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Science Fiction and Fantasy
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| Patterns (part ONE) | |
| By Carina | ||||
| 06 December 2007 | ||||
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An update on my story. Eric smiled and held the set of teacups up in the air so that everyone in the room could see them. “Yes,” he said. “Thank you, grandma, these will… definitely come in handy.” The skinny old grandmother radiated pride, while her present to Eric was passed from hand to hand. It was his twenty forth birthday and, together with his relatives, he was having cake and coffee at his parent’s house in the outskirts of New York. Eric, along with his older brother William, had grown up in this house. Nothing had changed since their move. The green living room furniture and the massive mahogany table stood centered in the room, and the television wore a thick layer of dust. It looked as if it had not been turned on even once since Eric had left, two years earlier. It stood alone and neglected, but on top of it, a small battery-powered radio rested, dusted off and shiny. On it, he recalled his father listening to the six o’ clock news and weather report every Saturday and Sunday. His mother preferred the one hour show “Oldies but goldies” each Tuesday afternoon. “Excuse me,” Eric said and rose from his seat. He took the coffee-pot and headed for the kitchen to refill it. He sighed and smiled to himself as he had a look around in the hallway. Like so many parents, Eric’s mother and father had proudly hung the walls with pictures of Eric and William as young. It seemed like an attempt to stop time. Then again, this whole house bore signs of refusal to live in the present. The walls were brown in one room, full of yellow and orange flowers in another. The kitchen, which he now entered, was worn down by time and not a single kitchen supply had been updated in about twenty years. The cabinet doors had missing handles, and the microwave William had given them for Christmas gift a year ago now was now covered by a red and yellow cloth, with two porcelain cats placed on top. Eric shook his head and poured hot coffee in the pot. Returning to his guests, he overheard his grandmother complain about William’s haircut. Although it was a fairly normal cut, she still found it too modern for her likings. Eric smiled and served coffee. The rest of the evening, he tried to show his appreciation for the celebration, but he was too tired to put enough effort into his performance. Fortunately, his guests were busy with cake and coffee and didn’t pay him much attention. He sighed. He just wanted to go home. The house smelled of cookies, coffee and the cigarettes his father and uncle insisted on smoking under the kitchen fan, and Eric didn’t enjoy the mixture. After two more hours and a lot of complaint about sickness and diseases, governments and politics, everyone had finally gone home except for Eric, his mother, his father and William. While their father had a quick smoke on the terrace, and their mother was in the kitchen putting leftovers in the freezer, Eric and William seated themselves in the living room. William drank his scotch, watching the presents lined up on the table. He pointed at one of them. “What exactly is that?” he said. “I have no idea, but I bet mum could use something like whatever that is supposed to be,” Eric replied. William let the last drop of whiskey leave the glass and sighed happily as he put it down on the table. He stretched out like a cat in the sofa, putting his feet on his mother’s favorite pillow. “So how’s school?” he asked and Eric shrugged in response. “No? Not going well?” “It’s nice, I guess, but boredom on a very high level right now,” Eric answered and collapsed in his corner, tired. Their father opened the terrace door and stepped inside. Eric grunted. “You smell like shit.” “Why thank you very much, son.” William poured whiskey in a new glass and handed it over to his father who took it and sat down in a brown armchair who looked as ready to collapse as Eric. It creaked ominously as he leaned back. “Twenty-four years old. Time flies by,” he said and chuckled. Eric rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah…” “So, my boy, how is school?” William grinned at his brother who shook his head. “Fine,” Eric concluded. “Dad,” William said and pointed toward the kitchen, “I failed to spot the microwave I gave you for Christmas last year…” Eric laughed. “That’s because mum has redecorated it. It is now officially nothing but a box to put ornaments on,” he said, amused. Their father snorted.