Chapter 156 – Behind the Mask 1

Joshua looked at the land below. He took his rifle and tugged his coat while dragging a cart that had someone on it. He trotted down the rampart of the skyship, walking towards the entrance of the town. The skyship needs to be checked and the crew was starting to feel airsick. Edawick was just near, so the pilot landed near it to take care of the ship.

Joshua pulled the cart to Dan’s house. He knocked. The door creaked as it swung upon. Dan’s weary eyes met with Joshua. “Joshua, you are alive. That’s good.”

“I’m sorry for leaving just like that,” he said apologetically. “I’ve done and avenged, Silo.”

Dan expected those words to come out of Joshua’s mouth. He took a step back and looked at Joshua. He clothed nicely and cleaned. His features were much sharper and he was roughly shaved. His hair was greyer and longer. It was neck-length and he tied with a black ribbon. His eyes had less light than the last time he has seen him.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“I, yes, you could say that. How are things here?”

“Fine, I’ve buried Silo at the graveyard and well,” he scratched the back of his head, “I have a kid now. Want to see them?”

“Them? Could it be that...?”

“I have twins it seems.”

Joshua made a thin smile. “That’s great, then a good thing that I made this thing larger.” Joshua pulled the cart he was pulling a bit.

Dan could roughly guess what the cart was. He pulled the cover and saw that it was a finely made crib. “This looks great, Joshua!”

“Thank you, I made sure to make it good. I did promise to make one. I think that this satisfactory right?” he said with a thin smile.

“It is!” said Dan. “You did well! Let’s carry it inside. Nana will be happy with this!”

Joshua nodded. He pulled the cart closer to the door and slowly lifted it out of the cart. Dan held the door and let Joshua come in the house. Joshua was careful not to hit the furniture. He heard footsteps and as he arrived in the living room of the house. He saw a scene that filled his heart with warmth.

Miss Nana was holding one of her children in her arms. She was gazing at her baby with such warm-filled with eyes. Behind her was the curtain blowing along with the wind. The sunlight entered through the window, the curtain masking it. She had a blush on her cheeks. It took her a while to look at Joshua who was standing in front of her.

“Joshua!”She hollered with a motherly smile on her face. She gently put her baby beside the other one and calmly walked to Joshua. She was about to say something but she stopped and looked at Joshua’s appearance. There was a strange look on her face.

Joshua was confused. He wanted to speak but he felt Nana’s soft palm on his head. He eyed her with a troubled expression. He couldn’t understand what she was trying to do. He looked at Miss Nana. He wanted to say something but Miss Nana interrupted him.

“Child, you looked like you have seen hell. Come, sit around here,” she looked at the crib behind him. “Did you make it?”

“I did,” he nodded.

“It is finely made. I am sure that Lumen and Lily would be happy with these.”

Joshua looked at the babies. They were smiling as the sun’s light caresses their face. “Are those their names? They are beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she smiled. “I am glad that you are here. But child...have you done it?”

Joshua nodded curtly. He looked at the two babies once again. There was a bitter smile on his face. “I did. Silo should be glad about what I did.”

“Was it worth it?” she asked. “Transforming yourself into a vengeful ghost that came from hell so that you can avenge him?”

“It is. No one messes with those who I care for. I’d hunt them down and make them pay.”

“You poor lost child,” she said. Dan walked over and looked at Nana. The two exchange two odd looks. They took the two babies’ and pointed their lovely faces at him. He was baffled by what they were trying to do. But soon, the two opened their small eyes. They widened their eyes and started to cry loudly. Joshua panicked. He waves his hands in panic when suddenly one of the twins grabbed his cheek. He looked at the twin who was pulling his cheek. There was a stern look on the baby’s face. As if it was protecting the other twin.

Joshua’s face loosened. He looked at the twin and in the baby’s clear eyes reflected a scary looking man who seemed like he would devour the kids. Joshua has tried to look calm and stoic. He didn’t realize that his face was that scary to the twins.

“I am sorry you two, did this brother scared you?”

The other twin looked at her brother. She was giving this innocent look. As if the two could communicate. The twin who grabbed Joshua’s cheek opened his tiny palms. Joshua could tell that the two were smart. He couldn’t help but feel something warm and odd inside his heart.

The twins looked at Joshua with their round eyes shining. They looked over their shoulders and saw that their parents had sad eyes. The twins were smart. And looking back at the sorrowful big brother in front of them, they raised their tiny little palms and rubbed his head.

The twins patted Joshua’s head with both of their hands. The twins were babies and before long they started pulling Joshua’s long unkempt hair while giggling. Dan and Nana were quite worried what their brats did. But Joshua suddenly laughed while tearing up.

The cold look on his face vanished. It was replaced by a face that he usually does when cooking or baking bread. “You two cheeky brats, you should be prepared for Brother Joshua to tickle you two!”

And so Joshua’s hands descended upon the sides of the twins. The two little toddlers felt helpless as they could not crawl away from the grasp of this big brother!

Dan and Nana looked at them as smiles filled their faces. Laughter and giggle filled the house. Joshua’s mask fell. As if he found some sort of oasis in a stormy desert.