Short Story: "The Cousins"

While researching the family history I came upon this, I think shortly after I gave up my search.

Chapter 1: CONCEPTION

(Based on a true story)

Conception may be alive now in days or may not, I really didn't ask. What I do know is that he has or had a very dark secret from his past. It all started one early morning, it was a day to celebrate a Saint, either St. Ana or St. Barbara. 

Tito woke up early to buy coffee and sugar in a small store down the street. This wasn't your regular store though, you don't walk in and grab what you want. In these stores you ask for things behind the counter and there is someone who gives it to you after you pay. That's beside the point,it was a regular morning people in the street, kids without shoes playing on the sidewalk, and the sun as always high up in the sky. 

Tito came out of the store and walked up the block back to his humble home.

Conception was married to Olga, whose name would later on become history in his family. Olga, a woman filled with jealousy was constantly arguing with her neighbor, who we're going to call Teresa. Teresa was married to Tito, Concepcion's cousin. Teresa and Tito had a son together, Jose. It's said that Teresa and Olga were sleeping with both cousins.  The bickering between Teresa and Olga had become too much for Tito, when he spotted Conception that morning he knew he had to do something about it.

He looked around the floor and grabbed the first weapon he could find; a rock. He aimed it straight at Conception who was working across the street doing something that required the use of a knife. Conception didn't see it coming. 

Later on Conception said he was completely blinded by the blood running down his face and the injury in his head. He simply grabbed the knife and stabbed the person that attacked him. Tito died instantly.

Chapter 2: JOSE & THE BANK

At the crime scene Ramon a cousin of both Conception and Tito who also had a wife named Olga, helped picked up the body and clean up the blood from Conception's face. Present at the crime scene was also Ulogio, the person who told me this story.

Conception didn't run away from the crime scene. He stood by and when it was time to face the police, he said he did it and that he was blinded by the blood running down his face. He went to jail for probably 2 to 3 years before they let him out for good behavior.

Jose now a teenager promised to get revenge for his father's death. It was difficult for him to actually find Conception because he had moved to a new home in another town and he had no idea how Conception look. Back in those days pictures were rare (in my family at least). Jose only knew one thing about Conception, he had a wife named Olga.

Then the tragic day at the bank happened. 

This is what Ulogio remembers:

I went to the bank and there I bumped into Ramon and Conception. I didn't tell Conception that Jose was looking for him because I felt it was best to not talk about it. What I didn't suspect was that  Jose was hanging around the bank waiting for Conception. We don't know how Jose knew of Conception's location, we just know he wasn't smart enough to find someone who could tell him how Conception looked like.

When both Ramon and Conception left the bank, Conception took off without suspecting that he had saved himself from a terrible death. Jose had a machete that day with him ready to cut Conception's head off.

But when Ramon called his wife. "Olga let's go!"

A guy standing by told Jose that Ramon was the guy he was looking for, Jose without thinking about it twice grabbed his machete and cut Ramon's head off.

Chapter 3: RAMON

Innocent Ramon died instantly.

Olga & the people of the town were devastated with the loss.

Hundredths of people gathered at the funeral to say goodbye to Ramon. He was a good person at heart.

Meanwhile...

Jose satisfied by what he had done, he went to the police station and yelled: "I did it! I did it! I killed the man that killed my father!"

The police of course arrested him that same day.

The town buried Ramon's body. It had been a complete misunderstanding and an innocent man had been murdered.

We don't know what was Conception's reaction to this or whatever happened to him after this day. He must have been afraid and didn't show up his face around anymore.

Ulogio visited Jose in jail and told him the truth. He had innocently killed Ramon. Jose broke down and cried apologizing for what he had done. Perhaps affected by this incident he discontinued his revenge.

But it was too late. Ramon was dead.

According to Ulogio, Jose was in jail for a couple of years and is now free.