Exchangement for Truth

Kiya, Age 12, Co. Dublin April 2026

The painting covered in spider’s web that hung on the great dining hall of Duke Charles’s huge luxury mansion was the last piece of evidence to solve the case that happened twenty years ago. It was a painting of Duke Charles’s big brother, who left twenty five years ago, leaving everyone in misery.

Charles and his brother had had a difficult childhood because they were sons of a duke. It wasn’t only more studying that they faced, but also learning sword fighting. Their parents took everything very seriously, with more and more punishment, so Charles’s brother had told him not give up.

You must think Charles’s brother is a good brother, but it’s such a brother who became a criminal and killed people.

Twenty years later, Charles found a man standing outside his mansion

“Brother?” Charles asked carefully.
“Charles,” the man replied.
Suddenly, tears came out of Charles’s beautiful, blue eyes.
“Where were you these years?” Charles said, nearly upset.

“Listen, Charles, I made some mistakes, but you are still going to forgive me, right?” Charles’s brother said, eyes sparkling with hope.
However, Charles replied coldly,“You killed.”
“It was a mistake!” Charles’s brother said.
“You killed! You… I can’t believe you!” Charles lost control and fainted. Everyone came to take care of Charles and his brother left.

Five years passed, and in that time Charles had a lovely family. He thought they would live a peaceful life from that moment, but no, your life had to trick you.

Suddenly news popped out, not about about anyone else, but about Charles’s brother. Everyone were shocked. Many people thought he were never going to come out, or was probably dead. Charles and his family were very panicked. This might stir up the whole society and their own business.

One night during this time, Charles woke up from a horrible nightmare of the news from twenty-four years ago, a bloody hint. He called a meeting as fast as he could, telling everyone to take off every single painting in the mansion.

The work was done in the early morning. The sun shone through the window, like telling people that brightness was coming towards the end, finishing a long, heartbreaking story.

“Brother, I didn’t give up,” said Charles to himself, looking at the truth he spent his whole life finding.
He smiled, “So please live in my memory.”

This story inspired by sources on website: Twinkl.com.