Julius looked about Alexander’s room and knew he had timed it right again. His half-painted model sat with unwashed brushes drying out. His piano binder was sitting on the piano bench, open. He wasn’t snooping, just recognizing that the patterns Alexander so loved were out of sync. Alexander handed Julius an Earl Grey with a honey packet on his dish, the way he had always liked it.

  “I swear, Julius, every damn time,” Alexander said, pacing and rubbing his hands on his pants in agitation. Julius knew he was the only one who ever saw this side of Alexander: the younger brother who loved, looked up to, and hated him.

  “I’m sorry. It isn’t intentional, though it’s often predictable,” Julius admitted.

  “So, what, you just felt compelled to do a random check-up on me for the first time in eight years? The universe told you I would be emotionally compromised so you could push me on the path you feel is best?”

  “That is unfair, and you know it, but I won’t hold it against you,” Julius sighed.

  Alexander stopped his pacing and sat down. He looked at the man before him—his brother: chiseled jaw, perfect sandy blonde hair, married, two kids. He had a nice house in the city, placed third at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for violin in his twenties, in addition to winning several district awards in classical piano.

  And for some reason, on every one of the worst days of his life, Julius would show up at the door and help him. If there was any evidence of magic in this world before three weeks ago, it was the man sitting before him.

  “So, what does the Golden Child think I should do?” Alexander quipped, like he was a teenager again.

  “Well, I think you should come to your nephew’s birthday party next month.”

  “Ok… anything else?”

  “I don’t know. Is there anything you want to talk about? I’m not omniscient like you seem to believe.”

  Alexander thought about it for a minute.

  “I still resent you and what you did to me.”

  “Ok, that is an accusation you make on shaky grounds. Would you like me to establish my case first, or would you?”

  Alexander and Julius fell into a debate format they had adopted as teenagers when they wanted to hash out an argument.

  “Seeing as you will be the victor in this discussion, I’d just as well not waste my energy. Proceed.”

  “Very well, I won’t hold back, you know.”

  Alexander nodded his agreement.

  “A 23-year-old man, exhibit A,” he gestured at himself. “A recent graduate, visits his 20-year-old brother, Exhibit B.” Julius waved his hand at Alexander. “He is pale, even sickly looking. Just as obsessed with his grades as he is with proving every professor and every colleague wrong, every time he disagrees. He pushes himself toward failure with every victory over his instructors. They feared his intelligence only because they despised his disposition toward them.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “They use every trick they know to lower his grades, causing contention with Exhibit B’s parents, who have stricter rules than any military contingent on the planet. This 23-year-old man thinks that he would rather his brother be healthy and alive than academically recognized and dead. So he does the one unforgivable sin of sitting down with his brother and talking with him, helping him look in a mirror and showing him that the path he is on is making him miserable, advising that he should consider changing it.”

  Alexander’s eyes began to moisten as he recalled the pressure he was under. Suddenly, he felt he was a decade in the past, confused and alone. Why did no one appreciate his work? He was excellent. Why did they not strive for perfection but settle for the mediocre results they were producing? Why were they not taking pride in their work or attempting to change the fields of science they had claimed to have ambitions in?

  Alexander knew now what that dumb 20-year-old kid did not: the human condition of platitudes and camaraderie…

  “I don’t hate you, Julius. I hate that you were right, and that being right would destroy…”

  “Your schedule… I at least understand. I know that might be enough for you…” Julius paused. “There is a saying I have heard that I quite like. It goes, ‘In life, you will never truly fail a test; you are simply given a new one.’”

  “A beautiful lie.”

  “Yes, but some truth in it too. Just pass the test that you are meant to and continue on from there.”

  “What if it changes who I am?”

  “Changes who you are? Or who Mom and Dad built you to be? You have never half-assed anything in your life, Alexander the Great. Conquer anything you want.”

  Alexander nodded. “Maybe I will give it another try.”

  “Are you sure? It’s your turn to establish your case. You could still win this.”

  “Don’t be an ass.”

  “Mom! Mom! Alexander called me a derrière!”

  That got a chuckle out of him. They spent the next half hour catching up on life. The nephews liked this sport, or the wife wanted to remodel that room. The serious conversations were done with as quickly as possible, as was the way of topics among brothers.

  “Well, the wife will be expecting me to help with dinner. Kids like to spoil the fun of cooking, you know.” Julius turned, arms outstretched. “Hug?”

  “Fine,” Alexander said, letting his older brother wrap him in his arms.

  “It’s settled then. See you at Jaime’s birthday party,” he said, backing away and slapping Alexander’s shoulder hard. “Wear your cheapest shirt; Mom will be there.”

  Alexander’s shoulders slumped.

  Julius opened the door and revealed a beautiful young lady who was about to knock. He was tempted to quip about Alexander’s lady caller but knew it wouldn’t be appreciated. Sometimes he enjoyed being older and wiser. “Hello! You must be looking for Alexander. Excuse me.”

  “Hello, Emily,” Alexander said, coming to the door.

  “I’m so sorry to interrupt, um…”

  “I’m Julius! Pleasure to meet you. Alexander’s older, obnoxious brother.”

  “Emily,” she said, shaking hands.

  “Emily, I do apologize. We already said our goodbyes, and it is a tad awkward to linger after brotherly bonding, but I’d be happy to socialize with you another time!”

  Emily’s mouth was slightly agape. “Um, certainly, I’d be happy to do that.”

  “Goodbye, brother mine!” Julius said, waving his arm in the air, already halfway down the stairs.

  Julius, satisfied with how his visit with Alexander went, jogged up to his car, a Kia Carnival to fit his rug rats in. Unlocking it with a click, he jumped into the driver’s seat before strapping himself in.

  Julius had a sense of urgency to be near his family; he felt something dangerous was building in the air. His jaunt to see Alexander was a similar pressure, the feeling that if he didn’t talk with Alexander, everything would start to go wrong for all of them.

  He started the car, putting it into gear before he jumped as he saw a green notification screen appear in midair.

  ^

  You have been invited to accept the title: Oracle of Earth