My brother came from the stars. At least that what I have always believed. I remember the night sky aglow the day mom and dad came home with a bundle of blankets in their arms.

“His name is Leonis.” They told me.

His eyes were blue like the sky and he laughed at me.

As we grew up, we weren’t as close as some would believe that two brothers raised under the same roof should be. Looking back, we both could’ve tried harder, but there was one day that changed our lives forever. Please, remember with me.

We were out at market. Dad had unfortunately passed away a few years back; a fever took him. Leo and I had taken care of our mother since then. We had just picked up our week supply of fruits and vegetables as well as two slabs of meat.

After our grocery shopping was done, we wandered over to the bookstore in town for a quick peek at any new arrivals. There were some beautifully bound tomes that were freshly being shelved, but as I fingered the coins in my pocket, I knew I didn’t have enough.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Maybe next week, I thought.

I shrugged and we headed back on the dirt path home. But, something wasn’t right. Mother usually had smoke rising up in the air; a result of lunch being made. Instead of white smoke though, a thick, black smoke billowed from above the trees. Gripping our purchases tightly, we ran back to the cottage as fast as we could.

We could feel the heat before we saw the flames. As we neared the cottage, we heard the shouts of gruff men. We hid behind a tree and listened in.

“Where is it?” One of the voices yelled.

From the tree, we could see a stout man with an unkempt beard and a gash on the left side of his face; freshly bleeding. Leo’s face twisted in horror and he quietly pointed at the gruff man’s victim. Laying on the ground with her arm outstretched, dirty, and tears running down her face was our mother.

I tried to hold him back, but Leo shot off like a rocket. I was only seconds behind him. He barreled into the man and then bounced off. I jumped and grabbed on to the man’s arm before he could strike Leo or mother. The man flung me to the ground like I was weightless.

The smoke must’ve been noticeable from town, because there were townspeople coming with wagons of water. The man kicked at mother and then us before fleeing the scene. I fought hard to stay conscious, but my head was spinning the smoke made me cough. I felt someone lift me and then I passed out.