by Chris Red
When, the two men were preparing for Yizrah’s departure outside. Ahmed seems preoccupied, he didn’t ask any question since. Meanwhile he is wndring how Yizrah will find his road, what hw shall do to return back to them. How Yizrah would be confident of himself? When he looked by the side of his eye, he detected an impressive confidence, that man never seem doubted. He is breathing incredible self-confidence. Ahmed was a fan, and maybe a bit jealous. But he can’t stay silent anymore:
“Yizrah....
- Yes?
- Listen , I should anyway ask you something. It is good to go, but did you think about all consequences? How you will find your road?
Yizrah smiled before answering:
“My friend, I was wondering when you will ask this question.”
He stopped talking for instants before answering:
- You must know that I can always manage , locate or maybe it comes by luck. But I try to put it on my side , he said while folding a paper to his worried friend.
- A map ! exclaimed Ahmed. You elaborated a map... bless you, he said , joking . you thought about anything I want to say, are you sure it is accurate?
- More or less, I tried to write down the places that pass through , every ordinary place, every community, I started to go from a perimeter , I better get going now.”
Ahmed looked at the map with childish eyes stunned and dazzle.
“ don’t worry Ahmed I will be back, he said while winking. Come on , it is time , I don’t want to be late.”
Meantime. Ilham and Farah pass the time comforting and reassuring Natan who seems not to understand the decision of his uncle.the words seem
Pointless. The young man seems desperate and incredulous. However although the sweetness and gentleness of the two females calm him a bit, he didn’t want to look unkind with them by being openly discontent.
He should confess that he is feeling good with them and he is appreciating in particular their company. But his mind was confused from his uncle’s decision to leave alone. He felt that he was put aside, to stay on the bench, as a football player, the one that we don’t trust in the time when sports were public. He was isolated, that’s all. His brother never was that far. when Ilham was trying to find the words to calm him, the inquisitive look of the young girl ,with her didn’t let go from him, seems disarm him and made him feel slightly guilty.he turned his eyes, even while listening to Ilham. He didn’t stop thinking. After all, the guest’s behavior seems like a reward without being aware of it. In fact, he changed step by step his shoulder’s arm. He rethink about all the moments he lived with his uncle. He was aleays there for him, inform him precious advices, direct him thanks for his intuition, he was gifted by certain sense of dialogue that was beneficial most of the time. Without him he never knew what he might become. Should he trust him? He doesn’t like at all the idea to be separated from his uncle but he was trapped, he knew that he will be back. But it was the first time that he should live without him. He never could imagine that this might happen...
When, suddenly he heard knocking on the door which made him wake up from his thoughts. Farah who didn’t stop calming him turned her head. He followed her look, Ahmed was by the door declaring in formal way: “its time, Yizrah is ready to leave, he like to say goodbye.”
Yizrah waited them outside. His hat was leaning covering his look. He was, like, eyes down, he catch the speech fast:
“ listen, don’t misunderstand me, but I don’t like the goodbyes to be long...”
The atmosphere wasn’t joyful , silence glum over them. Ahmed embrace Yizrah ,
Before they look straight in their eyes . A quick look to the others , but long for them saying” please ,take good care of my nephew was if he was your son “ and where the answer was clear “ don’t worry at all”. Then he he move his hat, to embrace Ilham and he decline toward the little girl moving his hand over her hair as he did before when he arrived:
“ I count on you to take care of Natan” he whispered in her ears winking.
She consent by frank movement. That made him smile for a second before moving toward Natan and his face freeze. Natan changed his attitude, the anger has gone. He doesn’t read except the worry and the sadness in his eyes. He approached and took him in his arm. The two man didn’t exchange any word. Natan hug his uncle who was surprised from that much strength in that young man. Then, the moved away, Yizrah moved backwards two steps, Natan did the same and join the rest of the family Jalalah, that was givig their back to the house.
Yizrah look to them before putting down his hat, he raise his right hand, put two fingers under the other ones beside his temple and move them in a vivacious way in the air to declare his departure and start to move away. Once he turned his back, a drop came down all along the Natan’s cheek , he weep it away with the back of his hand. Slowly he uncle disappeared in the horizon.
Chapter 2 : Jameston
The road was long for Yizrah, long and scattered with bushes as the loneliness, the hanger, the thirst and the fatigue.
Before, Natan simple presence , the simple watch over him allow to avoid the feeling of loneliness. But it needs more that to get rid of it. He walked alone for several days before finding a community. In his road, he knew different kind of travellers, nature took the form seems abandoned in certain places than the others. Certain places seems fertile, others full of rocks. The village where he steps on resemble to a little oasis. Some houses looks exctly like ahmed’s house, was gathered, surrounded by palms, and another large green one adjoin to the Jameston village. If the plants develop once more, animal species had survived also from the devastation that attacked the earth. Those succeded to reproduce its small communities could also preserve the breeding art’s, without even fell into the ancient world excessiveness.
