Welcome

Welcome to Une Barque sur l’Océan, a blog where I write my short stories. The name comes from a piece of music from Ravel’s Miroirs, a very nice impressionist piece. Writing keeps my soul flowing, like the flow of arpeggios on the piano. Enjoy your time on this site, and criticisms are always welcomed!

#143: Carbines on the fingertip

Horns blowing against the wind, their sounds so clear, as the platoon marched through the grasslands. Drumsticks rolled, giving them their only will to hang on. Their target were not far away. The commander told them to be alert.

Kyle was in the middle of the platoon. He had been obsessed with soldier models since he was young. How fun it was to move them around, bomb them with plastic biplanes, while pushing a tank forward to face them. A bomber flew by, and he was out of imagination, dashed into reality.

The war they were fighting were against terrorists, or so they said. The terrorists called themselves Patriots, and they fought to abolish monarchy in the nation. But the emperor had long been a decoration residing in the palace, stripped of his power when the people demanded it. Still, they fought, for their nation, maybe.

Bang!

“Crouch!”, the captain shouted. The grass was not comfortable at all, and some of the blades were charging into Kyle’s face. But he dared not to raise his head, for he knew the helmet would surely be weak enough to let him perish. He feared, just like everyone else.

And it stopped in an instant. As if the enemy were executed by an outer force. The captain crawled back to standing position, followed by his fellow platoon. The sun was shining to an abandoned shed in front of them. A little barrier that they could finally rest upon.

Bang! Bang!

The firing came again. But not from the shed, but to the north of it. Kyle was feeling impatient, and how glad would he be to fire his light machine gun towards the enemy. Yes, he thought, I would do it! Yes, Kyle, fire and end this suffering, he thought.

Just as he stood, a voice came from the back of his brain. A familiar voice, his elder brother, Kegan. He told him one thing before they parted. The voice was imminent, that it almost grabbed Kyle by the shoulder. Memorable words, he remembered. Clearly, he only remembered whom said, not what he said.

A flash in his mind.

“Beware of snipers, Kyle!”

Bang!

The bullet engraved into the concrete wall, as if it wanted to tell a message to these soldiers: They will stay here for a long time, optimistically.

“Kyle! Stay down!”, the captain whispered. They know the grasslands was no longer green. It was getting paler and paler, until all of a sudden, they all rushed towards the shed like zombies, capturing all of them, no matter their heads or their body.

But they didn’t.

-Pollux

#142: Turquoise green

(N.B. I have created a family tree for the Arents family. Check this out at the Images section.)

Buzz, buzz. The phone rang back at the house. Edward, sitting on the couch, picked it up lazily.

“Edward.” It was Tomas’ voice, but a voice that Edward hadn’t listened for years. The sound of sorrow was on the other side of the line. Something was happening, he thought. Especially when Tomas spoke his name at the very beginning.

“Yes?”

“I found Benjamin.”

“You found, wait, you found Benjamin? Are you joking or something?” But Edward knew Tomas was not in the laughing mood. Still, he couldn’t believe Benjamin was back from the outside world. He always told himself to let go of his younger brother, now that Ben knew how to live independently.

“I found him in the Marina. He was sitting with a girl. He was sitting with my girl.”

“Which one?” Edward wanted to laugh, knowing things were getting more absurd as it proceeded.

“…”

Weeping.

Edward had never seen Tomas wept before. Even in the worst of times, even when he realized his woman bored him a daughter. He was always a strong man, full of confidence, filled with anger. Absurd, Edward thought.

“Where are you now? How about coming home and talk about it?”

“I will. I always will come home. From now, and forever.” Cut-off.

As soon as Edward hang up, Modest was walking down the stairs, humming a little tune. He was wearing a brown coat and a top hat, resembling some gentleman like the detective with numbers as his name.

“Out to pick up Kaylynn?” Edward asked, as he stood up against the couch.

“Yeah, her train’s arriving at 12. I’m taking the car keys as well.”

“Hm, it must has been a great trip for her.”

“Yeah, great trip.” Modest turned his smile to a frown. The word ‘trip’ had always been a hard word to listen, ever since his two sons went to the North to fight for the country, or so they called.

