A plague had viciously exterminated nearly everyone in the city where I had been sent to study and I was a fortunate survivor. My family presumed me to be dead for the past four months while I was convalescing after the illness. I intended to surprise them and to see the look of exultation and awe on the faces of my mother, father, brother and my childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth. How I longed to save them from grief!

I arrived at my villa and was baffled to see our servant watering the brightest daffodils in the garden.

"S-Sir, you're alive!" He scurried towards me and I distastefully scrutinised the flowers. "They were planted in your memory, sir. This is news! I should go and inform---"

"No, no need for that." I strode inside the house, the servant anxiously following me. I was already irked at how the garden looked too pretty for a house in mourning. When I stepped in the living room, I was appalled to see my brother cuddling with the love of my life, my Elizabeth! "How dare you!"

"Keith, you're alive! A miracle!" My brother had the audacity to embrace me, but I wrenched free from his hold. "Oh, Keith! We thought you died so to save Elizabeth from agony, I decided to marry her."

"Marry her? You're insane! I'll have this marriage annulled! It's unacceptable!"

"But we thought it would make your soul rest in peace," Elizabeth pleaded desperately. "And I'm carrying his child, we were going to name this baby after you!"

"What absolute drivel! I'm going to go see mother." I thoughtlessly dashed upstairs and flung the door of her bed-chamber open. Inside, a fragile, old woman whirled around. How poor my once beautiful mother looked! I ran to her for comfort, but she quickly grabbed a thick book and began hitting my head with it.

"Ghost! Ghost!" she screamed wildly and didn't cease with her beating till I had escaped and locked the door.

"So great was the sorrow from your death that your dear mother became demented!" Elizabeth said and I couldn't bear to look at her without remembering her betrayal.

"I need to breathe. I'm going to my room. Do not disturb me." I hurried to my room only to find my cherished possessions had vanished. "Where is my lovely desk? My books?"

Elizabeth appeared at once. "We gave them away to friends and relatives, to have parts of you as a token of love---"

"Whose bloody idea was this? Who is running this madhouse? I want to speak to my father!"

"He isn't here . . . " There was guilt swimming in her blue eyes. "He went away to donate your inheritance to the families of those who perished from the dreadful plague . . . "

"He cannot do that! It's rightfully mine and none of theirs!" I cried out, leaning miserably against the wall. "Oh, how I wish I never lived to see this day! Oh, how I wish I was dead!"