Death's Life

by B Latif

  The disturbing silence lasted for five minutes but seemed like a lifetime.

  Chapter 9

  OBSERVATION No. 18

  When two people are silent, it means they are thinking about each other and they go to the second level of intimacy.

  “Who are you?” Rose blurted out.

  “Henry cast his eyes at her, “The son of the president of Brazil, Fernando Cavills.”

  Rose stayed silent, her eyes on the ground, unable to understand the terms in his answer.

  “Is that good?” she asked quietly.

  “Horrible as hell if you ask me. Chased by guards all the time. No time for family... I live among friends. Dictatorship and all that. That’s why I became a tourist, to find peace in nature.”

  She was just able to understand the last line.

  “Okay. What was your name?”

  “You don’t remember?”

  “No... it was difficult.”

  “Henry Cavills.” He told her again, “Sorry, I lost your book. The one I took from you last year.”

  She smiled mischievously at him, “No I have it. Mama got it back. Here.”

  She took it out and showed it to him. As he moved closer to take it Rose drew it back. He halted.

  “You’re still afraid of me,” he told her and then smiled for the first time, “And God knows I’m loving it.”

  Rose remained stoic as the word love wasn’t in her dictionary.

  “Did you write some new words in your book?” he asked, changing the topic as he judged her expressions.

  “Yes. I did.” And then she cried out in fear, “You’ll let me go in the morning, right?”

  Henry frowned and then intentionally terrified her, “I’ll never let you go.”

  The color faded from her face, “What do you intend to do with me?”

  “I haven’t thought about it yet,” he joked but realized the seriousness of the situation, so he added, “Don’t worry. I won’t bite you.”

  There was an awkward silence again.

  That was the longest night of my life. I don’t like it when humans stare at someone. It means there is something going on in their mind... if only I could read minds. Maybe they were judging each other.

  “I want to see the stars.” Rose said suddenly. I knew what she really wanted was to secure herself a way to escape

  “I won’t let you leave this tent,” Henry said straight forwardly.

  “But the stars! I want to see the stars!”

  “Consider it to be a cloudy night,” Henry said, staring at her.

  That was one rare occasion when I saw no hunger or lust in his eyes as he stared. But I saw something I didn’t recognize.

  There was silence again. Rose had surrendered without a fight. She looked at him.

  “Why are you staring at me?” she finally asked.

  “I just like to,” Henry didn’t smile, which wasn’t unusual as it was something he rarely did. Since the meeting with Rose, he had only smiled once.

  “I’m looking… oh, God! Is this blood?” Rose freaked out as she looked at herself. She touched it and winced. She had never had a wound before.

  “Yes.”

  “What is this?” she was still confused.

  “You’re injured. Why are you asking?”

  “Because… I don’t know!”

  “Well...” Henry got the idea that she didn’t know anything about wounds, “You know... you get hurt then you get a wound... and there is pain.”

  “What is pain?”

  Henry looked at her with incredulity, “Pain... the thing that defines humans. Without which no one will be called a human.”

  “Why?”

  “Because...” Henry’s forehead creased. She was giving him a tough time, “How can you feel joy without tasting sorrow?”

  Rose frowned.

  “You can’t.” Henry explained. ‘Human life is based on this.”

  “Henry?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I’m hungry.”

  “You want me to go out and get something for you?”

  Henry was astonished, having never taken an order from anyone before.

  Rose nodded. He got up and Rose’s eyes trailed on him as he went out. When he returned, Rose was slumbering so he didn’t wake her up.

  It was a golden morning when she woke up by Henry. He held her upper arm, crouched over her, and moved her slightly.

  “Rose?” he said gently, “Rose, wake up. It’s morning.”

  She blinked, and when she saw him, she sat up quickly, flinching away, still afraid of him.

  Henry sat upright, “Still scared. Am I a monster?”

  “What’s a monster?”

  It made him smile.

  “Nothing. Come on, have breakfast.”

