The Inheritance

Jenny

His cold hand was wrapped in both of mine as I gave him his medicine. I ran my thumb over his bony knuckles as he drank from the small cup. Once finished, he looked at me with those kind eyes. My father was without a doubt the nicest man in the entire town, but he was also the richest which put a huge target on his back. He had been carried home by some of his employees yesterday after he had passed out on the floor. When we called the doctor to look at him, she concluded that he had been slowly poisoned over time and that at this point there was no way to reverse the effect. She said he had only a few days left, but she gave us medicine to numb his pain.

The worst part about this? I know who has been poisoning him. I sighed taking his medicine cup. "Father?"

"Yes, Jenny?"

"I know who has poi-"

He cut me off abruptly. "Jenny, I love you very much, but I do not want to know who has done this. I do not want to go out filled with hate." He stroked my hair, "Jenny, you've always been my favorite and know that I want the best for you. Fate will someday see your love and give you what you deserve."

I kissed his forehead and wished him goodnight as I stood and left the room. I walked towards the kitchen to put the cup in the sink, but was stopped only a few paces away from father's door.

"Hello, Elsie." I greeted her with not love but with hatred. Elsie was only 20, but that was still two years older than me. When father dies she will inherit everything he owns, and she will surely send me out and onto the streets to beg since I know her secret. "Are you going to give his daily dose of medicine because, if so, I've already given him it."

Elsie scoffed. "I'm not going to give that old man anything; he'll be in the mortuary soon enough." Her words fuel my sorrows and rage. 

"I'll get you for this, even if it's the last thing I do." I turn and try to walk off.

Elsie holds her arm out, stopping me. "Try anything, and you'll face a worse fate than that one." She stuck her thumb to father's door.

I glared at her and tried to be a terrifying as possible despite the tears I could feel climbing up. I pushed her arm away with all my strength and raced towards the kitchen. I set the cup in the sink; the maid would clean it later. 

Grabbing my coat, I ran out the front door. Traveling in the darkness of the night, I took a path my sister had taken before.