𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇

XII

— RORI —

"Zephaniah?" i call out, as i look down into the depths of the deep, blue water. "Zephaniah?" i repeat, determined.

My brother is under the water but he hasn't resurfaced for air yet.

Why hasn't he returned?

"Zephaniah?" i whisper, feeling my eyes swell up with unshed tears. "Zephaniah, please come back. I need you. Please don't leave me," i desperately plead, choking on my sobs.

I want to dive into the water and bring him back to land, but i can't even lift a finger.

For some reason, i seem to be glued to the spot i am standing on. Almost like something, or somebody, is holding me back...

Stopping me from saving my brother's life.

"Zephy?" i try one more time, my voice wavering when i hear no reply.

Not a single noise can be heard, except from the few bubbles that are now making their way towards the surface, a still and lifeless body sinking to the bottom.

My brother is dead.

My brother is dead and it is all my fault.

— SUCKER PUNCH —

I find myself wandering the halls at night, desperate for an escape.

I need to see my brother and i need to see him now.

I need to make sure he is okay.

The nightmare i just experienced was even more severe and even more sickening than any other one i have endured before.

None of it makes sense. None of it at all.

I rarely ever have nightmares about my twins, let alone the rest of my brothers. It's always me and Zephaniah who end up going through some traumatic experience.

The logical explanation as to why i had this nightmare would be due to what he told us earlier on...

Henryk.

The name of a man who supposedly ordered a hit on my two older brothers. The name of a man who has been (and still is) trying to kill my eldest one.

My father's only brother.

An uncle i never knew i had.

I feel out-raged that no one had bothered to mention his existence, especially since he plays such a vital part in my family's ongoing issues.

I wasn't surprised to hear that i have an uncle, however. It just came as a shock to find out about him no less than fifteen years after my birth.

After all, my parents must've had family of their own...siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles of their own.

I will have many family members that i do not know of and will never come to know.

This uncle of mine though, Henryk, sounds pure evil.

My brothers made him out to be worse than Zephaniah and my father combined, which had me thinking, are all of my relatives so cruel?

They were very vague when answering our questions, like always. Not telling us too much, nor too little.

Apparently Henryk has been an enemy of Zephaniah and our family for decades now.

I don't know if he specifically hates my siblings and i, or if it has something to do with his relationship with my father.