Samaira- The Compassionate
December 15, 2029.
Brooklyn, New York.
6:30 p.m.
Rehan had just come back from the police station. Ammi was in her room, by herself and I was sitting on the living room sofa, waiting for my brother to return. When he finally did arrive, he looked mentally drained.
He greeted me and gave me a small smile, before disappearing into our room. I continued sitting in the living room for a few more minutes, before taking the full plate of food off the kitchen counter, and going into the bedroom. Rehan was in the bathroom when I came in. I put the plate of food on a small table next to the window and sat on the edge of my bed, thinking.
Yesterday was the funeral.
Family members from all over the country crammed into the cemetery, and later our apartment, to pay their respects. I didn't even know half of the relatives. Everyone told me how sorry they were, that what happened was terrible. That day, they spoke a lot about justice.
No one talked much to my brother. In fact, he was barely present for the whole thing. And that made me hate everyone.
Those unfamiliar relatives, the police, everyone.
I hated how they treated my brother. Like he was already guilty. I hated how they pitied me. That no one tried to understand what I was really going through.
Ammi disappeared from my life, spending her lonely days hiding in the comforts of her bedroom. Rehan was at the police station every other day, or just out, collecting his thoughts.
When I wasn't in school, I was in the apartment.
I cooked, I cleaned, I worked. I tried my best to take care of my crumbling family. By the end of the day, I barely had any time for myself. I was always so exhausted. But, it didn't matter to me.
As long as I kept this family from falling apart.
***********************************************************************
"You can't give up."
It was about a year after the funeral and Rehan had just come back home.
In the past, he was leaving home a lot, choosing to remain on his own, as the police investigated the murder.
He seemed on the brink of tears that night, but kept his composure during dinner. I knew that there was something wrong, so I decided to pressure him into telling me, though I had my suspicions of what was bothering him.
The police and FBI decided to close my father's case. After a year of no evidence and unreliable memories from both witnesses, they couldn't do anything. They couldn't find whoever murdered my father without any leads. The case was closed over a month ago, but I knew it affected Rehan the hardest.
After dinner, Ammi went into her bedroom, barely saying any words to me or Rehan. I tried reading a book, as my brother paced around the room.
"What am I supposed to do?" He asked me. "The case is already closed and I can't remember anything. I'm trying, Samaira, but it's like there's this big hole in my life, this gap in my memory that I can't seem to find the pieces to."
"You have to keep trying." I told him, closing the book and putting it on the side table. "If you give up, then we'll never know what happened. This is the only way you can prove that you're innocent."
"What if I can't?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Prove myself innocent I mean. What if I shouldn't? Afterall, I don't remember what happened in that shop. What if I did do it? What if I killed-"
"No." I said, sternly. I took him by the shoulders. "You didn't do it, okay? You couldn't have."
He went silent, again. Looking at him, my heart broke. His brown eyes were puffy and red, exhaustion taking the form of dark circles. He lost so much weight since the that tragic event.
"I'm sorry." He finally said, his voice a whisper. "It's just... everything is so confusing, and I'm so lost and...." He stopped himself and sighed, getting up. He faced the window. "I know that man was behind the murder. I know he's trying to frame me. I just... need to find a way to get some proof."
"How are you going to do that?" I asked. He paused, before looking back at me and saying.
"I don't know."
I didn't understand it but that's when the tears started to flow.
"Hey, hey, hey." He said, sitting down next to me on the bed and embracing me.
"Why?" I choked out a sob, my voice barely a whisper. "Why us? Why him?"
"I don't know." He said. "But we're going to figure it all out." I looked up at him. "Everything is going to be okay." He said reassuringly, hugging me once more. "I promise."
That was the last thing he said to me.
***********************************************************************
The next morning, I woke up to see that my brother was nowhere to be found. I immediately woke my mother up. We called and texted him many times, but after tons of missed calls and unread messages, we gave up.
It wasn't until we found the note on the kitchen table, that we realized that he was gone, probably for a long time:
Samaira & Iyaat,
After knowing what Kashan meant to you, I cannot watch the two of you suffer because of me. One day, I promise to come back, to fill your grieving hearts with love and hope again. But until then, I will have to make a silent departure into the cold waters of the unknown. Know that I will always treasure the memories shared with you, the memories that were filled with love and happiness, and know that I will never forget the generosity you all have shown me.
Love,
Rehan
YOU ARE READING
Mandate
Mystery / Thriller"Everyone has a story to tell," He finally starts. "A wise person once told me that. He used to say, 'Son, everyone you meet in life has a story to tell. People will always describe themselves as heroes, but it's the things they do that will determi...
