Chapter 2

Chico shook his head, with a confused look. "But Benjamin, you already have something that they have not. You have the lights. You have the magic, and the power. You have the faith, and the hope. You have the destiny, and the purpose. Is not that enough for you?"

"I don't know." Benjamin looked aside, feeling blue to his stomach. "Maybe that's just you, but I don't feel like getting myself involved in this matter. Maybe time to time, but now they are forcing me to read two thousand and one pages a day! My eyes and brain cannot withstand that much!"

Chico frowned, with a stern look. "Benjamin, you don't know what you're saying. The lights are our gift, and our duty. We must learn to use them, and to serve them. They are our only chance to change our fate, and to make a difference in this world. You should be grateful, and not complain."

Benjamin rolled his eyes, with a bored look. "Chico, you sound like father. Always preaching and lecturing. You are a slave to the lights, and you do not see it yet."

Chico stood on mute, unable to utter a sound, his mind processing the words that were just said.

They then heard a loud and angry voice coming from the altar. It was their father, Gerson, the priest, who had just finished his prayers and rituals. He was a tall and thin man, black hair and beard, and he wore a black robe with red embroidery. He was very strict and harsh, always yelling and scolding. He was also very drunk, as he often drank wine to cope with his stress and sorrow.

"Chico! Benjamin! Where are you, you lazy and worthless brats?" he shouted, as he stumbled towards them. "Come here, right now, and help me with the lights. We have a lot of work to do, and no time to waste. The lights are our life, and our salvation. We must serve them and obey them. They are our only hope."

He reached the bench where the boys were sitting, and slapped Chico straight to his face, making him wince. "Chico, you are the elder son, and the heir. You should be more responsible, and more respectful. You should be more like me, and less like your mother. She was a weak and foolish woman, who did not understand the lights. She left us and betrayed us. She died and deserved it."

He grabbed Benjamin by the arm, and dragged him to the altar, making him whimper. "Benjamin, you are the younger son, and the spare. You should be more obedient, and humbler. You should be more like your brother, and less like yourself. You are a shy and curious boy, who does not appreciate the lights. You question them and doubt them. You rebel, and sin."

He pushed the boys to the altar, where there were candles, books, and symbols. He made them kneel and bow their heads. He took a book and opened it. It was a book of the lights, with two thousand and one pages. He pointed at a page, "Read this page and memorize it. It is a page of the lights, with wisdom and power. It will teach you and guide you. It will bless you and protect you."

The boys looked at the page and saw that it was full of strange and complex words, that they could not understand. They felt their eyes and brains hurt, as they tried to read and memorize it. 

"See what I mean?" Benjamin whispered to Chico, as they struggled with the page. "This is our life, and our prison. We have no fun, and no freedom. We are slaves to the lights, and you do not see that."

Chico nodded, with a sad look. He felt sorry for his brother, and for himself. He wondered if there was more to life, than the lights.

As they were reading and memorizing, their father was doing his own thing. He was drinking more wine and singing songs. He was dancing and laughing and doing weird stuff. He was pretending to be a prince, and a king. He was wearing a crown and a cape and holding a scepter. He was acting like a fool, and a madman.

He did not notice, or care, what the boys were doing. He was too busy, and too drunk, to pay attention. He was lost, and deluded, in his own world.

Benjamin saw this and had an idea. He nudged Chico and spoke. "Hey, Chico, look at father. He is distracted, and drunk. He is doing weird stuff, and not watching us. This is our chance, and opportunity. We can escape and be free. We can go to the palace and join the festival. We can be like the princes for once and have fun. What do you say, Chico? Will you come with me, and leave this place?"

Chico looked at his father, and then at his brother. He felt a surge of courage, and curiosity. He felt a spark of hope, and joy. He decided to take a risk and follow him.

He nodded, with a smile. "Okay, but let's be quick, as dad is too drunk right now, he will probably faint and not pay too much attention on us."

Benjamin smiled back. "Alright, let's go then. But let's be careful, as the guards are too alert and the roads are too crowded right now. They will probably slow us down and block us if we are not agile."

Chico grinned "Okay, let's make a run for it!"