Chapter No 1 A Tragedy

Life, what really is life? If we look from the microscope of science, it is just a complex living organism but we look from the perspective of social life, it is a set of emotions, pain, joy and happiness. She was sitting silently in the passenger seat staring at nothing. She looked very quiet as if she was a sculpture.

Her Brother was driving. There was an awkward silence in them.

“I know you are upset Amy but I got a reason to move here,” he said.

She took a deep breath.

“I know brother, I know. You know we got a lot of memories in our previous town,” she said, sadly.

“I know you miss mom. I do as well,” he said.

“It was too soon for her to leave us here,” she said.

He looked at her while taking slight turn on the road.

“My dear sister, I love you, you love me and now we don’t need anyone,” He said while placing his hand on her head.

She was living with brother since their mother died two years ago and he took her guardianship as an elder brother. They were living happily in old town but suddenly her brother told her that they are leaving. Leaving her mother’s house was very painful for her.

She looked at the back view mirror and her reflection was looking back at her. Her long black curly hair was blowing and the hazel eyes were staring back at her.

She had put on her earphones and listened to some Norwegian song. She could understand and speak Norwegian as her mother was from Norway.

After a while they have reached. She looked at the house they were staying in front of and took a deep breath.

“We are going to live here,” he said.

“But Eric, you have still not explain it to me. Why we are moving here in this town?” she asked.

“Sister, no more questions and I know my little bunny is hungry,” he said while touching her nose.

She looked at him a bit annoyed.

“I am not a 5 year old,” she said. He chuckled.

“Now come on, we have to get in,” he said while unbuttoning the seat belt.

She got out of the car.

This place was indeed beautiful, in the middle of mountains this town looks like a paradise.

“You liked it?” Eric asked, smiling. He knew his sister’s taste.

“Eric, you did this on purpose?” she asked. He scratch his head while smiling.

She ran towards him and hugged him.

“I love this place, it’s exactly like….” She was about to complete her sentence when he spoke.

“Fairytale? Like our mother used to tell?” he asked, smiling.

Her smile faded away so does his.

“Come on, lets go in,” he said and walked towards their home.

The house is big enough for both.

“Oh brother, this is wonderful, how much it worth?” she asked, looking around.

“$430000,” He said sheepishly.

“Hold on you, you used all of your assets here?” she asked, a bit angry.

He took a deep breath.

“You know I had to do it, I had to protect you from who, you know. So…” he said.

“What are you hiding?” she asked while raising an eyebrow.

“I need something to eat and you will cook today,” he said.

“Brother, I am asking something,” she said.

He was avoiding her eyes.

“Come on, we will talk on this later now come on make something or order something,” he said.

She knew her brother will not tell her anything until she kept asking for a week.

She rolled her eyes and walked towards the kitchen.

“Eric, we need to settle things in the house,” she said a loud from the kitchen.

Eric from the other side was in deep thoughts.

He walked towards the bathroom and pulled down his T shirt from the shoulder. Tattoo like mark was appearing on his shoulder. It was indicating some symbol.

Symbol, that reminds him of their mother’s. He took a deep breath.

***********

She reached to the Attic, but this attic was totally different from the attic she thought in her mind. It was big and bright. There was furniture in it. The cupboard and the bed. There was a pot and the dried Devil’s ivy too. It was clear that there was someone who lived there but no one has given water to that plant for quite a long time.

She put her luggage on one side and started watering the plant. After finishing her activity, she adjusted her luggage and in the room and after an hour, the room was ready to use.

“Wonderful, now where I am going to put my collections?” she said while looking around and found a small book shelf next to window.

“Yeah, my books would be held there and I this sitting place in the window is best to sit and read,” she muttered to herself.

She walked towards the window in the attic; there was another house just next to her. She settled the entire books collection. She stared at the window of neighborhood house she saw something that made her blush.

A tall and well build man walked towards the window with the cup of coffee in his hand. He was wearing towel.

His 6 packs were so appealing with sexy abs; he looked like one of that Greek God.

“Holly crabs,” she almost screamed but at the same moment the man caught her peeking at him and their eyes met. She felt her heart raced fast because there was something in his eyes that made him so mysterious and dominant.

He was 6.1 inches tall. He had blue eyes, fair complexion and his dark black hair was sticking on his forehead.

Her heart beat was still fast as if she was running. She ducked down instantly and closed her eyes.

“Who is he? Why he has to be so scary but hell handsome at the same time?” she muttered.

After a while she got up and looked at the window but no one was there, he was gone.

She took a deep breath.

“We got damn scary neighborhood,” she muttered and walked towards her bed.

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

It took her a week to settle everything in the town. She knocked on Eric’s room, he was writing something.

“Hey,” she said.

He smiled.

“Awake?” he asked.

“Yeah, minutes ago,” she said.

“I have applied in a local high-school for you, I really hope you will like it here,” he said.

She took a deep breath.

“Working on new book?” she asked while looking at the laptop’s screen.

“Yeah, it’s new project,” he said.

“Eric, you are best selling author. What publishing house demanding more?” she asked while sitting on the chair.

“I am inspired for a new story these day,” he said.

“And what is it about?” she asked, curious.

“Well, I am thinki…” he about to complete his sentence when he started coughing violently and hush towards the washroom.

Amanda stood up from the chair and looked at him horribly. Her worst nightmare was in front of him. Eric was coughing and she walked slowly after in him a trance.

Her heart was racing fast. He turned towards her with bleeding nose and his T shirt was stained with blood as well.

“Eric?” she ran towards him and checked upon him.

“I am fine, I am fine,” he said.

“What are you hiding?” she asked, crying.

He hugged her, slightly.

“I am suffering from cancer,” he said in a whisper like voice. She looked up at him.

Panic was about to attack her.