After the girl in the black jacket got off the train and disappeared from Luke's sight as the train sped away, Luke opened his palms. Look at what the guy gave. A kind of small cloth package with a ribbon tied at the top. When he opened the package, it turned out that it contained some kind of yellowish powder. Maybe gold, but definitely not. So Luke closed it again and put the packet of powder back in his coat pocket as he closed his eyes again. Scratching his fingers for the umpteenth time.
About ten minutes later, the train arrived at the destination station, Luke got off. He was surprised when he saw Benjamin Bright already near the station exit. His brow furrowed as he studied everyone.
"Ben?" Luke called out to him "Why are you here Ben? Are you going somewhere?"
"Oh, my God! Luke. You were there!" Ben screamed with relief.
Luke walked up to him, asking one more time. "Why are you here?"
"Picking you up of course! Ulfa was worried because you weren't home yet, even though it's time for dinner. You should have called first if you were hanging out-"
"I overslept in the school infirmary, Ben," Luke interrupted Ben's rambling. "I wasn't feeling well so I slept there and only woke up half an hour ago."
"Oh my god! You really always make me, I mean, make your grandma worry! Why not get your school to call home?! Me or your grandma can come pick you up."
"Ah, that would be troublesome. Besides, I just overslept. Don't worry."
Even so, Benjamin grumbled the three blocks home, rambling on about Ulfa's worries and the cold dinner. Luke didn't answer because he was lazy to respond to his grandfather who was fussy because the weather was too cold, to the point where Luke's teeth started chattering. He suddenly felt annoyed with himself for not having brought a thicker coat. On top of that, he was annoyed that he fell asleep in the school infirmary without setting an alarm to wake up.
Arriving home, Ulfa immediately gave him a hug and rubbed his hand on Luke's arm so that her grandson would feel a little warm.
She asked, "Why are you coming home so late, honey? Did something happen?"
"No no Ulfa! He just overslept at school" Benjamin answered as he took off his coat and walked to the end of the hall. Towards the dining room.
"Oh, but you're all right, aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Granny."
"In that case, now change your clothes. Meanwhile I'll reheat the soup. We'll wait at the dining table."
"Okay Granny."
Luke immediately slid upstairs where his room was. He took off all his clothes in five seconds and threw the cold clothes in all directions, then took the warmer, woolen clothes and returned downstairs.
Ben is seen sitting in front of the fireplace drinking Chamomile tea mixed with his favorite warm honey. While Ulfa was already sitting at the dining table, smiling when she saw Luke approaching. Ulfa called Ben so they could have dinner together.
There wasn't much conversation going on at the dinner table because the voice of the anchor on the television was enough to grab Luke and Ulfa's attention, except for Ben who was eating while his eyes fixed while reading a book.
After eating my meal, I helped my grandmother to clean the dishes and pots, but that's when Grandma gave a low cry.
"Oh my, I forgot," she said, slapping her forehead.
"What happened, Ulfa?" Ben turned his head in half a second.
This was one of the good qualities of old Benjamin Bright. Even though Ben is often annoying, old-fashioned, and likes to be tough on Luke, Benjamin is always on hand when Ulfa needs help when she's having a hard time. He is always there for his soul mate. That's why, when Ulfa told him that the dishwashing liquid had run out that night, Ben immediately got ready to leave. But, suddenly Luke offered to go to the convenience store.
"I'm going to go Ben. I need to buy some stuff for school work" Luke said, so Ben didn't have to get up from the couch in front of the fire.
"But, you just came back. Also, it's cold outside," Ulfa said.
"That's fine, Granny. Besides, the store is only three hundred yards ahead. Is it just dishwashing liquid or is there something else you want to buy?"
"Uhm, buy some oil and milk, dear."
"Buy me a beer," said Ben, "Two beers please."
"Okay. I'll get my coat first."
Luke ran upstairs to get the winter coat hanging in the wardrobe. New and more fragrant mantle. As he took his coat from the closet, Luke remembered the dirty clothes that had started piling up in his room and before Ulfa found the pile of dirty clothes earlier, so Luke took all the dirty clothes to the laundry room at the bottom of the basement stairs. Put it in the dirty clothes basket. It was at that moment, Luke felt something stuck in the pocket of the cold coat, which was apparently the package the girl had given him on the train earlier.
Luke grabbed the package, opened it and wondered what kind of powder this was. Then, out of nowhere, Luke took a small basin near the washing machine and filled it with a little water then added a pinch of powder to the water and stirred it with one hand. Luke hoped that it was magic powder like in Harry Potter world or something.
But, damn it! Nothing has changed. The water was only slightly cloudy from the powder but I didn't feel anything had changed. So, he thought that this was just an ordinary powder. I don't know if it's flour or whatever. Damn it. It looks like the hooded girl is playing a trick on him. So, he just threw the package in any direction and rushed out of the house. Don't forget to cover your hands with gloves.
***