When Yizrah arrive in town, he was looking tiered ...but even alone , he is arousing nobody’s curiosity that he used to cross before , he never forgot. He submitted himself into the game of researchers and explanations and answered briefly to their interrogations about his return, and Natan’s absence, but without details, cause he didn’t want to spread the subject. If those religious crap are amusing him, that wasn’t the target from his return to this small but even though charming village. He came back to it to see just one man. Its inhabitants built in the center of this village a sort of inn, where they can resupply, drink , eat , or just talking for hours, about everything and anything.... Sometimes talk about some old memories of antan , not always happy ones.
This inn was under the responsibility of certain age man who has been through an eventful life from Yizrah’s point of view, and a person who we can read the heaviness of life in the traits of his face. Although
That he was old, he looks frail, but apparently only...always dressed slightly, we can predict his sail muscles colored in ebony: we can see a man who usually used power of his arms in his life.Even though, his remarkable quality is not in his muscles, but it ‘s more in the joy of living that he wear to the citizen and transmit it to the ones he is working with. He can give the smile even for a dead, Yizrah once pointed out to him. Natan enjoy his company very much, he couldn’t avoid himself from roar with laughter when he was hearing his famous stories, all full of madness. Even his name makes laugh . Jacko. His Name? it was a riddle, he was called just Jacko. Yizrah doubted that was his real name, but that was part of the apparent personality. When he survived with no harm from his attackers, Yizrah went to the other coveted a few days ago...not only to discuss with Jacko but also to change his mood in calm with a friend.
With his elbows on the counter, Jacko continue to tell a dignified story of a good adventure novel to one of his guests who is listening admiringly with a touch of suspicious. “ he is trustful your brother, trustful ! “ ... that was the words that Yizrah heard, he punctuated the events more or less improper stringing out Jako’s stories...when he was at the entrance, Yizrah couldn’t avoid to smile and laugh quirtly in his barb and moving his head....it seems discr
eet, but it can be heard enough to make the two men who were discussing maybe for hours to turn around. Inside looks like a salon from th outside was a bit dark , poorly enlighten by the light of the day. Yizrah was standing in the shadow preventing Jacko to see clearly his face. But that hat , this appearance ... he didn’t doubt it.
“Yizrah ! I didn’t expect to see soon! “ he exclaimed with a big smile in strict secrecy ...
“Ah, he never changed...”, Yizrah think, while moving toward the counter , honoring him by addressing his speech :
“come on, before starting one of your stories.... Trustful...he said stressing on the last word...give me something to drink, I need to fill in...
- Consider I done. Orange jus, I suppose?”
Yizrah confirmed with a slight movement with his head.
“ before I tell you a trustful story, did you lost prodigal in the road? “ asked Jacko while preparing the orange jus, fresh, by pressing fuits.
Oranges has been found in this atmosphere a little bit arid, it was on of their huge pride.
“I left him with good hands, I had to ...”
He said in very calm tone and disturbing coldness.
“you should do it?” replied Jacko , with scared eyes serving the orange jus.
Yizrah thank him while taking off his hat and put it on the counter.
“ you remember the day of our arrival here Jacko?
- Well what, answered his speaker with intrigue expression that can ‘t realize what this devil of Yizrah wants.
- That night, there was an old man ...slightly disturbed...do you remember him?”
Jacko laughed before answering:
“Ah this one, how can I forget ! he is crazy that type, it’s trustful my memory, you see him sometimes , you never know from where before see him disappear after telling his old crazy announces ...then he reappear , my faith, he is defected this old man, but I love him so much....
- You have no idea where I can find him?
- Not at all, chef ....”
Jacko interrupted before coming close to Yizrah and whispered:
- Tell me that you believe his delirium?
- I would like to talk to him Jacko, you know at least his name?”
- Jacko stand up, stared wide-eyes, examine Yizrah wondering if he is serious. Then thinking.
“ he was presented here by the name of Aaron.
- Good Jacko. Thank you.”
Then he took back his hat , put it in his head ...took the glace of orange jus empty it at once moved in a slight movement from his hand on his forehead as he used to do to say goodbye, then stand up before going toward the door.
“wait Yizrah ! you will leave? Where are you going? Exclaimed Jacko who was acting as a solitary cowboy discovering in this personality something fascinating however secretly.
- I must talk to Aaron, he decided in a cold tone, with his back turned against his speaker by the side of the door.”
“ tell me that you believe his twadeles! He wants to get your attention , that’s all !!!
It was too late, Yizrah went out before giving him the chance to express ... Jacko was like an absurd in front of the counter. He think again about this old man...certainly, he found him diverting and the passion inside him is pleasant...but telling stories beyond lands and seas, man built a city sophisticated as good as no village been built before in the history of humanity.... A city with secret access ... was really surrealistic ... even though, the moments of panic of this old man called Aaron troubled him ...and seems awakened Yizrah’s interest... to believe his word and go to search for him? Its true to see him screaming in that hysterical way “I saw it! I was there! You can’t imagine !” his look lit up, his eyes seem that it want to leave its orbit... his prominent veins in his forehead ...his troubled and shouted voice ...the arms rip through the air in every way...he understand well the curiosity that we may have from this man, although that seem difficult since this man could leave for a trance any moment. But with an important target and leaving his nephew for it? Wasn’t exaggerating from Yizrah’s part?