Modest stepped into the blue sedan in the garage. It shone upon the bleak sunlight surrounded by the dirty snow. The day had been tough for drivers, he thought, as he saw piles of snow piling against the pavement like a hill, ready to fall over to an unfortunate pedestrian.

It was 2 years since Kegan and Kyle left the house. Modest didn’t want them to join the army, just like any other parent in the country. But it was not Modest’s choice, nor the country’s choice. It was the brother’s will to get to the North, trying to discover a new sky over a different river. They didn’t want to depend on their father as well. The family was seeing them as the future holders, but they wanted to be themselves, instead of merely another member of the wealthy family of Arents. They knew they had a cousin in the line of succession, but only when they left. And since they left, there was not a single message, nor any information whether they were alive or not. Unknown was everything Modest knew.

-Pollux

#141: Cream yellow

Nicole stood on the balcony, overlooking the running street. On the corner was a musician playing his familiar tune. Oh, how loud the trumpet sounds, even with his mute. Yet she knew the trumpet was not the main character. It was the piano! Why would everyone only notice the clarinet, or the trumpet? Why would they stop the soundtrack as soon as the piano comes in? Oh Adela my daughter, she thought, tell me why, teach me!

It was 5 years since she saw the father of her daughter. Adela had long taken her mother’s surname when she entered pre-school. And now she’s leaving to grade school: how happy it was for Nicole to see her daughter grow up so fast; how happy it was to raise her up, oh how happy.

Adela tapped Nicole on the back, “Mommy, where’s Uncle Ben?”

“He’ll be a little bit late, dear. Why don’t you watch the television for a bit?” Nicole knew Benjamin would be back some time, unlike the father, who disappeared for ages.

The winds were gradually strengthening, and the musician packed his trumpet and left the corner. The piano sound was continuing though, as if an orchestra assembled across the street, just for the sake of playing the whole piece of the Rhapsody.

Buzz-buzz.

“I’m sorry for today.” Benjamin took his coat off as he apologized.

“Don’t worry. It’s not your fault. It’s totally not your fault.” Nicole picked up the coat and hanged it in the closet.

“How’s dear Adela doing?” He laughed, as he stepped towards the television. Nicole turned her attention onto the man and the girl. What a great match for a father, she thought, if only he wasn’t the brother of the girl’s father. Oh, if it wasn’t for him few years ago, maybe Adela would still be asking what Dad stands for.

The piano died down a little bit, and the brass choir came roaring behind, trying to capture the audiences from the soloist. But the piano came back, chord after chord, arpeggio after arpeggio. The hands went up to the top, and down the black keys. No, the conductor no longer controlled him. It was his world, the concert was all his.

Yes, she could not forget. The face that appeared humbly on the subway train, the sight that made the bond between man and woman. But he abandoned me, she thought. The pale face that turned red at an instant, the emerald eyes that he had, oh how beautiful. But he abandoned me, she thought.

And she looked towards Adela. The face was her father’s one. Adela looked back. Her lips didn’t move, but the sound of her father appeared, “Come to me, Nicole, and we will live happily together. Trust me.”

Bump.

Nicole crashed the mirror behind her, but the mirror didn’t shatter. She looked into the mirror. There she saw, was the very face she was thinking. The lover of her life. The love that she could not forget.

-Pollux

Chapter 140: Existence is not essential

Laughing kids sat inside the café. The smell of hot chocolate flew out to the boardwalk. They were playing with their toys, livelily, and happily.

Tomas and Benjamin, the two brothers, stood before the shore silently, as if they didn’t know what to do for the next step. The girl was gone from them. From both of them, precisely.

Tomas wanted an explanation. He wanted to know if Benjamin was Nicole’s current boy. Nicole was after all Tomas’ ex-partner, and he should have known about his brother’s relationship issues, right? He thought.

But did he deserve one? Tomas didn’t even explain why he denied the meeting 5 years ago, and left Nicole and her daughter alone. And now she was gone, as if everything was coming back to him like a cycle. The theatres always said about the circle of life, and oh, such a realisation falling on the shoulders of Tomas.