“Oh, we used it! We did! Once, we used it to heat our dinner, just like you told us we could do, and can you believe, sparks flashed before my eyes! I immediately shut it off. I think there might be something wrong with it…” William put his hand on his forehead and sighed deeply. “Did you put the fork and knife away?” he said slowly. Their father looked at his sons and shrugged. “Where did you want me to put them?” he said, confused. “Not in the microwave, dad! Did you?” William said and sat up. “Well…Maybe I did…” “Dad! I… I… There are no words to describe this… this… The microwave is fine! You, on the other hand, could do with some upgrading…” he murmured. The door bell rang and he left the room. “What did he mean?” the still confused father said. “Oh, never mind,” Eric laughed and ate the last piece of cake left of the plate. William peered around the corner. “Come on, Eric,” he said, “ I’ll give you a lift home.” “You’ve been drinking,” Eric said and yawned. “Yeah, okay, maybe I can’t drive,” William said while Eric got to his feet and headed for the hall, “but my friend can.” Eric turned the corner and saw a girl lean toward the wall. “Eric. This is Kira,” William said and headed for the kitchen, leaving Eric alone with her. Kira seemed a little troubled by the sudden silence. Eric wanted to speak, but was lost for words. He let his eyes wander. Kira was slender and blonde, with her hair tied in a ponytail. Her eyes were almost disturbingly blue and the stare he received felt cold and penetrating. Still, she radiated warmth and sensuality. Her body seemed flawless, and he couldn’t help letting his eyes follow her every curve. He felt so bad for staring without speaking, but was too amazed by her to look away, or form any reasonable sentences. Kira cleared her throat and he looked away, embarrassed. “I’ve been living with William for a month now,” she explained. “Oh really?” Eric managed. “I’m not from here and he offered me his bed, so…” Eric’s eyes widened and Kira her cheeks went pink. “No, no, no! Not like that! God, no! He’s on the sofa, I… I sleep alone, I do,” she said and blushed even more. William entered the hall again, putting his jacket on.“Bye mum, bye dad!” he called and laid an arm around Kira as they walked toward the car. Eric watched her go. “Bye mum.. dad. Thanks for the… cake.” He put his shoes and jacket on, closed the door, and jumped into the backseat of the car. Back home, he laid down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Kira. There was something about this girl. Something was very wrong.The sun went down. Night took over. Eric slept, tossing and turning in feverish nightmares about the ocean, and the end of everything. ~ ~ ~ About a week of Eric’s ordinary life went by. Friday came, marking the end of yet another week of hard work. Eric waited for the train to arrive to take him home when the phone rang. “Hey Eric! What are you up to, dude?” William shouted in his ear. “Hey Will, I’m on my way home. What’s up?” “Having a party tonight, you gotta be here!” “Got essays to finish, bills to pay, books to read…” “Just for one night, fuck it and get your ass over here! Be here at ten,” William said and hung up. The train arrived and Eric sat down. “Oh… Hi.” He lifted his eyes. Kira sat opposite him, smiling. His heart skipped a beat and his mouth went dry. “… Hey you! What are you doing here?” “I’m on my way to your brother. You as well?” she said, piercing him with an icy, blue gaze. He tried to look away, but couldn’t. “Not yet, no…” he answered, swallowing loudly. “I’m heading home first. With my books and, well, having a shower, I guess.” “Where do you live, Eric?” she said, looking out the window, studying his reflection in the dirty glass. He swallowed again, looking down at his shoes, feeling nervous. Was she and William dating? They sure seemed to spend an awful lot of time together. Eric felt a surge of jealousy pass by, but dismissed the feeling quickly. He couldn’t be jealous about a girl he hardly knew, that was just stupid. Yet, something still hurt when thinking of him and her as a couple. He dared a glance at her and saw her watching him with a worried look in her eyes. “Eric?” “I’m sorry, what was the question again?” he said and shook it off. “Where you live… I asked you where you live,” she said, helpfully and he nodded. “Yes. Sorry. I live five stations away from here. In a small flat above a pizzeria, nothing fancy, not like William’s place. I’m no estate agent,” he stuttered, studying his own shoes. “… But the pizza is excellent…” Kira smiled and looked at him. She put her hand on his leg, forcing him to meet her eyes. “Have you had dinner yet?” she said. He shook his head. “Then have some pizza with me, Eric.” The rain fell outside. Eric watched Kira while waiting at the counter. She sat by the window looking out into the arriving night. This was… different. Why had she come with him? It was only a pizzeria. This wasn’t exactly a five star restaurant. He wanted to call it a date, but just couldn’t. That would make him the