The Present - The Past
POV JACK - NATHAN

The same scene. The same scrutinizing faces when they ask you, "Why did you do it?" When I was a kid, it was all for fun, stealing things, doing drugs and running from the cops. Now this time... It was my principle in this case.

I glance between the two detectives who brought me in for interrogating. Sadly, it wasn't Riley and his partner, but the two older investigators who would not give me the time of day during my short two weeks. Luckily, they weren't as rough, compared to my previous times being thrown in the interrogation room in my childhood; perks of being one of their own?

It was the end of the line for me. There wasn't anything to hide. My ulterior motive for confessing everything was to only reveal the faults of Upside's police force. The ginger already has it all recorded, my confession to being their, "Hangman." Who even named the horrendous title?

"Why did you do it?" Jenkins asks me once more.

"...."

My brother, Ethan and I were polar opposites. Despite that, we were close and always did everything together. I started hanging with Samuel in the first year of high school. The three of us would do whatever we felt like doing, except for Ethan when it comes to reckless behavior.

Ethan was the brighter one of the two of us. He was smarter, kinder, and was loved more than I ever had. You could say I was envious of it all but I, too, was proud. I would grin, "That's my brother!" whenever someone pointed out that we were twins. My parents who are loaded with money wanted Ethan to be a role-model for me;  my brother knew best that I'm not one to bend to rules.

I got into sorts of trouble to receive the attention of our parents. Even though Ethan was loved more, the only time those two ever looked out way is when I become a problem. They would scold me with half-hearted promises about cleaning my act while they praised my brother. It was a repeated process that I've gotten used to as a kid.

The policemen who patrol our part of the city know about "that one bratty rich kid" who hasn't been sent to a boarding school. I get arrested, my parents pay bail and I get out. Unfortunately for Ethan, my twin looks out for me. I don't know how many times he's been sucked into my problems. He never deserved it.

I remember the last time I got arrested like it was yesterday. The memory is etched into my mind, fueling my everyday actions to sought justice for the crimes that don't show their true colors on the news. People get away with many things. Hire the right lawyer. Spend a large amount of money here and there. Your life is assured.

A life can't always be assured by money, is what I learned that day. My poor brother couldn't keep his life. My teenage years, full of raging hormones and self destruction, only multiplied the effects of my melancholy. The lifeless stare and the pained scream haunt my dreams every night. It's like a reminder of my purpose in existing.

The infamous day of my pitiful life was ten years, twenty nine days ago, and on a Saturday night. Samuel and I planned out our break-in for JC's house. All the kids in school knew about the rumored drug dealer. We wanted in on the new stuff, is what we said.

Ethan tried to talk me out of it again that night in my room. My bag was packed with things I thought useful for burglary. My twin did his usual habit of frantically pacing from my window to the my desk.

"Nate, rethink this, please," Ethan frowned. I dug through a box of useless junk while I listened to his wasted attempt. He continued, "JC could be armed. There could be more bad men in the house. This is dangerous."

I sighed, "I've done burglary before, E." He didn't have to come; he knew that. "Nothing worse than getting arrested could happen," I reasoned. If I could travel back in time, I would murder my past self for saying that to the only brother of mine.

Ethan shook his head for the millionth time that day. I swore the boy would have cramped his neck for doing that many times. I didn't deserve his worry; I didn't deserve anyone's worry.

I finally retrieved the item I was looking for in the box, a handgun my father bought me for my birthday. It was the only year I didn't cause trouble for him and he thought I changed my shenanigan ways. He must have forgot about it like everything else involved with me because I'm sure he wouldn't want to arm a consistent juvenile.

Ethan eyed that gun like it was a plague awaiting to eat my very soul. He asked, "You aren't taking that with you?"

"We have to protect ourselves somehow if worst comes to show."

"But you just said nothing worse than getting arrested would happen!"

I gave him my usual saying, "Relax, E. Just let it be."

Minutes later, the clock struck midnight and I saw Samuel parked outside the front. I grabbed my things and slowly traversed through the two-story house without problems. I knew where not to step and when to move while the air conditioning muffled my noise. Like the worried brother he is, Ethan followed behind with a weak hold on the end of my shirt.

I greeted Samuel with our usual handshake then took a seat with Ethan in the back seats. I didn't want my brother to be freaking out on us midway of the plan so I gave him a rundown of everything a couple of times until Samuel reached JC's house.

The lights were not on; a good sign, meaning the owner is either asleep or away. Samuel parked the car across the street. We all dashed in the covers of the night to where the gate to the backyard was. I used my cutters to break the rusted chain on the cheap lock. We entered with no problem.

I turned to Ethan while we looked for the easiest way in. I pulled out my gun from the bag and handed it to him. He gave me a puzzled expression and I explained, "I want you to be safe. Carry the gun and I'll feel more eased to know you can defend yourself."

"Nate, this shouldn't end seriously," he whispered to me while Samuel gestured us to move quickly. I gave him an assured grin before lending a hand to Samuel in opening a cellar door. I used the same cutters to break the lock; the guy should have invested in better security if he wanted to protect his illegal business.

Ethan's hand clutched the ends of my shirt once more. We descended down the steps, into a dark room only lit by the moonlight outside. The smell was intoxicating inside and I knew the drugs had to be here.

