Chapter 2
861 Words
I and my brother were orphans and it’s been just us for years, we loved and protected each other more than anything. I can’t loose him, he was all I had, he was my other half. I didn’t think it was necessary for me to keep living. This was it, my life was over! I cried my heart out, I cried more than when I lost my parents. This hurt far worse, this hurts badly.
Time lost all meaning as I sat there, cradling Landon's lifeless body, stroking his hair as if trying to will life back into him. Kate sat beside me, her eyes wide with terror, her face pale.
One of the suited men approached, his voice firm but gentle. "We have to bury him."
My defenses flared, and I shot up, fighting, kicking, and shouting. "Don't touch me! You can't take him!" The desperation in my voice echoed through the desolate landscape.
It took three hefty men to pry me away from Landon, their grip like iron bands. Kate's cries grew louder, her pleas piercing the air.
"Please stop, there's nothing left to do," she begged, her voice cracking.
I collapsed to the floor, feeling weak and powerless. Landon was gone... The thought echoed in my mind like a haunting refrain.
Memories of our parents' funeral flooded back. Landon and I, barely teenagers, clinging to each other as we wept. We'd promised to protect each other, but I'd failed.
Now, I stood alone, tears streaming down my face as I watched them lower Landon's coffin into the ground. The sound of dirt hitting the wooden box was like a death knell.
When it was all over, I turned my back on the grave, unable to bear the sight. My legs trembled beneath me as I walked away.
Kate sat on a bench, her eyes as swollen as mine. We both wore Landon's blood on our clothes, our faces etched with grief.
I squeezed her shoulder, my touch feeble. "I just want to go home," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
In that moment, I longed to escape the pain. Drinking insecticide or toilet wash seemed like a peaceful exit. I'd join Landon soon, and we'd knock on heaven's gates together.
Kate's husky voice stopped me cold. "I should've known this would happen."
I took a step back, my eyes locked on hers. "What do you mean?" My throat felt like sandpaper.
"I should've known that nothing good would come from a life like this," she said, her voice shaking. "I should've stopped him, persuaded him, cried if I had to."
Self-blame etched her face, and something dawned on me. In my grief, I'd overlooked a crucial question.
I slowly sat beside her, my mind racing. This whole scenario seemed surreal.
As I glanced around, confusion settled in. The men in black suits, the secretive location, the eerie atmosphere... Something didn't add up.
"Kate," I began, my voice barely above a whisper, "what really happened to Landon?"
"How did he die? What killed him? What is this place? Who are these men in black suits?" The questions tumbled out, each one sparking more confusion.
Kate adjusted herself, her gaze drifting into space. "This is a Mafia base, Amy. Landon worked here."
My mind turned, "Mafia? You mean those secret organizations we read about in novels? Does that even exist?"
Kate's nod worsened my confusion. "Amy, yes, that kind of Mafia."
I waved it off in disbelief . "My brother wouldn't do that. He's too innocent to be involved with something like this."
Kate's expression turned serious. "Amy, Landon was a Mafia member."
Her words punched the air from my lungs. I held her gaze, searching for any sign of deception.
"Landon was involved with that kind of stuff, and you kept quiet about it?" Anger replaced my pain.
Kate remained silent, her eyes locked on mine.
I shook my head, trying to process. "For how long?"
"I don't know," Kate replied, "but it was years before we started dating."
I scoffed, burying my face in my palm. Landon and Kate had been together for two years, and he'd been part of this group for years before that? Impossible.
"We knew everything about each other," I muttered. "How could he hide this?"
Kate's voice cut through my thoughts. "Amy, you saw where Landon was buried. That's where they bury their fallen heroes. Didn't you notice the rites they performed? Would they do that if he wasn't one of them?"
Her words made my heart clench more.
“No.” I tried to deny, it was easier.
"Landon was a member, Amy. He hid it from you and made me promise not to tell. Where do you think he got all the money to support your bakery and buy those expensive equipment?"
Kate's question hung in the air, forcing me to confront the truth.
"He was working!" I suddenly protested.
"Exactly! This was his work," Kate countered, her voice firm.
I felt like I'd been punched in the gut again. "Oh my God!"
Landon had told me he got a job, took me to the company... Was it all a lie?
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