THE SORROW OF THOMOS FULL STORY

 

C1 : The sorrow of Thomas - Monologue

The ticking sound I hear becomes more painful with each passing second in this dark and and silent bedroom. The curtains befeld blocking the rays of the sunlight- the world outside preaches, is yet another fantasy of my distant long passed memories. The venomous silence that engulfs me like a rat being devoured by a great serpant that helplessly awaits it’s unstoppable demise. This feathersoft mattress that my back rests gives me a sensation of cold hard stone. I cannot casually think of anything or anyone. Restlessly staring at the ceiling, as though hoping that any second now someone would take me away from this limbo.
     The tree that shades it’s leaves as though submitting itself to the cold winter, waiting until it could reawaken again someday. Perhaps, I do too want to believe that one day I would rejoice a new life. A being such as me, that is just a waste of resources. An existance worthy to be disposed of, such high praise does not do any justice. Every day I wake upto see nothing but me, a grotesque and detestable animal. Living like some sort of lowly beast.
   The orphan preservation funds I started appearing every month, out of the blue as though burning me once again. I hadn’t registered for this life saving scheme, because they work for orphans who wish to live on their own and yet every month I received cash which I could not make truce with. This made one thing clear to me, for this world I was always alone. It was just a means to survive, that is it. Every so often man has to eat For me, half a can of beans and then forget what my stomach yearns for the coming trinity of days and nights, only seeing the monster that was the outside world every month at midnight, to buy the bare essentials to keep myself in check. My dusty and unclean apartment stinked, but over the many days I survived in this eerie nightmare, I had grown acustomed to it. The bed was my grave, I would lay down there most of the time, to support my slim and starving stature.
  Ever since that dreadful night , I was left wounded and destroyed. It was a prank played by the universe itself, I couldn’t help but give a sorrowful and ache inducing laugh.
  That night when no one returned to mourn for this poor soul named Thomas. Neither friend or blood nor neighbor cried for my loss. For them, I was always sad and lonely. All they could provide was sympathy. I was left severed to my last nerve, unable relive the memories of those that filled my heart, which now only seemed like a dream. The names forgotten, their lives forsaken. Residing within me was only a faint image of their lives captured onto my heart. Each day became a struggle to live, to accept it. I tried hard to bring everything back to normal upto my ability but all efforts were in vain.
    After days full of desperation, I gave up on making things better, if not the same. It all started two years ago, on a faithful October morning. I decided to forego from going to the school and then from school to soccer to friends,and every single other thing. I abstained myself from everything until what remained was a live corpse as like a ruined state whose songs of glorious past are the only remnants of its youth.
   My room is filled with tattered middleschool textbooks, litter, unkept trashbins, rusty cans. The stained posters of ‘Dragon Crusher’ and charts of biology that are partially off the wall always causes my brain to tremble in fear. Digusting floormat that the clothes that lay all over the floor, really adds to the garbage character. My roomates, are the uncountable spiders of all sizes hovering on their silk. I do not like them because they fall on me, frightening the life out of me other than that we maintain the usual ceasefire.
   In these morose days, I am living a life of zero self consious. My greenish hair have grown quite long; an unkempt apperance that paired with the slim body, no wonder sometimes people mistake me for some drug addict hobo. But it never amuses me nor do I feel embaressed.
  I try to starve myself but it never works out, the brain of my gut overpowers my will and I end up eating food. When I run out of these essential resources, I have to drag my feet to the convenience store to buy more beans and energy drink. The only thought I have, is to end this suffering but then I lock myself in this lifestyle once again. If could lift myself again, my head and live in a bliss.
 
Chapter : Erici Frederyck.
“My rations are empty again…..I have to go outside…”. Beans and milk, I had exhausted all of them. Usually at times like this, I wait until midnight to go to the store but today was a little different. Along with my fodder, I ran out of the toilet paper. So this was an unusual emergency. Emerging out of hive, at this early time but I couldn’t wait for two hours to pass. The night was upon us so, people wouldn’t be flowing like water as like in the day. I took out some wrinkled Voin notes and stashed them in my hoodie’s pocket carelessly. The wind was silent and except the occasional breeze that passed chills down my bones, I could walk pleasantly having wearing a yellow hoodie over boxers. A madman walking across the street, the occasional bystander would stare at me with a shock. I had to bare with these people, until by destination arrived and my way back. Seriously, I always received these gazes; I did have clothes on me and I wasn’t like I was flashing apart from my disheveld persona, I was somewhat couth.
