Family

Umbrella Kids

I made out his intention by the dark umbrella in his hand…

I was waiting for the pouring rain to subside outside the mall, with my hotel within sight. Wet, frayed looking umbrellas passed by so low that I could see their tops. A child’s face came out from under one such umbrella, looked me over and walked away. Another kid came and asked in his native language, if I wanted to go somewhere. I made out his intention by the dark umbrella in his hand and gave the name of the hotel and pointed. He nodded and gestured for me to follow.

The previously dusty road had completely disappeared under running water. I couldn’t tell where the drain was or if there were nails lying about as I saw construction materials on the way. The absence of street lighting made it worse.

The boy was around eleven, shirtless and barefooted in the cold night. His breathing sounded like he had hypothermia and he was shaking as he held the umbrella for me as I walked beside him. His ribcage strained against his flesh. I kept trying to pull the umbrella lower so he wouldn’t get wet but he refused to share it, bravely holding it up for me and leading the way.

A girl, maybe eight, both hair and oversized dress soaked, was standing at a junction with a dry, foreign lady who held the borrowed umbrella herself. In fact, I noticed several kids with umbrellas going about in the rain that night.

At my hotel lobby, I gave the boy what I felt was more money than he was used to receiving for the service he provided and got a shocked look in return.

In my room, I sat numbly staring out the window, thinking of my little girl sleeping safely in her warm, padded bed back home.

photo from unsplash.com by Anh Nguyen

Rubie’s Search

The policia said they’d wait for the autopsy report before concluding on the victim’s identity.

The mound of earth on the open plain had unmistakable traces of having been seared. Was it by lightning? Rubie now understood why that possibility had occurred to the authorities. She did a slow 360-degree turn and saw mirages dancing on the horizon where the sun was sinking softly. Reddish clouds hung low on the opposite side. There was nothing to attract lightning for miles around. Except, perhaps a body as loaded with metal implants as she knew her father’s was.

The media had reported that the victim’s remains looked like overcooked meat, giving off an unbearable stench. The policia said they’d wait for the autopsy report before concluding on the victim’s identify.

“Come back Tuesday”, they’d instructed, as nobody there worked weekends while Monday was reserved for catching up on paperwork. Continue reading “Rubie’s Search”

She had really missed that. The sounds that reminded her of her family. It was not the same as before the accident but this was close.

I.
Khara was waiting for breakfast, looking at the perfectly maintained backyard through a glass wall that took up the entire west wall of the dining cum kitchen. She was lost in her thoughts, barely noticing her little brother outside, playing with their dog, a mature Labrador. Even though the sliding doors were shut, she could hear faintly the alternating barks and shouting. She lost track momentarily then she heard laughter as the dog leaped onto the boy and both rolled on the perfectly maintained grass.
‘Breakfast is ready,’ a calm female voice sounded on the counter where Khara was seated.
She reached over, softly depressed a circular button that was the same colour as the counter top and a panel slid open where she had been leaning her arms on. Fresh toast and orange juice came up on a white plate and ceramic cup. She picked up the chilled juice and sipped it, feeling as she usually did in the mornings, wistful and a bit lazy.
Mum buzzed into the kitchen with her usual, brisk pace, dressed in a neat pantsuit that matched her nicely plaited hair. She gave Khara a peck on her cheek as she passed.
‘Good morning Punchkin. Where’s Levin?’
The girl lazily pointed with her finger to the glass wall while munching her toast. Mum followed her gaze to the garden.
‘Please call him in. There’s just enough time for an unhurried breakfast before the transport arrives.’
Khara leaned over the same speaker she had used to give instructions for breakfast and said,
‘Get Levin,’
A small screen lit up next to the speaker and the boy’s face came up, moving erratically before going off screen,
‘Levin! Mum wants you to come in. Breakfast!’
The boy came back into view. Khara looked out to the garden and saw the boy now on one knee peering at the dog’s collar. She saw him move his mouth over there and his voice popped out of the speaker beside her,
‘Five more minutes, pleaseee….’
Mum leaned over Khara’s shoulder,
‘Levin, please come inside now! You’ve had your fun.’
Through the glass wall, Khara watched Levin, with a shake of the head, get up and stomp to the door on the side, the dog quickly realizing where he was going and following at his heel. As he came in, mum was already sitting at the counter with both her and Levin’s plates ready, gave another instruction,
‘Put him away please. You have exactly fifteen minutes before the transport arrives.’
Levin went to a rectangular door by the wall and tapped it. The door slid open to reveal a recess with a charging dock.
‘Come on Helium. Here.’
The Labrador went over obediently – no hesitation – and turned around and sat. Levin reached over, ruffled the dog’s fur several times and then, pressed a hidden point on the animal’s neck. The dog became still. He pulled a wire out and attached it into an opening under a flap just along the dog’s backbone. Its eyes closed and it became completely motionless. The wall socket had a series of indicator lights that were running continuously. Levin stepped out and shut the door of the recess. Continue reading “Family”