Elias’ lips curled back in disgust as his eyes landed on Ethan’s grave.
Raindrops rolled over the brim the bowler-hat. His shoulders were hunched low as he attempted to use his collar as a shield for the icy drops. A shiver ran through him, and he tensed his jaw while reading the headstone.
He growled at the sight. The words: ‘Little Pig’ stood out to him. He had no doubt who had left them. The words had been haunting his own mind for the past several days, taunting and threatening him. A nauseating feeling spread throughout him—it made him sick to look. Moisture from his eyes threatened to spill.
“Why wouldn’t you listen? I told you this was going to happen, same as Eric,” he muttered before he wiped nose with his soaked sleeve. “I hope the money was worth it.”
Elias sniffled. “It ends tonight, Ethan. I’m seeing that it’ll end tonight! God willing, you and Eric, will be avenged. If not, I’ll be seeing the two of you soon. Either way, it will be finished. Rest in peace, little brother.” He shot a gloomy look to the darkened sky. With a sigh, he turned on his heel and walked away from the cemetery.
The walk home was long, wet, and cold. A thick, impenetrable blanket of fog coated the ground. The various lamp posts were barely visible, and Elias couldn’t see anything worth a dime. The only indicator of his direction was the sound of his feet skidding over the cobblestone..
Nervous energy quivered through his body, and he rubbed his hands together as he walked. Two brothers in two weeks, and now their sins hunted him. If only he’d given Eric that money. If only...
“Just this once, Elias, please? I’ll pay you back twice over. I just need to get through this month,” Eric pleaded. His eyes filled with water. Elias had to look away. It was uncomfortable to watch, but Eric had to learn responsibility.
“I already told you no. How many more times do I need to say it?” Elias turned away.
“But we’re family. Brothers.”
“We are brothers, and I love you as such,” Elias said and turned back around. His eyes surveyed the pitiful sight of his brother before he continued, “But, you’ve never put in a solid day’s work a day in your life. Your idleness has finally caught up to you, and it’s time you learned from the consequences.”
Eric silently fumed, and his face turned red. For a long silent moment, there was nothing but uncomfortable tension. When Eric stomped his foot and walked away, Elias let out a sigh.
A a rattling clank shook him out of his memory. He looked up, and his eyes found the source of the sound only a second later. A horseless carriage rumbled down the street, splashing water and billowing smoke. He swallowed at the sight. Strangely, it bore no lanterns or other means of illumination.
Elias hadn’t counted on the Wolf coming for him like this. It wasn’t his style. Nevertheless, this could be it. He broke into a run and ducked down the nearest alley. With a racing heart, he watched as the machine drove by without slowing. A nervous laugh escaped his lips. False alarm. Slowly, his fingers uncurled from the revolver. The weapon had been tucked in his coat pocket earlier today. Everyone said the Wolf was bulletproof, but carrying it made him feel better all the same.
As Elias rose from his hiding spot, he resumed walking. Alright. He needed to think extremely carefully about this, it was a matter of justice for his brothers. Every piece of evidence would count. He hoped that his hatred and his loss wouldn’t taint the memory. He thought back to the ceremony.
Elias watched as a steam crane lowered Eric’s casket into the ground. The machine rumbled so loud that it thoroughly drowned out the priest’s less than spirited final prayer. Ethan sat beside him, stone faced. They waited together until the service ended and they were alone with their deceased brother.
