“So, what am I missing?” my fourteen-year-old brother gave me a wide, goofy grin.
“What are you doing here?” I fist-bumped him, then pulled him into a brotherly hug. “How did you find me?”
Jayden shrugged. “I didn’t,” he said, with a big smile still on his young face. “What a coincidence meeting you here.”
“Seriously, why are you at a crime scene?”
“What crime scene?” he glanced around, a confused look on his face. “Did somebody die?”
“Well, someone fell from that building,” Raphael answered. “Who is this guy?” he asked me.
“I’m his brother,” Jayden replied. “Who are you?”
“He’s a friend,” I said before Raphael could say anything stupid.
“I don’t see the resemblance,” Raphael studied my brother’s face.
“Yeah, we get that a lot,” Jayden smiled, and then turned to me. “I need your help, brother.”
“My help? Is there something wrong?”
“I’ve been looking for you all over the place, but I couldn’t find you anywhere. Something bad has happened, and I need you to promise me that you would help me with this,” his expression turned upends.
“What is it, Jayden?” I placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“It’s mum,” Jayden said, and his eyes began to brim with tears.
“What’s happened?” I was surprised at his sudden change in emotion.
“She left,” he said softly. “She just…left.”
“What do you mean left?”
“She was so devastated, she just…she left the country. She left us,” Jayden sobbed. “She just couldn’t take the pain anymore.”
“So she abandoned us? Mum wouldn’t-
“She left this behind,” Jayden took out a crinkled piece of paper from his jacket pocket, handed it to me.
I’m sorry, Jay, but I cannot take it anymore. I have to leave town, I have to leave here. I know you hate me, but there is no other choice. I have to do this. I lost your father, and I lost your brother. I can’t lose you, so please promise me, me leaving you is for you to be free, for you to grow up.
I have failed as a mother, and I pray that you will be the son I have always dreamt of. I will never ask for your forgiveness, because I don’t deserve it. I’m doing this all for you. I don’t want you to live with me as a burden, because I know nothing can mend my broken heart. So I am going far away from all this, leaving all these terrible memories behind.
I will dreadfully miss you. I will miss you so much, and I will cry just thinking about you. You shall live a happy life here, with all your friends, and I have Aunt Jen to take good care of you. You deserve better, and my absence will be a benefit to you. I am so sorry, baby, I truly am.
If you ever see your brother again, tell him that I miss him, and I love him so. Always remember, a mother’s love is always the strongest, no matter what. I love you, Jayden, and don’t ever give up.
Be strong. I will always be watching you.
“What?” I was shaking, a fog beginning to cloud my brain. “Why would she leave us?”
“I don’t know, Jared. I really don’t. It doesn’t make any damn sense to me,” Jayden shook his head solemnly.
“She can’t just walk away,” I said. “Something’s wrong. Mum wouldn’t have left like that.”
YOU ARE READING
HUNT, OR BE HUNTED
Mystery / ThrillerHe was always blacking out, always confused, losing control of his actions. And when he did, he would have no memory of it. What he didn't know was that there was a monster inside him, a monster that he couldn't control. Once it took over, not a sin...
