Chapter 4 Drifting - part two.

The next morning, I was woken up by one of the maids, she told me that my father had asked me to wear black robes today, the moment I heard my father's request I knew that the feelings I had last night were totally right.

In the end I refused to do what my father had asked me to do, I decided to wear a yellow dress (Oliver's favorite color) as a form of silent protest to what was coming, as soon as I arrived in the dining room all my family was having breakfast, the black robes and the sad faces made the atmosphere darker than ever, my father looked in my direction and did not fail to make clear his disapproving look when he saw me wearing my yellow dress but in the end he decided not to say anything about it. I sat down in my usual place next to Maya and for a moment stared at Oliver's now empty seat.

The whole family continued eating their breakfast in total silence, after a few minutes in this totally unpleasant atmosphere my father broke the silence.

"So... I have asked that everyone in the family wear black robes today. The reason for my request is that today your brother will be executed in the afternoon. To show that we abhor the crimes that your brother has committed, we must be present at the execution."

As soon as these disgusting words came out of my father's mouth I felt Maya shiver beside me, she was angry, I had never seen her feel anger for anyone before, but at that moment I could be sure that it was this feeling that emanated from my poor sister. Her mouth made mention that she was going to say something, but at that very moment she received a look from our mother, a look that could mean nothing but a vision, a warning that she should never dare to say anything. The feeling I had now was that we were no longer a family, but hostages, commodities like horses or cattle that could be bought by anyone who appeared with enough money, there was no escape, no other choice but to accept this cruel fate.

It was about time everyone was gathered in the main hall in front of the mansion's entrance door waiting for our father, he came down the stairs as if we were going to a ball to socialize and have fun, his clothes were impeccable and my hair was tidier than usual, all the behavior my father had during that moment caused me an immense feeling of repulsion. He signaled for us to go to the carriage and so we did, it didn't take long before we reached the town's main square, it was packed with church members and people who hated my brother and his friend without even knowing them, it was an angry crowd worthy of a public execution.

A man climbed a wooden structure and began to speak, his speech was that the men who would be present on that platform would be nothing more than sinners and criminals who acted against the law and the church, he did not fail to mention that the men present there would be judged by the creator himself after their execution, after he finished speaking his hideous words my brother and his friend were taken to the top of that platform, the crowd started shouting in rage and throwing rotten fruit at them, a rope was put around their necks and at that moment I couldn't look at this scene, my brother was looking for his family in the middle of the crowd and saw us, he gave us a pleading look for mercy from my father who didn't even move a single finger to intervene. Oliver realized that our father wouldn't do anything, a laugh of total disbelief came from his lips and then he continued to look at the people until he met mine, as soon as he saw the color of the dress, I was wearing he smiled, a smile of joy at my silent protest, a smile of relief knowing that I was by his side until the last second.

Tears rolled down my face and I felt my heart breaking with every moment of that priority, when I made the attempt to turn my gaze away refusing to witness this atrocity, I felt my father's hand squeeze my arm.

"Don't you dare cause me embarrassment! You will stay here and watch to show these people that we are not on your brother's side, to show that we do not condone this crime and this sin."

"I can't father, please don't make me!"

"Don't be weak and look!"

I had no choice, I didn't know what my father was capable of doing to me if I refused to watch, I didn't know him anymore, this horrible man was no longer my father, he was just a heartless and unscrupulous monster, so I just looked, the whole world went completely silent for me at that moment, my poor brother kept looking at me and realized that my father was forcing me to do this, he nodded as if he was riding me of the guilt I felt like he was giving me one last gift, his gift is peace, one less guilt to carry and from then on I felt bad that I couldn't accept his last gift willingly, I could never stop feeling guilty after that afternoon. The bottom of the stage was let go and his body fell, I heard the sound of a broken bone echoing all over the square, but Oliver was still alive, as he agonized, he looked at his friend, maybe the only person he ever loved in his whole life and the only vision he had was of his broken neck and his lifeless body hanging by a totally filthy rope.

I never knew exactly how long Oliver agonized on that rope until he finally rested in peace, but they were the longest minutes of my life. After it was all over my father got down from the platform we were on and went to talk to the man who earlier made that hideous speech, later my mother told me that he was working out the details of my brother's wake, the church said he shouldn't have a Catholic burial due to his crime so my father just accepted a burial with no words of comfort to Oliver's poor soul. On the way home I could only think of how doomed we all were, how blind I was to not realize that we were all adrift in a cruel sea with no chance of survival. Maya and I were in the hands of a horrible man.