by S. M. Bowles
“Have you ever even played pinball?”
“Uh…no…why would I? It’s…it’s archaic.”
“Well, I’m sure there are other things there for us to do and if you humor me and play a round or two you can choose whatever we play next.”
“Fair enough.”
After getting ready and heading out Penny and I whiled away what was left of our afternoon playing pinball, billiards and cards. Surprisingly pinball wasn't as wearisome as I thought it would be. Penny won almost every game but graciously lost once or twice just to be nice.
We had a lot of laughs throughout the time that we were there especially when we took up some cues and tried our hand at pool. Penny knew the rules but neither of us followed them since we both had such horrible aim. We decided to keep track of the number of balls we each got in and declared the winner by whoever had the most. Then Penny taught me how to play cribbage which I quickly caught on to and really enjoyed. We played hand after hand and before either of us knew it the day was nearly done.
We both suddenly realized how hungry we were and when Penny asked me what I would like for dinner all I could think about was pizza.
“Mmm, that sounds good!” Penny sighed. “I think I have an idea…”
As soon as we got back to the apartment Penny headed for the kitchen and intrigued I trailed along after her. She went to the pantry and pulled out a loaf of crusty bread along with some pasta sauce. After placing them both on the island she went to the refrigerator and gathered up some meats and cheeses naming each and asking whether or not I liked them.
I had a pretty good idea by then what she was up to and after washing up happily helped put our makeshift pizzas together once she had sliced the bread for us. About 10 minutes later they were toasting in the oven and their aroma started to fill the apartment.
“It won’t be long but would you like to watch something while we wait?”
“Sure.”
We settled on a show together that we watched while we waited and though Penny was generally against it we picnicked on the coffee table once our dinner was ready so we wouldn't have to miss the ending. When the show was over and we had cleared the dishes away I decided to get ready for bed. It was still early but I knew I would need to be up earlier than usual and wouldn't want to keep Herrik waiting.
After going through all my bedtime routines and saying goodnight to Penny I made my way to my room. I set my alarm and fell fast asleep smiling and anxious to see what the morning would bring. I slept soundly for most of the night but as morning grew closer I woke myself up worrying that I wouldn't hear my alarm or that I hadn't set it properly and it wouldn't go off. I tossed and turned, occasionally drifted off only to reawaken and lay staring blankly at the ceiling while the minutes and eventually hours slipped by. Finally it was near enough time to get up that I turned my alarm off and crept from my bed.
I dressed and readied myself; ate a light breakfast then sat on the small bench in the foyer to wait for Herrik. I heard him softly calling to me as soon as the clock struck 6 and excitedly opened the front door to find him there.
“Are you ready?” he asked as I stepped out to join him.
“Yep! Oh, Herrik, what’s wrong? You look…you look tired.” He looked more than tired – exhausted and pale and hollow and there was a dullness, a sluggishness to everything about him.
“It’s early for me too,” he laughed at my concern.
“Are you sure you’re alright? We can cancel our plans and do them some other time,” I offered.
“I’m fine,” he assured me. “Come, we need to hurry.”
It was still somewhat dark in the garden and the paths were only dimly lit so Herrik took my hand and led the way. I had a hundred questions that I desperately wanted to ask but it somehow seemed wrong to speak with the hush that was still hanging over the garden.
During the time that I had lived in my apartment with Penny I had learned my way around well enough to know that Herrik was leading me toward the main hallway and the area near the elevators.
“Where is everyone?” I asked when we exited the garden and rounded the corner. All the rooms we passed were unlit and empty.
Herrik smiled warmly, “Resting,” and that was all he said as he ushered me into the elevator.
I was somewhat puzzled by the idea. I had always imagined there was a constant presence of Herrik’s people on the lower levels; working, playing, relaxing but apparently that wasn't the case at all. We rode up to the garage level and again I was surprised to find it completely vacant except for the cars and motorcycles meticulously arranged in nearly all the parking spaces.
Herrik opened the passenger’s door to one of the cars and motioned me to take a seat, “Buckle up,” he carefully closed the door after I had settled in. It was hard for me to believe that Herrik was taking me out. I was so dumbfounded and so determined not embarrass myself that I couldn't think of a single thing to say.
“You look nervous,” he said as he took the wheel and adjusted the seat to his liking.
Wide-eyed I answered, “I am! I haven’t been out since…and the sun is coming up and you…”
“Is it?” he backed out of the parking space with complete confidence.
The car he chose reminded me of the one Carah had been in the night she brought me to Herrik. It was smaller and sportier but all the windows were covered in the same dark tint, even the front windshield and I honestly couldn't tell if it was night or day.
Herrik drove us through the gate and got us heading down and away from the compound. As I watched the landscape pass by it made me more and more curious about his plans for us. I was about to ask but we came to a sharp turn and as we rounded the corner it seemed to grow visibly brighter outside.
“Ah, there,” Herrik pointed. Much to my amazement we were facing the sun.
It was beautiful even through the heavy tint and at first I imagined it to be just coming up over the horizon. Herrik smiled at my surprise.