  As Henry moved towards the entrance to the tent, Rose stopped him.

  “Did my mama come?”

  Did your mama leave you, Rose? Not even for a second.

  “No,” Henry broke her heart, “She didn’t.”

  “She must be looking for me,” Rose told him sadly.

  “Come on.”

  Henry opened the entrance for her, and the sunshine poured in. Rose got up and went out with Henry following behind her.

  As soon as she saw the two men sitting on a log, and one standing to one side, she turned around in a rush and crashed into Henry’s chest.

  He held her upper arms, looking in her eyes. The three men stared at Rose.

  “They won’t hurt you,” he whispered so that no one could hear him, “I won’t let them.”

  Rose wasn’t sure but Henry tried to boost her self-confidence, “Turn around.”

  Rose shook her head, “No.”

  Henry’s frown deepened, “Turn around, Rose.”

  “No.”

  “Rose!” he pressed, “Turn around.”

  His anger scared her, and she complied, swallowing hard.

  Henry walked toward the men with Rose by his side.

  “The girl is still here?” Alex said in surprise.

  “Her name is Rose,” Henry minded the way he spoke about her with disrespect. Then he addressed Rose, “This is Alex, that’s Dr. Paulo and my best friend, Daniel.”

  Paulo, standing nearest, held out his hand to shake, but Rose grabbed Henry’s arm instantly and attached herself to his side.

  Both stared at her, Paulo in astonishment and Henry with an expression I didn’t recognize. When Rose didn’t leave him, Paulo drew his hand back.

  “She is,” Henry’s eyes were still on her, “a little shy.”

  “I… I… need to go.”

  Saying this, she walked away. Nobody stopped her, not even Henry.

  ***

  “Hi, Mama,” Rose sounded exhausted.

  “What happened to you?” I got up from the rock and looked at her torn attire, tangled hair. She was totally disheveled.

  “Long story,” she walked towards me, “he took that silver thing.”

  “Who?” I asked. Was she just upset about the watch?

  “Henry,” she hugged me, “He saved me. I was drowning.”

  She kept her arms around my waist as if she were meeting me after a long time.

  “What did he tell you?” I asked, trying to sound normal.

  I… couldn’t understand what he was saying… and I didn’t ask him… I had to leave him. I don’t want to talk about him. Let’s talk about us.”

  I smiled.

  She hadn’t changed after her first conversation with another human.

  “What about us?”

  “I missed you,” she acted like a child even now, kissing my chin.

  “Damn it, Rose. I thought you had left me and were off enjoying yourself somewhere.”

  Arm-in-arm, we entered the castle.

  “Enjoying? I was stuck there. Henry wouldn’t let me leave at night. He said it was too dangerous.”

  “I think he was right. Did you go to the river on purpose so that you’d ruin your dr
ess and I would have to get you a new one?”

  Rose halted and gasped at me, “How did you know?”

  “I am your mother, who would know you better than me?”

  Her mouth hung open at the divulgence of the new fact about her. I continued as we sat, “Why?”

  There was silence for several seconds. Then Rose got up quickly, went inside, leaving me on the rock, and came back with a rose in her hand.

  “You still have this one?” I asked, remembering it as the last one I had placed on her book before going to work.

  “Look at this!” Rose complained, “This is so beautiful!”

  “Yes,” I agreed, not getting her point at all.

  “And look at me now.”

  Looking at her, I raised my eyebrows, “What?”

  “Mama!” She seemed annoyed, “I am Rose. I should be look like a rose. Beautiful and… wearing a red gown!”

  “Oh!” I realized, “That’s the point.”

  She grimaced.

  “Well, you could have just asked me! If you’ll drown yourself or do something equally as horrid simply to get a dress, I won’t get it for you Rose.”

  It cheered her up, “Okay… this is going to be the last dress.

  “Thank the Lord.”

  “Mama!” She nudged me.

  I laughed.

