It was twilight. The sun had set in the west. The leaves on the tree hung still as if signaling the dark night approaching. The streets were nearly empty. This evening was a bit stranger than other days as if a danger was lurking behind the dark. Novia was pouring tea in the cup when her dead brother rang the doorbell. She stood up and started walking slowly towards the main door of her house, brushing past the furniture that came in her way. She was skeptical and strange sense of anxiety and fear grew inside her as she was getting closer towards the door. Her hands moved towards the lock and with a sigh, she opened the door slowly peaking outside.
What she saw made her freeze. A guest she never expected showed up. It was her dead brother whom they lost 7 years ago. She was really emotional seeing her little John who used to sleep in her lap every night as she read stories to him to make him sleep.
John was standing still at the door he was wearing the same clothes and he looked just as young as he had seven years ago. But his facial expressions were not normal. His eyes were blood-red and lips had turned a haunting shade of purple. His face was frozen-gruesome in a way no child should ever be. Still, Novia hugged him and brought him in. She was overwhelmed with joy to get her brother back. She gave him warm milk and cookies to eat.
He refused the food and kept asking - "Where are they?"
Novia couldn't understand who. She assumed that he was asking about the parents. She called her mom and dad and urging them to come home immediately. Both parents rushed to Novia's home. When they saw little John, their eyes filled with tears as they hugged him tightly.
But he kept asking again - "Where are they?"
Later, the newly reunited family sat at the dinner table and asked John where he had been all these years.
Everyone froze when he whispered -
"I was here. I never left."
The tea had gone cold in her hand, but she didn't notice.