Chereads / The World We Do Not know / Chapter 73 - What Is Life?

Chapter 73 - What Is Life?

Faust spends the next 5 days just by sitting and looking down while reminiscing Gus' words. He has been crying without food or sleep, he didn't even flinch to the barking of Bella or to her bites.

Word spread around the village that they haven't been seeing Faust the past 5 days. His school teachers, and everyone who sees Faust training or walking did not see him and so everybody passed a word to Yang.

Yang decided to check up on his friend's grandson and came to his house. As he opened the door, a foul smell struck him, it's the smell of stale food Faust prepared for Gus on the day of his arrival.

As he took a step inside the dark room, Yang saw Faust and Bella in a corner, Bella is laying on the ground whereas Faust is sitting down with his back against the wall and looking down, seemingly lost in another world.

His body has become thinner and weak. He has not eaten or drank something from the past 5 days, his eyes and lips have turned dry, his body dehydrated and he looks like a skeleton with skin, looking like he is going to die soon.

Yang collects all the stale food into a cover and throws it outside in a trash can. He stands and watches Faust after his little errand, he leaves loud helpless sigh and says "He is not going to come if you keep crying."

Faust does not reply, he does not even seem to respond, he doesn't even seem to notice than a man broke into his house.

"If you were strong, you would have gotten on the ship and Gus might have been alive, or at least you would have gotten to see him in his last moments." Saying that Yang opened the front door widely, left it open and went back the same way he came. 

"The kid is alive, If he passes out, just take out his body and throw it in the ocean." Yang says with a commanding tone.

*"If he has no talent, this village doesn't need him. Gus was useful all these years, this kid doesn't even qualify to help. He's better being dead."* Yang convinces himself.

At night, cold winds combined with snow stars to enter inside Faust's house. The bone chilling cold is freezing and already froze Bella and Faust.

Faust doesn't seem affected but Bella is howling in a very low voice, it breathes quickly trying to keep itself warm. Faust still seems to be lost in his own world, the blood freezing cold increasing after a couple of hours.

The nose of Bella has turned cold and frozen into ice, the corners of Faust's eyes has become frozen.

"Faust! How can you leave Bella like this? She did not eat anything, since you have not eaten anything." A voice is heard.

"Gra-grandpa?" Faust saw Gus who seem to be in a hurry, he took off his shoes quickly and rushed inside the house, closed the door. Faust is watching with a shocking expression.

"Faust, heat some water and bring them to me, we need to warm Bella " Gus went on to bring a warm blanket, he wrapped the blanket around Bella and started rubbing the blanket on its fur.

"Fausty! You do remember the treatment right? Also put some wood into the fireplace. Faust! Move! Don't just sit there!" Gus yells while he is carrying Bella in his arms and carrying her towards the fireplace.

"Bu-but, yo-you" Faust doesn't have enough strength to even talk, he is still taken by surprise with the sudden entrance of Gus.

"Faust!" Gus turns back to face Faust - "You have already abandoned Bella once, are you going to leave her to death again?" Faust snaps out to reality, he observes the room, there is no sign of Gus. And the front door is still open, Bella is still laying beside him.

"Ha- hallucinations?" Faust utters in a very tiring voice and falls victim to cough, thrust and hunger within seconds.

He quickly realises that Bella is in trouble, he strongly slap his face with both of his hands, gets up on his feet with lots of effort, immediately rushes to close the door, brings rugs and blankets and wraps them around Bella.

He arranges some wood in the fireplace and fire them using matches, he goes on to heat water after placing Bella near the fireplace, he brings a huge tub, places Bella inside n slowly pours the hot water onto her while rubbing her fur with his fingertips.

He later wrapped her again in the blankets and slept with her in front of the fireplace.

He woke up the next day to drink a whole barrel of water, he cooked up some food for himself and Bella.

Even though he is walking, eating and cooking. He does not seem to be himself, he does not go to train nor go to school. He sits on top of the hill for hours watching the ocean.

He visits the port everyday, waiting for Gus to come back. He did not lose his hope. This went on for days and months.

Two months passes by without Gus, no training or school. Faust looks soulless and a robot walking and doing the things to survive and live.

"So, I just wanted to check why you were not coming to school." A beautiful woman sits in front of Faust questioning his absence in school.