worst date ever. She turned around and smiled at him. He smiled back.Looking out the window again, she followed with her finger the patterns painted on the glass by the raindrops. It seemed to make her happy. What could be so satisfying just watching the rain was beyond him, but it didn’t matter. She seemed to make everything quite wonderful. He paid for the pizzas and sat down next to her. They ate in silence for a while, just studying the busy life outside their window. After finishing, she pushed her plate aside and he felt her watching him. He finished his pizza fast, took their plates away and ordered two more beers. This silence made him uncomfortable. It probably made her uncomfortable too. He didn’t want that. He felt a certain responsibility to keep the conversation going. He thought for a while. “You look beautiful," he said before being able to stop himself. Kira looked uncomfortable. Eric tried to correct his errors quickly. “I just meant that… Artistically speaking…” He felt his stomach turn, “It… it would make a good picture, with the rain and you by the candlelight… or in the rain, all wet… No! Wait! Not like that!” Kira stood up, putting her jacket on. Eric hastily rose from his chair, spilling beer over them both. “Oh, shit!!” he said, running for paper towels. Getting back, he desperately started wiping beer off of Kira’s shirt, suddenly realizing he was dangerously close to her chest. He backed away, mumbling, stumbling, knocking his chair over. A smile spread across Kira’s face and she started laughing. “Eric, it’s okay. Take it easy,” she said, giving him a hug. At first, he just stood there, frozen to the ground. Then a scent of roses spread and he inhaled. He put his arms around her, closing his eyes. He wanted it to last, but Kira backed away, a little embarrassed. She looked down at her shirt and smiled.“Does your flat have a shower?” she mumbled. Eric blushed. “Yes, of course. Do you want to use it? Of course you do! What a stupid question… Follow me. And again, I’m so sorry!” ~ ~ ~ ”What did you say your name was again?” “Yumiko.” “That’s weird, girl, but pretty…I’m Simon.” “I know.” Simon and Yumiko sat on cushions on the floor in an overcrowded apartment belonging to someone they hardly knew. Behind them, someone played guitar, in front of them someone else warmed a spoon over a candle, tightening a belt around the arm, making the veins more visible for injection. Yumiko watch him fill the needle and frowned. “What do you like about this place?” she asked Simon. He blinked slowly. “I don’t know…” he said, “it’s cool…” Yumiko shook her head disapprovingly. “It’s not cool.” Simon watched her for a long time. “… It’s not?” “This is such a waste, Simon. You’re talented, do you realize that?” she said, looking at him. He tried to focus, but his eyes kept rolling around in its sockets. “I think I need a little more,” he mumbled and Yumiko sighed. Simon heaved himself up by holding on to the wall and staggered into another room. Yumiko watched him go and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. A man sat down next to her. He leaned forward and started kissing her face. She kept her eyes on the spot where Simon had vanished and ignored the man. He stopped and looked at her. “Are you wasted?” he said and she turned her gaze to him. He smiled and offered her a pill. “Want some, baby?” he said and put the pill to her lips. “No thanks,” she said and pushed his hand away. He shrugged and put the pill in his own mouth. Another man sat down in front of her and grinned. In the darkness of the room, his eyes looked almost black. Drugs really mess people up, she thought and looked away. He crawled closer and tried to kiss her. “Fuck off,” she said and pushed him aside. He fell to the floor, laughing. In the corner of her eye, she saw Simon reappear again. She quickly rose and pushed her way through the crowd. “Simon!” she shouted and grabbed him by the arm, dragging him into the bathroom. She threw two girls out and locked the door behind them. “Hey,” Simon said in a shaky voice, “it kind of feels like something’s kind of… wrong, you know…” She faced him. “Yes, something is kind of wrong, Simon,” she stated, watching him sadly. Pale and sweating hard, he fell to the floor. Yumiko stayed put. He gave her a pleading look. “Help… me…” She ignored his wishes and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. “I can’t believe how you could do this. Drugs, I mean. You get a decent rush from a good whiskey or a few beers. It’s quite enough for the body and the mind. Couldn’t that have been enough, you idiot?” Simon stared at her. He coughed, and blood sputtered all over his face. She ripped off some toilet paper and carelessly wiped his face. “Die with some dignity…” His eyes widened at this and he opened his mouth to protest, but ended up swallowing his won