The Reclaimed Life

When I died, my folks signed me up for organ donation, giving my retinas to their precious adopted son, Chad.

Chad ended up marrying my older sister, making them one big happy family.

I spent my whole life fighting with Chad, only to end up with nothing but a cold, hard grave.

This time around, I’m going to live my own damn life, and maybe, just maybe, find some happiness along the way.

1.

I woke up back in time, on the day Chad first showed up at our house.

If I’d come back even a little earlier, I could have maybe saved Chad’s real parents, or at least thrown a fit and kept my folks from adopting him.

But he was already here, so it was too late to do much about it.

Chad’s dad was my dad's old mentor, a famous painter who had a kid late in life. They’d doted on him from day one. Chad showed real talent for drawing, but he also had this weird eye thing, vision coming and going, with a risk of going blind any minute.

His folks took him everywhere looking for a cure, then died in an accident, leaving little Chad all alone.

Chad had it rough, so the first time my parents laid eyes on him, they decided he was their kid now, even more so than me, their actual kid.

“Hey, Mikey, you’ve always wanted a big brother, right? Well, Chad’s your new brother, how about that?” Mom and Dad were beaming at me, hoping I’d be happy for them.

When I was seven before, I really was. I thought we’d just added another warm family member, someone to share my love with. I didn’t have a clue Chad was a freeloader who wasn’t looking to share the love, but to take it all.

"Mikey, your dad knows you're a good kid. Chad's not well, so even though you’re the little brother, I'm gonna need you to help me and your mom take care of your brother. Can you do that?"

Before I could even answer, Chad’s eyes were welling up.

“I know you’re not gonna like me. Who wants to share their family’s love, right? I’ll just go back to the orphanage.”

Sometimes I think Chad must have been reincarnated too. How could an eight-year-old be such a manipulative little weasel? I hadn't said a word, and he was already playing the jealousy card.

Mom rushed to wipe his tears.

“Don’t cry, Chad, it’s bad for your eyes.”

“Don’t call us Mr. and Mrs., honey, we’re your mom and dad now.”

Chad looked up, his face wet with tears, every bit the poor, surprised orphan. Who wouldn’t feel sorry for the kid?

“Waaah, I have a mom and dad.”

In a second they were all hugging and crying, nobody even thought to ask me what I thought. Chad just had that kind of pull.

2.

That night, my folks stuck Chad and me in the same room. I lay there, wide awake, planning how to get the heck out of here and live my own life.

After everything from the last go-round, I knew that from the moment Chad walked into this family, my parents, my sister, they all belonged to him.

Later that night, Chad snuck out of bed. I pretended to sleep, watching him head right for my folks' room.

“Mommy, Daddy, it’s so dark, my eyes hurt! I’m scared.”

My par...