The letter was in my hand. But not on my mind. I heard what the village head said, but didn't know what to say. I stood there. Just stood there. Maybe the village head noticed it, or maybe the silence itself became too obvious to ignore, stretching longer than it should have until even breathing felt slightly heavier.
"Do you want to drink something? My grandson just sent me this rum. It's really good." As the little girl finished translating, she shot a frown towards the village head, her brows tightening as if she had already anticipated what he was going to say.
"Grandpa. Winston is 16," she exclaimed, her tone carrying both concern and irritation. The village head laughed a bit and said something, but she didn't translate it this time, almost deliberately choosing to hold it back.
I looked at her. "It's fine. You can just say it to me."
"He said 16 is not too young to drink. In his time it was actually too old to drink."
I chuckled a little, though it came out softer than I expected, like my mind wasn't fully present. I was contemplating a little about the offer, but soon realized that if Arthur noticed that I had taken alcohol, he would definitely snitch to Mom and that would be the end of me. The thought alone was enough to shut down the idea immediately, no matter how tempting it sounded in the moment.
"Your offer is quite appealing, but unfortunately I have to refuse, Village Head. I won't be able to take consequences after accepting that drink." Even as I said it, my attention wasn't fully on the conversation, my thoughts still circling around something else entirely.
"You should be a little more easygoing, Winston. You're still really young. That way you would be able to enjoy life more. More importantly than that, I guess you don't know anything about the letter. It could simply be a mistake or someone not from here sent this letter. You can go back. I won't waste a young man's time on an old timer like me." As she finished translating, the village head began to go back, as if the matter had already been settled in his mind.
"Village head, can you tell me more about the person who delivered it? You said it was not the mailman or not one of our residents who bring this from city's post office." The question came out more quickly than I expected, driven by something that felt closer to unease than curiosity.
"Well, he was a middle-aged man with a thick and long mustache. He was rocking a handlebar. I liked his mustache quite a bit. When I was younger I also had a big mustache and beard, but sadly my hair started falling. I miss it a lot. It—" When he saw me making a wry smile, he realized he was going off topic. "…He was walking using a cane. I think his right leg has some problems because he was putting weight on it very slowly and carefully. I think he was dressed in green trench coat and had a black hat on his head."
The description formed slowly in my mind, piece by piece, and with it came a faint sense of familiarity that I couldn't fully place.
"Hmm. Thank you a lot, Village Head. And you too, Elina." I said it while patting her head, letting my hand linger there for a moment longer than necessary, as if grounding myself in something simple.
She helped me a lot. If she didn't translate what the village head was saying, I wouldn't have known about all of this. The village head's great granddaughter's name is Elina. I didn't use it till now because I was simply failing to remember it. It was on my tongue but not coming out. It's a relief I remembered it. It can't be helped. It's been a long time since we properly interacted.
She was smiling ear to ear while being patted, her happiness simple and genuine, untouched by whatever was weighing on me.
"I should go now," I said it while starting to walk towards my home, my steps slower than usual, as if something invisible was holding me back.
"Bye!" Elina shouted while I was leaving. Why is she acting like this is our last time meeting? She lives only a few houses away. The thought lingered for a moment, uncomfortable in a way I couldn't explain.
Well, I waved my hand back.
Once I reached the house, I sat on the dining table and looked at the letter. The paper felt ordinary, but the weight behind it didn't.
"Lindenwald."
I learned something today. Although not pleasant and quite heartbreaking. But I am glad I could hear it. After all, it was about the place where I was born. A place that now felt slightly unfamiliar, as if I had only known part of it until now.
I opened the letter and started reading it—
[Yo kiddo. How are you doing? I am sure you're fine. Well it's been only a day since our last meeting but I am pretty sure you won't feel that way. There are some things I forgot to tell you. I am quite busy so I can't come personally. But you should have already met something supernatural or if you don't then treat it as an advice to make yourself prepared. We call them 'HOLLOW'. They are beings that are between life and death. They search for something in people. Right now I can't tell you about it because it will only make you confused. And you may end up making mistakes.
How can I say this in simple words? Well, basically you were poisoned. Poisoned by a curse. Yeah, it may sound absurd to you now, but soon you will believe everything. We can have a face to face meeting at that time. I will tell you a lot more then.
What I was trying to say is that when you were poisoned by that curse somehow you got a little of that 'thing' which the HOLLOW are looking for. You told me about a priest, it has something to do with him. Maybe he told you something. Something you couldn't hear properly. You were poisoned by that. I guess that priest didn't intend for that. So he gave you a little 'thing' to ease the symptoms of that poison. That 'thing' is desired by the HOLLOW.
They are beings who inherently seek out the people who are weak or when they cross for the first time. They are cowards. They don't pose any type of threat to someone like me. But to people like you who are just normal humans, they can easily be life-threatening. In the process of forcefully extracting that thing they will end up extracting your life as well… forcefully. Bahaha. You got that? Ah and you don't have to worry about people around you. They will only attack people that have what they want.