“What is Nicole to you, Benjamin?” Tomas lost all of his rage upon seeing his girl leave.

Ben took a little laugh, and said, “Am I obliged to tell you, brother? You don’t seem like such a nosey person, aren’t you? The brother I know should be one who didn’t care much about anything, not even his own brothers’ departure.”

Tomas stood there, unable to continue the freezing conversation. His body started shaking against the wind. On the river were a fleet of container ships blowing off smoke endlessly, as if they had a pattern of saluting to the people on the shore. They were, obviously, the older generation of ships. The ones that persisted from the long past.

“Please don’t bother Nicole, brother.” Ben turned his face towards Tomas. “She clearly didn’t want you to be in her vicinity. And please remember who abandoned her in the first place.” He took his foot off the boardwalk, and turned his back on Tomas.

Alone on the shoreside, Tomas held on the handrail, leaning towards the river. He stared at the bottom of the river, but there were nothing for him to stare at. The water reflected his image on his eyes, and instantly it was washed away by the waves. And it appeared again.

And now he understood. The feeling of abandonment was definitely hard. The sorrow it brought was unbearable. Just like he did 5 years ago. Oh, how glad would he be to see his daughter now? The love was still in there. The girl with lilac eyes was still in there. Deep inside his heart, never to be forgotten.

-Pollux

Chapter 139: Biscuits break into crumbs

Warning: Do not jump into the sea. I repeat, do not jump into the sea. It is too cold for swimming. The waves are high. The water is freezing. Do not swim in the sea. I repeat, do not swim in the sea. 

Benjamin Arents, the long left brother, was sitting on a brown loveseat. His beard almost covered his lips, but his hair was not even reaching the forehead.

“Benjamin.” Tomas was still recovering from the shock. “And you.” His eyes paired with the lilac eyes in front of him. His lips were pointing down, and his face slowly turned red as they stared to each other.

Ben was the first to stand up. “Brother, it is nice to see you.” He tried to grab his brother’s hand and shake it. But Tomas brought both of his arms to his back.

“What brings you into here? And why do we not know? We have waited long about you, yet we absolutely can’t find you.”

“Do you mean Edward? Oh yes, I know you meant Edward, brother. No, I didn’t tell him. I would tell him some time later, but now that you’re here, it’s much more convenient, right? Please tell Edward of my blessings, brother.”

“I will. And what about Cecil?”

“Oh, how kind you are, brother. I thought Modest would be more caring, but turns out you have such a desire for knowledge.” Ben laughed.

Tomas was at the brink of eruption. He remained silent.

“Anyway, he’s fine. Don’t worry about him.”

The woman stared at Tomas for the whole conversation. After asking Ben, Tomas turned his eyes to her, as if he knew she was looking at him.

“You turned up late, Tomas.” Nicole spoke calmly. “I waited for you.”

She stood up, and stroked the man’s cheek. It was no longer soft and creamy.

A slap.

The woman walked away, with the sound of the waves in the background.

“I don’t think you are supposed to be here, brother. I’ll probably be back in a few days.” Ben silently spoke.

“Sorry.” Tomas whispered with the water in his eyes.

The gust blew across the boardwalk; the forks and knifes fell down from the table cloth; the waves, seemingly fierce, was trying to bite the boardwalk. Turmoil.

-Pollux

Chapter 138: Sailing on an unknown sea

The brown head of the deer statue welcomed the sun while it rose to the summit. Tomas knelt on the ground, staring at the entrance to the tourist centre. The woman with the lilac iris was still in his heart. No matter how hard he tried. It just stayed, regardless of how evil he thought she were. The place was the first time they met, and possibly the last time, but he didn’t show up. He left her alone.

“Sir, are you still going?” The taxi driver shouted. Tomas awoke from the dreams he saw and stood up. He wiped his face with his elbow, and sat back on the leather seat of the car. “I am sorry to keep you waiting.”

It was true that Tomas needed to apologise, but not the correct person. Imagine a lady with a baby, standing in front of a tourist spot for the whole day. She waited for the man who wasn’t worthy to wait. Yet she did, until the sunset. It was 5 years since Tomas had seen his lady.

