Cain and Abel were brothers, named after the ones in The Bible, but they were not like the original brothers. They were identical twins and had a mind-meld connection with each other. No matter if they were together or apart, each kept an awareness of at least the general mood of the other.

That’s why the day Abel fell through rotting boards during a cross-country run and fell into an abandoned well, Cain felt it. Cain knew his brother’s running route, as they often ran it together. It was a matter of getting out there and following the path. Cain yelled for his brother as he ran. Finally, a responding voice echoed against the walls of the well.

Cain cut several parasitic vines that grew thick on the nearby trees and braided a sturdy rope. Abel had propped himself as well as he could, pushing with one foot against the opposite side as his back and tried not to move. The walls of the rock well were slick. Abel’s left ankle was swelling so no pressure could be used with the left foot. Although he was young and fit, he was feeling dizzy and called out, “Cain, please hurry, I’m feeling dizzy and nauseous and think I must have hit my head on the way down.”

Soon the braided vine was lowered into the well. Abel tied it around his upper body. He helped as best as he could as Cain pulled, crying out each time he forgot and used his left foot, and he faded in and out of consciousness along the way. It took a good half-hour to get Abel out of the well.

Cain noticed the blood leaking from the side of his brother’s head before he noticed his swollen ankle. He knew he needed to get Abel to the hospital fast. The adrenalin was pumping through his body as he lifted him and ran out all of the way to his car two miles away.

Abel was diagnosed at the hospital with a sprained ankle and a concussion. The head wound took thirty stitches to close. If Cain hadn’t found his brother, it would have been much worse.

The End.

Sadje is the host of What Do You See?

Photo Credit; Irishamericanmom