JULIET'S QUILL

CHAPTER 2: The RED LIGHT

The fear of death wasn't a new phenomenon.  Almost everyone experienced the same feeling, but for me, it wasn't the fear of dying itself but the fear of losing my loved ones. I was running next to the stretcher, watching Nicholas's blood staining the white sheets. And somehow, I travelled back to the time when I was in the similar situation. The agony of watching a family member bleeding to death.

"Aaron!"   The voice of 10 years old Marcus echoed in my mind.

Aaron was my twin brother, a little shorter in height but a lot more intelligent than me.  I was always jealous of people praising him more.  Even, I wished upon a star for his disappearance forever, once in my childhood.  I don't understand how that wish got granted and my brother died the very same day as my parents.

He had severe asthma.  I can still recall him standing at the edge of the top stairs, peeking through the railing down at Uncle.  I asked him to spy on Ethan for me.  I was trying to get my "Game boy" back from his room which he took as a punishment of my bad grades.  Aaron overheard Ethan's conversation with someone about the plane crash. I saw his turning red, and then he slipped from the stairs. Later, I came to know that he had a severe asthmatic attack and the fall made him bleed internally in his brain.

I had already lost a brother once, and losing Nicholas would mean almost the same to me.

The doctors took Nicholas in the operation theatre. And I sat on the chair outside. The red zero bulb on the top of the door was steady. I knew, when this red light will go out, my life would take a sharp turn.  The danger light was scratching my old wounds to an extent where it was impossible to even look at that tiny bulb anymore.

I closed my eyes, and rested my head against the wall. A hand squeezed my shoulder.

"What happened to my son?"

I wasn't capable of saying a single word right now. I was, somehow, angry at Ethan and I blamed him for Nicholas's condition. Although my approach was irrational, but still he was the only person who was the common factor in everything I have ever lost.  He had lost the same people. He shared my stinging pain of loss.

I explained to him the exact scenario of Nicholas's accident.

"Can you do something for me, Marcus?"

"Yes?"

"Just understand, it is very important for me. Now listen carefully, I want you to go back to my office in art gallery where I took you earlier today. "

He paused for a moment, and then continued.

'"Do you remember the portrait of King Louis XIV on the rear wall?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Under that portrait, there's a small locker. The Password is, 'Aaron'. Open it, and there would be a small package inside it."

He stopped to give me time to catch up.

"Your password is Aaron?"

"Yes, Marcus. Now concentrate on what I'm telling you. Take that package and deliver it to an address that I'll give to you right now."

I sighed, "I can't believe it. Nicholas is in operation theatre, and you care about nothing but your business."

"Trust me, it's very important.  Just do it, please."

He took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to.

"You want me to go to National Library?"

He nodded," I had talked to Richard Laurent, he would be expecting you."

Ethan sat next to me.

"Go now, Marcus. And don't disappoint me."