I remember the first time I saw those soft hazel eyes. When I held my baby brother for the first time. Now, here I was standing in front of the killer that had terrorised our school for months.

“Why did you do this Josh?” I asked him, “What did you get out of it?”

“It’s not that simple.” He said coldly.

“I’m smart. Work with me.” I said kindly, trying to hide my fear and dissapointment and all the other emotions coarsing through my body.

“They deserved it.” Josh said locking the door. I froze, scared of what was about to happen.

“No one deserves that Josh.” I tried reasoning with him.

“They did.” Josh said. “They made everyone’s lives hell. People want them dead, they’re just scared to say it. If you think about it, I did everyone a favour!” I knew what this was now. Josh had murdered his bullies. They hadn’t made everyone’s lives hell, just his. But he couldn’t see past that so he covered it up by saying he was helping everyone.

“Let me help you Josh. Let me get you professional help.” I pleaded with him.

“No! No doctors! You sound just like mum and dad! No doctors!” My mind flashed back to when we were kids, I was 7, Josh was 4. He had been hurting animals. Sometimes killing them. Mum and dad tried taking him to the doctors but my parents weren’t the gentlest people. They ‘disciplined’ him themselves. His screams are still etched into my brain.

“Okay. Not doctors.” I reasoned, “Stop doing this. Who else is left? Surely you’ve got rid of the bullies right?”

“No! Everyone’s a bully!” Josh screamed, “Including you!” A beat of silence felt like an eternity.

“What?” I stammered finally.

“You didn’t stop mum and dad!” I felt tears cloud my vision.

“Josh.” I breathed out, “I couldn’t stop them. I tried. I really did but I was seven. A seven year old doesn’t have that much power.” I knew there was no point trying to explain it to him. When he got an idea in his head, he couldn’t be reasoned with. I breathed shakily and accepted my fate.

“Get in the box.” Josh said.

That’s the last thing he said to me. My baby brother, the Coffin Killer.