His Grave

After our PE class, we came back to our classroom. There was an emergency assembly with all the school's teachers and principal. The students were in their classroom. Some are in the field, cafeteria, hallway, or in the library.

My friends were playing on the field as I saw them from the room's window. I slept for a while and when I woke up I noticed that they flew on their own and do their own things. I was startled when my phone rang. It was Mr. George.

"Lady Amelia, I found him."

"Who?"

"Alexander Ross's grave, also his uncle."

"What? Okay then, can you pick me up after class, I'll ask permission from uncle William."

"No need sweetheart!" I heard Kei's father's voice from the other side of the line.

"I assumed you are on loudspeaker, Mr. George. If that's the case then, I'll see you after class and thank you for your understanding uncle."

Mr. George end the call and I looked again at the window. Focusing only on Alexander Ross.

I will dig into who you really are and why are you using Alexander's identity? Why are you lying and what do you want? Even though you're nice to me, I won't let a liar and impostor go near to me.

The school bell rang and all the students returned to their own respective classrooms. The class resumed after that but due to some meetings of the teachers and principal. They dismissed the class early.

"Wow, we have a lot of time. Why don't we go to an ice cream parlor?" Roxanne asked.

"Good idea!" Tiffany replied.

"We're in!" Jake added while grabbing Michael in his arms.

"I'm..." right before Kei finished his sentence I butted in. "I'm sorry, we're not joining you for today."

"What?" Roxanne and Tiffany said with a down voice.

"Mr. George will pick us up and will run for some errand, I'm sorry," I explained while looking at Kei to follow my lead.

"Yeah. We'll join you next time," Kei added.

The six of us walked together to the main gate. And even though it's still far I can see Mr. George waiting for us outside from the car. When he noticed me he waved his hands. I grabbed Kei's hand and bid farewell to our friends.

"Mr. George's here, we need to go. See you tomorrow!" Kei also bid farewell to them while I am still grabbing him while walking straightly toward the car.

"Amelia, mind to explain this is all so sudden," Kei said.

"Don't worry, I'll explain in the car."

Mr. George opened the car's door for us. Kei and I hopped in.

"So, what is this all about, Amelia?"

"Mr. George found out where Alexander's grave is. We are going there and also we will meet his so-called uncle that Mr. George found as well."

"So-called? Wow, this is the first time that you doubt Mr. George's intel."

"Sorry for that Mr. George but now I don't know who to believe especially if it is all about Alexander. Even I, myself, cannot rely on my thoughts. My mind's going crazy," I rant then sighed. I leaned to the seat and quietly looked outside the window while Mr. George did not mention or speak anything and Kei just opened his tablet and do his things.

After an hour and a half, we reached the cemetery. We followed Mr. George until we reached a grave with a wooden cross and there is a man standing in front of it. Mr. George approached the man while I and Kei were just waiting for them to finish their talk. After a couple of minutes, the man left and Mr. George called us to come to the grave. He handed me an earphone connected to a recorder.

"Listen to it," Mr. George said. Kei took the right one and I took the left one. I played the recorder.

"It happened 11 years ago. I was just coming from work when someone knocked on my door. It was a letter. I looked left and right, I even went outside of the gate and looked around but no one was there. The envelope was covered in blood. My hands were trembling and having second thoughts about whether to open the letter or not. But in the end, I opened it. It was two checks and a paper with smudges of blood. The letter says, "You can get his body at this address: Block 15 Lot 3, Floravia Street. He was your nephew, the only son of your sister, Cathy Ross. If you don't believe me, use the money and get a DNA test." It also contains a picture of my sister, a little boy, and a little girl. I can see that the boy looks like my sister but I don't know who the little girl is. When I went to the address, I saw a dead body of the little boy and a necklace. Then I buried him here. I did not use the money for the DNA test. I used it for my wife for her chemotherapy but she did not make it. I almost forgot that I have a nephew here, no, I already forgot if you did not find me first."

The record stopped and Mr. George handed me the picture that the man was saying as well as the necklace.

"Amelia, that's you! An 8-year-old you!" Kei said.

"A.R.? This necklace..." Mr. George and Kei looked at me. "What is it, lady Amelia?" Mr. George asked. "...it is the same necklace that mom left for me. The one with C.C. on it."

