Stimulus: A Short Story Essay

Stimulus: Discoveries and discovering can offer new understandings and renewed perceptions of ourselves and others. Redemption “And if you fail to uphold your end of the deal, the consequences for you will be apocalyptic,” Niklaus slammed the phone down onto the table after he had finished threatening whoever was on the other side of the line. “You’re not a people person are you, Niklaus? ” Elijah, Niklaus’ brother sarcastically asked as he made his way through the door of the home they shared.

“Elijah! What an entirely unwelcome surprise,” Niklaus smirked, eaning back into his seat, staring at his older brother who had now returned home after a month long business trip. “And what an entirely unsurprising welcome,” Elijah replied. “Who were you threatening to end now, brother? ” he asked, sitting down on the black, leather couch across from his brother’s desk. “Marcel,” Niklaus simply answered. Elijah and his two younger siblings had been in charge of New Orleans ever since their parents had died in a boating accident when the three were just children.

Elijah, being the eldest, immediately took responsibility for his siblings, ensuring they emained by each others side always and forever. “Don’t underestimate the allure of darkness, Elijah. Even the purest hearts are drawn to it,” a female voice chimed in the conversation. “Rebekah! ” Elijah smiled, standing up to hug his younger sister. “Elijah, I’ve missed you immensely,” Rebekah said, embracing %3D her older brother into her arms. “Niklaus isn’t exactly the best company in the world,” she added, death staring Niklaus as he smirked. “I know, Rebekah but we must remember our promise to one another. Always and forever.

Yes, Niklaus can be difficult but we hall fight for each other, for our family, until our last breath,” Elijah, noble as always, reminded his siblings of the promise they made each other so many years ago when they were just children. They were standing on the tiny grains of sand which acted like sandpaper to their small, bare feet. Hands linked together and looking forward onto the endless waters of the ocean that had consumed their parents not long ago. It mirrored a cold, steely rage that was as terrifying as it was comforting. The air was pungent with salt, causing discomfort to the young orphans at irst.

It stung their eyes and their noses, yet despite this, it still possessed an invigorating and cleansing property, needed to erase their hardship. It is here, at the waters edge, where the three young siblings swore to each other a pact as endless and boundless as the raging yet calming waters. It was here where their burdens begun and were now abandoned, as they sailed away on these powerful waters to the end of the sky. “What? ” Niklaus roared into the phone which had just began to ring.

There was a moment of silence as Niklaus waited for a reply. “He did what? e yelled, clenching his fist and biting his lip in frustration. “I’m on my way. ” Niklaus hung up the phone and pulled out a small pistol from the desk drawer. “Where are you going with that? Don’t you think you’ve killed enough innocents? ” Rebekah yelled as Niklaus made his way to the door. “Marcel is not innocent! He has taken a greater share of the docks than I allowed him too and he is now plotting to keep all the profits for himself. I intend to show him, and anyone else who dares cross me, the power I possess! ” Niklaus exclaimed as his sisters eyes widened. “NO! Please Nik, I beg of you! Don’t hurt him!

You know that I love Marcel! ” Rebekah cried, running up to her brother. “Niklaus, family is a metaphor for control. Not power. Now I understand your anger but I implore you, be better than him. Do what he could not. Demonstrate mercy over cruelty,” Elijah sternly advised his brother, hoping to dissuade him from this vile behaviour. “You ask me to show mercy to one who has wronged me? You really don’t know me at all, do you brother? ” Niklaus rhetorically asked, letting go from his sibling’s grasp and quickly making his way out of the gates leaving his sister in hysteria as Elijah ttempted to calm her down. I need to leave, Elijah,” Rebekah cried, pulling away from her older brother’s grasp after she had been sobbing for quite a while. “Rebekah, you can’t abandon Niklaus. I know that he shouldn’t kill Marcel but I do believe there is some humanity left in his impatient self.

That, my sister, is his redemption. ” “We don’t abandon him, Elijah. He drives us away! ” Rebekah yelled, her voice cracking from the tears. “And would you stop chasing his redemption! It’s long gone! ” “I’ll stop searching for his redemption when I believe there is none left to be found, sister. And that, my brother, is your downfall. I want to convince you to come with me, but I finally get it. You’ll never leave this city. You’ll never leave Niklaus,” she paused, blowing her nose. “I just want to be free,” she whispered as Elijah kissed her cheek. “Then go. You are free, sister,” he smiled, as she looked up and hugged her brother before leaving to pack her things. After an hour, Niklaus returned to the compound to find Elijah sitting alone on the couch, silence penetrating the room. “The stench of your judgment is overwhelming, Elijah. Don’t worry.

I remain redeemable as ever,” Niklaus smirked, placing the gun in the drawer. “Did you do it? ” Elijah asked, refusing to look up at his murderous younger brother. Niklaus stayed silent. Elijah let out a humourless chuckle, “Your anger will be your downfall. ” “Where’s Rebekah? ” Niklaus asked, ignoring his older brother’s remark. “Your disgusting behaviour has made her flee,” Elijah replied, facing his brother. “So much for our promise. Always and forever? ” Niklaus scoffed. Elijah huffed at the idiocy and complete lack of contrition his brother demonstrated. Why doesn’t he understand?

Elijah asked himself. When will he learn what I have been trying to teach him for years now? Family is power. Love, loyalty – that’s power. That was what we swore to one another years ago by the raging water that consumed our parents. Before life tore away what little humanity my brother had left, before ego, before anger, before paranoia created in this person before me someone I can barely even recognise as my own brother! “You chase my redemption like a man rolling a stone up an endless mountain,” Niklaus stated after a few seconds of silence, interrupting Elijah’s internal thoughts.

Well, no mountain is endless brother. Some are just steeper than others. ” “I didn’t do it,” Niklaus whispered as Elijah’s eyes shot up to meet his brothers. “I didn’t kill, Marcel. I couldn’t go through with it. How’s that for redemption, brother? ” He said, as he stood up and went to his room. Elijah was frozen, not knowing whether to be relieved yet disturbed that his brother still had the intent to be murderous. But he accepted it. Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe he had just witnessed the first flake melting.