Death.
A funny concept.
One every living being laments and never wishes to experience. Yet, death is an inevitable fate for all. We live extremely short lives on this ancient rock that has existed for billions of years, clinging to our fleeting moments with everything we have, even knowing they will end.
We think things like
"I'll make an impact before I die."
"I will become someone important before I die."
"Before I die, I'll become a millionaire."
"I'll die only after achieving my goals."
Death gives our existence meaning. Knowing we are destined to die, we push ourselves to prove our limited time here matters.
Isn't that funny?
Why am I talking about this?
Currently, I am standing in front of a grave.
Kendall S. Rotella
2005-2024
Loving Younger Brother
Why?
Why?
Why?
He had those same dreams… 'One day, I'll be rich and famous!'
So why is he in the ground before he could reach those goals?
Why couldn't he reach them?
I know the answer.
Death by lightning.
An inconceivable way to pass.
A one in a million chance.
And yet…
It happened. He was the one in a million.
Me and my brother always had a kind of of twisted relationship.
Back when we were younger we were a typical younger and older brother. Always fighting and making fun of each other but at the end of the day we still cared deeply about each other.
It was like that for a while until, our mother passed.
She was a single mom raising two boys. She did it well, as well as she could until she eventually couldn't.
That was the start of it.
The start of his change.
He started to become cold and distant.
At first I thought that was just how he decided to deal with the loss so I didn't think much of it. However, it got way out of hand and by the time I realized he was already gone.
I didn't really blame him for it as I wasn't acting like how an older brother should. And because of that, because I didn't see the signs and him changing, he ended up leaving.
A note was all he left behind as I never went on to see him again.
From the note I could more or less tell what he was doing.
He went on to chase his goals and dreams meanwhile I was still stuck on the past.
Being 5 years older, I knew mom for a lot longer than he did so her death affected me a lot more than it did him.
Or at least I thought so.
I never thought I'd see him again.
Until recently, he contacted me.
After years of not speaking, he called me.
It was so out of the blue and sudden that I let it just ring for a while before finally answering.
And...
It went surprisingly well.
He started the call off apologizing, for everything, for leaving and not being there. I did same I felt like a failure and I couldn't even tell him how I felt.
We started to talk about what has happened in our lives since we haven't seen each other. It felt like old times, like I was talking to the old him again.
Suddenly, he started talking about this game, and his tone was rather serious. Although it was a little random, I was desperate for any kind of conversation with him, so I let him speak.
Instead of going on about the story, gameplay, graphics, or anything like that he only talked about the main characters.
It was kind of odd but I figured he'd get to the other parts eventually.
Though he dint get that far even when explaining the characters.
When he said the name of the game.
Chronicles of Elaria.
That's when it happened.
Right after he said the name of the game, I heard a loud crackle and the call ended abruptly. Worried, I called him multiple times but to no avail.
I eventually left it, thinking his phone died.
However, 12 hours later, I received a call from the hospital, and well...
Here we are now.
Staring at his grave.
I was in terrible shape. Heavy bags under my eyes, reeking of booze, ruffled up hair, dirty clothes. Safe to say I looked like a hobo.
But I didn't care.
I couldn't care. Knowing what I'm staring at.
In a solemn tone, I muttered,
"I'm sorry."
I knew it wasn't necessarily my fault. After all, who would have predicted that?
But...
"Maybe if I didn't answer, he wouldn't have gotten hit."
"Maybe he would have been inside instead of talking on the phone with me."
"Maybe he would be alive."
"What if..."
I knew these thoughts were useless, but I couldn't help it. There's always that "maybe" or "what if" I can't get out of my head.
"Haaa…"
Drip... drip...
'It's starting to rain... that's my cue.'
Feeling drops of rain fall on my tattered clothes, I finally started walking away from the grave.
"See you tomorrow."
With my back turned to him, I walked towards my car, with only one thing on my mind.
Chronicles of Elaria.
Strange how a game was the last thing my brother talked about.