  Maede’s 24/7 was the only store in the area, that withstood my conditions and so it was my only option. When I would go there; midnight not many customers could be seen, the random punk who’d buy beer and wafers was a sight very normal. But this was the first time I saw normal looking people casually lingering around the various aisle. The clothes, the nacks, vegetables and a plethra of human needs. This gives a cloudy memories of going out shopping with my mother, such sweet days or maybe a dream.
Fifteen cans of canned green beans, about one hundred and thirty Voin, and together with a gallon of milk. So that was kind of cheap, I thought to myself with a wry smile. The cashier was staring at me from toe to head, for some reason he scolded me
“I am not doing charity. So piss off”.
He was about sixteen I think roughly as old as myself, was looking vexeldly at me. He wasn’t the usual middle aged guy who worked at night but it seemed he misunderstood me for a beggar or something. It felt kind of bad hearing that but it wasn’t his fault. We get judged by our appearnace, attitude and image and if we screw even one of them suddenly the perspective by which the people see us may take a complete 180.
   I gave a forced laugh, for and though implying that he was completely off the mark. He was very embarressed doing such a childish thing and apologized for his ignoble behaviour. Despite that he was interested in my appareal, but I had no reason to tell that to a total stranger so I decieved him in the name of social experiment. He seemed to buy it so I left the store.
“Somebody help, this dog will bite me”. On the other side of the street of the door front of Maede’s, a dog was barking at some chic. Nobody was around to save her so I had to take the initiative and then I recalled why it’s such a hassle to go as early as 10.00 p.m. Someone always seem to cause a commotion, and it is frickin’ annoying.
   I took out a can of beans and swinged it at full throttle towards that rude dog. It accurately hit its head and squeaked while running away. I didn’t care to take back that can, there were two reasons. One was that most probably the can may have burst due to the pressure of impact and second was that I would get involved with unneccessary formalities with this coward lady. So I ignored and started walking away to home.
The nightlife in my neighbourhood is about non-existant, primarily a residance of middle aged people with family; it is one of those boring neighborhood sprawling with kids in day and slowly colliding with silence in the night. So there wasn’t much life this late at night. It still was very pleasing, it felt calm and relaxing. I would almost resolve to take night walk, but I sensed someone following me. This was not a good time to stall someone, the noiseless surrounding would give away a presence to even someone as absent minded as me. This someone was the girl from before, she wasn’t hiding that fact just following me. I sighed deeply, as I knew cumbersome formalities could not be avoided be it good or bad.
“If you’re gonna say thank you. I get it, now please can you leave.”, I politely declined her offer.
I turned back and  started walking but she persistnatly followed like a loyal dog. It felt pretty tense, I couldn’t understand why she was doing this. It felt pretty stupid coming from such a hot looking girl. I thought brazenly that she must fetishize disheveld guys. It was a pretty stupid thought but nonetheless made sense.
   “What do you want me do so that you may stop following me!”, I was exasperated. I just wanted to go home, attend the buisness in the toilet and try drowning in fantasies called dreams.
   “Your canned beans..”, she suddenly collapsed on the ground. I do not know what happened but some sort of weakness may have been the case. I wished to abandon her but it wasn’t a very good idea, if she was ill then there was no reason for her to follow me. For better or worse; I complied with the demands of society and piggybacked her to house. The luggage was quite heavy, first time in a pair of years had I brought someone at my place. Even if today was for just helping out this chic.
I tucked her in the messy sofa and comforted myself with the delicacies that are read beans with schezwan sauce. I eat in such a way that I would hesitate to eat it again, until my appetite is so irresistable that I eventually give up. It has been an effective method for me these past months.
   After I had my fodder, the question of this girl remains. Sprinkling some water didn’t work, so either she was very exhausted or maybe I have to call an Ambulance. I swayed away all the filth around the sofa so she wouldn’t feel like being in a delapidated hellhole. Whilst briskly cleaning up the hive, she regained consiousness. A red alert might have shot in her head. Randomly finding yourself in an unfamiliar place, even if it’s a palace one must freak out to be considered a decent and normal person in my textbook. But this lady was definitely abnormal, she casually walked into the kitchen and fancied herself a glass of water. I do not know how she knew where I store my glasses and other cutlery. Instead of her getting scared and lose her mind, I was the one who did. An outburst of perplexed emotions, and uncertainities aroused in my mind. Was there any chance, she was related to some family friend, but there was a problem in that way of thought. People who were aquainted with my parents had there memories altered after that dreadful night. So there was no way, she ever visited this place. Even if she did I would have a faint idea of her existance. Everything, every single second was an erroneous mistake. Had I started hallucinating, due to immense depression? But she did held that can earlier and also buyed another one as a compensation. The bill from before too, stated that I had bought fifteen cans. I now owned sixteen, so really did exist.
