"It was a massive fault on our parts as well to not make sure of Mr. Everett's condition after he had left so suddenly." He sounded rueful, "I had been talking to a colleague when he had dashed out at such a short notice. It is a great fortune that he came out with minimal injuries."
Thomas sat across the table from Anastasia all the while Ethan handed him a glass of water. Thomas simply set it aside, not bothering to take a sip.
"Thank you, young man." He turned quickly to face him over his shoulder, "Eighteen this year I assume, and already started university?"
Ethan nodded proudly, "
"Young man!" He pointed to Ethan then to Anastasia then back to Ethan and gave him a knowing nod, which Ethan returned with the same energy.
"Mrs. Everett, your son has quite a bright future ahead of him. He wishes to follow in his mother's footsteps, and I can assure you he's going to be astoundingly good."
Following this, Ethan presents his hand to Thomas expecting a handshake but Thomas's smile vanishes and looks at Ethan's hand as if he had just been cussed.
"I'd rather not." He said, baffled.
"Oookay, sorry about that." Ethan retreated.
Instantly his smile was back, and he asked Anastasia how she had been faring, after formalities regarding their lives had concluded, Anastasia asked him,
"Is your family alright as well, Mr. Trivola?"
He looked at her and smiled, "I am well, I express my full gratitude to you for asking."
Anastasia seemed confused, "What about your wife? Maybe a child?"
Thomas shook his head, his smile did not waver, "Nay. I don't possess the serendipity to meet someone I could consider the love of life, unlike you have Mrs. Everett. As for parents, fate had robbed me of such a luxury when I was no more than seven. He turned to Ethan.
"That's why you ought to cherish both of them young man, your parents are wonderful! Utterly wonderful people, I wonder how they are able to live at times with how great they are."
Ethan was slightly confused by the end of his statement, but he brushed it off. All the while Anastasia kept her poker face and smile, "Is that so?"
"Well then, must you have any more to ask of me Mrs. Everett? Or have I properly, 'fulfilled' my duty as a close comrade of Mr. Everett's?" He laughed softly.
"Incidentally Mr. Trivola. Do you happen to know the lack of any real change regarding.." she moved her hands around, "Everything? Why attacks against us Aaergalians haven't stopped, why are there still people protesting for our deportation and the likes? I was even denied the privilege of sending a letter." She finished.
Just a few days prior, Anastasia had seen it in all its glory. Banners raised, people with megaphones reciting religious texts, shouting the name of Douglas Campbell and how he would'
Thomas crossed his arms and listened to every word, leaning back on the chair, then he straightened himself.
"Mrs. Everett, what I shall disclose here is knowledge that is very scarcely known and I request that you keep it that way. The war at Gostul—the main border between Marlen and Aaergale has been very terrific for both sides. Despite our sides succeeding in holding back the conflict, we have suffered major loses."
"Have the forces been unable to break through and capture the bordering states of Marlen?"
"No. I wish it were that simple, Mrs. Everett. You see, two days prior at one of our major camps, a, 'child' had snuck in, the men assumed him to be harmless, until when he was changing his coat when they saw a glimpse of his shoulder and saw the burn mark. The next moment, the bomb on his chest went off, lighting the entire camp on fire and we lost over a hundred troops with over fifty of them severely injured, while another fifty saw it in their best interests to flee the region entirely, and run away from my remaining, 'fragment' of their past, such as their families and start a new life at the enemy country. Such a foolish thought. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I suppose so."
"Indeed. I pity those mix their blood with filth and expect it to bear a worthwhile fruit. While I'm no advocate for, 'keeping it pure', I certainly feel a sharp disdain for those who are desperate enough to ruin themselves with our enemies. While I don't expect each person to be as morally adept as some of our officers, but avoidance of such an action is simply common sense, don't you agree? In the end, I even remind myself that they are not worth to be pitied. Sympathy is reserved for those who are forced into unfavorable conditions, not those who choose it.
The men, women and children who have turned away their faces from our country and accepted those of other despicable blood, given birth to children of their blood, and loved them, are no different from the enemies we wish to eliminate."