Whene Jacko was thinking from his side about the astonishing Yizrah’s collection, the solitary cow boy went to have a bit of a chat. He told them his journey while embellishing a chouia. He has one that definitely enjoyable even charming. And the village inhabitants who he met fight to catch his attention. It should be seen, it’s the attraction of the moment, which is , in any village he pass by. With Natan’s company it was more or less the same this one seems to be his apprentice. But also enjoy those small and dirty discussions.
This allow him to ventilate his head, even if it is usually superficial discussions. During his travel to every village , he find usually hooked atoms with certain people. Ehen Jacko was part of them, he shown affection toward him. But he didn’t have time to waste. If you let your self in the game at jacko, you don’t let it go easity.there are also another man who he really appreciate it in the middle of the community. Alec with his soft name. he takes care of a small garden and don’t hesitate to offer his fruit and vegetables to anyone who wants or needs it. If you gain his confidence, he can show you his Tabaco plant that he is protecting from indiscreet eyes.
It was a man of earth, a very generous one , he is a very old as well. His body and specially his face were marked by time. It is certain that he saw a lot during his existence. His garden allow him to breath , to catch a memory from the past and to have a simple life. But joyful. Yizrah didn’t have any doubt, that the Apocalypse was a sort of rescue for Alec, the promise to start a new life in a world clean from old horror. He wasn’t at all the sort of man who easily give up, to talk about himself , but the dark rings around his eyes, his absent look by time, his negligible body, this man had suffer. Even though, today , he found the happiness beside Nina, his wife. A woman
Who has the land and the shining sun under her head, he didn’t need more. Moreover , he was appreciated in the middle of community. When someone need to do something, he was there, he know everything, to garden, to do odd jobs, to cook. He is also an intelligent person, malign and intuitive. He wasn’t the kind of person that you take from him a rabbit in six months: if you have something un your mind, he predict it at once. Although the sympathy, When Yizrah came to see him, he recognized fast that he didn’t come asking for advices about how to plant carrots. As a founding member, in that community, Alec was rather ancient and experimented, he can see things before the others, that’s why Natan’s uncle came to see him.
Leaning against an orange tree, his hat turned down toward his eyes in a way to protect from the sun...or simply to cover his look; Alec lestned to Yizrah, patiently waited the moment to interfere. His face is thin, slightly bronzed. Basically , was blond, very blond, slight albino , but passing time in the sun, his body were adapted. His eye was clear blue, releasing a sort of coldness. His hair? He didn’t have too much. He was strong, his shoulders forming a perfect rectangle, but he was well maintained, sharp muscles, the abdominals shown off. Dressed a simple pants, he put his hands on a rake as this fellow been slouched by the hot and the fatigue. He couldn’t not to notice drops of sweat pearling in Yizrah’s forehead. Tired to see him suffocate, hw decided to put end to his suffer when Yizrah achieved the end of his separation story from his nephew.
“ Yizrah, I am not an old monkey that it is taught to do make faces. There are other things you want to ask me.”
Yizrah smiled furtively, astonished and fascinated by the direct approaches of his speaker. Alec was the kind of man who get straight to the point.
“well, there was a man that I want to find. There are some questions that I need to ask him. You are the most ol...
- What do you want from him, Alec interrupted.
- Aaron, an old man, I saw him once at Jacko’s... replied Yizrah, without frawning, it was him who was asking the questions, but Alec seems to take control.
- Ah yes, I do remember him...he doesn’t stay much this man, sais Alec, giving a slight smile
.
- You know the direction where he went?”
- Alec took a few seconds to think before answering. He looked very deep and straight in his interventions till that moment, this time of hesitation embarrass Yizrah. Alec seem that he was measuring the weight of his answer. He put his eyes down before raising them slightly to observe Yizrah with worry...since he was asking himself “ should I tell? shouldn’t I ?”
“to tell you the truth , I know where he is. He just want peacefulness, he is an old man.
- I won’t bother him for too long.
- Well. I know that you are trustful. I can see it in your eyes. However you must know that I shelter him in my place when we met , but we are making anything possible to not spread it out. Did I made myself clear Yizrah?
- You have my word Alec, it is hard as the oak.
- Good, follow me. It will make him pleasure to be visited by an intelligent and open mind person to talk with in the silence.”
Alec guided Yizrah to his personal reserve, he searched around themselves while walking in pure precautions. Yizrah doesn’t know if he will receive information allowing him to progress in his quest.
But all this stimulate him. He looked back regularly this scene at Jacko’s. Aaron was probably in advanced age that senility is threatening him. But he never lye . he had a sort of convince and a certain force of persuasion although the disdain that he stimulate between the villagers. Then, Alec is probably down to earth man , he seem to have a great esteem that old man. He understand it by himself under his cup and protected it. It wasn’t harmeless. There wasn’t a smoke without fire. Alec walked with him