Twilight (Short Story)

Chapter 4

🏰🏰

The thoughs and images of what he had just seen, kept plaguing Joshua as he kept running from the garden, from the place he saw his mother, kiss his step-brother.

The constant flashing of images was worsening his headache.

He didn't know for how long, or how far he ran, but when he stopped he could hear a river.

Walking to the river he takes the water to wet his face, sighing as he sits down.

His heart hurting, and his head hammering, he looks at the sky.

All the tears he's held back come forward and flow down his cheeks as his body rocks with sobs.

'How could my own mother dishonor, the customs and even the relationships that all of us have.' Joshua asks looking at the moon, wishing he didn't care, about anything or anyone anymore.

A sudden bright light blinds him and when he opens his eyes he's back at the castle.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

Looking around at his surroundings, he sees his father, mother and even himself sitting around a table laughing.

He remembers that day. The day before his father died. They were so happy, it was his parent's anniversary.

They had acted like a newly wed couple of teens, laughing, giggling and whispering.

Joshua remembers being disgusted with their behavior, saying that they should keep such things private.

Now he wishes to feel nothing.

All he has imside himself is anger and hatred.

All aimed at everyone around him.

"You looked happy. Do you really want to go back to your first day here, if I remember correctly.

You now have a wedding that needs to happen, you're so close to another switching ceremony and even leaving them all for good.

Do you really want to go through all this, just to get your blood back. From what I've seen, you might realize a truth and decide to cancel the switching ceremony. "

"Yes. I need to do this again."

"The choice is yours. " a voice rings through Joshua's head.

Joshua spins around searching for the voice but found nothing.

"Searching for me is futile. I'm everything and nothing at the same time. Now choose."

Joshua weighs the pros and cons of the proposal, before agreeing to relinquish his emtions.

"As you want, I will take you back to the first day in the castle. What happens from then on, is out of my control." the voice says and another light blinds Joshua.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

Opening his eyes Joshua, wipes his eyes. He remembered having a strange dream, but remembers nothing of what happened in the dream.

He sees his new 'home' coming into view. A pit forms in his stomach and he feels uneasy, but keeps a neutral expression on his face.

Jenna, Joshua's mother, keeps blabbering on endlessly, as they pull into the driveway.

The car had hardly stopped and Jenna was already out the car. She excitedly ran to Jae - the step-father.

The man mainly responsible for Joshua's current state, Jessi, comes walking through the door with a girl hanging on his arm.