"That is an...interesting viewpoint." Ethan was baffled, at a loss for words.
He instantaneously turned his head to Ethan,
"No young man, it is not an opinion, or a, 'viewpoint' as some may argue. It is a universal truth. But I suppose I am getting ahead of myself, Mrs. Everett, what was I saying again? Ah! I have just remembered something that would certainly be assuring to you."
He shifted on the chair, coming closer with a jubilant smile on his face, his white teeth visible, "If by any chance a war were to break out that spreads too deep into our country, first and foremost we would be, 'evacuating' all families of our officers to the country of Kriheira."
Anastasia was astounded at the proclamation, "Kriheira?"
"Yes of course! An alliance is underway with the country of Kriheira. After the disappearance of the president, currently, Ms. Rohesia is leading the country's head. A few more meetings with the envoy and we'll be all set to go."
"But, how does that work?" Ethan interjected, and both of their eyes landed on Ethan, "We're currently at war and, why would Kriheira willingly agree to alliance even after so many accounts of human rights violations that are just flowing out of our contry? How does that even make sense?"
Thomas seemed surprised at his sharp question, Anastasia rested her chin on her interlaced fingers with a warm, motherly smile that yelled, 'That's my son.'
"Misinformation is one of the country's greatest banes young man, we seek to eliminate it from the roots itself. We're, 'neutralizing' all of these threats and combating the allegations, thankfully Ms. Rohesia is a very intelligent minister, she knows what choice is wise and what is not."
Thomas's eyes drifted to the clock and he checked his watched directly after, "It seems I have overstayed my welcome, well then, I must take my leave and do give Mr. Everett the best of wishes from my side."
"We're thankful too Mr. Trivola that you came to visit."
Thomas gave Ethan one final smile before turning around. Just when he was about to walk off, he stopped and turned to Anastasia once more, "Mrs. Everett, incidentally while I was updating the information of all the members of our office, I noticed that your maiden name was not mentioned there, that it was just, 'Anastasia Victor Everett.'" he said and waited for an answer. He didn't have to wait long.
"Yes, that's correct Mr. Trivola."
"Pardon?"
"My maiden name is Anastasia Victor Everett. My husband was the one who took up my name, not the other way around as it is traditionally"
Thomas was really surprised, Anastasia chuckled, "It's such a reaction that we get from everyone who hears this information, but yes, it is true."
Thomas murmured, "I guess it was true then."
Anastasia asked him to repeat what he had said, but he simply brushed it off and offered his final formalities and headed for the door.
He looked back at the living room, struck by the afternoon sunshine as if it were capturing a moment in time forever. The bright walls and warm interior that could be a solace to anyone who set foot in here. The dining table that had four chairs, as if anyone could arrive at any day and they would have to make room for them. Or maybe, it wasn't for just anyone, but a specific someone who could be back at any moment.
The house, despite its size, never seemed too much for the small family of four. It felt occupied and lively, with its warm environment and accepting nature.
It was just a shame that they were his mortal enemies.
With Anastasia standing near the table and Ethan in the kitchen, the door handle clicked and opened a way for the outside air to flood the room, almost like betraying the sanctity of such a place.
When he stepped outside, he had another surprise waiting for him. This one made him grin like a child.
"What are you doing here?" A shaky voice asked him.
"Hm? I really give my congratulations on your fast recovery."
"Why? Why are you here?" His voice was getting louder, with each mumbled shout.
"You could say it was on a whim, especially to address the health of my comrade, it is only natural is it not, Mr. Everett?"
"Thomas. You never told me anything about this!" He balled his hand to a fist and smashed it into the nearby wall. It hurt, but it never registered. His ears were ringing too loudly for him to register anything that wasn't the vile creature in human skin trying to converse with him with a smile on his face like they were long lost friends who had just united."
Thomas didn't say anything.
He looked at Johann up and down, then he stepped closer slowly.
He crept close to his ear and whispered, "You have a wonderful family, Mr. Everett. Do make sure to make good care of them."
