.A few days earlier (before the present)
Patrick is in his house out in the countryside. The sun rises up from the horizon, and its rays shine down upon the many small ponds, windows, and rooftops in the area. Patrick rises from a light slumber knowing of the looming threat of his "friends" coming to his house. He gets off his bed and puts on his red house slippers. A knocking sound echoes through the small cottage. Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! "Patrick! I hate tuh interrupt yer beauty sleep, but it's 'bin three weeks, like we agreed upon!", a man yelled outside his door. It was the same man who was at the poker game three weeks ago. "Open the door, buddy!" "Coming!", exclaimed Patrick, trying not to sound rude and more calm. Patrick walks over and opens his door. "Where's my money, Patty-cake?", the tall man (who is Sean) asked playfully. "I don't have it all yet", said Patrick, trembling in fear, but hiding it. "Where's my money, Patrick?!", repeated Sean as he barged in the door and knocked down Patrick. "I told you I don't have it all yet", repeated Patrick, this time visibly trembling. "Please, can you give me a bit more time?", continues Patrick. He backs away slowly and the five men get closer. Patrick didn't recognize the other four men from the poker game. "If y-hhh-ou don't have it a-hhaall, then maybe someone you kn-hhhow has the rest", said Shane in a somewhat wheezing voice. Shane stepped forward toward Patrick and began to bend down to get on eyelevel with him. "Yer family, perhaps? Th-hhhey have money, right?" "No, please!", exclaimed Patrick in fear. "They're not the ones in debt. Please, just let me talk to them." He covered his face with his hands. "Fine, send a letter", said Sean intensely, but at a regular volume. "You have three days", said Sean as he and his four men walked out of the doorway. The broken door crumbles beneath their feet as they walk out. Patrick hyperventilates as he frantically tries to grab a pen and some paper. He began writing. The first letter is to his father, Connor and to his second wife, whom he did not know the name of. Patrick's mother ran off years ago.
Dear Father and Mother,
I'm in a tough spot right now and I don't have much time. Can you lend me 20000 shillings? I am just that amount short in paying some debt. I love you, Father. I'm sorry for leaving the Anderson Clan. I'll come back as soon as I can.
-Patrick Anderson
The first letter arrived on Connor's doorstep. His maid picked it up. She Is dressed in a long brown ruffled dress that goes down to her calves. She wears a torn white lace collar around her neck. Her slightly torn white stockings reveal her part of her right big toe, both ankles, and her left knee. She delivers the letter to messy looking Connor who sits upon a lavish Armchair. "Ah, thank you, …maid", says Connor. "It's Teresa, sir", she responds. "Right", said Connor. He takes the letter from her hand. "Thank ye, Teresa" "Yer welcome, …master Connor." She walks out of the room. Connor opens the letter. "Oh, it's from Patrick…again", complained Connor, with a less than amused facial expression. He read the letter. "Ye abandon the family and now ye ask fer help again? I don't think so", fumed Connor. Connor's response came to Patrick's door. He picked up the letter and read it.
Dear Patrick,
I don't know where you get off getting into trouble every few months. And I'm sick off it. Fend for yourself. You were always the capable son that I hoped would be my successor. But you have truly fallen into the pits of hell to have the audacity to try to take advantage of me every time you need help paying a bill or a debt. Take care of yourself, son. I hope you find yourself someday, so you can get back up on your feet and be independent once again. As it stands, I've already lost 30% of my income from helping you out of every mess you have been in. Desma insists I give you a chance, however I see where that has gone. What would your mother say about this kind of behavior, you're 20 years old and still leaching off your parents. Again, I love you, but you need to find your own path to survive. I won't be around forever.
Love,
-Connor Anderson
"Damn", shouted Patrick before crumbling up the letter and throwing it off to the side. Right after writing the letter to Connor, he wrote the next letter to Brendan.