  “I am hungry, can you cook something Tom.”, she insisted casually. Was she serious? Trolling me or something. It was hard to comprehend this nuisance, but it seems she is very familiar with me and I too sense a vague relation between us.
  “Who are you exactly?”, I asked.
  “Huh….are you joking”. What does she mean are you joking, I thought. She was asserting that I was the one acting dumb here. There was not a hint of acting jokingly here. Her mannerism told me that she was a resident of this house, and that was pissing me off.  
“Listen, first of all I helped you..twice and then you go and invade my house.”, I tried intimidating her to leave but she totally ignored and spitefully urged me to clean everything up, till she cooks food. When I declined, she took out the meat knife that hadn’t seen light in who knows how many months. Once again she knew exactly where it was, without a slight delay in movement; she threatened me, like a professional tyrant. I couldn’t understand the reasoning behind her, and she threatened me with a kitchen knife. A pussy like me, who didn’t even had courage to kill myself in these deep depths of life. It would be certain that I would comply. But there was another reason for this, I didn’t destroy my being because I am the only person to carry memories of my beloved and if I still die without knowing what truly happened that night, I would fail in the only goal of my measly life.
   “I am Erici, and also from this moment think of me as your master”. She was once again, seriously saying some bullshit like that. So this Erici, was trying to make a slave out of me! This was unacceptable even by my standards. It had to end quick, I for one will not create a charade for her.
First I gave her some money, to buy the pre-requisites for pasta and then sent her out to Maede’s. Then I locked my apartment and my plan was to wait until sunrise, so it would eliminate any possibility of her waiting there. Then I would once again be able to return back to lazy.
    I locked my apartment, and waited for sun dawn on the terrace. This was another first time in a while today, first time going out before midnight, interaction with people, helping someone, bringing someone home and decieving someone out. So it was a pretty loaded day. I kind of got a feeling of amusement but it was seriously frustating more than fun. Because of all that, I had to lay low in this freezing cold wind on top of this high altitude. As I tried to close my eyes, to get some rest. The silhouette and the red hue appeared. They do appear when I am asleep, but today it was instantaneous. “Looks like you are preparing to tread on this path.”, the silhouette whispered in an almost disturbing yet calming way. I am uncertain about it being a premonition or a mental condition I am experiencing but I remember seeing the silhouette reaching out her hand to me from even before the dreadful night. I wondered what that was while staring the dazzling bright of the infinite night sky, they may have possessed me to make me sleep in peace in their bosom like that of my mother.
The next morning I was greeted with the first rays of the morning star. It truly felt like an actual alarm clock and I actully woke up early today, it felt like I was hyped up for the upcoming day. I ran towards the comort of my own room to cozy myself in the bed. As I walked downstairs, I saw this Erici girl climbing up the stairs. I was dumbfounded by attitude, it was written on her face that nothing has happened.
   “You waited all night here, till I arrive”, I screamed, but I stand for that it was not pretty degenerate considering her stupidity but then what she said, shattered me.
“It’s just 11.30, are you drunk or something?”, she smiled. I laughed wholeheartedly to this stupid prank of hers, it was so childish that I had pity on her. This girl needed more help than me, it was ridiculous of me to assume her to be some kind being having absolute control of the sixth sense or a psychic.
  “See those windows, on that staircase. Do see light coming in”, she asked me to confirm giving a slight smile. The way she sad that was nerve wracking, something was definitely odd, she was acting smug whilst stairing on the other side, my rear- where the window was. I gulped, in fear of the unknown and slowly twisted my neck to see the window behind. I was expecting a burst of light and I closed my eyes in that anticipation but those rays never reached my cornea because they weren’t there. I was sweating profusely seeing what I saw, the mighty sun’s blistering sunshine was nowhere to be found. It was just a cold, dark and empty corridor and it was a night before. There wasn’t any life in the outside world, the ladies doing zumba, the geezer that joked about old times while gazing upon the pleasnt morning sky were not there. I experienced a sudden shock and it was so massive I instantly lost the strenght in legs and landed on my knees. The chic looked confused seeing me react like that, the wicked smile on her face turned in a scowl, saying you were supposed to clean up the place till I show up. From her point of view, she was the one who was being played with not me. Did I delude myself into thinking that I slept through the night on the terrace? But I experienced through it. The bugs that crawled over me, the random mosquito in the season of winter, but even the swell due to the bite, I didn’t spot it on my body. What happened? It was only half an hour since she left according to the her watch and yet the sleep in my eyes was totally disappeared.