Landing his palm on the shoulder of a frozen Johann, he patted it before finally setting off into the distance in his black ZIM - 12. Not even looking back at the ruinous state of mind he had left Johann in.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
There is a house atop a valley. Enchanted by the gods from the dark azure skies and brisk winds that flow through the open windows and treat the family of four with kindness.
The wife wearing a bright yellow summer dress, seated on a sofa with her arms around her husband as they share a moment of restrained intimacy knowing the eyes of their children who sheepishly tease each other to oblivion.
The son runs around the house calling his younger sister names and she chases him relentlessly eager to get back at him as they both collapse on the floor and laugh their hearts out.
This is what heaven is, this is what true happiness is. He does not need anything more, all of them are safe and happy.
Suddenly, there is a knock on the door. Then a bang and the door breaks down as men rush into the house.
They are wearing masks, black masks that hide their faces and they run around the house destroying everything they can find.
They destroy vases, throw out furniture through the windows that fall and shatter into pieces.
There are screams that drown one another, of his wife, of his daughter, of his son, all of them begging for him to help them.
They hold the father down and hoist his son up by his hair and slit his throat.
Blood splashes through, it stains the floors and flows to the father's face that is rubbed in it. They hold him up to the wall as they make him watch the men forcing themselves on his wife and daughter. Tearing apart their dressing, cutting through the summer dress and violating them until their bloodcurdling screams are stopped from their burning throats that are then slit.
His entire family lie on the floor, all of them lifeless and their blood covering his entire body. The men corner him and with markers and chalks write on the walls in bold letters, "It's all your fault."
He is shaking, shreaking, yelling, crying out for help. He sees the eyes of his family, but he can't hold contact for much longer.
Their bodies melt like wax to the floor and only the son remains, standing in front of him, urging him, "Dad."
He tries to open his mouth but no words come out.
"Dad."
He punches his own face until blood flows from his nose.
"Dad!"
The voices are calling out to him again. He doesn't know what to do. He sees his mother, his father, strangers who he is supposed to call his brothers and sisters. The name. The single name that the tall man had mentioned.
Her face appears in front of him, smiling and chilling. He raises his arm forward and approaches, he holds her down and grabs her neck and strangles her to death. Its getting dark. He feels alone, lonely.
It's so cold. It's so cold. It's so cold. It's so cold. It's so cold. It's so cold. Cold Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold
"DAD!" Ethan springs out of his seat. "Dad! Are you alright? Have you taken your pain medications? Does it hurt anywhere?" He inspects his injury on his arm.
"I'm fine Ethan. I'm fine. You need not be so concerned." He gripped his head and sighed.
"I was giving you this." He extended his hand and opened his fists to reveal a sleek black box with a watch in its front. It was ticking, just anticlockwise.
He was stunned. Johann grabbed the object from Ethan's hands and felt its rough surface, confirming its suspicion.
He inspected the object more closely, nudged his fingernail in one of its corners which made a click sound and out came the internal logistics of the watch-
Except there was nothing. It just opened without a single drain of dust to notice.
"Where did you find this?"
"Someone random ass guy gave it to me, he was all urgent and everything. Saying that I NEEDED to give this to you. Got any idea about it?"
"It's a Watmatia."
"A what?"
"A device that's used to send messages.." He fiddles with the clock's hand and adjusts it to a certain time that was engraved in the small cavity of the box Johann had found.
The watch stopped abruptly, then ticked loudly as it snapped from one place to another, pointing towards unrelated time periods, Ethan couldn't figure out a pattern, all the while Johann observed it attentively.
Then it stopped.
"Ok. I would need to decipher that."
"What?" Ethan yelped.
"That was morse code, see how it never pointed towards eleven? And twelve serves as a substitute for zero."
Ethan rushed upstairs and returned with a pen and paper so Johann could note down the numbers that he had just pressurized into his mind.
Johann wondered, would Ethan sit down now, and watch as he attempted to decipher it. Would he be bored and run upstairs? Whatever it was, Johann felt normal, he felt as if nothing was wrong, which he had not felt for weeks, if not months now.
"Alright, I'm going." Was what he said, moving to the door but he was stopped by Johann before he could reach for the door handle.