He spent a lot of effort trying to wipe out his memories of her. Each time he would think of an excuse, of how she would grab all his money by seducing him, or claiming money for the daughter. But each time the lilac eyes appeared, and instantly her kindness flowed back to his brain. Tomas thought it was sorcery, witchcraft! She made him think she was kind. No, she was very evil. The evilest of all. Yes, he thought, he was right.

“Sir, we have arrived.” The accent wasn’t heavy, but enough for Tomas to quickly leave the taxi. The blue walls of the Marina Club looked as if no one had been cleaning it for months. The rooftop, a gabled roof, was laid with copper-green bricks. Tomas stepped forward into the club, and all he could see were faces of naivety, just like him some years ago.

“Good noon, sir. What can I help you?”

The club had been a familiar place for Tomas. And there he passed through the reception table, straight into the sitting area against the shore. As he walked towards the sound of the waves crashing against the beach, there was something spectacular.

It was a familiar face, but Tomas was sure he hadn’t met him before. A man holding a woman’s palm, cheek to cheek, watching the sea. So romantic, Tomas thought, but he wanted to know who they were, for it intrigued him, and there was no reverse for it.

And there he went to their chair. Tomas, with a little bit of doubt, jumped on the wooden flooring.

It was Benjamin Arents, and Tomas’ girl, Nicole.

-Pollux

Chapter 137: Last time, the only last time

Weather forecast:

Sunny, with a chance of precipitation at 1400. Temperature ranging from -2 to 5. Sunset time: 1658. Wind: Strong gales, hats not recommended. Fin. 

Sunlight glazed from the white window; minimum, but enough to heat up the surroundings. The plates were still on the table, bread crumbs and jam on the ivory-coloured ceramic. The water tap was running, as if to wash away the silence in the house.

Tomas got his jade green jacket, and bursted out through the door. The mansion looked new on the outside, but he knew it wasn’t reflecting the truth. The flower pots on the balcony started breaking, and the white rose inside the soil was facing the ground, sarcastically laughing at Tomas. He took a look on his watch. 11.04. Time. It wasn’t always perfect to him. It always wasn’t perfect for him. Sometimes he would question himself, whether he should continue to be the bad boy of the family. Sometimes he would think, why don’t I start working hard, at least do something to the family? And time would wash away all his thoughts instantly, as if a wave swallowing a beachside castle in seconds.

Tomas trotted on the road, ignoring the house behind him. The family only supported him financially since he abandoned his woman. He felt guilty of his wealth. He wanted to spend it all, just to find a lady whose desire would not be his money, but his true self. He couldn’t. The wealth just came and came, after he spent it all on bars and pubs. And the process continued, until his stomach couldn’t hold all of it. He puked. Everything out of himself.

“Taxi!”

The cyan taxicab stopped in front of him. Tomas grabbed the handle, and slammed the door towards himself.

“Leftown Marina, please.”

The driver’s window was open, and he was humming a tune. Tomas felt familiar: it sounded like the one that the accordion player played on the past few weeks. He asked himself, did the taxi driver waited for so long, just to let me travel on my misery day? Or was it decided by his own destiny, that this particular taxi driver would drive him exactly on this day?

Down the car went pass the football stadium at Portsmouth Road. The smell of beer rushed into the cabin, the same smell when Tomas stayed for the last time at his and his girlfriend’s house. It was, apparently, the last time he went back to his so-called home. Maybe she was still in there. Maybe his daughter was growing healthily. But he didn’t know. He didn’t want to know. He knew, that was the only last time.

On and on the taxi went, and it stopped at a red light, waiting for a tram to go through. In front of the glass, was a huge deer statue, and the huge signpost writing Cervini Place. Cervini, yes, the spot where Tomas was supposed to appear to reconcile with his wife-to-be. His eyes turned watery. He saw a girl standing below the ceiling, holding a baby, waiting for a man to appear.

“Stop!” He shouted.

Tomas got off the taxi, and ran towards the girl. He wanted to reach her, and she turned her back to him. And finally he patted her on the shoulder, but the shoulder was gone. It hadn’t existed anyway.