    I was utterly speechless and also, I got a feeling of getting toyed with. I do not know what exactly happened but it was clear it was unnatural for something like that to happen. Unfortunately for me, I had let her into my home once again. This uncertain and vexing chain of events are like restarting an old and rusted car engine. Days and days of dull and bland emotions  really had a great effect on me; I do not plan on changing that but these strong gushes of fear and ecstasy really feel refreshing but I must not falter from my way. This chic needs to go, if not passively… I shall become violent.
I took the initiative of starting to clean the hall, till she gets really involved in cooking. In the mean time, I took a club and kept it real close so that it would be really easy to pick up. I slowly closed the gap  between the kitchen-hall intejection, it was cruel but I was hoping to hit her unconsious and then leave her in a bus. The plan was very janky but if executed properly, it would solve the problem in one swing.
    She looked real concentrated in slicing the beef, with her new favourite toy- the meat knife. The level of precision, by which she was working was amazing. I predicted that her family might own a slaughterhouse or a butcher mart. But now wasn’t the time to compliment someone’s skills, it was time for serious action. After ten minutes of slowly covering the ground, till I pass the no man’s land. I thoroughly put effort in the cleaning the room, whilst evaluating and reconsidering the plan. It was perfect.
I slowly raised the club behind her, and to a stance to swing the bat. It was difficult to smoothly carry out this operation due to lack of space, so even a slight miscalculation in the driving angle would result in failure. I started tofeel the calm and zenith, I was getting in to the zone, I strenghtened my will and freed my self from hesitation. In a way, I was at the epitome of meditation. Just seconds awaywas my freedom, to return to same old filth and not affirm the action of someone else. Swinging the club in full force, the target was her head.
   The moment I thought it would hit her, grazing her hair, she slid downward dodging it completely. Simultaneously she grabbed the hold of the meat knife that casually laid on the kitchen top conviniently and while she rotated herself and and raised the knife, after not even a fraction of a second the a part of club lew away in the air, hitting the dead rosemary pot. I do not know how much skill she possessed to completely chop of wood and her fluid and swift movement were no match for a potato like me.
  “Are you trying to kill me.”, she bluntly spoke. There was not a single shred of anger in her eyes, instead they were filled with pity. She was looking down on me, it was clear to me the difference between our strenghts was as vast as the Graden Fauvars.
 “I failed. But can you please leave my house. I do not want you around”, I was now left miserably vining. Fate itself had turned a blind eye to this overpowered bitch. I don’t know what to even do if she says no. But I am pretty sure she is not so stupid to start living randomly with me, she must have family right?.
“You must have felt sad, being called a slave. In that case see me as your elder sister.”, she gave a slight smile and scolded me. I wanted to ask her, every single thing that happened today. But she wouldn’t speak anything until I would clean the complete house. I was getting henpecked, every single time she came to see the progress, I do not know why but it seems she totally was going for the character of the insolent elder sister.
    The more difficult to understand was that I had accumulated so much paper bits over the years. But these ordeal was surfacial. All the time I was tidying up, I was brooding over the night on terrace. The day I saw would not come until tommorow, I do not think it was a dream. It was too real for that to happen, this phenomena was not the same as that of when mother and father ceased to exist. Yet I had an eerie sensation of their relation. They could not be understood with the usual comman sense.
At about 12.30 a.m, she had dinner. Roasted beef and pasta, this house had just experienced a rejuvination ceremony of some sort. I was drooling over the color, the scent, the flavour must have been rich. She made a serving for me, though she looked kind of sad, I not accepting a meal served before me. It would distort my fasts, one of my unannounced principles.
  “You must get a haircut tommorow”, she commanded. Now this was way too much, sure cleaning and stuff is okay, but this was beyond reasonable, she said she was playing mom now.
  “Nobody is listening to you bitch. Besides, I have other problems to deal with.”, I shouted. She stood from the sofa, and came closer to my face. I was flustered, I could feel her breath hitting me. She looked me into the eyes, I could feel my heart racing…
A loud bang surrounded my ears, leaving me stunned. For a moment, I couldn’t understand what happened after which I had a sensation of pain on my cheek. She slapped me. It took me a while to process that.
 “…Listen, just do as I say and you would be well off”, she urged me but her act made it clear that this was a clear warning. Erici, her deep crimson eyes, crept deep into your soul. An existance that would overpower me anyday, it was a clear example of the weak being obliged to the strong. Nonetheless, I could feel that she was worried about me. Guess there’s no end to this. No matter what I do, I would fail.
