew this had to be the result of Tim, the monster that she had apparently created. She thought Thank God Travis didn't go through with killing the boys. At least they could go home to their parents, even though their dreams would likely be haunted for years to come. She knew she had to confront Tim that night and talk to Travis as well. When the boys came home around dinnertime Jean told the two boys we need to talk about what you two are doing.

Immediately Travis spoke up and said We aren't doing anything Mom! She ignored him and looked directly at Tim and asked What did you do to those poor boys on the news and where in the world did you get a car? Tim denied it, of course, but she kept pressing him for an honest answer. Travis is the one that spoke up, saying It was all Tim's idea Mom. I tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn't listen to me. You were sleeping when he took your car and he even wanted me to kill them but I let them go instead.

Go to your room Travis, I need to talk to Tim privately. After Travis left Jean asked What the Hell is wrong with you Tim? What would make you do such horrible things to innocent little kids? Tim just looked ahead blankly, not knowing what to say. Jean kept pressing and Tim continued to stare off into space, ignoring her. In reality he heard every word but pretended to ignore here. He knew she was right but he had been the one that let the kids go, not Travis. He wanted to tell her, he really did. He thought What was the worst that could happen? Tim recalled the look of fear, no complete terror, he saw on those little kids' faces the night he let them go. He was part of that because he didn't stand up to his brother and tell someone what he was doing.

The thing is he knew there was nothing he could do to stop him. He just had to try to keep him from doing anything too bad by pretending to go along with him. After all, if he didn't convince him he was on board there would be no reason for Travis to keep him around. He had already told Tim that he would never let him live if he told a soul the truth about anything he ever did. Since you have admitted to a few things Mom is convinced you are the one so I get out of everything he had once told Travis. Tim knew there was nothing he could do so he just sat there.

Promise me you will stop all of this nonsense she told him. He told her he wouldn’t do anything wrong again but she didn’t believe him. She knew in her heart this wasn’t her little boy sitting in front of her. This was indeed the Devil himself posing as her son. She went on to tell him that he had to start going to counseling again and she didn’t even listen to his protests. Between the counseling and her watching over him like a hawk she thought everything would be okay. Don’t talk to anyone about what you did to those boys. We will make that our secret as long as you do what you are told from now on she said.

She felt guilty for hiding this but she couldn’t risk losing Travis along with Tim. She thought to herself that nobody really got hurt since Travis had let them go so that was the only justification she needed. Jean convinced herself for some time that things really were better. After all, she barely let him out of her sight and he was seeing Dr. Shelton again. The doctor had told her things were progressing very well and he was genuinely pleased with Tim’s progress. At the same time her gut wouldn’t let her remain so optimistic about it all. Deep down she knew the beast inside her son could never be tamed forever. It was only a matter of time before he would lash out again. She only hoped she would be there to stop him when it happened.

She made sure to talk to Travis all the time to reassure him that she knows he isn’t the one to blame. He promised to tell her if Tim tried to get him to do anything else. She hoped so but thought he probably wouldn’t out of fear of his brother and the bond they shared since birth. She used to think that closeness was so wonderful and had hoped it would always be that way. Now she wished it had never existed at all. Hell, sometimes she wished Tim had never been born.

Chapter Three

A year went by with nothing out of the ordinary going on with Tim as far as Jean could tell. The doctor felt that they could reduce his sessions to once a month but she wasn’t sure that was a good idea. He convinced her that Tim was doing very well and was in control of his emotions for the first time in years. Reluctantly she agreed to the recommendation and Tim seemed pretty excited about it. He and Travis hadn’t been spending as much time together as they did before. If only Jean had made the connection that this was the only reason things were better she might have seen things differently.

She didn’t notice it right away, but things began changing pretty much right after the sessions with Dr. Shelton weren’t happening as often. Sure, she told herself everything was okay now and there was nothing to worry about. The thing is she should have known, Hell she did know, her world was starting to unravel. It wasn't something you could put your finger on and control but it was something you couldn't stop even if you knew exactly what was about to happen. She was scared for her life and she didn't know what to do. She locked her door at night but knew nothing as simple as that would stop Tim if he wanted to come in.

Tim had ways of getting in your head if he wanted to and could even make you see glimpses of what could happen, what would happen. At least it would happen unless you could figure out how to change it like Travis had for those little boys. But what could she do? she thought. I'm not like Travis; I have no idea how he thinks and what makes him tick. That is when she decided to confide in Travis and enlist his help to stop Tim from whatever he was planning.

She talked to Travis and he told her he was sure she was imagining things. Tim would never hurt you Mom he told her, but inside he was smiling to himself so broadly that he was sure she would see it. She would get what she deserved he thought to himself. He told his mother that everything would be just fine and he would keep an eye on Tim to make sure he didn't do anything to hurt her. He thought about how Tim was this little goody two shoes that nobody believed. Hell, he had taken care of that hadn't he? he laughed almost out loud.

All Travis could think about was How is dear old Mother going to die? He had dreamed of that day for years since he was only six or seven. He had envisioned so many ways but never had finalized a plan. She had never imagined what he was capable of or what she thought Tim was capable of. He went to bed that night and his body tingled as he imagined his mother's eyes glazing over as her last breaths were taken right in front of him. He got very warm all of a sudden and felt an indescribable shiver run through his body. He didn't realize at first what was happening, but he had the first orgasm of his life at that very moment.

The next day Travis told Tim that their mom was getting in the way, always watching everything they do. Tim was actually glad she was but didn’t want to admit it to Travis. At least Travis wasn’t making him do anything he didn’t want to lately. She’s the one who made you go to counseling Travis told Tim. Tim thought to himself You’re the one who should get counseling Travis. Of course he couldn’t say it out loud and think he could get away with it. The two of them hadn’t spent much time together for a while but Tim could see the changes taking place with his brother. He was evolving in a way that could only lead to an even darker future.

Travis had been very resentful that Tim wasn’t around much to