Short stories!

Unkown family

I've spent countless hours lying in this hospital bed, staring at the blank white ceiling and counting the cracks in the wall. Every day is the same, filled with the monotonous beeping of machines and the dull ache of my deteriorating body. I have no reason to live, and I don't care about anything anymore.

My name is John, and I'm an old man at the end of my life. I have barely any family and no friends left, and my only company currently is the nurses who come in to check on me and the occasional doctor who tells me there's nothing more they can do. I've accepted my fate, and I'm ready to leave this world behind.

But then, out of nowhere, an old relative shows up at my bedside. I can barely remember his name, but he tells me that he's my cousin, twice removed. He looks just as frail and tired as I feel, but there's a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

'John,' he says, his voice shaking with emotion. 'I have some news for you.'

I raise an eyebrow, not expecting anything exciting or life-changing. But then he drops a bombshell on me.

'You have a long lost brother,' he says.

I scoff, thinking he must be delusional. I've never heard of a twin brother before, and I'm sure I would remember if I had one.

But he insists that it's true, that my parents gave one of us up for adoption when we were born. He tells me that my brother, James, was raised by a wealthy family and has been searching for me for years. And now, he has finally found me.

My mind is reeling, and I can't believe what I'm hearing. A brother? Someone who shares my DNA and my history? It's impossible, but I can't help but feel a spark of curiosity and excitement.

My cousin hands me a letter from James, along with a photo of him and his family. I study the photo, trying to find any resemblance to myself. But all I see is a happy, successful man surrounded by a loving family. And then I look at my own reflection in the mirror next to my bed, and I see a frail old man with nothing left to live for.

My cousin explains that James has been looking for me because he wants to help. He's a successful businessman with enough money to potentially save my life. He wants to pay for any treatment or surgery that I need, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to bring me back to health. He just wants something in return- something small, the relative says.

I'm overwhelmed by this sudden turn of events, and I can't wrap my head around it. But deep down, I can't help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I have a chance to live a little longer.

My cousin leaves me to ponder this new information, and I spend the rest of the day lost in my thoughts. I read the letter from James over and over again, trying to decipher the words and understand why he would want to help me. I feel a sense of guilt and regret for not knowing about him, for not being there for him all these years.

But as the days go by, my health continues to decline. And with each passing day, I can feel my hope fading away. I know that James has the means to save me, but I can't bring myself to reach out to him. I don't want to be a burden, and I don't want to be a part of his life when I have nothing to offer in return.

But then, one day, James shows up at the hospital. He's a tall, handsome man with kind eyes and a warm smile. I can see the resemblance between us now, and I can't help but feel a sense of longing for the brother I never knew.

But that is not it. 

I am wrong in my assessment of my brother. His warm smiles are fake and so are his eyes. All he comes for is to tell me about himself and my niece, who apparently is a famous surgeon and both her and him have enough money to help me (which I already know).

But he wants something in return for that- he wants the estate and belongings my mother left me when she passed away a few decades ago. He says that, because he is technically older, it should go to him, despite the fact she gave it to me in her will.

Without hesitating, I refuse. I am not going to just give away my mother's possessions to a man I barely know, whether in return for my health or not. 

Almost immediately, his smile is replaced with a cold grimace and he shakes his head as he gets up and walks out the door without a word. I do not care what he thinks- mother told me never to give it away, no matter the circumstances.

A few hours after he has left, the events come rushing back to my frail mind as reality hits. Because of my decision, I was die a lonely and sad death here in the hospital room, where I have remained for the last few days.

It has been a nice life.