The Black Heritage

Chapter 8: I Am Still Young, I can't Marry You

"Young man, you call us monsters. How about yourself? Your brothers?" The monster said as he chortled. 

"What do you mean?" Ethan sneered. 

The monster towered his face on Ethan who was lying on his back on the ground. He set a scheming smile on his lips. "You guess?" 

"No. No. Noooooo!" Ethan sat up on his bed hastily. He was gasping his breath and sweating profusely. "That weird dream again? What does it mean?" 

Ethan looked around to check his two brothers at the next two small beds and he frowned as he saw them at Logan's bed, sitting at the edge and was having a serious talk. Brayde's hand was wrapping around Logan's shoulders. 

Ethan ignored his dream again, as usual and laid back to bed with his elbow bracing on the bed to support his head. 

"My beloved brothers, it' s so late already, why are you two still awake?" 

The two looked back at Ethan and said, "You're awake?"

Ethan continued. "You look so troubled and serious. What are the two of you discussing? Why don't you share it with me. Perhaps, I can help."

Logan waved his fingers on Ethan. "Little Brother, come over here."

Ethan sat up and went over Logan's bed. 

Ethan squeezed between them as he wrapped his arms around their shoulders. "Are we going to talk about something interesting?" He grinned. 

"Yes. Really interesting." Brayden poked Ethan's forehead. "You only know how to mess around. Sit carefully. We indeed have something to talk with you."

"Ohh, alright." Brayden moved a bit to give Ethan a space to sit between them. 

Logan groped something inside his pocket and brought out an object, specifically, a bell bracelet. The bracelet was made of an elastic red string and one small black handbell. He took Ethan's hand and put on the bracelet.

Ethan raised his hand and observed the bell. "What is this Brother Logan? A token? Why does this bracelet look weird?" 

"How does that look weird?" Brayden said. "That is our family's heirloom. Our parents left that to us, hoping us to take good care of it." Brayden and Logan swept the hem of their sleeves and showed Ethan their bracelets too. The three bracelets looked all the same. "We also have one."

"Wow, so these bracelets are our parents' treasure and look, we are like triplets." Ethan was so happy. He thought that their connections to each other were getting stronger and deeper because of the bracelet. He also felt that the bracelet was not an ordinary object. It possessed a strong force. "Don't worry brothers, I will take good care of it. I definitely won't disappoint you two, especially our parents."

"You better take good care of that, or else if any accidents happen and you lose that, you are doomed." Brayden said seriously. 

"So serious? Why?" Ethan looked at Logan then to Brayden but no one from them wanted to explain. "Alright, don't ask, right? I won't ask, okay?" 

Logan breathed audibly. "Little Brother, we only hope, from today onwards, no matter what happens in the future, you won't take that off from your hand. Can you do that for us?" 

Ethan frowned, scanning Logan and Brayden while stroking the bracelet. He sensed something was off. He didn't dare to ask. Well, if there was a hidden story about the bracelet, even if they didn't tell him, he believed he would know it in the future by himself. The only importance for him now was that his brothers cared for him. Since, keeping something from him for them meant protecting them, then let it be. 

Ethan slowly pursed his lips into a straight smile and raised his hand and swore, "Brothers, I promise in the name of God, I won't leave this out of my body. I will always wear it."

"That is good then. We will be relieved now." Brayden mumbled. 

"Rest assured. I am a man of my word." Ethan flashed his brow to Brayden. 

Brayden acted to vomit. "So gross."

Logan stood up. "Alright, Enough. Let's go back to sleep."

Ethan jumped back to his bed and before he laid down he asked, "Brother Logan, Brother Brayden, are you going to work tomorrow? I hope you two will be careful. Recently it has not been peaceful."

"Thanks Little Brother. We surely will." Logan replied and then he blew off the candle light.

*************

"Where is Ethan?" Logan immediately looked for Ethan right as he woke up early in the morning. 

"Why Big Brother?" Brayden stopped taking a bath in the well at their backyard and met Logan. 

"I can't find him. Did you see where he went?" Logan's face reddened in anger and worry. 

"Big Brother, stop worrying, Little Brother didn't go anywhere. He is up there and sleeping." Brayden pointed to the tree house. 

"What? Are you saying he slept in the tree house last night?" 

"Probably. Until now he is sound asleep. I checked on him from above and he didn't even feel I was around. How about you go up there and wake him. It's already morning. What a lazy pig." Brayden shook his head and returned to the well. 

