《Pound Of Joy》Jonathan

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Jonathan was a butcher's boy, but his life turned to be different than his father's. Firstly, he thought to choose the same line of work, but his old man never even allowed him to visit the shop, and educated him instead. Old man saw death which was neigh, and promised himself to make Jonathan a man who could provide more for his family which he was never able to do so in his whole life. The scruffy clothes, shoes with no soles, and hands of his children deprived of toys were a waking nightmare for the butcher. He could've worked more which he did, but wasn't able to make the lives of his loved ones better. He had this glint of enviousness for the rich, and sympathy for the poor in his eyes. Jonathan urged that his education will cost an arm, and leg to his family, but butcher had a purpose, and nothing can stop a man to fulfill his purpose, but death.

Butcher died right after Jonathan's graduation. There he was, the boy, all wrapped up in despondency as if he felt a void in his soul for the first time. It was November when winter was hovering over the city of Wisconsin. The leaves, they started falling; all embellished in yellow. Death was not yet satisfied, Jonathan's mother, she suffered a stroke, and died too during the fall. Jonathan, and his little sister Bella were now all on their own in this hopeless world of dawn.

Bella, 'Brother, will everyone die?, just like mom, and dad'

Jonathan, 'Maybe, maybe not. Why are you saying all this?

Bella, 'After death, people, they return again after sometime, right'.

Jonathan, 'Yes, they just go up in the skies to meet God, and then they return again to their families on earth'

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Bella, 'May mom, and dad come soon, I really miss them. I want to show mom the new dress I've made for my doll Nancy, and does dad know that the shop has been closed for a long time, what about the customers?'

Jonathan, 'Yes sister, he knows, and how would he not?, the shop is what he had?, he would've been missing you too'.

Bella, 'Brother, why are you crying?

Jonathan trying to hide his tears, 'No, it's just...something went into my eyes, I guess it's dust. Come on!, let's go inside, it's the wind, it may start raining soon'.

Jonathan started to work at a mirror shop which was situated at the end of the street.The neighbour's were very kind, and used to take care of Bella when jonathan was at the shop. The mirror shop was owned by an old man named Henry Drumand who had no relatives alive, and was unmarried. Henry was a lanky man with a pallid complexion, face full and had a face full of wrinkles which depicted all of his life's experiences, and wisdom.

Break a heart, doesn't matter, but if you break a mirror then you're dealing with the devil himself. Henry had this belief if you shatter the mirror, your image will shatter too, and the workers were punished not by any fine or money, but by insult in front of everyone so that the principle is followed in every way. Jonathan was one of the hard workers, and had these brisk movements, every step taken assiduously until the mirror is in the truck; Agile as a monkey. Henry was impressed, and what inculcated him to take more interest in Jonathan's miserable life was the fact that Jonathan knew how to play Chess. They had this daily routine of playing a chess match.

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While playing chess one day....

Henry, 'Boy, what have you done?'.

As Jonathan kill's the old man's bishop with his horse.

Jonathan, 'To finish the game, you've to kill every man alive who are up to killing you'.

Henry sighs, and a smirk on his face reflected a fiendish move.

Henry, 'Okay, I guess for something you've to give something else or maybe a sacrifice'.

Jonathan knew in his small pumping heart that the old man has become aware what he was planning to do; killing Henry's queen, but it wasn't easy.

Henry, 'You thought I'm gonna kill your horse with my queen in folly, and am so blind that I will not notice that dark bishop of yours at the corner waiting to pierce my queen with his swords. Doesn't matter?, you killed the horse, and I know lightning doesn't strike the same place twice'.

Henry moves his horse, and makes a check...bounding Jonathan from every move, but to secure his King.

Jonathan replies, 'But it did'

Henry in bewilderment, 'When'

Jonathan, 'Last fall, on the butcher's house'.

Henry thought Jonathan was talking about the game, but the conversation took another turn.

Henry in a dejected voice, 'Yes, I heard. Poor people. Do you know them?, What about his son, I remember he had a son, and a little daughter'.

Henry hardly remembered jonathan because it was years ago when he met him in the shop, and now here he was, sitting right in front of him, all grown up, but disguised by a blanket of lost memory. Jonathan didn't want him to know so he lied, and Henry never knew.

Jonathan,'No sir,I don't know them'

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