-Pollux

Chapter 136: Pistachio

It was 8 years ago when Tomas met Nicole. Her eyes were lilac, and her smile was sweeter than honey. Every day she would wear a mint-coloured hoodie, what a lovely pistachio she was. Tomas couldn’t get his eyes out of her, like a little boy holding his dripping ice cream cone. Soon they were together, as if no one could cut their hands apart, for they became one. Tomas even moved out to a house, unwilling to share his personal treasure with anyone else.

Tomas never mentioned about his wealth to Nicole, for he knew he didn’t need to. Still, a bait is always open for fishes. No one in the upper class didn’t know who was Tomas Arents, the playful prince of the golden family. Those moths started clinging to the fire, hoping to get at least something out of the charismatic man. And Tomas wasn’t great enough to resist the temptations. For eight nights in a week he went out, flirting and drinking in one of the best bars in the city, holding this lady or that missus. Happiness was, of course, dwelling in Tomas’ heart. It wasn’t dwelling in Nicole’s.

3 years later, Nicole brought him a daughter, a girl with her mother’s eyes. And she stopped wearing mint; instead, a charming lavender, with the smell of spring everyday when she stepped out of the bedroom.

But she waited and waited, and Tomas wouldn’t come home for more than two days a month. The girl was crying, and the woman was at the brink of doing so. No one knew Nicole and her daughter existed, because Tomas didn’t tell his family about them. He probably didn’t even know he had a daughter until Nicole left him.

It was a Wednesday morning, when Tomas forcelessly pushed the door of his house. There on top of the dining table, was a single sheet of paper, lying like a feather.

Tomas
I finally knew everything. Your surname is Arents, and how well are you hiding it. But fear not, for my daughter will not bear the same surname. Unless you find me for the last time, under the Deer at Cervini Place, Thursday noon.
Nicole Basto

His lower jaw remained dropped for a minute or so. She had left. She had left. What a painful truth to be heard. He knew he had a chance, maybe one meeting and everything would be fine.

But Tomas also knew the woman would meet only for his money. Innocence was rare, and no girl in the city would drop an ingot of gold on the ground, just to let some other pedestrian pick it up. His precious identity was known to the very last person he wanted to know. It was no return, he thought.

Few days later, Tomas moved back into Hull Road, where the family resided. The family always welcomed people back, whether bodies or souls.

-Pollux

Chapter 135

10.00

The grandfather clock in the sofa room ticked as loudly as possible, irritating every mosquito in the room. Tomas leaned against the armchair, as if the holiday wasn’t short enough for him to sit. Edward came in from the kitchen, holding a cup of chrysanthemum tea. He put it down on the coffee table, and sat facing Tomas.

“I can’t believe she’s really going to find that bastard.” Edward groaned. “I mean, we don’t even know if he’s really dead or not. It maybe someone trying to snap our wealth out of our hands!”

Tomas was apparently angered by the topic. “Well, kids are born to be like that. Look at Adela. Her mother took her out of me 3 years ago, and still, what do I have now? Dust? Huh!”

“It was not Adela’s responsibility though. She’s 5 years old now. What could you expect from her?” Edward knew what his brother did to the woman that he was supposed to hold responsibility. “If it were to blame, look at yourself. No one told you to go away from Nicole. She was such a good woman, and don’t tell me you don’t remember what you did to her.”

“I’m pretty sure she’s about my money!” Tomas shouted. “She’s not like you think. Once we are all dead, she’ll get everything! This house, our wealth, everything! I’m serious, and you guys just don’t believe me. Ugh.”

Edward stood up. “We all knew who you are, Tomas Arents. Dad had five sons, me, Modest, you, Benjamin and Cecil. And out of all five, ask yourself, Tomas, what you have done to the family. Depleting the family’s wealth? Feeding woman after woman? Sitting around all day doing nothing?”

Tomas stood up as well. “Oh yeah, what about Ben and Cecil! Where did they go when we strived for the family? They just left! One word, and they’re gone! Until now we don’t even know where they are, or what they are doing. And your precious son. Where has he been? Roaming in Westham and committing suicide? Puff.”