  ***

  Henry was walking on some boggy ground with his bow and quiver, ready to shoot. The splendid colors of sunset were fading, and he was alone, but alert. He made his way to the dark cave carefully and steadily, and entered it, the small torch on his belt illuminating the interior.

  Water dripped on him, and there were silhouettes of bats hanging upside down as he made his way toward the faint sound

  He turned the corner, about to shoot, but stopped as he came face to face with a pair of rosy cheeks and cherry lips.

  “You?” there was surprise in his voice as he lowered his bow.

  “Henry!”

  He frowned at her, “What are you doing here?”

  Her answer was unsure, “Umm… exploring.”

  “Exploring what?”

  “Bats?” she replied hesitantly. Henry looked at the stalactites and the bats hanging by them.

  His jaw twitched as he looked back at her, “Do you know they suck blood?”

  “They do?” Her answer carried innocence.

  Henry smiled, “They are vampire bats. And yes… they do.”

  Rose was standing on a rock, looking down at him, while he had his arms folded, looking up at her.

  “But they are sleeping,” she said calmly and then her eyes popped open, “Oh, no… they are going to wake up, Henry! It’s getting dark!”

  “We need to leave,” saying this, he put his arrow back in the quiver, shouldered his bow, and held up his hands.

  Rose stared at him.

  “I won’t bite you,” he promised. As she leaned towards him, he reached under her arms and hoisted her down.

  Holding her close, he looked at her just for a moment, then he released her.

  They made their way out quickly and saw the colors of the sunset taking the light away with them. Once they were out, Henry turned to her and said, “Okay, Rose. Goodbye.”

  He had just taken a step when he stopped.

  “Err… Henry?”

  He didn’t look back.

  “Err… I’m lost… I think…” her reluctance came out. He turned around at the words.

  “So?” he asked rudely.

  OBSERVATION No. 19

  The problem with people in authority is that they think they are kings.

  “So… err… will you guide me home?”

  “Seriously?” he frowned, “Rose, I don’t even know where you live!”

  “I meant you home. From there, I’ll be able to find my way home.”

  At first, it seemed he didn’t understand, and then he laughed suddenly. What an interesting girl Rose might be for him.

  “Okay, come on,” he said, offering his hand to her. Rose didn’t take it, so he quipped, “I told you, I won’t bite you!”

  She still stared at his hand, refraining from holding it, so he withdrew it.

  “Good,” he uttered, turning away, “just walk alone then.”

  First, both were silent on their journey. Then, as the darkness prevailed, Rose walked closer to him.

  “So.” Henry began, “What happened when you got home?”

  “Mama got me this new dress!” Rose said cheerily.

  He halted, looking at her dress, “New dress? Pretty cool Mama I suppose…”

  As Rose couldn’t construe his words, she remained silent. He stared at her, his eyes moving from head to toe, studying. With his same reserved, elusive tone, he admitted, “You look ravishing, Rose. I thought you deserved a compliment.”

  Rose didn’t have the words ravishing and compliment in her dictionary. She didn’t ask him either.

  Shrugging, she said, “Okay.”

  With a smile playing on his face, he led the way again. They remained silent until they reached the waterfall where the path was comprised of slippery rocks amidst the stream.

  Eyeing the dangerous way, he asked Rose, “Sure you don’t need to hold my hand to cross the stream?”

  She shook her head even though the tension was evident on her face.

  Henry smirked, and cautiously hopped on the flat rocks. Rose followed him with outstretched arms to balance herself. Henry was jumping like a rabbit and she was the turtle following him.

  The damp rocks weren’t easy to cross, but poor Rose managed to cross without incident. Henry only looked back when he was on the bank.

  Rose seemed confident now, after skipping on three rocks successfully, but Henry was there to comment on it, “Oh… how can we forget Rose lives here.”

  She was too far away to hear that.