Dear Brendan,
I know that you have a wife and kids now, but I need to ask a favor you. If I don't pay the full amount of my debt, I'm going to be ruined. I need 20000 shillings more to have the full amount. You and Phineas always helped me out of bad situations when we were kids, and now I need you more than ever. Send to money to this address. Wait for me there tomorrow night and we can exchange the money. I love you very much, and I hope your wife and kids are doing well in school. It's hard to believe that they are already in 6th and 7th grade.
-Patrick Anderson
Right after that, Patrick wrote the last letter to Phineas. But by the time he sent it, the debt collectors returned to his house.
Two days later
"Take us to the place", yelle Sean as he held a knife to Patrick's throat. "Okay, I-I will", stuttered Patrick. They arrived at the bar that Patrick mentioned. It was late at night, so nobody was outside. The streets empty. Crickets chirp from presumably all directions. "You go in first!", said Barry. Patrick entered from the back entrance of the bar. "Don't just stand there!!", shouted Barry. "But nobody is here. Brendan didn't show up!!", exclaimed Patrick in a higher voice as Barry put a knife to Patrick's throat. "You lied to us!!", yelled Sean. "Well there's still Phineas. Heh heh." "No, not him", pleaded Patrick. "About this relationship we have", said Sean. "I don't need you like you seem to think I do." "But I – Sean shushed Patrick with his finger. "You need not say anything more, Patrick", interrupted Sean. Sean raised a knife to Patrick's throat and Barry and Shane held Patrick back. "It's been real fun, but I must say goodbye", whispered Sean in Patrick's face. "Plea – Sean slit Patrick's throat like butter. The sweat on his body made a good lubricant for the blade to pass through his skin. His body fell to the ground. "Carry him inside", ordered Sean. "Shall I preserve the body with…the fluid?", asked Shane. "Yes, of course, Shanelarge." The other men begin to laugh hysterically. "Hey!", yelled Shane.
That night, Brendan's letter showed up. It read:
Dear Patrick,
Sorry, brother. You've asked at a bad time. I do not have the money to pay that amount at the moment. Maybe Phineas can help.
-Brendan Anderson
"Besides, we've already taken funds from your father and older brother", said Sean. "He's dead, boss", said Shane. "I know, Shane." Sean and his crew have already robbed Connor and Brendan Anderson. They were forced to write those letters to Patrick. The Andersons are a rival clan of Nilesburry, and Nilesburry had been looking for the golden opportunity to assassinate the Andersons when they'd least expect it. Or more specifically, with the bait of a loved one's letter. This takes us to morning of the next day.
The next morning
"The people Patrick got in debt with were a stronger rival family. Patrick had left the family long ago and joined them. But they knew of his connection to the Anderson Clan, so they used it as an opportunity to kill my entire family and take their money", narrates Phineas. "But at the time, I was as blind as my family was to this attack."
"What do you want?", asked Phineas angrily. "Yer brother got in a bit of trouble with us", responded Sean mockingly. "We're just here to collect the damages." Phineas walked closer to Sean. "What did you do to him?!", shouted Phineas with increasing aggression. "Nothing…yet. But to you…", chuckled Sean before he licks his lips. "Mr. educated rich man, we're here for you and yer money. And we're not asking, we're taking it!" Two men snuck up behind Phineas and held him back by his shoulders and arms. Barry and Cormac. Sean approached Phineas and kicked Phineas in the face. His jaw now snapped and blood running down his lips. Sean then punched Phineas in the nose and jabbed his eyes with his two fingers. Sean then pulls out his bloodied knife from his right boot. "This is the happiest day of my life!!", yelled Sean joyfully. He raised the knife to Phineas' throat and moved it to the left. Blood covers Phineas' face and blurs is vision a lot. "…I get to destroy an empire." The knife slices through Phineas' jugular veins and wind pipe. He wheezes from the lack of air circulating in his body.
"Like humans for millennia, I always wondered if there was life after death…if death was truly the end. Who doesn't? Right?", narrates Phineas. Phineas opens his eyes and gazes upon a female angel and female demon; both are smiling at him joyfully. "Welcome to the world, Oshose", said the angel woman delightfully and softly said before kissing his forehead. "And sure enough, it isn't."