Another five on his ass, the last making him muffle a moan against his wrist. His other fingers pressed hard against the little burr on the hoop of the barrel, trying to make it more painful. No use. He wasn’t going to make it.

You can. And you will.

“That’s for Nalle.”

This family tree sheared to the ground.

Five across the hamstrings for Little, and Kennet’s head was buried under his forearms, spit and tears dripping off his mouth and chin. But it was better than sleeping in the graveyard.

He was on the plateau of pain now, and the five on his calves for Trudy were the worst. Each hard, stinging pop made Kennet see stars.

My only daughter.

Then it was over. Silence except for the sound of Kennet’s quick, wet breathing.

“I don’t ever want to whip you like this again,” Emil said. “But if you break my rules again, you’ll wish I had. What I’ll do next time will make you remember tonight as something pleasant. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

“You’re excused.”

Kennet pulled up and buttoned, ran a forearm roughly across his face. His shirt was stuck to his back with sweat and he had to piss something awful. Following Emil out into the kitchen, he didn’t look in any of his siblings’ eyes.

“All of you go to your rooms,” Emil said. “Minor, you sleep with Nalle and Little tonight. I want doors shut and lights out. I better not hear one footstep.”

Thoughtfully, Minor sent Trudy up to Marta’s bathroom to wash, and bossed his brothers in and out of the john quickly, leaving Kennet time and privacy to run a cold bath and soak some of the sting out. And have the smallest and sorriest of manly cries in the thick, soft ear of a bath towel.

When he got to his room, he found Minor had left a glass of water and two aspirin on his nightstand. The night stretching before Kennet in hungry solitude, he skipped pajamas and lay down carefully on his stomach, exhaling the day away into his pillow.

Outside, the storm had passed. The sunset was all wide-eyed innocence, smoothing its pink and orange skirts. Storm? What storm? Kennet watched the trees drip as it slowly got dark, the enormity of his deeds heavy on his mind.

You could’ve killed all your mother’s children.

I’d make you sleep among your dead siblings.

End of the family. End of our name. My only daughter.

You damn fool excuse of a…