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FAVORITE (A short story)
The sound of police sirens blazing in the air aroused the curiosity of the residents of Pebbles Lane, in the serene, upscale, gated Greenview Estate. A number of them rushed out of their houses to find out what was happening in their neighborhood. They noticed four police vehicles zooming down the lane and decided to follow after.
The cars came to a halt at house No. 5, a mansion that was a sight to behold...one of the most amazing architectural structures in this community. Modern but with some Victorian touches to it.
The edifice was home to The Alberts, a celebrity family; socialites in all ramifications.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert run a successful business conglomerate. They have three children...sons David and Tony...and a daughter named Pearl, the baby of the family. All three attended the most prestigious University in the country. They lived the typical lifestyle of the rich and famous; drove flashy cars, went on expensive family vacations, wore pricey designer clothes and were usually the most talked about people in the gossip blogs and society magazines. The Alberts had a lot of friends, even more admirers and very few known enemies.
Pebbles Lawn residents were perplexed, wondering what on earth could have brought these men in uniform to the almighty Albert fortress. Some were speaking amongst themselves in hushed tones.
An ambulance drove up to the front yard and a short while thereafter, a body was wheeled out of the building and into the ambulance. It was hard for anyone to tell if the person on the stretcher was alive or not. Mr and Mrs. Albert drove behind the ambulance as it sped down Pebbles Lane.
About 10 minutes later, the police asked those who stood watching the drama unfold to leave the area.
The next day, details of what had occurred at No. 5 Pebbles Lane began to filter in. It was like a scene from a horror flick. For those who were close friends of the Alberts, it was like a really awful nightmare.
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It was a holiday weekend and the Albert kids had decided to spend it at home with their parents. On that fateful day, they were to host a small dinner-party with a few close friends and neighbors.
An argument had ensued between David and Tony in the late hours of the morning. David accused his brother of repeatedly demanding excessive amounts of money from their mother for no valid reason. He swore to make this known to the entire family. He was tired of his brother's thieving and lying ways. Tony lost his cool at that instant and began yelling how he hated the fact that he was the least loved son in his mother's eyes, inspite of his being the most intelligent and grounded. Everything he did was just never enough to please her. He craved the same attention she lavished on his siblings but never received it. He couldn't take it anymore.
Pearl walked into the room where her brothers were arguing and begged them to quit. To her, this wasn't like one of the fights the guys usually had.
Suddenly,Tony metamorphosed into some kind of lunatic...throwing whatever he could on the ground, yelling hateful words at his brother. He stormed out of the room, and returned about two minutes later toting a handgun. His two siblings gasped in fear. Pointing the pistol directly at his brother, Tony barked "I hate you, you are not my brother, I hate you David!"
David was suddenly overcome with emotion; tears welled up in his eyes. "I love you Tony, please put the gun down, please."
Pearl tried to persuade her brother to drop the gun but to no avail. She burst into tears, helpless and ridden with fright. Her parents who overheard the commotion from another room, rushed in and were horrified at the scene playing-out before them. Tina Albert begged Tony to put the gun down, not to shoot his brother but he was like an angry Lion.
He aimed the weapon at the direction of his parents. "This is all your fault mother, your fault! He was always your favorite. You've always loved him more than me." His mother began to sob, still pleading he put down the gun.
"I'm sorry I have to do this mom, I love you!" Tony said through sobs again aiming at David.
Bang!
One shot to the head...and He fell to the floor. His mother fainted, his father stood still, frozen to the ground.
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David and Pearl had barely talked to anyone in the days following Tony's suicide. They remained in shock, laced with disbelief. Tina Albert had cried every night, especially as her husband blamed her for the longstanding rivalry between their sons, and the suicide.
"I kept warning you how dangerous it was to favor one child over another. I warned but you never listened.You pampered David and neglected Tony. This is all your fault. I don't know how you'll be able live with yourself Tina, I really don't know," her husband had said one night. Their relationship has been severely strained since the horrific incident.
Tony's burial was ten days after his demise. The atmosphere in the hall was a cloud of sadness. The Alberts sat hand-in-hand throughout the entire service, a family seemingly united in grief...at least for today. Sympathizers couldn't hold back tears.
The preacher's message was about "unconditional love," emphasizing on God's unconditional love for mankind, and how we ought to love each other unconditionally with the same love He bestows on us.
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Koko Wanjiru Ekpo Davids
Copyright 2016
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