Arthur Reynolds was a young man with an insatiable love for books, devouring everything from fantasy epics to science fiction adventures. For him, reading wasn't just a hobby, it was a sanctuary, a place where he could lose himself in the creativity of others.
He would do this to get away from his mundane life, where his parents spoiled his siblings and only supported him with the basics that someone would need to survive. Arthur had put himself through college with a decent job.
'Hopefully, the next arc of that web novel drops when the author gets back from holiday,' he mused, leaning back in his chair. 'It'd be great to see if the main character gets the last three girls.'
That brought a small smile to his face. After that, he went back to reading while tapping his finger on the chair. Hours later, Arthur felt his body ache thanks to working out at the gym a few hours ago when he got off a long shift at work.
'I need to take a day off today. My arms are hurting since Mark convinced me to go gym,' he thought while stretching with a relieved sigh as his back popped.
Following that, he stood up only to hear several cracks from his stiff body, thanks to sitting in the same position for hours and mumbled before walking out of the room to go grab a drink, ''Let's go get a glass of water.''
Just as he started making his way downstairs. Someone suddenly shouted, which made him jump. ''Big brother! Will you give us a lift to our friends?'' a girl's voice echoed out through a big house.
Arthur chuckled when hearing her request, but answered while reaching the bottom, ''I wish I could, Maria, but I have to go pick up Dad from work in half an hour. You know how he is when I'm late.''
''Ugh, he would freak out. Thanks anyway, bro,'' his younger sister replied cheerfully before leaving the house, followed by her twin, Mark.
''Don't worry about it, I'll get one of my friends to pick us up,'' the teenager said with a wave as the front door closed.
Following that, Arthur watched his siblings rush out, pausing outside to wait for their friends, who pulled up ten minutes later. He had always been close to them despite the parents' treatment of the three of them.
'Damn kids, always out and about,' he mused with a smile. 'Hopefully, I don't have to save Maria from another jock. My jaw still hurts after that last fight.'
Despite their closeness, he had always felt like an outsider in the Reynolds Family. They were the favorites of the family, leaving him to his own company. Yet, he couldn't deny the quiet warmth he felt seeing them happy.
'At least they let me live here while paying next to nothing for rent, unlike some parents out there,' he mused while walking to the kitchen.
After grabbing his drink, he retreated to his room, seeking the solace of its quiet walls and his novels. Hours passed, and he picked up his dad on time before getting back to reading until a blood-curdling scream shattered the silence.
Heart pounding, Arthur rushed out, his mind racing with worry. As he reached the living room, the scene froze him in place. His father was on the phone with a pale face, speaking in a panicked voice.
That's when he noticed his mother standing nearby, tears streaming down. She was trembling while sobbing as she clutched her jumper. The air was thick with dread, and his stomach sank as he realized something terrible had happened.
''What happened?'' he asked after taking in everything.
His father turned to him with a concerned expression before speaking and the response made his stomach dropped. ''The twins have been in a terrible accident. We need to get to the hospital now. Let's go.''
Following that, the three of them rushed to the car and made their way to the hospital while ignoring the traffic. When arriving, they rushed inside and were told to wait in a private room by an understanding but firm nurse.
Arthur sat in the hospital as his family sat around crying as more folk members turned up to support his parents. 'What were they thinking, driving that fast?' he thought, frustration bubbling to the surface.
But he pushed it aside while remembering all the times that he spent with the twins and how they got on well despite their parent's favoritism, which annoyed him to no end, but he'd never take it out on them.
'It was never their fault. Maria tried to make it right when she was six,' he thought with a warm smile as the memories flowed back.
Afterward, they were told by a nurse that the doctors were checking over his siblings in the next room. Arthur's heart hammering in his chest as he anxiously waited for the news and ten minutes later, they returned with grim expressions.
''Mark has lost a significant amount of blood. Stabilizing him has been a challenge because of his rare blood type and we haven't got a stock of it on hand,'' a doctor said in an apologetic voice.
After the news sank in, the man continued, but this time it was about his sister. ''Maria's condition is even more critical, a lung and kidney burst from the impact. The hospital hasn't been able to locate suitable donors.''
As his mother heard that, she broke down sobbing as the despair overwhelmed her. His father, though shaken himself, wrapped his arms around the crying woman, holding tightly as she wept.
''I understand this is an incredibly difficult time for your family'' the doctor said softly. ''But I must be honest, their chances of recovery are slim to none under these circumstances. If we can find the right donors, we can proceed with the operations, but time is running out.''
Arthur sat silently, his hands clenched into fists as his thoughts swirled. 'We share the same blood. I'm healthy enough and can save them.'
The weight of the situation pressed on him, but his resolve hardened. 'I'm twenty-three and lived a good life. They are only kids with their whole lives ahead of them.'
Rising from his chair, he approached the doctor, his voice steady yet filled with emotion as he spoke words that stunned everyone in the room. ''Excuse me, Mark can have as much of my blood as possible, and Maria can have the organs she needs. I'm strong enough to handle it. They're not.''
Gasps filled the room as his family stared at him in shock and disbelief. But Arthur's gaze didn't waver, his determination shining through, as he wanted to do everything for the ones he loved.
'I should be fine. I'll just have to adapt to the situation and live with fewer organs,' he mused with a nervous smile. 'Plus, life isn't so exciting for me anymore, beyond books and gym.'
The doctor's expression softened, a mix of concern and admiration etched across his face as he regarded him before speaking. ''There's a chance something could go wrong, young man. But what you're offering, it's an honorable and selfless act for your siblings.''
He nodded and turned to his parents, who stood there rooted to the spot and started talking with a warm smile. ''Tell the twins that I love them. Remember what you used to tell me when I was a little boy, mom?''
Arthur concluded with a chuckle, while admiring the setting sun. ''The darkest night makes for the brightest stars. I've never forgotten that, even after all these years. But I'll be back soon. Got to bail out the twins once again.''
His mother looked guilty as she grabbed his hand and spoke in a quiet voice, ''I'm sorry for the way we treated you. You're a wonderful son and great sibling. Thank you for being there for them.''
He was about to walk away but his father expressed in a pain-filled voice, ''I hope everything works out. I'd like to correct my mistake and get to know you more son. It's been years since we spent time together.''
Arthur looked at the older man and realized his dad had never been horrible to him, but they were never close. He smiled before leaving the waiting room and followed the doctor through the hospital.
Hours later, his eyes flickered open, his surroundings blurred and disorienting. He was lying on a cold, metal table, the world fading to white. A panicked beeping echoed in his ears, a stark contrast to the stillness of his thoughts.
His body felt heavy, as if he were floating in and out of consciousness. Amidst the chaos, one voice broke through with a tinge of respect. ''I knew this would happen, but this young man saved his siblings,'' the doctor whispered.
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