 “Man, are you for real? I was living quitely and peacefully. Yeah it was not the best way live or may I say I was just alive but there was no interference”, I cried. It was pathetic that I started whining out of desperation. This was the last stand.
 “There are things much out of the range of comman understanding. Things that will eventually devour you if you are left on your own”. She told with a complex expression. I couldn’t understand what she was talking about but her words emphasised on unworldly phenomena. Like what happened earlier, when I tried to bore her away. I do understand that physical strenght alone cannot be justification of time travel but the way she used her words implies that she knew what occurred back then.
 “So… how many hours have passed since we met?”, considering she doesn’t know what happened back then, I can guess the answer must be four hours however if-
 “…..About ten hours or more. I cannot tell you more than that. I just ask of you one thing… obey me”. Was there even an option after saying something like that? But more importantly, even if it is a cue. The mystery behind that night.
   If I grab the tail of this matter, it would provide more than an answer to all of my questions. The thing was, at the time of when I first tried to search answers for that incident, I was greeted with disappointment. There were no studies, records or witnesses about any other related events as of my research. And now, after all this time I finally get a lead. If this is what it takes to sate my curiosity so be it. I have already lived as like an animal so this was not to humiliating in the slightest.
 “Fine I’ll do as you say, but down the line you have to give me some answers”. She kept her mouth shut for a couple of moments, it seemed that my proposal had troubled her. There was these turmoil and pain in her expression. I could catch the subtle change in her breathing. Was that too much to ask? But that an’t be right. I was here agreeing to live basically as a slave, she points out that it was for my security. I get that she means only I turn twenty one, the Child preservation would stop lending me a hand, and I had to earn a living. After giving a thought, she nodded. But there was still a catch, she would spill the beans only when the right time comes. When the right time comes, what does that even suppose to mean?
After our little agreement I had with Fred, I obidiently ate the meal. It tasted so heavenly, tears flowed down my sucken eyes. For the first time in five years, I had food. It can be even called beyond delicious. I never thought I would regret living a life like I did, all this time. Erici herself had a broad smile on her face, a grin of satisfaction. I humbly thanked her for it. Was this what the silhouette told me? I wonder. What path to be trodden caredully.
C3- New Horizons
A month has passed since Fred started living with me. The winter is growing milder and milder with each passing day, to a give warmth to every life in this world. The frozen lakes and ponds, the ice is slowly breaking and thinning out so I feel excited to see the nostalgic sight I was always fond of. I can see the end of my dark ages, finally. Thanks to this random stranger, I can see the ray of hope once again.
  She doesn’t talk much about herself, and her attitude has also mellowed down after I agreed co-operating. She is like a mirror, or I can even say a wall. I vent out on her, time to time. I do feel bad, for dumping all my frustrations, anger, worries, sorrows on her but she doesn’t really mind it that much. For many a times, I asked her to do the same for her but she would always ignore them.
  Erici also made a health recovery programme for me, which I’ve been following from last month. It involves of extensive body training, martial arts, weight gain and lots of other junk. I cannot get why I would require this. Sadly enough, she pours lot of effort into teaching but the the results are not so great. Even so, I have not given up yet. At least till she would teach me, I would face anything she throws at me.
  I finally got a haircut, its not very shiny but well it is a lot better, getting a haircut once in awhile really relieves stress for me. Also due to this weird student-master relationship Erici has created yes at first when she talked about it, I jumbled it with me being a slave I have to wear a uniform. A plain white shirt on black pants and formal black shoes. I would be like some high standard bodyguard if I buffed up, Fred’s mouth dropped when shefirst saw me like that but when I tried to tease her about it she gave a nice tight slap. She also marked with some weird insignia, a tattoo under my left ear. She say it is for safety purpose, like every other thing she has provided me, yet despite a month I only know her namme and maybe some of her favourite foods and movies. Other than that Erici Frederyck is a total stranger. But it is nice to have her, I mean she is rehabilitating me. Maybe she may have some ulterior motive but she is cleaning me off the filth, and for that I must thank her from bottom my soul. I also have to apologize for my rude behaviour, although it was justified I kinda feel bad now.
November 2^nd, 594. Today.
