Second chapter- looking for clues
-AFTER A MONTH-
8\14\1832 . Italy, Egnazia- Puglia
White snowflakes swayed around the streets, moving on their own, floating in the air. The sun has not gone up yet, and the skies were dark and clear from the stars, but yet, Nelson Rodrigues was out of bed, walking through the empty streets alone. His shoes didn't make a sound, but it wasn't thanks to the shoes, it's was Nelson capability. He didn't get much alone time lately and he hated it, so he didn't sleep at night.
Nelson scanned through the streets and blocks, the bridges and the tunnels, anywhere possible that he can get to. Days came and gone since his brother's disappearance, no one in the family was concerned about him at all, and that made him sick. He always felt his parents treated him better than Marcel but he didn't think it was that bad. He got to the river where his brother disappeared as he climbed down from the road, his reflection showed on the water showed him his brother's eyes looking back at him. Nelson cut off his stare at the reflection and looked around the ground.
There were only stones and sand, water and trees. It didn't seem likely to him that he disappeared into the river, he may have been here but something told him he went somewhere else. His eyes looked deeply into the woods but then he cut it off, Marcel hates the woods. When he tore his gaze off his eyes settled on the other side of the river.
Nelson walked fast past the water, not letting his eyes leave the sight of Marcel's bracelet on the ground. He bent down when he arrived to the sewer cell that has his bracelet stuck between his cork, being wet and dirty from the water and snow. Nelson grabbed it and felt his heart miss a bit as he watched the only thing that his brother left. He hurriedly opened up the cork and went inside the sewer cell, climbing down the slippery stairs. The smell got to him only when he was down, his sense of smell wasn't strong and he was grateful for that at the moment.
In front of him were corridors from left and right all around him, dirty water in between, and darkness folding all around the space. He smiled at the sight, it was just his type of place. Nelson walked slowly, looking for clues carefully. His green eyes looked around intensively, he exhaled in and out, and now the smell got to his lungs, he caught breathless and leaned on the wall with his left hand. His voice echoed through the grand place and walls, repeating his caught sound until it fades.
He laughed at that "I need some clean air" he said with a giggle and noticed that his hand was still on the wet wall. He took it off quickly and smudged his teeth, grossed. he used his other hand to weep it but then he got to smell it, he knew that smell. His eyes lit up and he looked back at the wall, he couldn't see much in the darkness but he knew without a doubt where that smell is from, he didn't really need to check if it really was it.
He smiled brightly and went back on his steps to the metal ladder, he climbed up, pushed aside the cork, and got out of there. He got back to the road, back to his house. On his way, Nelson noticed the time on the town clock as he looked at the sun begin to rise, he was late. He changed his tracks, grabbed his neck with his hands, and rushed his legs to move a bit faster.
He arrived at class one hour late since he went to the other side of town and it took all his energy out of him. He peered into the classroom from the side, it was Fergus's class, he sighed and moved his legs nervously. When he tried to move past the class, moving on the ground fastly without making a sound, his hand landed on something hot and he jumped up, moving his hand away, hissing in his breath. There he goes for liking the cold too much, he didn't get along with hot stuff.
Fergus Archer lifted his head from the book he was reading and gave him a look, everyone else in the classroom either looked at him or laughed at him. He twisted his lips to the side and avoided eye contact with his classmates. His teacher stood up and signed with his finger to come to him. Nelson gave him a nodding smile and passed quietly by the class till he reached his desk. He kept his distance, not getting too close to him. Still, the teacher grimaced at him as he got closer, "I see you haven't showered, didn't have time for it, like you didn't have time to arrive to class" Fergus said while keeping his eyes away, Nelson felt embarrassed a bit, but he should be proud though, he's a boy after all and he likes the dirty. The teacher waved him off quickly "come to me at the end of class". Nelson took a step back and gave him a look " Yes, sir", he went to his seat at the end of the room and set down tiredly.
The teacher got back to teach but Nelson didn't have any power in him anymore, he landed his head on the table, crossed his legs on one another, and let his mind wander into sleep. Time passed by and the class ended, he didn't notice until the teacher came to him and tapped on his shoulder, Nelson is a strong sleeper, even when he's not tired. He lifted himself up and let his legs drop down, which was a tough task since one of them was still numb.
Fergus sat next to him, Nelson leaned back in his chair and stretched his fingers with his nails, it woke him up, rushed the blood back to his upper veins. Fergus smiled at him and put his hands on the table, tangled together "Nelson, I know it's not a usual period of time for you but, you've been late before as well and it's starting to become a problem." he took his hands off the table and leaned backward like Nelson. They looked at each other and shared moment of awkward eye stares.
Nelson straightened his back to look more serious, Fergus was his favorite teacher he didn't like to let him down "I apologize, sir, I'll be more careful from now on" he said it honestly, and he hoped he could keep his word, he didn't like to give people wasted expectations. Fergus smiled at him "You're a smart kid, and a curious one" he got up and looked at him from up " as much as this type is hard to find, they're also reckless, don't do anything stupid, kiddo" he went out of the classroom and Nelson was left alone to be with his thoughts.