"So, technically and logically speaking this is the real Alexander Ross? This one, like this who was buried here?" Kei said. "So, who was that? The Alexander Ross at school?" he added.

"That was the question here, Kei. Who is that impostor? And why does he pretend to be Alexander Ross?"

Kei sighed. "What are you going to do now?" he asked.

"First, Mr. George, I want you to get Alexander out of here. His uncle doesn't seem to care about him so, get his bones and cremate him, then, find a decent columbarium for him." Mr. George agreed and starts to take a note on his tablet. "And second, we need to keep Alexander Ross with us Kei."

"Wait, what? Amelia, wouldn't be dangerous if you do that? If he's a real impostor and planning some ulterior motive, you might be in danger, Amelia. And you still have the courage to keep him close to you?" Kei said.

"Kei, have you ever heard of a saying that, keep your friends close but your enemy closer? If that Alexander Ross is a real enemy more likely we needed to keep him close to us to know what was his ulterior motive. He won't tell as long as I keep an act right and you need to act as well Kei. Don't tell me you cannot because I know you, you are a better actor than me."

"Fine, but remember this Amelia. I won't stay still if anything went wrong."

"Kei, you don't have to act like a knight in shining armor for me. Worry about yourself first. Besides, I am not that 8-year-old girl anymore. I did not fight and stay alive for 11 years just to cry and do nothing. I will not make history repeat itself, and I will not let anyone else hurt because of me again. I'd rather die first than be left alone again. Enough with this serious talk, I still cannot imagine that sometimes I am able to talk to you like this. By the way, where is Mr. George?"

Kei and I looked around but we cannot see Mr. George.

"Oh, shoot!"

"Why? What happened to you Kei?"

"I need to go the restroom, nature calling." Kei hurriedly went to the restroom while I decided to stay at Alexander's grave for a while.

"Hey, Alex! I'm sorry. I almost forgot you. But I want to thank you as well for trying to stop dad and for avenging me because I am crying. It is funny though as an 8-year-old you have the gut to bite dad even though it is dangerous. Still, I wish whenever you are now, you are still happy." After talking to Alexander's grave, Mr. George and Kei were still not there so, I decided to go back to the car alone. While walking someone bumped me.

"Watch your step mister!" I just shouted since he did not even say sorry. I continue walking until I feel a little bit of dizziness. It's warm and I can feel something flowing from my... I suddenly felt pain in my left side.

"B-blood?"

I see... that guy is not weird. He purposely bumped me to stab me.

I've reached the car and I can hear Kei's voice.

"Amelia, Mr. George said he will just... Oh my gosh! What happened to you?" Kei shouted.

"Isn't it obvious? I-I'm bleeding."

"I know! But how? when? where? who?" Kei frantically asked.

"Lady Amelia!" I heard Mr. George call my name.

Mr. George picked me up and help me to sit at the back of the seat while he instructed Kei on what to do to stop the bleeding. Then, he went to the driver's seat and drive in a hurry straight to the nearest hospital. Right after I was transferred to a stretcher, my vision was gradually turning black and the noise around me decreases. Kei was holding my hand so tight and I can feel his warm presence not until we were separated and I was inside the operating room. I lose my consciousness completely.

When I opened my eyes, I can see a nurse, who was putting something on my dextrose. Though it was from a small brown vial and she injected it into it. Out of instinct I stopped and hold her hand but as I am not that recovered and out of energy she easily gained back her hand. I just kick her in her chest and she fell to the ground. My wound is aching and my vision was turning upside down, I wanted to remove her mask, fortunately, Kei entered my room and saw the situation. The nurse pushed me in a hurry and run out of the room. Kei rushed in my direction.

"Amelia, are you insane? What happened? Are you having tantrums again?"

"Screw you, Kei. F-follow that nurse. S-she wanted to p-put something to m-my dextrose," I said with a weak voice.

"But I should not leave you..."

"Just follow her!" Kei was startled and moved hurriedly to follow the nurse.

Why am I getting a bad feeling about this? Who wanted to kill me? Don't tell me... but no, he's dead right? Dad's dead so who was the mastermind for this? No matter who is it, bring it on. There's nothing more left for me, I'll face you head-on.