I was really hyped up for this day. The warm summer sky that has bestowed upon me its blessings, and also motivated me to move out in the companionship of the day. Of course Fred will accompany me because I know I may freak out al of a sudden. We would be shopping at some place called Graldian Leatherworks. I basically have zero prior experience of this specific shop, searched about it on the net but there weren’t any reviews nor a directory of that place. Today is a Sunday, so I just don’t want to bump into people I know. It would be really awkward to randomly face them all of sudden, the chances are slim because I was rather inconspicuos in school and outdoors. I will be also visiting a Jiradiniya. Now don’t even know what that is but according to Erici, it is basically a library and book store. Excitement is currently running through my veins. One of the reasons is that this would first time going out with a chic. But I don’t know why but this seem superficial, and deep down I certainly feel hollow.
   “Let’s get going shall we”, Erici was finally ready. She was wearing clothes similar me, so were looking like partners straight out of some detective or spy movie. She was also wearing dark glasses which I envied because she was looking a lot cooler, there was this firm look on her face, which was full of experience and wisdom even though she was only an year older than me at best. It would seem that we were on a cosplay date but that was a fantasy. If such a beautiful girl becomes my girlfriend I would be such a happy man but a fact would remain that she would be the one to save me and not the other way around.
   I locked the door and we were ready to move downstairs. Purposefully using stairs so that my heart wouldn’t beat out of my body and also comtemplate over today’s goals.  Erici was walking a couple of step behead, she had her guard on. It was like were in enemy territory with uneasy silence enveloping us, as if at any point an the foe would ambush us. Some of the pedestrians stared at us with a curios face, they seemed scared but curious to talk to us. I couldn’t help but feel embaressed. I enjoyed the way, the girls looked at me too. They would ogle out like a kid watching a sweet shop display, but I would look away in fear of being talked to. Also Erici was with me, so it wasn’t like they would have any confidence to come to me. Now I don’t understand if that is a win or a loss. I thought, Shit! Because of this chic always being around I’d never get a girl.
   We were in front of a bakery when I spotted a duo of girls, one of who was around my age and the other looked a bit older were passing by on the other side of the lane, one of them looked familiar; seem to be muttering between themselves. One of them, a girl wearing white skirt  with an intricate pattern of red roses embroided on it, and the botom of the skirt laced with roses as well, a sunhat covered her blonde head. The other much older, looked like her assistant or an attendant. This girl looked exceptionally beautiful amongst us. Beautiful or ugly, I didn’t intend to talk to anyone without a gender bias. So I looked at Erici, in hopes of she declining their offer but she turned her face towards the blondehead and instead of a no asked them to come over our side instead. My jaws dropped after seeing her poor face reading. I sighed in despair, as they walked to us.
   “Damn Tom, where were you”, she looked straight into my eye as if she would be dissapointed if the answer was no. I tried to focus on her beautiful face as if I was thinking very hard.
   “Huh! What the fuck you forgot about me. I am so gonna punch you. Did you lost your brain while I was away, you didn’t even respond to my letters. Wait did you even receive them?”, she looked very frustrated but those words flicked something in my brain. Elizabeth Grannert? But why would she be here? She had become quite a celebrity after that silly drama and now randomly spotting her.
  “Elizabeth, the fuck are doin’ round here. Did they screw you?”, I responded in a shocked tone. There was no reason to be couth around her because we lose all civility when talking to each other for some reason, and that shocked the older lady. She turned her face towards Erici and nodded as she carefully scanned her head to toe.
  “That chic’s your girlfriend? Boy aren’t you lucky. Anyway, you gotta tell me why you never responded to my messages in last three years and I cannot even contact your parents . You must give me a good treat as an apology- ”. At that instant I experienced my heart skip a beat. For the first time in three years, I had heard those words. Elizabeth had her memories unaltered and unscathed. I couldn’t control myself, the dam that was my sorrow was destroyed. Tears started flowing without any obstruction. A pane of a black window, that had blocked my rays of hope. Erici was like a counsellor but I never trusted her to confess such a heavy secret to. As these thoughts and contradictions rushed my brain, I found myself bawling over the ground. Elizabeth was astonished to see me like that, she understood that she touched a nerve.
  “I am sorry for this intrusion. I don’t know what I did but it seems I did something despicable”. Elizabeth began to think, she was somehow at fault. But that was no it, it was the opposite. I had finally found someone to vent out the dreadful night.
  “No, actually…. Can I get your phone number. Thomas doesn’t have a phone. He would like to contact you later. And if possible, can you make a meeting possible?”, Erici stepped in, for some strange reason she understood me. I was thnkful to her, as I myself was not in any condition to think rationally like that. I just wanted to lighten my heart by sharing my burden without being called a numbskull. Eizabeth looked concerned, and she agreed without a single thought. I have some great friends and I betrayed their affection for me. Such a dork, I mocked myself. Erici humbly took their leave, I watched my friend’s back as she disappeared beyond the horizon.