"Where-Why are you going out?" he asked, concerned.
"What do you mean?"
"Where are you going now? It's five in the evening, how about you let go for a single day?"
"Dad, I can't. I have plans today. Besides, I haven't been out for a few days except today."
"That doesn't matter. There's no need to you to go out."
"What!? Dad! I had plans today, you can't just barricade me from going out! I'm not a child anymore!"
"Good grief, what is all of this shouting about?" Interjected a voice that descended to the table from upstairs.
"Mum! Dad's not letting me out for some reason."
When questioned by Anastasia, Johann had the same response, that there was no reason for him to go out, and that he could miss a day.
"Dad! Why do you have to-"
"Ethan." Anastasia stopped him, "Go to your room, I'll talk to him."
Ethan looked at her momentarily before grunting and ascending the stairs.
All the while her eyes did not leave the face of a Johann who had been staring at the wall without blinking for a several minutes now, tapping his foot repeatedly on the chair.
"Dear. Are you alright?"
He recoiled at her words, blinking multiple times before burying his face in his palms and addressing her.
"No, you're seriously not fine. Johann, has anything happened?"
"No. Nothing, just...why did you let that man inside the house?"
"Good lord, dear, was I not supposed to? I wasn't aware of that."
"Why?" he repeated rhetorically.
"But dear, is there a reason for that?"
He looked up to meet her eyes, and searched them for a fleeting moment before turning away. Gritting his teeth, he reaffirmed her, "No. It's....everything's fine. I'm fine. Sorry. The stress has been leaving me unable to properly focus." he looked down at his bandaged arm and inspected it in front of her as if trying to prove a point.
"I didn't know that he would show up at our door, that he could just talk to you like it was nothing. What did he do when he got here? Did he tell the both of you something you weren't supposed to hear? Did he threaten anyone of you? Tell me Ann, dear, please tell me, what did he—"
She placed her index finger on his lips, "I never specified who and what." She grinned.
"Oh yeah...the—the man that came today he-"
"I know that dummy." She flicked his forehead, "I know who you're talking about, what I'm asking is...why are you so stressed? Did something happen? You can tell me Johann, please." She was getting more stressed by the second, her poker face was slowly breaking as well. Her smile was faltering, her grin was a facade that was breaking and yet he,
"No....Nothing. It's alright, just paranoia I suppose."
"Johann. You know. I'm always here. By you side to listen you. Why are you avoiding me?"
He faltered and stammered over his words.
"I waited patiently, expecting that you'd open up eventually but I see you each and every day so tensed. I remember you helping me when I was under such pressure, you used to lie down my head on your lap and let me rant all I wanted. Shouldn't I do the same for you?"
He gritted his teeth again and looked away, "No! It's fine..I said everything's fine."
"Nothing is fine!" She shouted out of the blue, "Why are you avoiding it? It's been weeks! I've been watching you squirming so anxiously like something's bad is happening and yet you still don't talk to me about it!" She closed up on him, her hands on his chest, "Tell me, am I that unreliable love? Am I just not trustworthy?"
"No! No! Ann, you're amazing! I-I just can't! I can't tell any of you anything! I'm- I'm sorry!" He tried to cup her cheeks but she slapped his hands away.
"For the sake of the goddess! There you go again! Why? Why can you not tell me anything?"
"Please Ann! I can't! it's not the time that I can talk about this."
"You never told us that your department was about to move all of us out! You never introduced us to any of your colleagues! And god forbid by any chance we may see your workplace." She was domineering to Johann. And yet she appeared just as scared at the same time.
"What are you hiding? Dear? Please tell me."
He shook his head, his gaze still on the table, "I can't" His voice was shaking.
"Johann! Why?!"
"Please. I just can't. Just...leave. Please Ann. I cannot do this."
And she did just that. She stormed out of the room, but not before lingering her eyes on his back from the door, and just as she expected, they caught a glimpse of each other's eyes.
What she saw was the face of a father wincing with guilt and regret. All the while Johann bore witness to a mother, heartbroken, and utterly devastated.