JC was said to hold a variety of illegal substance. From the cellar, I got a whiff of marijuana already. I haven't tried that out yet because the scent was strong enough for my parents to catch me red handed.

Samuel flicked his flashlight on, illuminating only a small amount of the cellar. My mouth formed an 'O' at what we discovered. Large packages of plastic bottles with pink and purple pills stacked close to the ceiling. I grinned to Samuel, "JC won't be missing this then."

We dug in.

Samuel boosted me up so I could grab a package for ourselves. The two of us shook the contents inside with full curiosity. I only heard about it a couple of times but this had to be Daze, I told myself. I wanted to always feel relax. Forgetting about reality was something I often desired to do.

I'm tossed a bottle of Daze and I unscrewed the cap immediately. Ethan warned me, "Nate.. I don't think that's a good idea right now." My dumb teenage self only shrugged of my brothers worries. I thought, what could go wrong? JC or whoever in the house was probably fast asleep. We broke in without causing a ruckus.

I downed a single pill first, enjoying the sweet taste it filled my mouth. I handed one to Samuel who didn't hesitate to take it. My mind felt a chill, a good one like dipping yourself in the pool on a hot summer's day. I began to giggle at the effects of the Daze and I took one more. Oddly, my eyes began to water.

BANG!!!

The three of us exchanged widened eyes. Was that JC and his druggy crew? We had to move.

Samuel halted us from spiriting out the cellar door. "We can't be sure if the close is clear," he told us. He signaled to the small window on the other side. It was enough to squeeze our bodies through. I thought it was a brilliant plan.

I asked Samuel to go out first to check if the close was clear. He had to be quick or whoever that barged in the house might make their way to our position. But it was too late...

The door slammed open and I could hear the marched steps of feet going down the steps. I hurried to shove whatever I could in my bag. I could only hear Ethan's begging to just drop everything and run.

It all happened so fast.

Shots were fired and I faced my brother's form fall to the floor; the gun I gave him dropped onto the cement floor. I cried out, rushed to him, and cradled his bleeding body. Two shots in the chest oozed with his blood, which soaked his white shirt with red.

My brain must have stopped functioning. The warmth of his body left him so damn fast. His eyes were still wide open in fear. It was like looking at my own self dying in my arms. It really did feel like I died though, half of me disappeared.

"Why did you shoot him?!" I screamed at the people in the cellar. My body ran cold at the sight of three police officers. The one holding the gun-that murderer- only frowned at the two of us. His gaze was emotionless, like the man didn't care that he shot some kid.

All the events after that was a like a lucid dream I wanted to wake up from. They took us out of the house and Samuel followed not too far behind. The flashing blue and red attracted other people's attention. I got taken into interrogation because they believed I had some relation to the drug dealer. All I could think about was the lifeless body of Ethan. I was stuck in a trance that I couldn't get out of.

What struck me harder was the reactions of my parents. Like always, they payed whatever fine I got. But my mother...

"You didn't die, Ethan." My mother would tell me. She cried over "Nathan's" body then hugged me like I've never had before. She kept saying, "I'm so happy you are alright, Ethan."

Ethan. Ethan. Ethan.

My father said she couldn't accept my twin's death. He told me to suck it up and do what she wanted. The police got confused because of that. The kid, "Nathan Jackson" was then written officially by them.

I stared to believe I really was Ethan after all my mother's chanting. But I knew I could never live up to his standard. Father threw me into a military school so my mother didn't have to face me for the rest of my high school years. I agreed that I didn't want to see them either.

I trained physically at the school. I told myself I could go into the military and die fighting the enemy instead of me rolling on my backs for people's expectations.

My mindset changed after returning to Upside. All it took was walking into the bar and hearing about some man getting away with manslaughter because he was too young to understand. It sent me into a rage; I began digging up past criminal records.

I kept asking myself, why must Ethan die for doing nothing but protecting himself while others got away with their lives? Even during high school, that day kept replaying in my dreams. I knew that I had a calling to make my brother rest in peace.

Why not finish what the police couldn't finish? Why must abide to their unfair judgment of justice?

I worked my way into a police academy away from the city. I wanted to show Upside what true justice is when I returned. I had to. Ethan calls for me in my dreams.

And there a few years later, I finally started after being I, "Ethan Jackson," was praised for being an "outstanding officer." One by one, the deaths were amusing to watch. Whenever someone was unwilling, I gave them a helping hand to end their pitiful lives either it be mentally or physically.

I knew every person who hanged on the noose. I decided to only target criminals arrested in the year Ethan died. It is fitting for the sins of the unworthy to be revealed to make my brother at rest.

But like always, Upside police are incompetent. They couldn't piece the suicides together. I thought, why not give them a hint? I'll spell out my last name like some cop show on TV. Simple, right? The last letter would have been mine.

My life would be the final repayment for my brother's unjustified death.

"...."

I fall silent after my last statement. Jenkins nods, "Thank you for complying, Jac-Nathan. Your court session will be held a week from now." The two detectives didn't even bat an eye when I told my story. All I'm reminded is the eyes of that cold-hearted officer who shot Ethan.