Hansel sauntered through the door into the hall that evening to meet his family seated at the hall, watching the news update on Elosie's suicide case. As often happened with mysterious deaths, speculations became rife by the hour as everyone tried to find possible causes and the rumour mill continued to chum it's vicious tale. His approaching steps brought the gaze of both Delia and Ben, who had no idea of what was really going on and Marvin's attention on him.
" Dad" Ben exuded, matching up to him at the entrance, of which Delia followed with a smile and hugged him, landing a kiss on his cheeks.
"Welcome, honey" She cheerfully greeted. On noticing him, Marvin instinctively jerked up from his side of the seat and shuffled up the stairs which made Ben and Delia stared at his back, worried. Delia who only knew his absurd attitude may be the cause of his father's rejection to his decision to take up basketball as a career, instantly feigned a smile.
"Um, sorry about Marvin's attitude, love~ I believe he'll soon come around when he begins to understand your concern for his future" She ventured an explanation to which Hansel spontaneously faked a smile, his beast side; secretly stared at his then faded back with disdain as he answered.
" No worries, dear~ I'm not so bothered with it, anyway." With that said, Delia's face lightened up with a bright smile to which she swiftly clicked her tongue.
" Here, Ben, help take this upstairs while I get your father's dinner served" She ordered to Ben who in turn, took the bag and turned to his heels as Delia got back to Hansel. " Go up now and freshen up~ I believe you had a long day due to the ongoing concerns of Elosie's death." She smiled, sounding encouraging. "Don't get so downcast yet, it shall soon pass~ Dinner will be served in a while." She stated to which Hansel nodded with a weak smile.
" Thanks, honey" He kissed her forehead and trod off to their room. Delia stared at his back for awhile and then hurried off to the kitchen.
On getting to the doorpost of the boys, which was first before theirs, Hansel instinctively paused in his tracks~ a sinister aura engulfed his demeanor as he stared at the closed door. His eyes broadly gave away his thoughts and darkness filled his soul to which his lips curved in a sinister smile. He gently pushed the door opened and Marvin who was seated with his back facing the door and immersed in his video game ,promptly turned to find who the intruder might be. On confirming who it was, he angrily turned back and exuded over his shoulder.
" What are you doing here~ Please, leave; I don't want to talk to you and basically want to be alone."
" But we really need to talk, Marvin~ We need to talk things over." Hansel insisted, trying to get him to reason with him but Marvin instantly outburst with rage as he furiously jerked to his feet, facing him in the process. His heart raced with a mixture of emotions: fear, anxiety, anger, shame and hopelessness all worked against him in a well orchestrated symphony.
" There's nothing to talk about, dad- I believe we're done here. Now~ leave.... please" He shouted amidst tears, showing him the door. Ben who heard the shout from outside the door, barged in: of which none of the former said anything.
Marvin intuitively turned back to his computer as he resumed his seat, ignoring both his brother and father to which Hansel's face literally collapsed with suppressed anger. With a swift curious glance from his older brother to his father, Ben politely asked.
" What's going on here, dad~ Are you guys, battering on words again?; Is it still about the basketball?"He went on.
But Hansel just tapped his shoulder with a feigned smile and walked out without uttering a word~ leaving Ben hanging; of which he spontaneously glanced at his father's back fade out of the door and back at his brother with a blank gaze. His face instantly grew dark with rising anger as he chanced over to his end. When Hansel had walked out of the door minutes later, he continued to stare at the closed door for several minutes in deep thoughts~ he thought with amusement and his smile broadened. Sure word could not get back to them inside, he remarked.
" You just left me with no choice, Marvin." With this, a sinister smile enveloped his looks as he shuffled off to his room.
Back inside, Ben verged out his displeasure just when he closed up on Marvin, putting off his monitor in the process.
" Why are you always like this with dad, Marvin?~ Isn't it enough already?, Can't we at least have a day of family time together without the misunderstanding and civil war of you two ?" He exclaimed.
Marvin who was by now, fighting his best to suppress his anger, spontaneously sighed and then blew air through his lips to slow down his raging heart as he sprung to his feet.
" Just let me be, Ben~ I'm not in the mood for your nags as well. There's basically nothing I would say which will make you understand me now." He exuded, burying himself in his bed. With a heavy heart, he huddled under his cover; ignoring any other thing Ben had to say. Ben's face contorted as Marvin's latter words dawned on him and instinctively, a growing sense of unease rose up from within him but then, regaining the use of his tongue, he stated.
" Fine, suit yourself ."
Marvin just stayed mute as he listened to his footsteps, fade out of the door. Realizing the silence which swiftly enveloped the room afterwards, he spontaneously glanced out of his blanket and sighed- His tears silently trekked down his cheeks as he laid in his bed.
Soon, it was already midnight and everyone had retired to bed~ Hansel who was on alert, waiting for a perfect time to put his plans in action; quietly scampered out of bed. Making sure not to wake anyone up, he silently made his way out to the corridor which lead to the boys' room and made a halt at their door post.
Knowing, Marvin was a kind to always wake up late at dawn to get his milk, Hansel decided to make his deed easier through that medium. With that in mind, he slowly pushed the door opened and crept in~ making a halt in front of the tabletop fridge seated by the study table. He spontaneously pulled it open and picked out the glass of milk; laced it with poison which was in a form of a drug and crept out again.
The following morning, Marvin's body was found motionless on the floor with drugs and a suicide note which read:
" Sorry i had to end it like this~ Please forgive me."
*************
Ben, on hearing the truth and the secrets of his father's deeds, screamed under his breath with disbelief-his blue eyes were suddenly wide with fear as his father neared him with a sinister smile. He looked as if he'd seen a nightmare come to life as Hansel's words echoed.
" It won't cause me a bit if I get rid of you too, Ben." He stated, pointing a gun over his skull. His heart missed a bit as panic swept over him and for minutes, he was immobilised by fear and disbelief. His heart was racing wildly and he felt he would suffocate to death. Swallowing a lump, he stuttered.
" Why are you doing all this, dad? ........ Wasn't our family enough for you~ Where did we go wrong?"
" Everything~I'll never allow anyone, pull me into the mud" He answered as his hands slowly travelled to the trigger. Ben instinctively closed his eyes and his unshed tears rolled down his eyes.
Alixies who stared from afar, flinched as her hands shivered in horror. “Oh, oh, goodness, what's he doing?~ He's gonna hurt him" She growled almost in a scream; worry filled her stomach like a lump of ice swallowed whole and she felt her stomach coil with fear but her curiosity and worry deftly overweighed her fear.
" I must do something now before it's too late but...... what, now" She cried in frustration. Ever so carefully, she ventured to look around the corner for any glue but all guesses proved useless, noticing the number of well built men on guard. With a sharp nervous sigh, she stuttered. " I can do this.... all needed now is just a good plan and a perfect timing." She tried to sound brave but inside, she felt a shiver of fear. As she was wondering what to do, she heard a door close from behind followed by footsteps which approached down the wide corridor.