Battle Against Sphinx

Chapter - Nineteen

Miles

We sat around as the grey dots appeared. I was eagerly waiting for the video to start. It has been almost 10 years since I actually thought about mom and almost 12 years since I saw her.

As I already told Mili , I went to see mom after I was adopted by my now mom and dad . She didn’t want to see me. I thought that she didn’t want to meet me because she would cry or breakdown. I really liked that about her . She was really sweet whatever situation given and she always used to smile . She used to say I love you almost every single day.

It wasn’t until a few minutes that the video actually started.

I saw woman in almost her nineties. “Grams” Mili said and that’s when I recognised grandma . “Gleeya stop it. They are your children. You loved them” she said.

Wait. Loved ? Past tense? I turned towards Julia to see her also give the same expression. Doesn’t she love us anymore ?

“That was a long time ago mom. I don’t love them anymore. They aren’t my children. My children are the bubbly , cute , innocent and decent twins. Not criminals.

Those two brats are criminals not my children. My children died the moment they pushed the kid off the cliff.” She said . Grams spoke again whole knitting her shawl. “Its not like they just pushed him Gleeya. Even he was a criminal. They thought that and it was the purpose they pushed him.”

“ Corrections mom. They didn’t know for sure if he was a criminal. Even we don’t know after all these years. Secondly , not they , HE pushed him off. It was only Julian who pushed him . The others just stood there and watched the show. And before you say something which I obviously know you will , they have the same share of fault Julian has in the crime.”

Grams fell silent after that .

“I really don’t understand where the fault in my upbringing was that my four year old children would commit such a crime. I think it was the lack of fatherly love ? Or maybe I couldn’t support them well? Probably I couldn’t provide them with enough love?” Tears started rolling out of her eyes.

I was also crying and nodding my head saying no . She always have us more than enough of everything. She didn’t give us any less. We had everything we needed. Money, love , happiness , everything.

Grams got up from her chair and hugged mom. She consoled her and then the video cut off abruptly.

I went up to the player and then started operating it trying to see if there was something to fix because I knew there is more to it than the place where it stopped.

Paxton came and hugged me from behind. “Miles , the video is over.” He said and I shook my head vigorously. “No, it isn’t. I know it. There is more to it. I want to see it. I have to see it.” I said banging lightly on the player. “No miles, the host cut it off right where you wanted to see more. The video is over.

The .Video . Is. Over.”

He said that repeatedly until it sank down in my brain and I sat down on the floor. He was still hugging me as I cried. I turned around to see Mili silently crying and Zara supporting her. I wanted to go to her and hold her . Say that it was fine. It’s wasn’t mom who was speaking but some one else . I wanted to say that the host had manipulated the video .

But I knew better . It wasn’t the case. Mom really spoke all those things. Paxton supported me on his shoulders and o cried until I was exhausted of it. I straightened myself and wiped the tears off my face. Julia had stopped crying by then but she had this serious expression which even her twin couldn’t guess.

She saw me and then said.

“ The host is slowly accomplishing his goal.

It might help you connect your dots or ruin you , break your trust or rebuild it. This is a very big journey and I’m sure you’ll be making and breaking relationships.”

She repeated his statement as it is.

We connected the dots to the crime but there is still more to uncover. It ruined our careers to be trapped here for days along. It broke my trust on mom. We reamed the lost relationships and broke one.

I lost my mom