“It’s not,” he changed gears.
And sure enough rather than getting brighter and higher in the sky as we drove the sun was beginning to dip lower and lower.
“Sunset?” I wondered and looked over at Herrik in complete confusion.
“Sunset,” he nodded.
“It’s nighttime,” I thought. Then I asked Herrik, “How is it not morning?” I shook my head in confusion.
“Ah, yes,” Herrik chuckled. “Well, for us, for me and my people it is morning. We simulate the natural rhythm and hours of the day but in reverse.”
“Huh,” I said frowning, “but it was nighttime when I…” I colored with guilt, “went to see Jesse’s band…”
“Because you were on the upper levels then and those hours correspond with what is natural for you.”
“So you keep different times,” my mind grasped at the idea.
“There is some overlap, but yes, for the most part each group keeps to their customary hours. Some people are awake later than others, some need to rest long before others, some get up early and some sleep in and that is true for both our kinds.”
“Do you rest?” I asked marveling that he had somehow been the only one that seemed to be up and around as we were leaving.
“I do.”
“Artur told me that it is…it’s not very pleasant and that you don’t dream.”
“It’s not unpleasant and no I do not dream.”
“That sounds unpleasant to me.”
Herrik laughed good naturedly, “Well, it’s not like I never dream. I just dream when I’m awake.”
“Daydreams?
“I guess you could call them that.”
“What do you dream of?”
Herrik was quiet and thoughtful for a few minutes and I didn’t think he was going to answer.
“Peace,” he finally said.
It was a very open-ended answer and I knew it could mean any number of things. I didn’t dare ask.
He glanced at me, “And when
you dream what do you dream about?”
“Oh, all sorts of things!”
“Like what?”
“People, mostly. I dream about Penny and Avery and Artur; sometimes my mom and dad and my brother and our friends.”
I regretted telling him because as soon as the words were out Herrik lost all expression and I was sure I had upset him by mentioning my family. I tried to change the subject and started telling him about all the things Penny and I had done the previous day. It helped and by the time we were near the city much of the uneasiness on both our sides had fallen away. Herrik navigated us through the busy streets then after a number of stoplights and a handful of turns he drove us into a parking garage. He pulled into the first empty space he found.
We used the stairs rather than waiting for the elevator and once we were on the street level again Herrik pointed down the sidewalk, “This way,” he said. Together we walked for a block or two and then Herrik stopped us in front of the art museum. “Artur recommended this to me. He thought you might like it.”
I had never been to a museum before and my mind wandered off imagining dinosaurs and mummies and all the other things I thought we would see.
“It’s not quite that kind of museum,” Herrik corrected. “Come, see for yourself,” he held his hand out to me.
Herrik paid our admission and picked up a copy of the guide book for us to share. There weren’t many other people in the museum so we were able to wander from room to room and view most of the artwork in relative privacy. Herrik spoke softly whenever we came to something he found particularly interesting. I had never really thought much about art and at first it was hard to find any of it very compelling.
“You’re not really seeing it are you?” Herrik asked at one point.
“It’s all very nice,” I said, “but…”
“It’s just something on the wall to you.”
“No…no…” I wanted to contradict him but he would have known I was lying.
Herrik shook his head at me; he looked disappointed and I thought he was going to suggest that we leave. “Close your eyes,” he said instead. I felt his fingers wrap around mine, “This way,” he gave me a little tug and moved me to the far end of the room. “Keep them closed,” he adjusted my position and when he was done took my hand again.
He felt warm and vibrant; his hand in mine felt strong and sure. He gave my fingers a gentle squeeze then I felt a familiar ripple and realized that he was mingling his thoughts with mine. I panicked and reflexively tried keeping him out.
A moment later I felt his lips against my ear and heard him whisper, “Trust me.” All my defenses suddenly crumbled, “Now look,” he said.
We were standing in front of a Monet and as my eyes focused on the painting in front of me I nearly gasped at the beauty I found in it. The painting took me completely by surprise because it was just so amazing to see the hundreds, thousands, of tiny dabs and squiggles in all their various colors and hues coaxing one another into portraits of landscapes and people with such delicate and dramatic results.
Awestruck I absently reached out to touch it but Herrik gave me a subtle reminder of where we were and drew me back to my senses. “Now you understand,” he smiled down at me. “It is all how you look at it; that is where you find the beauty and the meaning in art.”
I grinned up at him, “It’s incredible!”
“It is!” he agreed.
“Show me more,” I eagerly pulled him towards another nearby painting and for the rest of our visit Herrik and the artwork we examined together held every ounce of my interest.
He knew some of the history for many of the pieces he showed me and whatever he wasn’t familiar with he read the excerpts from the guidebook and we learned about them together. It was later than either of us imagined and while we were sitting on a bench contemplating a particularly chaotic painting by Kandinsky one of the museum workers approached us.
“Sir, the museum is closing in 10 minutes.”
“Of course,” Herrik nodded.