Logan looked up with his hands braced on his sides and assuring without others around, Logan tread up running while standing to the tall tree without any body contact to the tree except the feet until he reached inside the tree house. 

As he reached the tree house, he saw Ethan lying on his back with his arms pillowing his head and legs forming a four position. He was sound asleep. 

"Did he stay awake the whole night?" Logan mumbled. He shook his head before squatting down. "What are you worrying about the whole night for you not to sleep? Rest assured Little Brother, as long as I and Brayden are breathing, nothing will happen to you. We oath that."

Ethan slowly opened his eyes and grinned, "Did you mean that Brother Logan?" 

Logan stood up, "You brat, so you are not asleep." He threatened to hit Ethan. 

Ethan quickly extended his palms to block Logan's hand. "Wait. Wait. Brother Logan I am already old for a beating. It's embarrassing."

"Old? You are just seventeen. For me, in my eyes, you are still a kid who never grew up. You really want me to die worrying you, don't you? Why didn't you answer me when I was calling you?" 

"I am really sleeping earlier. But I sensed your presence earlier as you just ran on the tree. Brother, you're amazing." Ethan gave a thumb up on him. 

Logan turned his back on him and jumped down. Before he landed to the ground, he yelled, "Get down now and clean yourself. You stink."

"Am I?" Ethan smelled himself and there was actually no bad smell in his body. "Brother Logan, you are lying. I didn't stink. Oh, I remember it now, I fought with monsters last night. Brother might be thinking that their smell stuck on me. Grrrr,, nauseous." He stood up and yelled back. "I'm coming."

*************

After Brayden and Logan left, Ethan took an initiative to wash his brother's laundry. Since they didn't allow him to work in the city with them, at least, he could do something for them.

Ethan had just finished hanging their laundry when Arthur and two other young men approached him with a fishing rod laid in their shoulders. It was already late afternoon. Maybe, two in the afternoon. They only had a few dry dirty laundries but Ethan took a long time to finish washing them all. He didn't like to see a little dirt when it came to clothes. 

"Bro Ethan, are you free? Let's go and come with us. We are going to hook a fish in the pond." Arthur said. 

"Hook a fish? That's exciting. But--I am not done with the chores yet. How about this, just go first. I will come later." Ethan replied.

Arthur pouted as he sighed. "Alright then. We will wait for you there. But don't let us wait too long or else we can't catch a lot of fish for dinner before the night comes. Then, we are going first."

Ethan nodded.

Ethan quickened his movements. He stored firewood for their furnace and filled the jar with clean water to drink. He consumed almost half an hour to finish all of these. 

He dusted his palms and stretched his arms above his head, "Finally, I am done. Brothers will surely be happy to see these. One more thing, let's go fishing so I can grill fish for them. I will let them taste the special grilled fish of their very good brother Ethan."

Ethan grabbed his daggers and slung the scabbards on his shoulders before running towards the pond. It was just at the side of the river. 

"Hey Arthur, everyone, I am sorry I am late." Ethan said while panting. 

"No worries." Arthur threw a fishing rod to Ethan. "Here catch it! Do you know how to fish?" 

Ethan smirked boastfully. "Of course. There is nothing I can't do."

The three boys released a friendly laugh because they thought that Ethan was just bragging. They thought that because Ethan grew up in the city, he didn't know how to do a farmer's activities.

"Okay, show us what you got Bro Ethan." Arthur and the two others clapped. 

Ethan quickly finished hooking a worm on the rod to lure a fish and after he tossed the string into the water. He patiently waited for the fish to grab the string. The three were also focused on watching him. It didn't take long, the rod grew heavy and the string beneath the water surface moved. 

Ethan let the fish fully hooked  before pulling it off the water. Everyone whopped as Ethan raised up the rod, they saw a big trout squirming around in the air and tried hard to escape.

"Wow, Bro Ethan, you are really great. We thought you don't know how to fish because you grew up in the city. Today is really an eye-opener. You have just proven that we are wrong. We salute you." Arthur said, gesturing a soldier's salute act. 

"Yes. Bro Ethan, is there really nothing you can do?" The men in blue shirts asked. His eyes showed respect and admiration to Ethan. "Your first try immediately caught one. That is impressive."