Hollows' main attack is their illusion. But you don't have to worry about that. I gave you a little gift when we parted our ways. They will not be able to use illusions to make you look at them. So just be careful and don't look in their eyes and don't look back if you feel anything.
Now the most important part. Crossing. If you could remember when you were infected with the poison of cross, you could calculate when you will be taken. It is exactly 7 days. So the time you were infected it is 7 days that you will have to cross. I will suggest you prepare yourself. You're coming to the centre of all worlds, kid. Some yearn for it, some dread. But you're infected so you don't have much of a choice.
Calculate the time properly and I will recommend you to go somewhere far away, at least with the radius of 1 km. Otherwise the people and infrastructure nearby will be harmed. You shouldn't worry too much about family friends with your absence. It will be fine. Trust me. Right now you should worry most about yourself. Pack some food and water. Take things that don't perish easily. I know this is too sudden but it is what it is. You may be transported to somewhere unknown, but it's unlikely. At least you will be sent to a place close to me. Just remember to say [To you] and focus on that light that is dwelling in you. I am sure you have already noticed it. You can once again thank that gift again.
In honesty I shouldn't even be bothered for you. But I am too kind of an old man. You know it, don't you? Bahaha.
Take care kid. We will soon meet.]
That was everything in the letter. I recognized this pattern of speech. It was that old man who gave me a lift in a car. When he dropped me off he did say things similar to the priest.
They are definitely connected. But when I asked him before, he said he didn't see any priest by my side. I am cursed? A poison? I got it from the priest? Did he do it purposely? But the old man said it was unintended. How was the old man so sure about that? But that priest… maybe the old man is right. He didn't seem like someone bad.
I leaned on the back of chair. My brain is in a mess. There are thousand thoughts running inside my brain. But the most suitable one is—
What the hell is going on? What does he mean? I will be sent to some other place? The light inside my body. Am I sleeping right now? What is he saying? That things that I met… so it was real and not my brain playing tricks on me? What? Huh?
I was confused, shocked, suspicious, cynical and in disbelief. I think I was getting too worked up. My breathing started becoming fast. My fingers feeling numb.
But suddenly, it all stopped.
A warm feeling spread across my whole body starting from between my chest and upper stomach. Just like before. It spread slowly, calmly, as if something inside me was deliberately stabilizing everything.
I became relaxed.
I accepted it.
Now what? What should I do? Then according to this I will be transferred in little more than 6 days. A thought passed my mind. It was fast.
"I should prepare."
I said this but not knowing how exactly. The words came out easier than the decision itself.
First, food and water like the old man said in the letter. What else? Clothes?
He also said that I should be far from settlement in a 1 km radius. The people could be harmed. The method of transportation seems dangerous.
Should I tell my family?
My mom is coming. She will be here by tomorrow morning.
Should I say it to her? Won't she get scared? She has always been a little weak. She told me it happened after she gave birth. Now that I think about it she had been very active until a few years ago when we grew up enough to take care of ourselves. Then she started to constantly get sick. I shouldn't say otherwise her heart may not be able to take it. The old man in letter also said to not worry about it too much. It will be fine. Does he have a way for it?
A lot of time went by while I was just sitting in that chair thinking.
I heard a knock on the door.
I looked at the clock. It was 12:35 pm.
The neighbour's aunt is here with food.
I quickly went there. She was standing there with a pan. I took it and it was heavy.
"Omg look how much you made. I am sorry you must have been troubled. I told mom not to bother you."
She slapped me lightly in back.
"It was no trouble and I like when people enjoy the food I made. And it's not much. You and Arthur are growing boys you should eat at least that much. When you finish it tell how it was?"
I smiled and invited her inside. While I was walking back to the kitchen with the pan full of food, to my surprise she also brought another plate. It was covered so I couldn't see what it was.
"Another one? Or is it for dinner?"
She already prepared for night time? It was a big plate also.
"Of course not. It's only for lunch. I will deliver it in night after 7 pm."
She said that while putting the plate on kitchen table. I was surprised but yet not. I thought she will do this. She really likes when people enjoy her food. She is a nice and lovely lady.
"You really want our stomach to explode, huh? You know we will not be able to leave it even if we are full. You just make food it so good."
She slapped my back again and giggled as I said that.
She gave me a little kiss on cheek before leaving.
I opened the pan lid and also looked at the plate. She prepared pork stew with mashed potatoes on the side and on the plate were cabbage rolls. The smell of the food was good. I was getting really hungry even though I was not a moment ago.
She left and closed the door behind her.
She once had a dream of opening her own restaurant in nearby city and wanted to be a head chef there. And she succeeded. Her husband was helping her and they were living there together. But it didn't attract many people. In that city there are already restaurants that were well-established and their food was also good. But I personally think aunty's is way better. But due to the lack of customers the restaurant was running in negative and it had to be closed down. I still remember when she came back. She was sad and depressed.
But she is a cheerful lady.
She quickly recovered and started helping local people by giving them food. They really enjoyed it and started paying her for food. At first she refused, but when she noticed they were not backing down, she accepted it. Her house has become like a small restaurant for local people which still looks like a normal home. Her husband still works in the farm.
I guess they are happy.