My life changed completely. Previously, I only had my mother and father at meals because they were both only children, but with the Keisam, they were a real tribe. My stepfather Baldo had two sisters, Lildi and Juwi, and a brother Red. My stepmother Lyumi had three sisters and four brothers. I might as well tell you that I didn't miss out on any activities and I was never bored again. My new brother Wistom was very welcoming and our age difference of only two years allowed us to play at home all the time. Often we had fun disguising ourselves as soldiers and pirates, facing each other with wooden swords I had made in the garden.
This nightmare had given way to a dream and often I remembered meeting Wistom to calm down after my nightmare like this morning. It took me a few minutes this morning to stop sweating profusely and I finally got up and went to take a shower. I have to hurry because today is a very special day. It's Hirion's birthday, he's Wistom's best friend since kindergarten, they are in the same class and he often comes to play Shogi at home. His parents have also been friends with the Keisam family for many, many years.
Yesterday I bought a gift in place of my brother because he never has much imagination when it comes to gifts. A guide to aquatic plants is what I found for him. It may seem surprising when you don't know him but I can assure you that he will love it. Since he was a child he has been interested in all the herbs and flowers around him. You only have to go to his parents' house to see their garden with all the flowers of the region gathered in barely thirty small square metres. He is a modest young man, his parents have both been bakers for several generations.
In short, I have to go and wake up Wistom because I'm pretty sure he's not awake. I finish getting dressed and then I knock on his door. Luckily we haven't slept in the same room for two years now as he has an annoying tendency to snore and fall asleep in less than two minutes, which is a bit annoying for me as it takes more than an hour before I can close my eyes.
- Wake up Wistom! We're going to be late otherwise!
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! I'm coming, give me two minutes, I'm just finishing getting dressed.
Finally, the door opens and here comes my brother, he's not very tall but he's more muscular than me who only follows a chalk as he likes to remind me often.
- It's all right, it's barely eight o'clock in the morning, the hill is only twenty minutes away on foot.
- Yes, but I remind you that we told Lyra that we would accompany her there.
- Gosh, I had completely forgotten.
- Luckily I'm here to think...
- And I to act. He said, winking at me.
- What does that wink mean?
- Oh, that? But nothing, bro. Come on, let's go. And he starts running as he finishes his sentence.
I hate running, besides I don't like sport as a rule because it requires more muscle than neurons. Not having an athletic body like my little brother, I prefer strategic activities like Shogi. Besides, he finds it difficult to understand the rules, which allows Hirion to win all the games against him. But at least he never gives up, it's a quality that I want to acknowledge.
Finally, I run for ten minutes to get to Wistom and I'm out of breath. On the corner I see him next to Lyra. She is a beautiful redhead, she has blue eyes and she is always smiling. She's been in my class for two years and I can't stop thinking about her but my brother too so it makes things a bit more complicated. I would never dare confess anything to her anyway.
-Hi Myo, I was afraid you'd forgotten me. she says, rubbing the back of her head and smiling.
- You shouldn't have worried, I'm keeping a close watch, it's even me who had to wake him up. Wistom replied
-What are you talking about?
-Well it's not all that but we have to hurry up or we'll really be late. In the end, he lets go of Wistom and goes back on the road while pushing me in front. Ah the liar, he always has to have the good part but good. I don't have the strength to contradict him in front of Lyra. What would I look like if I fought like a kid in front of her?
-What did you buy Lyra?
-I asked my father to make her a leather satchel, he'll have enough to carry these plants like that.
- You had a damn good idea Lyra, it will save her from filling her pockets with hearts of blood and getting her trousers dirty again. I said to her.
-Or of sticking thorns in her thighs! My brother replied, bursting out laughing.
-Thank you, that's very kind; and you, what did you find for him?
-A book on marine plants. I don't think I've seen it in his library.
-Great idea, he'll avoid using us as guinea pigs to test his potions like at. Said Lyra smiling at me.
-Myo came up with this idea on his own because I would have a hard time choosing books.
