A short chapter for yall

Chapter 57

Friday, January 23, 2014

12:42 pm

(Ivan's POV)

I look at my phone and look back up. I found myself on a street with nice-looking houses, with nice cars to go along with the houses. The houses had bright, short grass with pretty yards with flowers. I don't think I've seen a street like this in Chicago, yet there are so many streets like this in Austin. I walk down the street and look down at my phone. I follow the GPS on my phone until it told me I arrived at my destination. I look up and see a house with only one floor. The house was wide to make up for its height. I notice a driveway on the side of the house, there was a 1999 Black Sudan. The bottom parts of the Sudan were caked in dirt. I look back at the house. The front door was in the middle of the house, there with two windows on the door's sides. This is where Michael lives?

I look back down at my phone and retype the address Michael gave me. The house in front showed up. I put my phone in my Inventory. Before I took one step towards the house I stop myself. What do I say to his mom? I can't just walk up to the house and knock. What if she doesn't even believe me? I take a deep breath before walk up nervously to the door and knock softly on the door. I fiddle with my hands as time passed. I took a step back when the sound of stomping could be heard rushing up to the door. The door banged, the sound of a lock clicking followed shortly afterward. The door opened up to reveal a woman with a black long black messy pony tail. She had had bright green eyes, her eyes were slightly ruined by dark purple bags under her eyes. She looked terrified as she stared down at me.

"Yes?" She asked confusedly. Her voice sounded sweet and full of compassion. I pinch myself before I respond.

"I-um-I know you're- your son is Michael," I said. I tried staring at her in the eye, but I couldn't help but look down at the floor. I calm myself down and look back up at her. Her face was filled with fear, her hands shook as she gripped the doorway tightly.

"Di-did something happen to him?" She said while biting her lip. I quickly shake my head.

"N-no, I was just wondering if you would um- like to see Michael soon? I'm doing this as a surprise." She smiled and stepped to the side.

"Can you please come in?" I sheepishly nod and walk-in. I look around the house, on my right was the entrance to the living room. There was another doorway in the living room but I couldn't see the other room. The living room had the normal stuff you could see in a living room, mostly couches and a Tv. On my left was a hallway where I assumed where the rooms were. In front of me was a kitchen. There was a door on the right. side of the kitchen that led to the backyard. There was an island in the middle of the kitchen with two stools at the front. Michal's mom led me towards the kitchen. She pulled a stool back and walked around the island. I sit on one stool on the left.

"Thank you." I try my best to politely say. She smiled sweetly before opening a cabinet and pulled out a tiny bag of chips. She tossed the chips in front of me and walked back towards the other stool beside me. She grabbed the stool and moved to the other side of the island. I looked at the bag of chips. Did she try to give this to me? She sat down on the stool and looked down at the chips.

"Do you want something else?" I shake my head.

"I didn't know it was for me." I quietly say. I grab the bag and open it. It grabbed the chip and put it in my mouth.

"So how did you get here?" She asked.

"I-uh, took a bus here? I walked a little bit too." She nodded silently.

"How are you going to get Michael here?"

"I got this one thing? I don't know how to explain it." She opened her mouth to say something but stopped. She stared down at the island and stayed silent for a bit. She closed her eyes and quickly opened them back up.

"When can you bring him?"

"Uh- anytime."

"Can you bring him now?" I nod and quietly look around.

"I can, can you just lead me to his room?" She eagerly got up and quickly walked towards the hallway on the left of the front door. I got up and quickly followed after her. She turned left into the hallway.

"It's at the end of the hallway." I nod and walk towards Michael's room. I look behind my shoulder. Michael's mom only stared on with a smile. I look forward and step inside his room. I close the door behind me.

Michael's wall was painted a baby blue. There were books and clothes scattered across his floor. His bed was in the middle of the room with his dresser pushed up against the wall across from his bed. The top part of the dresser was covered with dust. Did his mom leave this room alone? I notice that parts of his bed were ripped off. The sheets and blankets were hanging off the bed. I use the wind to put everything on the floor into one big pile. I take out a poster and lay it on the floor with the hieroglyphs facing up. I step onto the poster and snap my fingers.

My vision turned to white for just a second. I saw a black figure with big wings sitting on a chair right across from me. I felt my back pressed up against a soft surface. I look down only to find out I was sitting on a leather chair. I look back up and recognize Nuxiel sitting across from me. In between was a small circular table. On my side was a cup of Taiwanese coffee and a plate right next to the coffee. Nuxiel had a small burger with a chocolate milkshake. It took me a moment to realize that Nuxiel could bring me here anytime. I thought he could only bring me here when I sleep. What else can he do anyway?

I look around and notice that we're on the edge of a mountain overlooking a colorful forest. I stare over at the forest in confusion. What were supposed to be trees were instead large colorful flowers varying in color. Some even had multiple colors. The grass was bright yellow. Tiny blue orbs floated up from the grass, the whole forest was filled with these orbs. I look back at Nuxiel. There was suddenly a large sandwich in front of me. I raise my eyebrow at the sandwich. The sandwich had fries sticking out, I smelled fish coming from the sandwich. I look over at Nuxiel then look at the forest. What is this place? Is this someplace from mythology I don't know? I look back at Nuxiel while keeping the forest in the corner of my eye. Nuxiel was staring at the forest with a soft look in his eyes.

"What do you think of this forest?" I look over at the forest again.

"I think it's, I pause for just a moment. "Different. Where is this place."