Edward couldn’t take it. He stepped in front of Tomas, and sticked his finger up to his face.

“At least they are spending their own money. And let me remind you, it is always me and Modest, not ‘we’. There is no you in ‘we’.”

It was true why Edward was furious. Ben was very different from the elder brothers, and Cecil followed Ben everywhere he went. Even when Ben left the family 8 years ago. He left without any signs. He only left one letter on the coffee table, and that was it. Ben wanted to explore the world better and start a business on his own. And he promised to write a letter once in a while. But the last one was already 1 year ago.

And Edward loved them. It certainly broke his heart when the both of them left the house. Although there was Marcia to comfort him, but still, it couldn’t prevent him from thinking that he mistreated them. And one by one, the members of the family left, Modest’s two sons, Tomas’ lover and daughter, and finally Edward’s son.

-Pollux

Chapter 134

“So, what was the last time you have seen Hugo?” Marcia’s tone was low and grave.

“I don’t see him very much these days, but the last time I’ve seen him was the time when I introduced his new boss to him, Mack Crose. Hasn’t he contacted you yet?”

“Yes, he has been tremendous in communicating with me. What else do you spot?”

Bart was silent for a second. “Well, he started talking strangely when I saw him. Pretty much every time since he started living in St. Randolph.”

“Dwelling in St. Randolph?” Marcia cried. The eyes of the passengers turned to her face. Sorry, sorry, she apologized.

“Mr Medlow, did you say he dwelt in St. Randolph?”

“Yep, almost out of all his life in Westham Hugo’s been living’in there.”

Marcia knew Hugo was leaving for Westham, but she couldn’t believe that precious son of hers went to live in the worst place possible in the city of Westham. She thought Hugo was going to take the better ones from the Heights, or the one by the bay. The crystal inside her heart instantly broke into pieces, crashing into the soft core of the beating pump.

“I am deeply sorry. I will find a time to call you in later moments, Mr Medlow.”

Silence in the train carriage. The morning train was apparently tired, as the snoring broke the beautiful moment of meditation. Marcia put her cell phone back to her handbag, not willing to take another look at it. Knowledge, to her, was sometimes useful, but only sometimes. Sometimes it would be better not to know her son had died. Sometimes it would be better not to know her son had been suffering in poverty, she thought.

Edward was right. She shouldn’t care too much about the boy that abandoned them. Ah, sweet independence must be all over Hugo, she thought. And he sought the best way for his life. Ah, how much would she be willing to take care of her son for her whole life. And to choose every pathway that he would take, she thought.

We are arriving at: Westham Central

The wind was the same wind for different cities. The cold was the chill that gave her the shake back at home. The people had similar faces, only to have different names. Oh, how long had she not been in this metropolis, the place where the whole family left 20 years ago. Until this point, she wouldn’t understand why her husband hated this city so much. The glass windows in front of the station, the floor as thin as paper, and frames as narrow as a stick. Those business towers were surely a new sight for the city. Ah, how she wished the family would pay a visit, even once would be fine.

Cairo Avenue

The road was clean, the colors swept to the side of the pavement, the asphalt flat and grey. Flocks of cars, schools of people come and leave, just like everyday.

-Pollux

Chapter 133

Colors were gradually fading, as the time of the year passed on. The brown branches showed themselves, naked, while they prepared for the snow to land on them.

Marcia took the step off the marble entrance, and walked towards the sun along Hull Road. The wind was chilling her face, but she was used to it. Especially after her heart was chilled recently.

“I will come now, Mr Crose. Where should I meet you?” She remembered every single word of the conversation she had with Mack. It was the only thread to her discovery of her son. Since his disappearance, there was absolutely no way to contact him, or find him. He didn’t have any friends at school, nor did he told his parents about his personal life, as if he had one.

“You might want to call another person. He’s a friend of Hugo, and it is through him that I found Hugo.”

“A friend?” Marcia was a little bit shocked, but continued with her walk without freaking out.

“Yes. His name is Bart Medlow. And his number is…”

A friend. Good news for Marcia, for what she had done to shape Hugo into the society was showing some success. Well, a little bit of it would definitely be better than none of it.

