They strolled through it, their eyes hooked to the broken steel gates before staring at the mansion right ahead, made of stone bricks set far apart from the rock walls. It had black blotches all over it, multiple broken windows, and an open entryway with massive wooden doors fallen at the side. They figured the black patches was caused by fire, but most parts were covered by the greens spreading from the forest. The sight seemed like an untold story in history, too large for just three eyes to behold. Staring through the white cloud of webs covering the opening, they thought about what lay beyond and ripped through it with weak knees and anxious breaths until they finally broke through. The rubber sews of their shoes sweaked from rubbing against the marble floors as they walked towards the centre, looking at the cracked walls, shattered glass and charred furniture. After getting to the the center of the room, it seemed as though it was one of those houses they had heard on the radio of people dancing around in circles, for a ball or a party of some sort. Miles and his friends had only ever caught a glimpse of such places on the TVs by the sellers shop. He could almost hear, soft sultry music but it only made his skin crawl as they looked up at the various room decked on each floor.

  "I think we should leave, there's nothing here." Miles mumbled as his vision slightly blurred.

  "Come on man,this must have been some palace, we are lucky we found it before anyone else, let's go upstairs and look around, we could find something nice" said Joe as he gave him a quick pay on the back.

  "And value" Francis chipped in.

  “Alright, let's get on with it” Miles replied with a sigh.

  They climbed up the rusted stairway and held on to the railing, like the steps would shatter if they lingered on for more than a second. Bursting through every door they saw, they found nothing but burnt garments and broken frames, most less visible than the other. They finally got to the last room on the highest floor and found the same things littered in every other room of the Mansion.

  "I can only make out some parts of their faces, they must have been fine." Joe grinned.

  "Oui, très belle (Yes, really beautiful) I wish I could see their faces" Francis burst out laughing.

  "OK, guys I think we have done enough now"

  "Lighten up, nothing bad happened" Joe murmured and walked out of the room, leaving them behind. Miles moved to leave but yelled in pain as his leg broke through a shallow opening in the floor.

  "Joe, Francis, come help me" He yelled and watched them rush to each of his sides

  "Calm down Miles, you just landed on some rotted timber" Francis grumbled as they helped him carefully take out his leg.

  "Look, it's just a scratch. Holup, I think I see something." Joe exclaimed when the broken more of the wood to see what lay beneath.

  "I thought I was going to fall through" Miles grumbled as they peered at a dust ridden wooden box covered with designs of naked gems and pearls.

  Joe stretched his arm out to grab it, but he paused and withdrew his arm when the ground shook beneath their feet. The antique windows began to move and drop down whatever pieces of glass they dangled like a shaky tooth. Their eyes widened eyes as they yelled and fled out, falling to their sides and getting back up until they got out of the Mansion. Looking back towards the building, they palmed their hands over their chests, trying to slow their heartbeats as they tried to make sense of what they saw beneath the sun's honey rays.

  "An earthquake in Mississippi? I haven't seen it happen before" joe confessed with furrowed brows

  "But it seems like nothing happened out here, cuz this rusty post didn't even move an inch" said Francis

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  "I'm not sure, Joe; I told you we shouldn't have come here in the first place. Let's leave, it's almost 3 o'clock, we need to get back before our parents get home." Miles mumbled, staring at his wristwatch.

  "If they get home before us, we're going to get a beat down of a lifetime." Joe murmured quickly.

  They dashed home, oblivious to the lone soul watching them from the window of the room they had fled from.Fortunately, they arrived home just in time, Miles smiled as he watched his friends race into their homes as he stood at the gate of his fence. But it quickly fell into a scowl as he realized he was being greeted by the solemn stillness of his own house, once again. Though It was cut short, few minutes later when his mother entered with a bag full of groceries.

  "Good evening, mother." He welcomed her and followed her into the kitchen. Miles walked to switch on the gas while she unwrapped frozen chicken pieces, His mother came to a halt and turned to face him as he raised his head to meet her gaze. The facial features on her oval face always stood out whenever her dark brown hair was pulled back into a bun. The sun rays that filtered through the kitchen window gazed his mothers dark skin as her honey brown eyes examined his face while her left hand rested on the waist line of her dark grey dress, he could tell she felt he was waisting by just standing there.