"What is there he can't do? He can even kill three monsters alone, don't mention catching a fish." Another boy in fade yellow said in a proud tone. 

Ethan giggled as he removed the fish from the rod and tossed it on a small bucket. "Actually I am not that great. I was just being lucky." 

Arthur and the three laughed. Ethan frowned when the three exchanged winks and glances at each other. 

"What are you guys thinking?"

Arthur walked over him and wrapped his arm on Ethan's shoulder. "Bro Ethan, speaking of being lucky, your luck is behind you now."

Arthur let go of him and the three laughed again. 

"What are you saying my luck is behind me? What is behind me?" Ethan asked confusedly. 

"Just turn around and you will know." The man in blue giggled.

Out of curiosity, Ethan slowly turned around to check if what was behind him and he almost jumped to see Penthelope standing with a food box in her hands. 

"Ethan, for you." Penthelope quickly handed him the food box. 

Ethan bent backward with a panic expression. "Miss Penthelope, what-- what is that?"

"These are cookies that I personally made for you. These are delicious. I promise you you will like it." Penthelope opened the box and took one then brought it to Ethan's mouth. 

Ethan retreated. "Miss Penthelope, I am sorry but-- I - I don't eat sweet food. So, just take that back home with you. But thank you for making that for me."

Penthelope lowered her head, "Ethan, don't you really eat sweet food or you just hate it or because it was from a dirty girl like me? After last night and a careful thought, if you like, I want to marry you."

"What?" Ethan blurted out. "No way." Ethan retreated more steps as Penthelope took a step forward. "Miss Penthelope, don't be impulsive. Go home and have a rest. You seem to have not got over with last night's incident yet. So listen to me. Go home okay? Your father must be looking for you now. Also, don't talk to anyone about marrying me in the future, okay. I beg you." 

"Bro Ethan, we almost believe that you don't fear anything. It turns out you are afraid of women." Arthur banter and the three laughs intensified. 

"Nonsense! Who said I am afraid of women. I am just young. I don't want to marry anyone yet. I will only marry if I am already done enjoying my youth." Ethan wanted to cough at the crap he was saying. Young? Not at all. He was already twenty four in his original world.

"Ethan, don't you want to marry me because I am already ruined? I wanted to repay you for saving me, I don't have anything to offer. I can only give you myself. Of course, - - - I think I have fallen in love with you already." Penthelope's face flushed. 

"Miss Penthelope, I didn't ask you to repay me. I saved you out of kindness but I don't want you to marry me. Besides, sorry to say this but I don't like you." Ethan looked around. "Look, it is getting dark already. You should go home. You are a girl. Staying with men away from the public is inappropriate."

"But can you--" Penthelope charged towards him but Ethan ran around. 

"Miss Penthelope, stop where you are. I hope you understand. I don't like you. The end. No more discussions. No more buts. No more considerations. It's close." Ethan slowly approached the bucket to get the fish he caught but suddenly the bracelet in his hand heated up, like an iron on fire. The bucket slipped from his hand.

The three men stood up and asked at once. "Bro Ethan, what is wrong?" 

Ethan didn't answer. While holding the hand, he felt the bracelet. It was still hot, but that was not what Ethan was worried about. His concern was the coming disasters. He wasn't sure of it but it was again what his instinct said. 

He crawled on the ground and leaned his ear on it. While listening to the ground which created weird unusual stamping sounds of feets, Ethan's mind and heart were troubled.

Although, it was just his premonitions but what if it was going to happen again? Just like last night? 

"What are you doing Bro Ethan?" Arthur confusedly asked. 

"I think we need to go home now." Ethan said. "Arthur, please inform everyone to be alert."

"Why?"

"I am not sure either, but I have a perturbed feeling again. Just like last night."

"What?" Everyone shouted with fear in their eyes.

"Ethan, I am afraid." Penthelope just suddenly hugged Ethan and cried. 

"Miss Penthelope, go back home with Arthur. I got something else to do." Ethan searched his pockets for a phone. He hit his head as he realised he forgot to bring his phone. "Useless."

"Bro Ethan, can you tell us, what really did you discover from listening to the ground?" Arthur asked while holding Penthelope who was crying non-stop and trembling in fear. 

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. If I tell you, I'm afraid you still can't understand." He tapped Arthur. "Anyway, just inform everyone to be prepared. I am not sure about my bad feeling but it's better to be ready than sorry."