Gilbert took a deep breath before opening the door and entering the house. He walked down the hall and looked around. Nothing has changed at all, good.
"Luddy, I'm home!" He called out. He coughed and called out again. Silence.
Gilbert continued to walk around calling out to Ludwig. He adjusted his bloodstained bandage wrapped around his silver head and his sling. He rubbed his cheek which had bruises.
"Luddy?" Gilbert said, opening the door to Ludwigs room and peeked in. A small boy with blonde hair wearing overalls sat with his back facing the door, playing around with a toy train.
The boy turned around at the sound of his name and his sky blue eyes instantly lit up. He jumped up and ran up to the albino and wrapped his arms around Gilbert's waist and buried his face into his shirt.
But no, that was just Gilbert's imagination. Ludwig still sat there, his back to the door.
"Oi, Ludwig! I'm back! I'm alive!" Gilbert exclaimed, throwing the door open and entering the room, arm outstretched ready. But no response, only a sniff and a whimper. Gilbert dropped his arm and slowly walked over to the boy's side and kneeled next to him.
"Luddy, is everything alright?" Gilbert asked, concerned. He examined the boy. Ludwig wasn't playing with the toy train. He sat there crying over a letter, clutching the necklace Gilbert gave him before he left.
"He's never coming back. Never," Ludwig sniffed.
"Ludwig, why are you crying?" Gilbert picked up the letter and read it. He quickly dropped it and stood up. His ruby red eyes widened and he held his chest. Like anything was beating inside there. No. No, it's a lie.
He turned to leave but found the door closed. It was open, he thought, I swear I left it open!
He clutched his silver hair with his free hand and shook his head. No! It can't be true!
The albino ran up to the body mirror in a corner and looked at his reflection. He was transparent. See right through. Gilbert's breathing sped up. He continued to shake his head. No! Please don't be true!
He stood there in front of the mirror for a while before he finally calmed a bit down.
He sighed and took off his head bandage and his sling and let them fall to the floor. He stared at his body, free of scars and bruises or any damage at all. He smiled. So it is true then...I'm dead.
He looked back at Ludwig who was still crying.
"I'm sorry, Ludwig. I'm really sorry." Gilbert said. Like he heard someone call his name, Ludwig stopped sobbing and looked up and around the room. His eyes stopped at the mirror Gilbert was in front of and stood up and walked over to it, wiping his eyes and sniffing.
He stopped in between the mirror and Gilbert. Gilbert looked down smiling at him. As Ludwig stared at the mirror, his eyes widened and he quickly spun around to see nothing behind him. He stuttered and turned back to the mirror and began to cry again.
"But you were right there. I saw you right behind me. Why aren't you there?" Ludwig sobbed. Gilbert sighed sadly and bent over and wrapped his arms around the boy.
"I'm right here, Luddy. I'll always be right here with you." Gilbert said. Ludwig felt the arms wrap around him and quickly spun around and wrapped his arms around his older brother's waist.
Gilbert's eyes widened in surprise. What? How? But-
His eyes relaxed and he once more held his younger brother, feeling the warmth one last time.
"I miss you brother," Ludwig sniffed. Gilbert smiled.
"I miss you, too." Gilbert whispered, slowly fading away and leaving Ludwig with nothing but air to embrace. "I will always be right here with you. I promise."