Kevin has been looking forward to Quinn’s return—new games, movies, and all the things he’s been waiting to do with his older brother. He’s excited that Quinn is back from a distant foreign country. They’ve always been close, always hanging out when they were kids. Kevin used to sleep in the same bed as Quinn and would beg him to tell stories about mythical creatures from Quinn's books.

  Anna remembers worrying when she was pregnant with Kevin, wondering if Quinn would be close to his younger brother, that the twelve-year age gap might create distance between them. But Quinn loved Kevin from the very first day he was born. She remembers how brightly Quinn smiled when the infant was brought in his cradle. The sunlight on his youthful face melted her heart.

  But she sees the sunlight on her son's face, her heart feels pain and regret.

  "Well, if your brother is feeling better soon, then I say we should. Kevin, we need to go now. We have a family dinner with my sister and their family." 

  Anna comes over to Quinn's bedside. She tidies his hair and kisses his forehead. 

 "Quinn, I'll bring you the books you asked for before tomorrow, okay? I'm sorry I forgot to pick up the deliveries today." 

  "Okay, Mom. You guys have fun." 

  "Bye, bro." Kevin leaves with their mother. 

  His mother cannot hide her wistful eyes from a fake nonchalance act. Quinn tells himself that.

  The door closes behind them. 

  ***

  Kevin does not know what exactly bothers him so much. Maybe because his older brother's been zoning out, his face is calm, like he has accepted his fate. However, the fear and horror behind his amber-colored eyes tell a different story.

  But he knows what makes him uncomfortable here in the family gathering. Pity, a lot of pity. Maybe they are not even really sympathizing with Kevin, Anna, and Kevin's father, George.

  George is not a handsome man, with buzz-cut hair, a dad bod, and a chubby face. He gives off the air of a white-collar man who enjoys the indulgence of good alcohol and dishes from reputable restaurants. He still has his hair, no sign of receding hairline or bald spot, which is a blessing for any male above fifty years of age. Kevin has seen his father's younger pictures in the family photo albums, and it's no wonder Anna once said how lucky her children are to have inherited nothing from their father, except that hair.

  Kevin agrees. Still, he realises how much his father's hair volume has reduced. Grey hairs are more obvious. For a father, it is traumatizing that his child is dying.

  George is talking to Kevin's uncles by marriage, rubbing his hands together as he explains the possibility that Quinn will survive. Why do men need alcohol to talk about sad things? Kevin wonders. The stench of evaporated alcohol disgusts him. His father had come home with the stench, but stronger. George could stop the senseless, ugly arguments and fights between him and Anna.

  Perhaps his father needs alcohol to block the grief today; his eyes are red from rubbing them, and his facial hair has grown out unorganized.

  His mother is crying over his aunt Bella's shoulder. Everyone in the room tries to sympathize with Anna and her family's grief. Kevin does not like this. Are they expecting his brother to die already? Kevin cannot even bear the thought of it.

  ***

  Kevin wakes up from the noise that comes from downstairs. Anna is on the phone, her muffled voice is hard to understand from this far from his room. It's Quinn in critical condition? He gets up from his bed in panic, dresses up carelessly, and then runs down the stairs. 

  "It's Quinn, okay, Mom?" 

  "Oh, dear, they said he just got worse, and they are trying to resuscitate him now."

  "Kevin, go back to bed. We need to go to the hospital now," George says, opening the door. He turns around again. " Go to sleep, Kevin." 

  "I'm coming with you. Please, Dad."

  "Okay, we need to hurry." 

  ***

  The resuscitation is successful, and Quinn's condition is stable for now. Anna and George are talking with doctors about the probability of impending worse scenarios. 

  The corridor in the hospital is chilly and quiet. He walks to his brother's room and sits next to him. Quinn is unconscious and on life support. Machines are breathing for him, tubes fill his mouth and nose. The room is dark, and only moonlight hovers on his face. 

  "Mom's going to be heartbroken, Bro, and Dad's drinking again. He only listens to you when we tell him to quit drinking. " Kevin buries his face into his folded arms on the edge of the bed. "Please wake up soon, please, please..."

  Not sure how much time has passed, Kevin starts to feel the darkness pulling him into unconsciousness. He is tired; the night is late. His parents may still be talking to the doctor. It had been a rough night, they were so close to losing Quinn to the brink of death.

  Kevin leans back, dozes off, feeling the support of the chair's backrest against his head.

  Kevin feels the summer night breeze blow on his cheeks, arms, and hair. A chanting of a mysteriously composed foreign language comes to his senses. It sounds like the readings from his Latin classes, staccato but with more rolling sounds of the tongue.

  Kevin opens his eyes, wondering if he is dreaming. He has never seen a lady with such stunning features, perfectly sculpted in profile. Her forehead arches gently, and above her doe-shaped eyes sit full, rounded eyebrows. Her long lashes flutter like feathers, sparkling with what seems like fairy dust. Her nose is straight and perky, with an elegant curve that adds to her grace. High cheekbones glow softly, accentuating the sharpness of her jawline, which resembles a warrior's sword. Yet, her chin is perfectly round, soft, and serene, like a crescent moon. Her lips are full and tender, with a pronounced top lip that crowns her striking beauty.

Long white-gold hair spreads around her like lightning bolts, winding and suspending in midair by the effects of drifting magic.

  She is so fair, or in a sense, she is out of this world.  

    Kevin realises the problem he is seeing, the lady in front of him wears armor and attire like the costume from The Lord of the Rings. Elevating above Quinn, she is pulling the soul from Quinn's body. It is the soul, the identical copy of Quinn's form, ghostly and translucent. Her left hand extends outward, drawing in the soul and distorting it, causing it to shrink as she pulls it toward her.  

  He wants to scream, but he can't move his body; even his vocal cords are frozen, except his eyeballs shifting left and right, the lady, and his brother.

  A rift appears behind her, bright light fills the room. The lady levitates towards the rift and disappears with Quinn's soul following behind. 

  "No, no! Give my brother back!" Kevin regains control of his body just as Quinn’s right foot slips into the rift. He rushes forward, grabs hold of it with both hands and every ounce of strength he has. But the pull is too strong, and without a moment to think, Kevin is yanked into the rift, vanishing in an instant. 

  Kevin shuts his eyes tight, the winds are roaring in his ears. He feels like flying in a thunderstorm, but he can't let go of his brother's leg. 

  Finally, everything goes back to quiet. He opens his eyes and just sees the fairy lady staring at him, dumbfounded. 

  "By the name of a million galaxies, the Trinity of Gods, and the Mother of Destiny’s Star Grinder—A mortal! A mortal boy! Noooooooooooooooooo——!"