"It's nothing too different from what's there on Earth. The only difference is that creatures evolved differently. I just wanted your opinion on it." I nod as the scene suddenly changed to a dark blue. I look down. Just below us was a brightly lighted city. The city was bright and filled with cars. There were bright signs on side of the buildings. It looked like what I would imagine New York would look like from above. I take out a pencil and drop it, the pencil fell right into the story. I notice that I could feel no wind around us. I stare down. Eating like this is kind of relaxing.

"About that forest, was that on another planet?"

A simple "Yes," was all Nuxiel could say.

"Is there other people on that planet? Or any animals?"

"There are people, not the same as you, but they think the same things. They even have their own gods, their own cultures. I wouldn't call them humans" Their own gods? How can they be real too if the gods here are real too? Do those gods know about the gods I know?

"So like aliens then?"

"You could call them that. To me, it's like another continent."

"Are their gods real too?"

"Of course, almost every group of sentient beings form gods or something similar. Gods need someone to worship them."

"Then if they're all real then, they all have their own story of how everything was created. Then how was everything actually created?" Nuxiel stayed quiet for a while.

"Let's talk about something else." He reached under the table and pulled out a phone.

"Hold on, I still want to know about the planet."

"We can talk about that later. Right now I want your thoughts on a song."

"Not to be rude, b-but why did you bring me here?" I said nervously.

"I'm going to tell you soon, I just need someone to tell me what you think about this song." I look down at my Sandwich and remove the top bread. The sandwich was various different meats and vegetables. There was: beef, chicken, ham, tomatoes, lettuce, eggs, and many other toppings I couldn't list. "In case your wondering," I look up at Nuxiel as he spoke. "The sandwich is called Gatsby. It's a type of food from South Africa. It's mainly known for being combined with various different types of toppings with fries." He picked up his phone and started typing in something.

"Does it have to come with fries?"

"It's common in Gatsby sandwiches." I look down and pick up the sandwich. How did anyone even come up with this? I bite down into the sandwich not expecting much. My mouth was filled with the taste of various meats. The sweet taste of the tomatoes accompanied the taste of the meat. The fries added a soft and crunchy texture to everything.

Nuxiel put down his phone. The soft ring of a xylophone came out of the speakers from the phone. The sounds of the xylophone stopped as the sounds of a piano and clapping replaced the xylophone. The lyrics began with the piano and the sound of clapping in the background.

The old hometown looks the same

As I step down from the train

And there to meet me is my mama and papa

Down the road I look and there runs Mary

Hair of gold and lips like cherries

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to meet me

Arms reaching, smiling sweetly

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home The old house is still standing

Though the paint is cracked and dry

And there's that old oak tree that I used to play on

Down the lane, I walk with my sweet Mary

Hair of gold and lips like cherries

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home

It was obvious from the lyrics that the speaker was coming back to their home town after a long being somewhere else. It sounds like the speaker is also starting a new life with his wife Mary. Why did Nuxiel want my opinion on this? Maybe something else happens later on in the song that he wants my opinion on.

Then I awake and look around me

At four grey walls that surround me

And I realize, yes, I was only dreaming

For there's a guard and there's a sad, old padre

On and on, we'll walk at daybreak

Again, I'll touch the green, green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to see me

In the shade of that old oak tree

As they lay me

'Neath the green, green grass of home

I felt my chest tighten as I listened to the last part of the song. I thought it was going to end happily.

"So what do you think the song was about?" I drink my coffee before answering."

"It's about a prisoner on death row dreaming about his home town. The last part is him being laid into his grave."

"That's what I thought too, but some other people didn't catch the death row part."

"I think the line, 'For there's a guard and there's a sad, old padre. On and On, we'll walk at daybreak' was enough evidence." Nuxiel nodded.

"I felt bad for the speaker, I know a lot of people who can sympathize with the speaker. I just hope that if this song was written after a person, that the person got to see his home before being put down." I drank the rest of my coffee before responding.

"I kind of feel bad, but he was also put on death row, if we're talking about a real person here then I don't feel bad."

"I feel that a person should have the choice to at least visit their home before being death."

"Well, I feel like that's one of the punishments for doing crime. I don't think a murderer, a robber, or anyone worse should get the right to those privileges."

"We both have our own ways of thinking, it's clear we don't agree on this subject. I do feel that experiencing something similar would change your thinking."

"It might, but I wouldn't know what I would if that happened to me." I take a huge bite out of my sandwich as Nuxiel leaned forward. I quickly chewed my food and set the sandwich down.

"Can you tell me why you brought me here?" He nodded and leaned back in his chair.

"I brought you here just to tell you one thing. You know you're friend Michael, you were about to meet up with him." I quietly nod. "I want you to bring him to a school called Pillow Elementary school tonight." I once again nod without a word. "You do know what's going to happen to him right?" I think for just a bit. Maybe he wants to attack Michael? It would probably make more sense that Nuxiel wants to tell him something. Maybe he wants more people on our side?

"You either want to kill him or tell him something?" I say unsurely.

"Your first guess was correct."

"So do I kill him myself or do I just bring him there and leave?" Nuxiel shook his head.

"You just bring him there and stay for a bit. Tonight I'm going to send someone to the school. He put his hand on the table and quickly took it off. A tiny torn piece of paper was resting where Nuxiel's hand was placed. I pick up the paper, the paper only showed someone's phone number.

"I'll call him before I meet Michael." Nuxiel nodded as he stood up. I leaned to the side, he was floating in the air with no effort. Not even his wings were moving. What's the point of having wings if you don't use them? I grab my sandwich and stuff it in my Inventory as my vision brightened with a flash.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt my feet land softly on the grass. I blink several times before my eyes could get used to the light. I crack my neck before realizing that I still had his book. I quickly take it out of my Inventory and stare down at the book.

I'll give it back to him next time. I have more important stuff to do.