The golden arches of the Station was in front of her eyes, suddenly. For how long had she not been visiting this masterpiece. The life of a housewife surely had caged her into waves and waves of chores every day.

The ticket office was quite empty for the time of the day. Morning rush hour was they said. “Good morning. How could I help you?” The officer’s smile seemed forced after a busy 3-hour shift.

“I would like to take the earliest train to Westham Central, please.”

“Please wait a moment.” His tone was not as satisfying as Marcia thought. His eyes were saying, “How much more elegant can you be, dear lady?”. Oh great, Marcia thought. Someone having a bad day like me.

She took off her scarf. On the other side of the Station was a coffee shop, packed with black suits and ties. The smell of toast was flying through the space, and Marcia turned her head back to facing the office window.

“Here is your ticket, Missus. Board the train on platform 1.”

The gloves were preventing her to receive the officer’s warmth, even though he didn’t intend to give anyway. The air, though, was slowly slipping through her boots, directly attacking the socks and the feet. The cold was feeling hopeless. It wouldn’t give room for thinking, not a single chance to forgive anyone.

Marcia picked up her cell phone, and called the number Mack gave her.

“Bart Medlow speaking.”

The train was entering the platform.

“Hello. I am Marcia Arents, mother of Hugo Arents.”

“Mrs Arents, do I know you?”

The doors gradually opening.

“I do not think so. But you are one of the only people I can find.”

Marcia stepped into the carriage.

“How can I help you, Mrs Arents?”

-Pollux

Chapter 132

8.03. The telephone rang. It rang for 6 times, awaiting for some kind woman to pick it up.

Marcia yawned as she stepped down the stairs. “Hello?”

“Hello. My name is Mack Crose. Are you relatives of Hugo Arents?”

“Yes, I am. What is the matter, sir?”

“Thank God. This was the only number he left behind. Anyway, I’m his employer, and, uh, I want to ask if any of you want to retrieve his things, and maybe pay a visit to Westham?”

Apparently Marcia’s mood wasn’t bright enough to give a confident answer. “Can I call you back later? I have to discuss this with my family, first. You know, we are still mourning.” She held a pen and wrote the numbers on a sheet of paper. It was the water bill for the month.

“Goodbye, Mr Crose.”

Tomas was leaning on the kitchen door, just across the telephone. He looked at Marcia with a frown. “So, is it about the boy again?”

“Yes.” She replied with a plain tone. “His boss called to see when we can go to Westham some time.”

“Oh, missus.” Tomas groaned. “Don’t you remember why we left that heaven at the first place? Smelly, crowded, dark. I am not going back to where it made me poor.”

“Mister, I didn’t request you to go. Besides, it’s none of your business.”

Tomas gave her the fiery eyes. “Yes it is none of mine. Nothing is ever my business, even my daughter!”

Marcia pushed him away from the door and went into the kitchen. She picked up the bread, yawning, and put it in the toaster. But she missed it. She dropped the bread on the silvery surface. Weary as the face showed, sorrow as the eyes lost their focuses.

The accordion played under the window as usual. He sang, as if no one else was listening:

Oh see her face, oh see her face
Oh maiden I can see your sorrow eyes
A warm embrace, a warm embrace
Is what I’ll give you ’til my very demise

Marcia looked down, as if she was being serenaded by Romeo holding a guitar. How she wished she was in a different place. She saw her son as a never ending treasure, but now it had ended. Ah, she thought. What a life I had.

A pat on the back. It was Edward.

“I know you are sad about this. But you have to face this. It is over now.”

“Oh, how could I get over this? He is at least our only son.”

“Please, Marcia.” Edward moaned. “He has not been our son long since he left for Westham. Did you remember what he did? He chose the slums, and it is his choice.”

“I gave birth to him! Am I not clearer than you? Edward, he is a member of the family, and I am going to do the last thing for him.”

“So what are you going to do?” Edward asked.

“I am going to Westham for him. Anything, his things, his remains, his remaining things. And all the matters that we need to do. Remember, we are a family.”

