The Nightam Family

Chapter 19: Mortimer Nightam 5

The entire Nightam family had been destined for greatness. Already from their oldest ancestor, William Nightam the first, they had only grown to reach that greatness. And now, Mortimer thought, now they had finally reached it. The perfect family. It was within his grasp.

And he, Mortimer, had been the first to fulfil the Nightam family’s destiny. The price had been high, but he didn’t regret it any longer. The family would be reborn according to their destiny. Mortimer would lead the new Nightam family to its destiny and they would follow him for eternity. Of course, it humbled him a little to know that he had been chosen for such a grand task, but he could not help but feel that he deserved it. After all, he had found the book on his own accord. He had translated the ancient notes and the letters from his ancestor. And he had been the one to contact the secret society from the book. So this grand destiny he had found was something he had definitely deserved. Destiny had chosen him to lead the Nightam family to a greater existence.

But the more Mortimer looked out over the land he owned, the more he realised its boundaries. This world he had created had always seemed much grander. But now this area had lost its grandeur, it had become a cage to Mortimer. There was no reason why he should be satisfied controlling just this area. No, he could control the world. Nobody would be able to stop him. The name of Nightam would be feared throughout the world, everyone would obey him.

‘Don’t even think about it,’ a voice behind Mortimer said. Mortimer didn’t have to look around to know who it was. The man had become somewhat of a shadow to Mortimer. Mortimer didn’t answer. There was no reason to answer to such an order. Indeed, the man had often tried to order Mortimer around. It was, Mortimer thought, as if the man thought he was just a toy.

‘The rules have changed,’ Mortimer turned around and smiled at the man. He could see the figure in the shadows shiver, before the man approached him.

‘Oh, don’t worry,’ Mortimer said, knowing exactly what the man was thinking, ‘I will keep my part of the bargain.’

He approached the man who was now standing still in the shadows. Slowly, Mortimer placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. He felt the shivers through the man’s body. Slowly, he leant towards his ear and whispered.

‘All beings carrying the name of Nightam shall be removed from the world of the living,’ Mortimer whispered. He repeated this sentence, word for word, as he had heard it so often before. It was the price of immortality, they had told him. Even at his first contact with the society, they had told him these words. And when he had realised his destiny, these words had been repeated. And at the night of the ritual, they had told him these exact same words.

And now Mortimer knew the true meaning of these words.

‘What are you planning?’ the man asked.

Without answering, Mortimer passed by the man. He left the storage room. He slowly descended until he was at the room so often used for family meetings. All the chairs around the table were empty. All of them, except for one. William was sitting in one of the chairs, exactly as he had been ordered.

‘Good day, grandfather,’ William got up to greet his grandfather.

‘Oh William, dear boy,’ Mortimer smiled, ‘I hope you did not mind the show from before?’

It was the final test. Mortimer realised he was holding his breath. It all depended on this single answer. The future of Mortimer’s plans, the fate of his family, they all depended on what William would say.

‘No grandfather.’

Mortimer relaxed. It had all gone according to plan. He slowly started walking around the table, towards William.

‘You are a good boy,’ he smiled, ‘a truly good boy. And because of that, you should be rewarded.’

William didn’t answer.

‘That is why,’ Mortimer continued, ‘I have decided on your fate. It would be a severe loss to our family if you were to… die.’

‘Thank you grandfather,’ William answered as Mortimer reached him. Mortimer slowly placed his hand under his grandson’s chin and forced him to look up, at the ceiling. He placed his face closer to William’s neck.

A few minutes later, Mortimer let go of his grandson. William fell to the ground, like a doll whose strings had been cut.

Mortimer turned around to face the man who had become like his shadow.

‘So that is your plan,’ the man asked, ‘to turn your family, so they will serve you for eternity.’

‘Not all of them. Only those whom I deem worthy.’