I was sobbing my heart out, unaware and cut of from the outside world, when I felt a soft hand carressing my hair. I could feel the emotions behind them. It was a desire to see me through this excruciating agony. As the master lifted my chin as if urging me to stop my panting.
  “You are strong, Thomas. More than I ever will be. Even if you betray my expectations, I will happily accept my defeat if it is to see your smile. I request you…. will you stop lamenting.”, while saying that she gently hugged me and patted my back. It was soothing, as if I was in a mother’s arms. Her coarse and blank demeanour was a façade and nothing more, I was now definitely sure. She was genuinely caring and  it comforted more than it would if for instance if it would have been Camarelle Windon. All of the emotions that were seeping out were once again in control. The vague directions my mind was running to make peculiar conncections of two and more unrelated topics to make an answer out of nothingness, had been demolished. When one’s soul goes berserk and finds itself in turmoil, chaos enveloping sanity and comman sense itself becomes nonsense. I hardened my will and decided no to succumb to this melancholy once again.
For the past ten minutes after I broke down, I sat on the pavement recollecting myself. Erici stood beside me contemplating the situation we ust encountered. It looked as if she was a little surprised of the commotion but I do not know why it was like that.
  “Erici, let’s go. I think I am feeling better now.” She admired my now reddened face and swollen eyes as I uplifted myself, in an elegant  manner. As my emotions settled that I cried among girls like a kid, that hurt me but I thought it would be better to forget this topic now that finally I am ending this impasse. Erici pointed to a bakery about two blocks rom our current location.
  “…..Why were you crying?”, she was quiet and gave me time as tore myself out but it seems she was astonished of this atypical sight. I kept silent, she was conveyed that I did not want to talk about this anymore so will we silently trudged over to the destination.
The door made a quirky creak as Erici slowly opened it. She was immediately greeted with hostile glints, as if being united with a enemy and yet. I couldn’t understand why these bunch of bakers woluld have an enemity with her. The cakes and pastries showcsed looked perfect as if casted from clay. I wondered tasting this creamy heavan in my mouth and the rich and hot smell of the oven, the natural flavor of such a place was better air freshner than the most expensive eau de cologne. It straight up looked like a set up as in an imperial kitchen.
  Erici went to the man sitting besides the cashier. He was unlike the others, having a dubious look on his face. He gave a crooked smile when Erici confronted him, wearing a blood stained apron; the man raked of gut and flesh. He was a big person, having half of his face painted with some sort of yellowish fluid. His gray hair drenched in wax, he had set them in a very swanky manner. She tossed something that appeared to be a silver coin which he catched mid-air with his index and middle finger of his left air. “….So you are the one. Let’s see how this ends, Erici.”, the giant groaned.
One of the workers there opened a door to the basement, that was initially locked when we arrived. As soon as we entered he closed the door behind us, Erici walked downstairs without a sweat of hesitation and I was being a scared rabbit or a rat. Having come down we were blessed with an abomination of an entrance. Instead we found our selves in the back alley of some weird dark and charred town. My feet felt a mush, I looked beneath it to find dead black and wet moss. The sky had an a vivid range of grey clouds. It was very cold and the damp in the surrounding, and my flummoxed face was having a hard time dealing with it.
  “…..Oh my god, Erici! Where am I ?”, Where was I exactly? This place was the complete antonym of where we just were. The people wore clothes of it seemed as of very coarse fabric yet some seemed to wear very extragavant clothes; lets say they dressed as nobles but do not recognize these place as anywhere on earth. There movements for some reason seem rather inhuman. The shops, stalls, taverns, inns that I saw when I peaked outside on the street were straight out of a medivial-steampunk game but very much detailed. Although I was hyper consious of my new surroundings, it wasn’t like I was geetting a dicey feeling out of this.
  “Dgereszik, and don’t wander around you’ll sully yourself in that Analoum trash.”, Erici arrogantly spoke. This was the first time I saw her in such a mood. Sure, she would sometimes warn or bashed me but she did it not in anger but in care and affection. Truly, a sister I never had but this was different and it troubled me so I asked her what was wrong.
  “You see their movements and mannerisms are simply not human?”.
 
  “Yeah but maybe because we are in a different culture”.
  “There not humans.” What did she mean they were not human. They looked alright to me, they were backward but that doesn’t mean they are ripped of their status as human.
  “But Erici, they look human enough to me.”