-To read them you mean. I answered her
-What do you mean? What are you implying?
-Nothing at all, only that the last time you opened a book it must have been at school and that since then you've been asking me to summarise it for you before your questions.
6
-Well, we can't all enjoy reading. It's stupid to force us to read, we'd better learn to fight, that at least, it will serve us later.
-You won't always be able to fix everything with a punch and a kick Wistom.
-That's true... that's why I have the headache.
That line made us all laugh and we keep talking all the way to the hill. It's a green plain just outside the city. It overlooks most of the neighbourhoods and we also have a splendid view of the sea. We have been going there for a long time to chat or play in the grass with other friends, especially at hide-and-seek or cricket.
In the end it seems that we are not the last. Around the apple tree in the middle of the grass there are only a dozen or so people, including Hirion with his blond hair that chats with Lore. It must be said that they are both doing very well, she too is blonde but her green eyes stand out so well in this landscape. She has always been at Hirion's side but he hasn't yet noticed that she sees him as much more than a friend. That's the problem when you're shy like me, it's easy to miss things.
-Wistom, Lyra and Myo here you are. We were afraid you might have got lost. Said Hirion jokingly.
-No don't worry, there are still people missing? answered Wistom.
- Yes, Ruby, Xan, Pimper and Zoe are missing. But it shouldn't be long now because they told me yesterday that they would come. -Let's play a little game before they arrive? says Lyra.
-You're right. Hey oh everybody! Let's get together and play a little game before the latecomers arrive. Shout Hirion to gather the group.
-The first one to search will be Myo so we have a chance of never being found. Said Pold, a classmate from Wistom.
-Thank you Pold. It's all right with me anyway, I'm ready to count first.
I said that even if it annoys me deeply. But hey, you have to do it like everyone else. Everyone runs around while I lay my head against the tree. And there I went to count to a hundred. It's not very exciting, but the funny thing about playing hide-and-seek in this field is that there are many bushes that are more or less prickly and where you can hide at your leisure. It was in one of them that I had seen Pold and Zoe when I was a child.
100. Where did they go? A simple glance does not allow me to find one so easily. So I walk between the bushes, not the slightest noise. You could say that they are motivated to make me run left and right. But why is there less light when there wasn't even a cloud on the horizon? Let's look above our heads...
Bug. There's a cloud but it's pink, I've never seen that.
-Everybody look up, there's a pink cloud.
-That's it! You think we're going to be fooled so easily!
-Come and get us instead!
I recognised Hirion and Malagari's voice, but they don't trust me. They are too absorbed in the game and I must say that I have already used a similar trick. Still, it's astonishing to see a cloud like that. I've never heard or even read anything about such a thing.
-No, it's true, look in the sky! There really is a pink cloud. Said Lyra as she came out of a thorn bush.
Little by little, everyone seems to decide to come out of their hiding place and soon we are all looking at this magical sky as if facing an apparition.
-Do you think this is a good omen? Ask Pold
-Of course it has to be, pink is always nice, there's never a mean pink thing. Wistom exclaimed with a smile.
-That's true, but this one came on a bit suddenly. Said Hirion as he groped his chin like some kind of detective.
-My father told me about it. He told me that there had been such phenomena in the East for a long time and that the Government had kept quiet about it. But I don't think we should stay under it. Said Malagari.
-Why should we? Do you think he's going to bring down the lightning? asks Lyra.
-I don't know but I prefer to leave. Replies Malagari
-He's probably right, there's no need to take risks, let's go back down to the shelter. I said at the very moment when it started raining.
-Great, that's all I needed for my birthday! shouted Hirion.
- Don't worry Hirion. We're going to continue it towards the Himawari forest. Lyra said while standing under the tree.
I headed towards the tree to take cover myself when I noticed that Wistom was staggering.
-What's wrong brother?
-I don't know...
He collapses, but he is not the only one. Hirion falls to his knees and then collapses face down. Then it's Malagri's turn and at last I also feel myself leaving. But what happens to us...