Paths of Prophecy

Chapter 4 - Blood bonds : A Brother's Duty

Chapter 4 – Blood bonds : A Brother's Duty

The brothers didn't bury their mother that morning, instead they decided to stay beside her cold body for the day.

 Izaya began digging her tomb in the afternon so it would be ready the next day, and Oliver cleaned her face, arms and legs and threw the cleaniest cloth they had over her.

The morning came and they burried their mother in a small grave in the village cemetery under the shade of an oak tree. They said their final goodbyes, tears mixing with the freshly turned soil.

At midday they returned to their house , cleaned themselves in the pond then went back inside. Izaya kept close watch over Oliver as he climbed on the bed, the boy's eyes seemed lifless, it was to be expected as he had just lost his mother but his reaction was too severe to be simble sadness. But time heals all wounds, so Izaya decided to wait it out.

Two days passed, then three, then a week and Oliver didn't get better, in fact he had gotten worse, his cheerful demeanor nowhere to be found.

'He didn't eat much today either, has he lost his apetite? What should I do, mother?'

Izaya entered the bedroom where Oliver was sitting on a chair looking through the window, he appeared despaired and Izaya couldn't leave him like that anymore.

"Oliver, do you think it is your fault?"

Oliver flinched before answering, he lowered his head still looking outside and nodded.

Izaya's suspission grew and he continued, "Why is that? Does it have anything to do with your funny feeling?"

Izaya watched Oliver clench his fists, and hunch down, his breathing was growing louder,

'Is he hyperventilenting?'

"H-hey, are you alright? Oliver! Take deap beath, here, look at me, look at me, just like mom taught us, in and out, in and out, yeah like that, you're doing great, h-have you calmed down now?"

"H-hicc, brother, h-hicc"

"There, there shhh"

Oliver's face was a mess of tears and snot, but Izaya was releaved, 'Guilt was eating him from the inside, I am glad I noticed this"

"B-bother?"

"Yes?"

"Can I tell you ?"

'Is he willing to?'

"Y-yeah of course, go ahead"

"Y-yeah, s-so uh, I can, I can see the future. T-the funny feeling I told you about, that was a lie, it was that I can see a few seconds in the future, no, it is more like I get to experience it right before it h-happens.."

"What?"

'What, see the future, no he said to experience it? So the funny feeling was actually visions, how is this possible?'

"D-did mom know about this?"

"Y-yeah, mom was the first one I told before you?"

"Why didn't you tell me until now?"

"I-I wanted to, but mother said that it was dangerous, if father were to know s-she said he would kill all of us "

'I see, if it's father he would do that, if he knew of this, he would have suspissions and discover that  mom had an affair and Oliver wasn't his son and would lose all reason.