The gentleman glanced at me and smiled warmly before turning on his heel and walking away. “Are you hungry?” Herrik asked as we watched the worker turn the corner. “Penny would never forgive me if I forgot to feed you!”
“Very!” I nodded in emphasis.
“What do you like to eat?”
I thought about all my favorite foods and I was about to suggest something when another idea popped into my head, “I know you don’t…” I suddenly realized how inappropriate it might be to say what I intended and frantically turned the phrase into a question hoping that it wouldn’t make Herrik uncomfortable, “what were your favorite foods…” my mind was racing and despite the nervousness I felt I found what I hoped wouldn’t sound offensive, “when you were my age?”
“Oh, Emily, you shouldn’t have asked that.” He said, his voice full of gravity.
“I’m sorry…I’m sorry…” I fretfully apologized.
Herrik smiled mischievously, “Yep, now you’re in trouble,” he teased then gave me glimpse of what he was thinking. What he had done in the museum had given him an idea.
“Oh,” I smiled back relieved and with a vague understanding of what he was eagerly imagining.
We found our way back to the car and while driving around the city Herrik stopped at half a dozen places; restaurants and cafes, dessert shops and convenience stores. He piled everything he bought into the back of the car and when he felt he had appropriated enough we drove to a small, well-lit park where he laid it all out on one of the picnic tables.
“Now then,” he said, “dig in!”
“Do you really think this will work?” I took a seat on the top of the table next to the array of food and Herrik sat on the bench in front and to the left of me.
“I can’t wait to find out!”
“What would you like me to try first?” I asked excitedly.
“This,” he pulled the wrapper back from a chocolate bar and broke off a small piece. Herrik handed it to me then somewhat hesitantly he took my left hand in his.
“Ready?”
He nodded and I popped the chocolate into my mouth. I let it sit on my tongue for a few seconds before slowly chewing, savoring and swallowing it.
Herrik was beaming, “Oh! That was wonderful! Just like I remember!”
“It worked?!”
“Here try this,” he reached for something else and broke off a small piece, “Mmm,” he sighed as I let it linger and smiling he closed his eyes.
I tried everything he suggested but only a taste of each. After about a half an hour or so I started to feel queasy from having eaten so much and so many different things. Herrik felt it too as he was sifting through the remnants of the things I hadn’t yet tried.
“Eww,” we both groaned at the same time.
Then laughing he added, “I guess we’ve had enough.”
“Yeah,” I readily agreed.
It was getting chilly and I involuntarily shivered as we gathered up the leftovers and tried to decide what to do with them. While we discussed our options Herrik shrugged out of his coat and wrapped it around my shoulders. I felt a little guilty but we both agreed that none of it was really worth saving and we ended up tucking it all into a nearby wastebasket before heading back to the car.
“Is there anything else you would like to do?” he asked and when he looked at me I was mid-yawn and could only manage to shake my head no in response.
I was sure that he understood especially after all the indulgent foods I had just eaten. As I settled into the passenger’s seat I sighed and smiled contentedly. Herrik got us on our way and since I had gotten so very little sleep I only made it a mile or so before I nodded off. I slept nearly the entire ride home and when we got there he had to nudge me more than once to get me to wake.
“Oh, are we here already?”
“Soon,” Herrik said, “the gate is just around the corner.”
“Is there something wrong?” I asked when I reali
zed that he had stopped the car.
“No. I just wanted to say thank you, Emily. I haven’t had such a memorable night since…since…well,” he gave a little laugh, “I can’t remember when.” He was quiet for a minute or so as he considered all that we had done, “We will have to try it again sometime.”
“We will!”
Smiling Herrik leaned over and brushed my cheek with a kiss. I felt a little light-headed, foggy and unfocused but it quickly passed and the next thing I knew we were on the elevator and chatting animatedly about what we would like to do next.
Chapter 12
My outings with Herrik were something I always looked forward to and the world seemed a much brighter place to me once I started counting him among my closest of friends. Since having had a chance to spend some time with him I realized that Herrik wasn’t as imposing and intimidating as I originally thought him to be. I stopped feeling the need to avoid him and whenever we happened to meet made sure to strike up a conversation. Usually our run-ins took place in the garden as I made my way home from either a lesson with Artur or a session with Avery. Herrik would fall in with me and while we walked together we would spend a few minutes catching up on all the little things that had happened in our daily lives and that seemed worth sharing.
One evening I was heading home later than usual and almost didn’t notice Herrik as I hurried along the path knowing Penny would have dinner ready and waiting by the time I got there. I slung my bag over my shoulder and was trying to zip it up as I walked. I wasn’t watching where I was going and didn’t even realize that I had passed right by him.
“Emily?”
I whirled around, “Oh, Herrik!” I said surprised and delighted by his sudden appearance. “I walked right by didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did!” he came to where I was standing.
“I’m sorry. My zipper was jammed and I wasn’t looking where I was going. I didn’t even see you!” I chuckled. Then I realized that he might have been waiting for me. I glanced over my shoulder towards my apartment. “Is there something you needed to talk to me about?”