23 years later…
Year – 1269 A.D.
Night - 287
In a small home near the Great River, a family was having their late-night meal.
“Hey, Cred. Where is your friend?” asked Credulous’s annoying elder brother. “SHUT UP!!!” said Credulous furiously and continued to eat. His mother brought in a plate: six boiled eggs, five loaves of wheat bread, and two roasted fish from the kitchen.
“Don’t again start with your brother,” she scolded her elder son, “Maverick’s death has terribly upset him.”
“Maverick Ciekawy is not dead,” Credulous screamed. His elder brother, having his plan worked out had a wicked smile on his face and said, “Mom, Cred still thinks Maverick is alive!”
Their father, who was very busy eating, lifted his head suddenly and said, “I knew Maverick very well. He was a good guy. A great guy I would say but… obsession is dangerous.”
Credulous’s lips tightened. “He is not obsessed. Maverick is a genius.”
“Uh, Cred. Maverick Ciekawy is no more,” said his elder brother.
“MAVERICK IS NOT DEAD!!!” Credulous screamed again. “He is not dead, and all he said was true.” His father and brother coughed hearing those last words. “All he said was true! If it was true, then why did he die?” asked the elder son.
Their father, swallowing a whole egg said, “I remember, twenty-three years ago, the Council tried to kill Maverick when he was a baby, his mother saved him. But now, that sacrifice is wasted by his obsession.”
“I hate him,” Credulous punched the table with his tiny fist.
“Hate who?”
“Jurisbard Huubrihaught. Our chief, I hate him.”
“Cred, he is our chief. Mind your tongue,” said Credulous’s mother angrily, and she asked her husband, “Is everything alright now, in your work?”
“No. Everything is a catastrophe now,” said the husband looking at her with raised eyebrows. “Everyone has started debating about Maverick’s death and his… his final words, about who was true, whether Maverick or Jurisbard, whose words were really the truth.”
Credulous’s mother pulled a chair and sat between Credulous and her husband, and said, “If you see from Maverick’s point of view it sounds like he was right, but if you see the same from our chief’s point of view then, it looks like, Jurisbard was right!”
“Yeah, it’s very confusing,” said her husband and took a roasted fish from the plate. “Anyway, who cares? Hereafter, who cares about a dead man’s words?” he said with a mouthful of delicious fish.
“MAVERICK IS NOT DEAD,” Credulous’s voice echoed. “Did any of you actually see him die?” he roared.
The three became silent.
The elder brother now spoke calmly, “Cred, listen to me. If someone close is dead, it will be very hard for some people to accept that person is gone forever. In their grief, they start to believe that person is still alive and will come to them. I don’t want my brother to do the same. Please, believe me, Maverick Ciekawy is dead.”
“Oh, you believe!” Credulous nodded sarcastically. He turned to his mother, looked at her sharply, and asked, “WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?”
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EA-R-TH Age of NeOlwd
Mystery / ThrillerIn a village, surrounded by mountains, forest and a river, humans survived by following a simple rule: WORK AT NIGHT. SLEEP AT DAY. NEVER STEP OUT IN THE SUNLIGHT. IF YOU DO, YOU'LL DIE! 23 years ago, the villagers tried to kill Maverick when he was...
