The Broken Bonds

Chapter 27

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the new chapter because I kept going back and forth and finally decided that this would work better if I put this part first.

CHAPTER 27

Vanopora Village... 3 years ago...

Ameqran was beloved by everyone. The apple of his parents' eye, desired by every maiden, praised by the elders, and revered by his peers. His younger twin brother not so much. Unlike Ameqran, Galen was quiet and kept to himself. Not because he was shy or depressed but it seemed that no matter what he did or said, his brother would be louder and bolder. So Galen simply stepped back refusing to become a competitor in his brother's spotlight.

Galen became good at disappearing. He wasn't worried about the future. He already knew that he wanted to pursue nursing. His mother was the Healer and his father her Heartbeat. She had been the oldest child. Her father, also the Healer, had been the oldest. And so it had been for the last six generations.

As the first born everyone was sure that Ameqran would be the next Healer. So at 16, Galen left for nursing school after graduating early. Three years later, he had his degree and a job offer. Now in his 20th year standing in his apartment he was shocked to see a woman appear before him.

"Hello Galen." she said. "My name is Shadow. I am a seer. You've been blessed by the Creator and will carry your mother's gift."

"I'm not the oldest." Galen said, confused.

"Neither was the original Healer. The gift is passed to the most worthy not to the position of birth."

"What do you want from me?"

"You need to go to America. A war is coming and they need you." She set a piece of paper on the desk. "There's who to call for dual citizenship and the exact coordinates and dates of where you need to be. It's up to you what you do in the meantime. Say goodbye to your parents for you will not see them for a while. Oh and one more thing, leave immediately and do not tarry at your village."

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Calling the number on the paper the next morning, the man that answered asked if he was Galen Abara. Confirming that he was, the man said that everything was in place and that his new passport and papers would be sent to his house and would reach him by the next day.

He shook his head strange that he didn't really have to do anything. He was fairly certain that a citizenship, even a dual one, took longer than a five minute phone call. Shrugging it off he decided to make the three and a half hour trip to visit his parents. He had not seen them in a while and even though they loved him they tended to dote on his brother more. His grandmother and uncle spent a lot of time with him growing up. So he never really felt abandoned.

Coming to the village he noticed that everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Signs with his brother's name and picture were posted everywhere. Half the village seemed to be outside his parent's home. Pushing through the crowd, he found his mother surrounded by gifts. Puzzled, he wondered if he missed his mother's birthday but when remembered that he sent her a card 3 months ago.

"Oh Galen!" she greeted. "How wonderful that you've come to celebrate your brother."

"I hadn't heard. I just came to see you and father. I will be leaving for a while and wanted to see you before I left." he said, giving her a hug and kiss.

"Oh but you can't go before-" she was cut off as more of the villagers came to greet her.

Shrugging Galen left to see his father. Other than a brief hello, his dad was busy talking with the other men. Galen left them behind and went to visit with his grandmother and uncle. They were happy to see him and asked about his job and everything that he had been doing. He told them that he would be going to America for a while but didn't mention why. Eating the soup his grandmother had made he noticed that they had become silent and were looking at him strangely.

"What wrong?" Galen asked.

His grandmother stood and pressed a kiss to his forehead and left the room. He looked at his uncle who stared at him in shock. "Uncle?"

His grandmother returned holding a mirror. Looking at the mirror he jumped and stumbled over the chair he sat on. Touching a now white hand to his face. The reflection revealed a stranger.

"It's best you leave." his uncle said sadly.

He looked at his grandmother and she nodded in agreement. "I have not cared for your brother's arrogance. Who knows what he'll say or do. It's best you sneak out before you are discovered."

Galen stood and hugged them both. He quickly ran to his vehicle but was seen by several of the villagers. An enraged roar came from inside his parent's home. Galen quickly started the engine as he was backing out the back window was busted. Looking back he saw his brother reloading his father's shotgun. Not waiting he quickly drove away as another shot took out his tail light.

Numb Galen went inside his small apartment hours later and sat on the couch staring blankly at a white wall. He wasn't sure how long he sat there but eventually the shock wore off. He wondered how he had even made the long trip back. The realization that his brother had tried to kill him prompted him to action. He packed his few belongings into a single suitcase. The furniture came with the apartment. He never bothered to get a bed since he liked sleeping on the couch. There was a loud knock on the door that echoed through the small apartment. Nervously he called out, "Who's there?"

"Courier." came the reply.

Curious he opened the door. A man stood on the other side with a package wrapped in thick brown paper. "Galen Abara?"

"Yes?"

"Sign here." said the man thrusting a clipboard into his hands. Picking up the pen attached by a chain he signed. The man took the clipboard and gave him the package.

"Mr. Abara?" he heard a voice as he started to shut the door. 

"Mrs. Bankole? Good morning." Galen greeted his landlady cordially. 

"Good Morning. Your lease expires today. I just wanted to remind you so that we could resign the contract."

"Thank you Mrs. Bankole but I will actually be moving out today. If you like we can do the walk through now so that you won't have to come back up and I'll leave my key with you before you go."

"Sounds good." 

A short while later the landlady left satisfied that all was in order. Galen shut and locked the door. Opening the paper wrappings he saw a passport, legal documents, and a plane ticket for one way to Atlanta. The ticket was for that day and he would have to hurry to make it. There were also two envelopes. Opening one, he saw that it was a credit card wrapped in a piece of paper that read: "Advance payment for services rendered." Below it had a large amount of money in US dollars.

Shocked was an understatement. Wealth had never been a priority to Galem but to see such a large amount was unbelievable. Opening the second envelope he saw that it was for a nursing degree from the University of Georgia. It outlined all his classes that had transferred from his alma mater. He just had to take a test and he would be able to have his nursing licences in the US. His test was to take place in one week.

He sat on the couch trying to process everything that had happened in the last day and a half. His phone ringing snapped him to the present.

"Hello?"

"Get to the airport." The woman whom he had spoken with the day before said before hanging up.

Jumping into action, Galen headed to the airport to start a new life.

Present...

Galen looked down at the paper he had been given. This was the place, he thought. Observing the carnage he saw his target.

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I hope I haven't confused anyone but I felt a bit of background was necessary and it felt strange putting it in later.