Taking out my phone, I decided to do a little research on the game. After all, it was the last thing he talked about.
"Let's see... Chronicles of Elaria... oh, they have a mobile version as well?"
Might as well, right?
Tap!
Downloading... 14%
...29%...
...47%...
...72%...
...98%...
Complete!
"Hmm? That was fas-"
As I was about to finish, I felt all the hairs on my body rise as time seemed to slow down. Sensing looming death, I looked up.
Crackle! Crackle!
Ha.
Are you shitting me?
Lightning.
It was lightning. Coming down straight at me. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight. The exact same way my brother died, that's how I was going to-
'Wait a second.'
How am I able to think right now?
Shouldn't it have hit me already?
Looking up, I can still see the lightning, however, it was frozen. Actually, everything around me was frozen. It was as if time had stopped. That's when—
Ding!
[Welcome to Elaria!]
What the hell?
What's going on?
Is this real?
A million questions started running through my mind, and as if to prove that everything was real, a man started leisurely walking toward me.
Everything around me still stood motionless—the rain, the lightning—all except for him.
Can you even call that a human?
How can he do that?
He was slowly walking towards me, but as he got closer, I started to recognize him more and more.
'Is that... me?'
This man, this... thing looked exactly like me.
How is this possible?
Finally, he stopped and stood right in front of me.
Nervously, I shouted,
"W-who are you!?"
"..."
He didn't say anything.
He just... looked at me.
It felt like he was staring into my soul, my entire being. I felt naked in front of those eyes. Until finally, he slowly parted his lips and mouthed,
Your brother... is alive...
"What!? Don't fuck with me!!"
I shouted so loud I thought my vocal cords burst.
"He's dead! I saw his body!!"
I mean, it's true. I saw his casket. That truly was him. His lifeless body...
I.
Saw.
It.
I started to overflow with rage as I stared at this... thing.
His mouth moved again.
His soul... is here.
"What kind of bulls—"
Before I could finish, he pointed towards the notification in front of me.
"...Elaria..."
Hearing his voice... it was anything but pleasant. It sounded like nails skidding along a chalkboard, like he was crunching his teeth as he spoke.
"B-bullshit! T-that's not a real p-place!"
Stuttering, I yelled.
Fear had taken over my body.
This man. This thing. Was not a being of this world.
"SILENCE!"
Shiver.
My mind went blank as I choked on my words.
"Aa-ah..."
What a terrifyingly disgusting scream.
It felt as though he had shaken the very world with that one scream.
I'm powerless against him.
"Haa..."
I'm going die.
"Haa..."
This is my end.
"Haa..."
The lightning wasn't going to kill me, I could feel it, he is.
I can't think straight.
What was I doing?
"Haa... haa... haa."
My breathing was erratic and uncontrollable.
"Haha... hahaha."
"I'm going to die... hahaha... I'm going to die!"
Laughter.
"HAHAHA."
Am I laughing?
Is that really what I'm doing?
"...Stop..."
His hoarse voice echoed out and immediately, I stopped.
My mind was instantly quelled of all the fear I had just moments ago.
What is this... this feeling... it feels so... warm.
'What is happening? Is he controlling me? How? With just his words?'
"Not.... Important."
'What? Can he read my mind!?'
"He needs.... your help..."
'Who? Kendall? How does that make sense when he's dead?'
"...Go... you need... to go now..."
"Go where? What do you mean he needs my help? Who?"
"...Elaria..."
This wasn't a choice.
"...you will go..."
This...
"now."
This was a command.
Crack! Crackle!
It seems that was all he was allowed to say as he vanished from sight.
He just disappeared, as if he wasn't there at all.
"Huuu"
He's gone.
Even as he controlled my emotions..? My body couldn't stop itself from shaking.
'I need to stop drinking'
'Hallucinating. I have to be hallucinating. '
Thinking so was the only way to calm myself down.
And as if nothing had just happened, the world was slowly starting back up again. I could see the rain droplets start to move again.
"Ah shit, wait ca—"
BOOM!