blood. He choked and desperately tried to cough again. Yumiko wiped some of it off again, and then threw the paper in the bin. She stared at him, indifferent to his current condition. She crossed her legs, resting her head in her hands. “How could you lower yourself to their level?” she said and pointed at the bathroom door, referring to the people outside. “You were so smart, Simon! You could have gone a long way. You could have chosen music. You could have chosen politics. You were multi-talented for crying out loud,” she said with gritted teeth, “but you chose …this.” Simon thought he saw her eyes shift in color. A second later his heart gave up. He got to his feet and looked at the body on the cold floor, staring blindly at the ceiling. It looked awful with blood and saliva all over the face. The clothes were completely soaked in sweat. The body looked destroyed, but Simon felt sober and clear. He turned to Yumiko. She watched him even-minded. “How do you feel?” she said. He shrugged. “Well. I’m dead,” he answered. “I guess I feel dead.” “You stupid, stupid fuck,” she said and stood up. “You could have been something brilliant. Well, you know what to do. Step into the fucking light and never speak to me again.” Yumiko opened the bathroom door and once again pushed her way through the crowd. This time, no one saw her. Her existence went by unnoticed. She stayed for the screams at the discovery of the dead man in the bathroom before turning her back on the disaster. Putting her hands in her pockets, she walked away. ~ ~ ~ The phone rang. “Hello…” “Eric! When the fuck are you coming??” William shouted over the loud music in the background. “She’s just having a quick shower, then I need one, then…” “Say what? Eric, my man! Who’s having a quick shower, mate? Tell me all the details!” Eric scratched his head, thinking of a good enough lie. “Just a flirt, nothing more,” he said, moving on quickly. “I’ll be there faster if you stop bothering me!” “Alright, alright… Bring the girl!” William shouted. “Oh, you bet I will…” “What? Too loud here!” “I said: See you soon!” Eric put the phone down and stretched out on the bed. He smiled to himself, delighted. He couldn’t wait to tell his brother this. His smile quickly vanished. What if Will really liked her? A crease appeared between his eyebrows. Could it be that they were both falling for the same girl? “No,” he mumbled, “I’m not…” Turning his head sideways he saw Kira sitting on a barstool, wrapped in his white and blue favorite towel. He hadn’t even heard her turn the water off. She watched him as he quickly sat up again. Kira smiled. “I like your apartment. Retro,” she said and pointed at an orange clock hanging over the living room sofa. He chuckled. “My mum gave me that when I moved. I hate it, but she loves it, and I don’t feel like letting her down,” he explained. “Oh?” she said, surprised. “I really like it.” “You’re crazy,” Eric said and smiled. He waved his hand in the air. “Then this is your dream home. Everything is second hand.” Eric looked around the small apartment and frowned. Everything was old, worn out or broken. A blue curtain was all that separated the living room area from the kitchen, if you could even call it a kitchen, more like a kitchenette. It would never work for two people to cook in there at the same time. He turned his head to the pathetic corner where his bed stood and pointed at it. “Sometimes I wish I lived bigger. It would be nice to have the luxury of a separate bedroom.” He looked at the mattress on the floor. “It would be nice to have a real bed, for starters!” he laughed. Kira looked at the mattress and smiled. “William could help you out,” she said, but Eric shook his head. “No, I’ll be fine. I just have to finish my studies. After that, I will move to something bigger.” She smiled and stood up. “Well, I still like it.” She headed for the mirror in the hall, and as she walked passed him, Eric gasped. Deep scars and burned skin stretched from her neck all the way down to the small of her back. She stood in front of the mirror, brushing her hair. Eric couldn’t stop staring at the scarred, burned skin. His mind raced. Did she have an abusive boyfriend? Was that the reason she lived with William? He closed his eyes and lowered his head, trying to imagine the pain she must have been in. “Eric?” He looked up and saw her watch him, cautiously. “Is something wrong?” He stared at her and was about to speak, but quickly changed his mind. He didn’t dare to ask, at least not now. Standing up, he fixed his eyes on the floor and walked past her quickly. “I’m going to… hit the shower, if that’s alright with you,” he said and went into the bathroom. Before closing the door he glanced back at her once more, and for a split second, cold chills rushed through him.
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