*knock*... *knock*
*knock*... *knock*
"Coming" a voice came from behind the door.
Opening the door, Arthur saw the face of the man in front of him, it was his brother Albert, he
instantly froze, a reaction of shock and guilt had taken over his face. Seeing his brother frozen,
Albert said "won't you invite me in?" showing the packets of sweets and the bottle of wine in his
hand.
Arthur regained his control, clearing his throat he gestured to come in. "Aliza! Look who has
come" he shouted. "who came this sunday" Aliza walked out while coming out, upon seeing
Albert she froze as well. Seeing her reaction, "You look like you have seen a ghost" Albert
joked. "I've brought some sweets for my little angels and there's some good quality wine from
back home, take them in" Albert said while giving them to Aliza. After Aliza took them
and went inside again he looked at Arthur and said "Come on, let's sit down, It's your house
after all. It's not good manners to keep your guests standing". Both sat down but Arthur's throat
went so dry he couldn't utter a thing.
"O now why are you so silent, I've come to
see my dear little brother after decade
and this is the treatment I get?" Albert
went on with "Could it be you feel ashamed?
oh no you oughtn't to feel ashamed, I don't know whether the letters have reached you or not
but it's all in the past. I've gotten over it! Now give your big brother a warm hug!" he opened his
arms as he said. Arthur gave him an awkward hug.
"Now when did you change places? I went to your old place and had to ask a lot of people to get
your current location. O why am I even mentioning it? forget it, It's all in the past, I'm not here to
humiliate you or anything, I've come looking for you crawling for a different purpose" said Albert
in one go.
"what purpose?" Arthur managed to utter with his dry throat.
"To bring you along with your family back home". said Albert.
"what home!" exclaimed Arthur.
"O, I tell you, everybody is waiting for you. I've managed to convince mother and father after so
much effort I tell you! I've even told Kevin and Sharon that their cousins are co...."
"Brother, what you're saying isn't making any sense to me!" Arthur cut off Albert.
"What do you mean by father? He is long dead. Even mother, Sharon and Kevin had died. You
have said those in the letter yourself and afterwards when I finally had some money to spare to
help you, I had gone to your place. You had lost it in debt, after looking for you I came to know
that Julie had died too and you were missing!"
"O forget about the letters already, I have too, and I didn't ask you for money either and never
will. The only thing I ask of you is to come back home."
"What home? the one you lost in your debt?"
"You can live he..." Albert cut off Arthur mid sentence and started saying
"O now you are established enough so you don't want to come back home huh! Is that how it is!
Remember who beared your education fees, your university? Remember when mamma and the
church were against you marrying a jewish girl, who was beside you and helped you to elope
and provided all the necessary fundings and connection! well, I did know how you felt as I was
quite the romantic myself!"
"I'm grateful for all that, brother. Truly from my heart, but you are not making any sense to me
now, have you gone insane?"
"Oh no! I'm completely sane. Circumstances are different now, I have gotten my house back,
Mother, Julie and the kids are back to our happy old days and even father has returned to add
to our joy. Father and I play chess in our free time, we even go sight seeing, mother and Julie
cook all our favorite dishes, and the kids bring warmth to our home. But you know it was my
dream that we all live together in a villa, I might get my hands on a castle soon. No, I will turn
our home into a castle once you come back!"
Arthur signaled to Aliza to call for help while Albert was talking by himself.
"What are you talking about brother! How can dead people be back?"
"Lord is the one to give and take, first he had given me, then he stripped me naked and now he
has given me back again. It will all make sense just let me explain. You see, at one night, I was
given the power to bring dead people back to life!"
"O brother, yes, lord works in mysterious ways but he does not send people from his kingdom to
this filthy place! Have you turned to witchcraft brother? Have you made a deal with the devil? Or
have you gone mad in your grief? I don't understand it!"
Two men came in from the door and they jumped at Albert at once.
"I am not mad!" Albert screamed.
"If you don't want to go back, if you don't want to fulfill your dying brother's last wish, that's fine,
reject me on my face and I'll leave at once but don't humiliate me in public calling me insane!"
shouted Albert as he struggled to free himself from the two men's grasp.
"Fine then! I do love you and am grateful for what you have done for me but I won't go back!
This is my family now!"
"But you leave me no choice, after what you've just said to me now, I have to send you to the
asylum and inform the church" Cried Arthur.
Albert with all his might pushed them to the ground and ran out of the door. Arthur thought of
running after him but his legs didn't move.