  “Let me sprinkle this in your eyes”, she took out an anonymous eye drop. It was kind of the plastic bottle you’d find at an optical medical considering I am using the correct term. She then proceeded to put a drop of it in either of my eyes. Suddenly I could see a change in their physique. There were tails, animalistic ears of all sorts. I could not understand where they came from all of sudden-
  “Let’s quickly run our errands and get going. I’ll tell about this at home.”, she sighed in hurry. We entered in the door infront of us, in this back alley. It’s door pane was smudged with dust and dirty snow  and the frame had marks of swords and axes on it. When I tried to push it, I noticed that the door was jammed. Erici ordered me to slam the door. And with that, I mustered all the force and so I rammed my body in the door. It worked! The door was opened but I crashed into the table in the room. My head bumped into a handle onlybe ricocheted into my collar bone.
  “Once again coming from the back door, eh, Frederyck”, a guy around my age or maybe elder came in from another entrance. He was tall and handsome, his physique roughly was as like me but muscular. He was the type who would bathe in girls but never bothered getting involved, the type envied and ridiculed behind his back. He wore a leather apron same as like the man from the cake shop, black hair shiny and his yellow eyes glimmed with calm and zenith.
  “Well you see, I don’t want my trouble my senses with subhuman garbage. Coming to these place in the first place fills my body with great bloodlust. So by avoiding them, I am extending their lifeline. And-” But then, this guy interrupted
  “Okay, okay I get you. Now quit giving the same explanation as last time.” I watched her in amusement as she was being casually discriminating. I don’t know the social heirarchy in this world but…
  “He the man behind the faction split and your rebellion”, he glared at me. His calm eyes showeed traces of hatred against me. Erici nodded in agreement as to ignore as unneccessary argument.
  “Thomas here, is clueless to everything I am here for doing. He is flabbergasted at this heretic sorcery…. Basically I am telling that he is harmless”.
“Harmless?..... for now at least”.
His words. I didn’t understand why he was being a jerk. At least Erici looked like she was acing her real casual self; guess she likes him. Not that it was surprsing but he looked happy too, when replying to her so I tried to stir up some conversation.
   “Is he your boyfriend, Master”, I tossed the coin of curiosity in a still lake. I wanted to see a flustered Erici but unfortunately I was enveloped by even more hostile glare from this guy.
   “I could have been but unfortunately certain someone is her centre of universe.”, he had a deep scowl on his face, as if he appied more pressure, his skin would tore of his forehead. This had started to piss me of as well. He was being straight up asshole at this point, maybe I would even adhere him but at least give me a fair reason.
  “I told you my answer before Centauras. This is my decision.”
  “So hear this as well. I won’t let you waste your life and yout on this abomination”.  I remained silent as Erici stayed neutral. She didn’t was a commotion right now. As an extremely straight person she likes to complete swiftly without even a trace.
 “Hey Erici, looks like this chic’s on period.”, I mocked him wholehearted. His behaviour was admoniable. I was first all a guest, and second he treated me as garbage and even started hurting Erici. She didn’t say it but I know, her heart is more fragile than her tough-guy persona. Centaurus didn’t take one bit of it. He was so heated up, veins surfaced on his clenched fist. I knew what was coming for me and wouldn’t be able to dodge it without any damage. And then –bash- he punched me in my ear. knocking me out instantly. He must have anticipated that I was far stronger than I actually was, thus explaining the power in his hands. I instantly hit the ground, laying unconsious.
 “Now you have done it Justin. I said he was harmless.”, the puncher got consious of his egregious and uncouth act. But he was still somewhat satisfied with his result. He digustingly washed his hands as if he had touched trash. This was beyond excusable even for te calm Erici.
 “It seems you have lost your sense of differenciating between human and filth living among them. ” Erici sighed.
 “I didn’t think the Marnagnle would be so weak”. He spoke while he took out a two shopping bags out of the cabinet. Tey were different from the ones back home. They were intricately decorated cloth bas rather than paper.
 “You are naïve Frederyck. Your foolish decision had broke the organisation into multiple factions. I only sided wit the neutrals because of you. The executionists had started making plans to kill it before its too late, your own life is in danger as well”. He was really concerned about his dear friend who had strayed from tue victory according to him.
 “I am the being a child here? They are. Believing in some godforsaken legend to kill poor Thomas. Besides according to the original story, a Marnagnle has to be very strong and intelligant so as for a successful ritual. He is somewhatcunning but he isn’t someone I can categorise as strong.”
   Centauras gave a wry smile, as he handed over the goods. He had understood, intimidating her was not an option