Inheritance

I tried to get a word in as Ms. Nagato ushered me back into the house, but she just ignored me. I attempted to get Aaron’s attention but he seemed totally out of it.

“Arashi, go grab the boy from the garden, and release him from the thrall.” She barked curtly; not even turning around to see if he obeyed.

“Wait, What?” I said perplexed, “A thrall? My Brother!” I said confused, and not really knowing what was going on, but feeling the need to protect James.

“Don’t worry, just wait here.” She said as she sat me down then disappeared down the hallway. I rose from the couch then just stood there not really sure what to do. I didn’t know what to do, everything since my waking up this morning seemed like a dream, and now this. I was bewildered and scared of all this new information. The room with its soft well used furniture and calming colors didn’t seem as calming to me as it did before. I felt the need to do something, to move. I stepped outside heading toward the garden.

“James” I called tentatively. The sun was falling past the horizon faster with each passing second, and the remaining light took on an unearthly glow. Birds chattered in the trees, but their songs seemed muted in the twilight garden. I twitched at the sound of rustling leaves behind me. When I turned I saw Aaron and James. Aaron was slowly approaching him whispering something unintelligible. I was behind Aaron facing James, frozen. I watched as James stared at Aaron transfixed. Then he was gone. His body was still there, but it was just a puppet. He wasn’t really there. There wasn’t any expression. He was an empty shell, not even a ghost of himself could be found in his glassed over, lifeless eyes. His body might as well have been a corpse. It only lasted a second, and then he was back; my living, responsive, vivacious, brother standing in front of me.

“Hey brah, sorry I couldn’t find the mongoose. I guess we should be heading inside.” He said happily; a goofy grin lighting up his innocent face. Then his eyes shifted off of Aaron and onto me.

“Ankita! how’s your head?” he said concerned as always with others.

“Ankita?” said Aaron, turning around fast enough to give whiplash, “I thought Mom would want you to stay inside.” He said taken aback.

“I wanted to see what you were doing. Anyways I was reading one of the titles on the bookcase in your house and came across the word ‘thrall’. I’m not exactly sure what that means.” I retorted possibly a bit too harshly, I didn’t feel like being subtle at the moment.

“We also have a dictionary on that bookshelf. I would be happy to look it up for you.” He said, hinting that he would explain everything, just not in front of James.

James being totally ignorant of anything going on seemed lost in the conversation. He just looked between Aaron and I confused. I could see him internally give up trying to decipher the meanings behind our externally meaningless words.

“James, why don’t we head home, it’s getting late.” I said gruffly, never letting my eyes leave Aaron’s. I grabbed James’ arm possessively, and roughly pushed him out of the garden around the back way to the front of the house.

I was suspicious of these people. What had they done to James; he seemed alright, but that moment. I still couldn’t get it out of my head. It terrified me to see him go limp like that. Not physically but to see the spirit fly out of him. The other thing was I knew James, inside and out, because I could read people like him, normal people. I couldn’t read the Nagatos! It frustrated and scared me not to know if I can trust people. Most people live all their lives with the risk that the person they trust isn’t trustworthy. I’ve never had to guess, and being uncertain might have made me a bit over-suspicious. I was on shaky ground; it felt like the world was going to collapse beneath my unsteady feet so I grabbed onto the nearest solid thing, my need to protect James.

I ushered him quickly to the front of the house.

“Ankita, what’s wrong?” he said concerned.

“Nothing, I just think we should be getting home, our parents are going to be worried.” I said semi-convincingly, but it doesn’t take much to persuade James.

I was pushing open the front gate and had James’ car in view when as if by magic Ms. Nagato appeared in front of me.

“Dear, I thought I had asked you to wait in the living room” She said smiling just a bit too widely.