There are many sounds that we encounter through our lifespan. As we get older and our hearing grows dim, we sometimes forget certain sounds. Some we encounter so much on a daily basis that we just tune them out, but never forget. Then there are sounds we will never forget for other reasons. The ones that are permanently ingrained in our entire being are associated with things near and dear to us such as the first cry of our newborn or the heartbeat of our lover. But not every ingrained sound comes from such near and dear things, sometimes there are horrors we encounter that leave a lasting impression as well.

 

The sound of death is one you’ll never forget. The last breath of someone dear to you, or the gurgling sound after a slit throat. You may not be able to hear under water, but can you imagine what the sound of drowning sounds like? The last thing you’ll remember is the sound of your own voice filled with panic and fear inside your own head as your body jerks one last time in its need for air. Those will definitely leave an impression, but not as much as what I heard last night.

 

It was another summer night where my friend Brad and I threw a nice bomb-fire with just the two of us. It was such a comfortable temperature while sitting under the moonlit sky and the breeze from the lake hit you just right. As peaceful as it was, it still didn’t help the anxiety and anger that was building inside me. I asked Brad out here tonight to confront him about sleeping with Jessica, my girlfriend. I found out about it just the other day.

 

We were sitting on logs surrounding the fire when I confronted him about it. First he played stupid, but when I showed him the proof on my phone was when things turned for the worst. At first he tried to pin it on me, spouting bullshit about how I was working too much and not giving Jessica any attention. Then he stated how much we were brothers, and how we’ve always shared everything. I was livid.

 

He and I knew each other since we’ve been in diapers. Our parents were best friends, and we were so close we were almost like brothers. We shared everything from clothes, music, and when we were younger, women; However, Jessica was different. For the past few months I’ve been working hard to buy her a ring so I could propose, and Brad knew this. There are some lines even family shouldn’t cross, and he crossed it.

 

Our argument escalated to the point we were in each other’s face yelling. The moment he pushed me, I snapped. Before I knew what I was doing I pushed Brad into the fire and stood back. The screams that escaped him were palpable. I never heard anything so unforgettable in my life. It wasn’t just the way he was screaming, but the volume of his cries. They were so loud that my ear was ringing.

 

The smell of his burning flesh and screams were now etched into my soul along with the sight of his panicked figure racing towards the water. I ran to him as he crashed into the water with a loud splash. When I got there he was silent and unmoving, and the smoke from his scorched body wafted into the air around him disappearing. I took off my shoes before entering the water to turn his body around and saw the horror that awaited, but no screams left my mouth. I checked his pulse to see if he was alive, he wasn’t. I had killed him, and all that remained was a smile on my face.

 

 

via Daily Prompt: Volume

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