The Greatest Test

General POV

Theodore walked down the hallway at school, head low, deep in thought. He barely noticed the people he nearly knocked into.

"Watch it!" One kid yelled as Theo walked right into them. Theodore blinked twice before looking up at the big jock that he had run into. The guy was so buff, it looked like he could have lifted a car if he wanted to. Theo had trouble believing that the jock was the same age as him.

Theo glanced down. "Sorry," he mumbled before walking off again. The jock ran up to Theo.

"Hold up, kid," he said angrily, grabbing the back of Theo's shirt, forcing him to stop. "You don't just walk into me then walk away with no punishment. You need to be taught manners," the jock held back his big fist, ready to hit Theodore, whose eyes widened in fear. Theo flashbacked to earlier that summer; when his second-oldest brother might have seen the same thing. Fear froze the green-clad chipmunk to the spot.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a red blur slammed full-speed into the jock, making him call out, startled, letting go of Theodore in the process.

Theo turned to the red blur and saw his brother, Alvin. Alvin was seething in anger, panting loudly through his teeth. He stormed up to the jock and got right in his face. Jabbing his finger into his stomach, Alvin growled, "Don't... you... EVER... threaten... to... hurt... my... brother!"

The jock was too much in shock to do anything about it, so he just let Alvin walk away with Theo.

As they started walking, Theo turned to Alvin. "Thank you," he said quietly, yet sincerely.

Alvin gave a small, sad smile and put his arm protectively around his baby brother. "I have to protect you; I can't lose you too."

At these words, memories flooded back to Theodore about what happened a couple months ago.

They had been staying at their aunt's house for the whole summer. They, meaning Theo, Alvin, Simon, and Dave. Theo was always on his aunt's good side. She always helped him with everything, and was so kind about it.

But apparently that wasn't the case for his second-oldest brother, Simon. The blue-clad chipmunk always seemed to be in trouble with the woman. At one point, Theo actually saw his aunt's son, Josh, tattle on Simon for something he didn't do, framing him just so he would get in trouble.

However, Theo thought it was only framing. But when he saw Simon's hand bandaged up for no reason, and questioned it, Simon insisted that it was nothing. Theo thought better, but kept his mouth shut.

Theodore had no idea that his aunt was physically abusing his older brother behind everyone's backs.

Later that week, as Theo, Alvin, Josh, and Dave were going to see a movie, Dave's phone rang. When he answered it, Theo knew that something was terribly wrong; there was just hard panting and sobbing on the other line. It sounded like Simon, but Theodore had never heard his older brother sound like he was hurt so badly.

After some cries and whimpers came through the phone, and after some failed attempts to get Simon to speak, Dave decided to head home as quickly as he could.

Theo had been the first one to get home and was the one who actually watched his brother get abused by his aunt while trapped in the bathroom. Their aunt had a knife, and as she held it over Simon's exposed back, Theo could do nothing but stare into his brother's scared, grey eyes, hoping Simon had enough strength to survive this.

After a few horrific, bloody stabs and quiet, pained cries, Simon begged Theo silently to get Dave and Alvin. As they ran back, however, Simon was on his back, looking up at his aunt as she held the knife over his heart.

In went the knife.

After Dave called the police on his sister and she was arrested, and Simon was rushed to the hospital, Theo fretted that if Simon didn't make it, it would be his entire fault for not seeing the signs that Simon was being hurt.

It turned out Simon passed away on the surgery table.

Theodore's memories got interrupted when Alvin gently shook him. "Theo," Alvin whispered.

Theo snapped out of it and looked at his oldest-and only-brother. His vision was blurred, meaning Theo was just about to cry, but was able to wipe them away before anyone saw. Alvin smiled compassionately and hugged his baby brother close as the two Chipmunks walked solemnly home.