CHAPTER ONE

The gloomy weather seemed to resonate the mood of everyone at the cemetery;the thundering rain,the soggy soil,the black suits,the black dresses,the stifled cries and most importantly the empty eyes of everyone standing around the coffin was enough to explain what occasion it was.

Chairman and Mrs Prescott,parents of the deceased stood stiffly,arms wrapped around each other as they took comfort from each other as time stood still. Business partners and Clients stood,the shock still on their faces at the suddenness of it all. Extended family members questioning among themselves over how it had all happened under their noses. Most importantly Dylan Prescott stood,stormy eyes just like his brother's piercing through the coffin like lasers,emotionless like the dead. He did not even notice that his custom made designer suit was soaking wet from the rain,not because he did not bring an umbrella, infact the umbrella hung limply at his side but because his brain was running three hundred thousand kilometers per second.

Dylan knew the questions he was asking himself would have gotten a better answer if only he could ask his beloved brother. If anyone had told him just a week ago that he would be at the burial service of his elder brother,he would have laughed at the person and then thrown whoever had the audacity off a cliff but it seems as if life itself was mocking him.

Looking at the faces of his parents,he saw nothing but grieve and pain and confusion. They were grieving for their son who spent four years in hiding only to come to his home state to die. They were grieving the times spent apart,the words left unsaid since Richard had died before anyone could reach him at the hospital.

The devastation of loss was upon everyone and personally he knew it would take a very very long time before anyone could forget this day.

The ordained Priest concluded the service with the usual 'In the name of the father,the son and the holy spirit',and it seemed everyone was waiting for just that moment as loud wails of pain rocketed from his mother, sobs from his father, sniffles from cousins,uncles, aunties and business partners. It seemed Richard Prescott was loved by all. He left his impact in everyone despite his disappearing act.

Dylan heard shuffling as people left the cemetery,car engines revved once, twice and then zoomed off into the dark but Dylan could not bring himself to move from his position and from the wails and sniffles at his side,his parents couldn't either.

After what felt like forever which was only five minutes Mrs Bessy Prescott held unto her only son like he was going to jump into the grave to join his brother.

"Dylan,please get out of the rain,I can not afford losing you too,come on",she said dragging him towards the limousine in the carpark,the patriarch in the family followed behind,both hands resting on the shoulders of the remaining members of his family.