Determined, Marcia went back to the room and packed for her clothes. She was going to take the next train to get there. For her son, for her family.

-Pollux

Chapter 131

Rain was pouring on the streets. The asphalt, washed and clean. There’s nothing better than such a nice sensation.

(The Tale of Hull)

This was a night. A night, where the light had long disappeared into the darkness. There was nothing worthy to see, nothing worthy to listen. Not even the rain, for it is dreary and dark. It was one of the rains that brought the exceptional cold in Winter, like no other rain would do. This was not a start of life, not the driving force of the growing grass. This was a rain, so sorrowful, that no one dared to laugh, nor anyone voiced about it.

The news came from Westham to the Arents family. Their last of the youngest generation, Hugo, was dead. Suicide, they said.

“It isn’t such a great deal anyway.” Edward moaned. He was once the young man’s father, only to be forgotten few years ago.

“At least he is a part of the family. Even though he suddenly disappeared and didn’t come back anymore.” Marcia told her husband. She always loved his son. She knew he was not going to come back at the moment when he told his mother he was leaving. The family wasn’t attractive to him.

“I doubt it, Marcia.” Tomas, Edward’s brother said. “Why did he leave the house at first? We have the money, we have the people, we have everything! Clearly he dislikes everyone of us. And now that he’s dead, it’s less of a burden to us!”

“Will you shut your filthy mouth?” Modest shouted. He was older than Tomas, but younger than Edward. “Your words are not helpful, at all. What else can you say?”

Edward stood up. “Okay, okay. I’m going to bed now. Let’s leave this matter until tomorrow.”

The rain was still falling. It wasn’t going to stop anytime soon, Marcia thought, as her tears flowed to her chin. Not for long, though, as she wiped them without making a noise. Her husband was clearly tired of going through these matters. Five brothers in total, two who left their homes, or as they said, for a better future. The house was feeling empty. It wasn’t related to the number of people inside it.

Hugo was their only son, but the family once had many. Modest’s two went to the battlefield, young and lively. After they went, there was no more echo from them. They said they couldn’t easily communicate with the frontier, but who knows if they were alive or dead.

On the other hand, Tomas’ daughter was not dead. She was living quite well, too, only with her mother. She must be strong enough to raise a five-year-old kid on her own. It was not her fault anyway.

The house was quiet. No cries or mourn. It was probably the best thing to happen, Marcia thought. She knew she couldn’t sleep through the night, but she still tried to put her head on the pillow, trying to get her consciousness down a little bit.

The rain was still falling. Endlessly.

-Pollux

Chapter 130

Dear Kornelia,

I’m starting to lose my touch on the pen. It slowly flows out of my soul, bit by bit. I’m scared. I don’t want to lose it, but how can I stop it? It’s uncontrollable. Is it because I was busy over the week? Or is it because I simply have nothing more to express?

I am fearful. Workload is driving me crazy, especially the huge stacks of paper on my desk, scattered around like biscuit crumbs. I do not want to read them, yet I must. I’m going against the path I wished I have gone, yet the big thing I’m doing is exactly what I want my path to be. Ah, the vines in front of the fruit tree, why must you stop me from getting the sweet harvest?

Maybe some day I will realize that this process is necessary, or at least, this is the only path I can take. No pain, no gain is what they always say, and, to be honest, how many people could stand that? My mind is going berserk now, uncontrollable, unimaginable. Chaos.

Only you can pacify me. It is through you that my chaos can come to an end. Oh, I am weary now. Can you comfort me, please? End my suffering, bring everything to yourself.

No, I can’t. I have to finally realize now. You cannot bring me anything. All who brings is me. It is me who brought myself to you. You did not do anything. It is monodirectional. It is always me who talks to you. No, you do not have a word, any word. It is only when I see you at first sight, that it is the time I wanted to keep you company. Nothing more than that. I didn’t know if you wanted me for your company, nor any words from you denying this.

Maybe it is time. You are only a book. And I am a man. All those days I am only imagining, fantasizing. No more, then, I say to myself, no more.

No, I would not seek for your help anymore. I will seek it for myself, Kornelia.

Rick

(To be continued…)

-Pollux