Let Them In

A Story by Perplexed

Young and desperate for her brother. This story marks the love of a sister for a brother and the unfortunate end to their love.

                           Let them in

It was a quiet afternoon in Himmerville or at least it was quiet for me. It is usually how I see things. Things. All of them are always quiet. Always peaceful.

I let them in.

You are probably thinking who were they? What did they want? And most importantly why did I let them in. Before I lift the curtains on that matter let me tell you a short story.

It all started in 1931.

A breezy morning. Misty. And most of all quiet. I do not know that why am I so obsessed with quietness. It is a feeling you cannot explain in words. Words are not enough. Words do not tell you about emotions. But, words are the words which you interpret into emotions. Obsession, I think, is like a magnet. It pulls you towards something which you do not desire but somehow that thing turns into a desire. As you can see I make my own meanings. My own dictionary.

1931

Thirteen years after the first world war and seven years precedent from the second. I would not want to go in much detail. Secondly, the wars did not have anything to do with my story.

A brief story of what happened:

Years: 1930-1931, the twentieth century.

It was seven months and fourteen days before I them in.

First November 1930.

A breezy, misty, quiet morning. I was working in the kitchen as usual. A letter arrived. The letter was escorted by a fine mail boy.

It was when I took the letter that all of it took place. I opened the door.

“Guten morgen, Frau Schnell.” the boy spoke first.

“Hallo, wie bist du?”

“Mein gut, und du?”

“Gut.”

“Eure briefder.”

“Danke, kommen in.”

“Na, danke frau schnell, auf wiedersehen.”

“Auf wiedersehen.”

I sat on the kitchen table and read it. It was from my brother. My brother, jack schnell was on a business tour. It was to end on fourteenth May 1931, the day I let them in.

Question: who exactly were the people I let in?

Well, for starters, those people were no more than ordinary people. They were simply detectors. Two detectors. In this German colony of Kentucky, USA, it was very strange if you met any detectors.

Time passed by.

Another peculiar thought: How did time pass by so quickly?

I carried on with my usual routine �" washing, cleaning, dusting, mopping- until May fourteenth.

What had happened on May fourteenth.

It was a good day. Bright. Pleasant. You could not ask for more. Till one pm sharp. I was not in the kitchen, which was unusual. I was busy cleaning my brother’s bedroom, when all of a sudden there were three loud knocks on the door.

So happy I was to see my brother after ages. But happiness could not last for long.

Oh, I almost forgot.

Where are my manners?

Extremely sorry I left you people hanging on a cliff. What had my brother said in his letter? Come, I will show you.

Die briefder

The Letter �"First November 1930

Dear Anna Schnell,

                             I hope this letter finds you in the best of your health. Extremely sorry for not replying earlier. Business occupies me. Going to come home soon. Take care. Auf wiedersehen.

                                                                                                                  Love, Jack.

I know what you are thinking. A short letter. He is a busy person. Tough luck for him.

I know, you know.

What do we know?

We know that I had let the detectors in. What you do not know is that what did they want? I will tell you what they wanted.

       They wanted my brother.

“Guten tag, ma’am.” One of the detectors, Joe, greeted.

“Hallo, can I help you?” the woman replied.

“We are looking for Anna Schell.” The other detector, Mike, spoke.

“Anna lives in 33 Himmerville.”

“Danke.” They both said in unison.

As you can already see I had let them in. I could not shut the door and lock myself. No. I had to let them in. There was no alternative.

I am obsessed with quietness. But, this calm and quiet environment provoked me to break the awful silence.

“Tea or coffee?” I asked with searching eyes.

“Na, Danke. We’re here for Jack Schnell.”

“Why are you looking for my brother? Why do you want him? Who are you? Where did you come from?” I asked my questions simultaneously and outrageously.

My interrogations did not please them. Apparently, my brother was guilty of crime.

The hideous crime.

“What do you want from me? We’re in the same situation.” Jack questioned.

“You know what I want. I want my money back, Schnell.” Sidger replied.

“Sidger, we’ve been in this jail for over three months. We’ve gone bankrupt and there’s nothing we can do about it. You, me we’re doomed. My last wish is to see my sister one last time so that I can tell her I’m sorry.”

“Jack, you, me �" we’re history. They’re probably smelling us out by now. The police, Halen Burg. Everyone we’ve ever fooled.”

“Sidger, we’ve been buddies for quite a time. It’s either you or me.”

“Then it’s you buddy.”

Buddy: a friend who betrays you.

I knew Sidger. Sidger Peter. My brother’s best friend. As you will come to know Sidger had betrayed my brother. He helped Jack escape but he helped himself.

He was the cause of my brother’s death.

What jack did not know that his adorable sister would be surrounded by detectors one day. Detectors interrogating about her brother and she giving answers.

The interrogation.

Interrogation: an awkward way of asking questions.

“You know your brother, Jack, right?”

“Of course I do.”

“You know he’s a criminal, a thief, a ditcher. Of course you don’t.”

“What?”

“He’s been missing for three months. If it weren’t for his friend, Sidger, and his evidences we would have captured a sinless man.”

“This can’t be. He’s lying. My brother is not guilty of crime.”

“You better tell your brother to stay away from here. We’re after him. We’ll get him and crucify him.”

They left with their black coats trailing off the doorway. Their wooden sticks hammering on the floor. Their black hats bouncing on their heads. To lend an insult to injury one of them called back, “We’ll kill him.”

Both gone. My brother missing for three months and the detectors gone.

He had gone missing three months before- the day he sent his last letter.

The fact.

Nobody knew where my brother was. Not me. not the detectors or Sidger or Halen Burg. Not till now.

Die zweider briefder.

The second letter.

Sorry. Just don’t let them in.

                                                   Jack.

I would not let them in. Who would I not let in? The detectors. But, too late, they were already in and gone. Halen burg would do every possible effort for getting his money back. Sidger had betrayed his friend. He used him for getting himself free from the wrath of Burg. And now my brother would be running and hiding under tiny particles of dust.

He found his way home. He found his sister, he said sorry. He had completed his tasks. His sister was rich enough to spend the rest of her life in peace. Without her brother. Without him she did not need to live. Who would she live for?

They found jack. Every one found him-the detectors, Halen Burg, Sidger-and killed him in front of my eyes. I wept. What else could I do?

I devoured the ugly truth. My brother dead. Sidger died. He too was killed by the detectors and Halen Burg. They apologized, but I did not let them in, not this time or any other.