The email he received today is marked urgent. But it's from a friend who died two years ago.
He checked the sender of the email for the umpteenth time and it was his late friend. He rubbed his eyes, wondering if it was a dream but it was reality.
He read the mail and reread it. It was a mail only he could decode.
Mbf, life's given me a hard kick, but you've always known that I am stouthearted. To avoid chaos, meet me at ofs, bring ofm along, dress in ofa. Ftn mins.
His lips quivered in shock as he read out the mail, decoding it.
My best friend, life has given me a hard kick, but you've always known that I am stouthearted. To avoid chaos, meet me at our favourite spot, bring our favourite meal along, and dress in our favourite attire. Fifteen minutes!
Sweats drenched him! He was sure that he killed him. Even though it was in anger, even though it was anger that blinded him, he killed him! He killed his best friend. He was there at his burial!
Now, this is the end of it all. He got to their favourite spot, with their favourite meal, in their favourite attire before fifteen minutes but instead of his friend, it was his friend's younger brother that was there.
"Ethan..."
"Two days before my brother died, he told me to come here today. He told me to tell whoever I find here at this time this; I forgive you,"
He was shaken. Guilt made his knees wobble. His heart ached. His head ached. His body trembled.
"He said he had scheduled the email for today since two years ago," Ethan said and gave him a note. "He made me swear never to open this."
He opened the note with shaky hands and read its contents.
Mbf, if you are reading this then it means that I am dead. But what you killed me for is wrong. I wasn't the one who raped your sister. I only lied because I expected you to forgive me. In reality, it was my brother who is now with you that raped her. I hope you kill him too and be fulfilled.
Ethan asked, "broth...brother, were you the one who killed him?"
He wanted to say no but his voice failed him. It was not just his voice, his expression betrayed him. The next minute, he fell in a heap to the ground and cried.
"You bastards!" He cried in utter regret.
Worse still, his sister hid the truth too!
Forgive. No matter how hard it is. Forgiveness does not hurt as otherwise.