  When they got closer to the tent, Henry turned around and grabbed her upper arm, telling her in a serious tone, “Stay close to me. Don’t listen to them. If anyone tries to harm you, just run to me. Okay?”

  They locked eyes as if it was the most crucial moment in their life. He was demanding an answer and Rose appeared ignorant.

  “Why would they do that?” She wasn’t even whispering, though he was.

  “Because,” Henry paused, he bit his lip, deciding what to tell her, “Because… you look ravishing, Rose.”

  “But… isn’t that good?” she asked innocently.

  “Rose,” his eyes smiled and gained a sparkle, “it’s a bit too good for the bad world. Just don’t get too friendly with them, okay?”

  Not waiting for her answer, he released his grip on her and walked towards the tents.

  “Hi, dude, where on…” Daniel’s voice trailed away as his eyes went to Rose, “Oh, hi, Rose.”

  Rose didn’t smile back.

  She frowned.

  Paul and Alex also directed their attention to them, appearing surprised.

  “We ran into each other,” Henry told them in an undertone, removing his bow and quiver.

  “You guys keep running into each other a little too often,” Alex got up and came towards Rose, holding out his hand, “Hi, again, Rose.”

  Rose looked at his hand, ignoring it before frowning and folding her arms across her chest as if annoyed, “I don’t shake hands.”

  The four men stared at her. Alex jerked his hand back in embarrassment.

  “Would you like some vodka?” Paul broke the awkward silence.

  “I don’t talk to strangers,” Rose said indignantly. Paul looked hurt and Rose seemed not to care.

  The silence lasted an uncomfortably long time until Henry sat down on a log, eating from the cans his friends had packed.

  The others busied themselves lighting the fire.

  “Sit down, Rose,” Daniel’s voice quivered with fright in case she embarrassed him too.

  “No, thank you, I’m good,” she replied as if taunting him, far from her usual sweet and innocent tone.
/>   “Sit down, Rose,” Henry ordered. Rose sat down on the log at once, opposite the one Henry was sitting on.

  The other three men exchanged looks of astonishment.

  “So…” Daniel began, followed by another uneasy silence.

  “Don’t you so me!” Rose snapped, and Daniel stared at her, insulted in front of his friends.

  Henry looked at Rose who had her eyes cast down now. When she looked up, their eyes met, and she smiled faintly.

  With his eyes full of understanding, Henry got up and walked towards her with her eyes trailing him.

  He crouched and whispered, “Don’t be so hard and fake. Just be yourself, only tell me if they trouble you.”

  Rose nodded, “Okay.”

  Henry went inside the tent and Rose decided to apologize immediately.

  “I’m sorry. Hello. I’m Rose.”

  “Err… we know,” Daniel said awkwardly.

  Rose cheered up, “So what are your names?”

  Silence, and her eyes seemed impatient.

  “But Henry told you last time,” Paul said.

  “I don’t remember.”

  “I am Dr. Paul, that’s Daniel and over there is Alex.”

  Henry came out of the tent and began to clean his tall boots, crouching as he placed them on another log.

  “Oh, such difficult names… you could have named yourself like… Jasmine or Lotus or… Lily! Easy to remember!”

  Henry halted.

  The other three stared at her and then burst out laughing. Rose looked confused about what they found so funny and looked at Henry.

  He raised his eyebrows encouragingly and Rose looked at the men.

  Henry smiled to himself.

  “Nice one!”

  “Good joke, Rose…”

  Rose waited, her mouth dry, until they were silent again. Her puzzlement about the matter was still clear on her face.

  “So, Rose,” Paul began again, “That day… we took… I mean, Henry carried you here...”

  “He did?”

  “Yes,” Rose looked at Henry who pretended he was deaf, whereas Paul continued, “And you were in his tent…”

  “Were you two in the bed together?” Alex asked suddenly.

  “Yes,” Rose answered, looking at Alex now.

  The three friends grinned mischievously, until Henry eyed them with anger and said, “No, we didn’t.”