  "Have you done your homework?"

  "No, ma'am, but."

  "No buts, Miles." Go to your room and get on with it." She grumbled bitterly.

  "Yes, ma’am." Miles murmured as he shuffled his way to his room with his head drooping below his shoulders.

  Placing his hand on his chin, he peered at the plainly stated equation in his math book. It was a simple problem but it brought up memories he didn't want to recall.

  "I wish you could be here." He mumbled again as he glanced at his brother's vacant bed.

  "Another assignment, Miles? Can't you do it by yourself? I need to concentrate on my scholarship exam." His brother replied and let out a sigh.

  Anthony physically looked like the older version of Miles as the only notable difference was his bright honey eyes and kinky afro, something Miles never seized to make fun of.

  “Please? I'm just not sure how these equations work. "Could we go outside?" Miles said with a cheeky grin on his lips. He did this all the time to spend time with his brother because he'd mostly do nothing other than remain indoors and bury his face in his books. Miles went to his bed when he got no response again, he chuckled when his brother grumbled and jumped on him without warning, wriggling his fingers over his abdomen and tickling him till he was a laughing wreck, but the tables quickly turned as Anthony over powered him.

  "Please stop. "Mom, Anthony is trying to kill me," he yelled.

  "You two better keep it down or else," their mother yelled while they chuckled silently as they settled down.

  Miles sighed as his sibling faded back into his memories, leaving him alone in his reality once more. While memories of his brother flashed in his head, he placed his brother's black and white photograph on the table between their beds. Someone screamed, "Miles!" and broke his thoughts.

  "Yes mom." He yelled and dashed down the stairs to the kitchen.

  "What were you doing with your schoolwork that you couldn't hear me calling your name?" She shouted half-heartedly with one hand resting on her waist.

  "I'm sorry, mum; I was reading."

  "Go and arrange the table, your father is back." She mumbled as she proceeded to wash the dishes and watched him get the dishes off the shelf to do as she said.

  Miles sat by his mother once the meal was set, waiting for his father to come down the stairs and sit on a chair by the round table. He welcomed his father as soon as he entered the room and received a grumbled response as he pecked his mother's cheeks before seating down. His father ran his fingers through his short afro hair and stretched his back quietly, he looked like a faint besides his mother with yellowish blub that evading light just over their heads.Miles glanced at his plate of chicken pepper soup and boiled rice as he waited for his mother's prayers before digging in slowly as they did same. The only sounds heard were deep breaths, steady sips, and pleasant gulps as his parents appeared exhausted, with their eyes filled with anguish and weariness. Miles couldn't help but notice the empty seat next to him, he remembered how happy they were when Anthony was there because he always knew how to lighten the room with his bad jokes and big dreams. But all he had were long lists of disappointments an a mental illness that scared his parents to death.

  "How was your day at work, mother?" Miles asked.

  “Fine.” She murmured fairly silently.

  He sighed and decided to eat his food as fast as he could, unable to bear the silence anymore. Once miles was done he went to the sink and rinsed his dishes before saying good night to his parents. Yet they didn’t seem to notice how much he had been limping since they returned because they were lost in their own thoughts. Miles dashed up to his room and slammed the door before climbing into bed, gripping his legs as tears flowed down his cheeks. From his front yard, the lone soul from the abandoned house watched him cry, a spark of intentions flashed across her eyes just before she vanished again.

  Miles struggled to stay awake as his swollen lids tried to drape over his eyes, he gradually faded into darkness, his tiredness taking over. His mother entered into his room a few minutes later to drape the curtains over his window, but stood still when she saw him hugging his brother's picture to his chest. She softly grabbed it from his grip without disturbing him and quietly left the room.

  His mother stared at the photo, amazed that he still possessed anything that reminded him of his brother before stuffing it inside a suitcase, along with every other thing he once owned. She slid it under the bed before retiring to bed and mirrowed the posture of her spouse as her closed eyes welcomed the much needed sleep.