Читать книгу: «On the stone road», страница 2

In a panic, Eric ran forward, trying to escape from a wooden hail. He ran between huge bushes, which wound the elm around; ran a large maple tree with sharp leaves, and some aspen, and then Eric slipped through the arch of interlacing oaks. The giant branch of one of the oaks almost crushed him.

Eric Run out to a small glade, and then he began to stagnate in a circle, in the same place, looking as the memories were breaking his patience, and splashed out the pain destroys everything around him.

With the rending crash branches continued to bend and fall to the ground.

Eric’s exposure has exhausted. He screamed and fell to the ground, clutching his head in his hands. “I’m getting crazy..!” – Screamed the hysterical voice deeply inside of him, drowning out the sounds of a raging downpour.

Chapter 2

When Eric plunged in silence, he heard his heartbeat. Then, when he slowly removed his hands from the opened eyes, he saw a gray wasteland under the dead sky. Around the ground protruded stripped tree trunks. They rose completely naked; lost offspring scattered at their roots. Everything was colored with empty graveyard shades.

It looked as if over a beautiful park mocked hurricane, which spared nothing but boy, who was shaking on his lap and smeared with mud. The storm was over, the sky was no longer crying, and the wind was no longer howling. The inky darkness left the Silent Valley, leaving behind a lifeless leaden sky.

Eric slowly stood from the wet grass and went into the jungle of the wet debris. Without looking anywhere, and not to thinking about anything, Eric moved out of the town city park, wading through littered broken branches with difficulty. Eric, every now and then fell, slipping on the eroded ground, which was covered with a layer of wood chips.

He went round the large grid, which enclosed the passage; then Eric felt a stone path beneath his feet. He almost got out the park, where gathered almost all the inhabitants of a small town at the exit.

As soon as Eric was noticed, the two men ran up to him.

– How are you feeling yourself? – asked him a bearded man, who ran up to the boy, who was marching indifferently.

– Are you okay? – Immediately asked him the other man.

Erik nodded absently in response.

– Do you need a help? – asked the first man again.

Eric was silent again; he just shook his head and walked away.

All residents of the Silent Valley couldn’t take their prying eyes from the young men with gray hair, who was passing by them. Eric accelerated the pace. He began to feel himself worse among the people. It often happens with him. When he is in the spotlight, his brain begins to lose control. Eric wasn’t a closed guy, but there were not many people, whom he allowed to come beyond the wall, which he constructed around himself.

Astonished citizens left their houses in order to see the unusual sight. Looking at the ruined green wealth of the town, each expressed his assumption, how this could happen.

“It’s so strange, the wind wasn’t so strong,” – said Wilma Nilsson his elderly neighbor, Mrs. Persson. In respond she said: “Yes, it’s just impossible!” – the old lady was completely bewildered, she began to correct her color shabby wig.

“It was a tornado, I saw it!” – a little boy told to his buddies. “You’re lying!” – They shouted at him. “Tornadoes would have ripped trees from the roots!” – Little boy Thomas Valine, lashed out at his friend, who had a good imagination.

The clouds dispersed and the sun has almost disappeared behind the horizon. Now, every day daylight hours will be reduced, depriving people of a couple of extra hours, when they could enjoy the sun. It looks pretty sad.

Erik looked back, holding his breath. The place that considered to be the place of a free rest, has become a frighteningly repulsive. Crippled trees seemed to be telling him: “It’s your fault!”

Now and forever, this way for him is closed.

Soiled and wet through clothes were hanging from the thin body. It wasn’t visible the red soles on his white sneakers because of the layer of sticky mud on it. Drooping Eric decided to go home, because he had nowhere else to go.

He didn’t want to return to the cage, in which his house has distorted in the presence of Charles Lanter.

Gradually the town streets were filled with people. Some people moved to the side of the park, to find out the cause of accumulation of the crowd around it, and someone was going to the cafe to Holm in order to discuss what they had seen.

Eric regretted that it wasn’t dark. Passersby hit him with wide variety of curious glances. He had a terrible sight! His eyes were full of shock, his clothes were stained and torn – this ensemble looked not very charmingly. Some people at the sight of Eric moved to the other side of the road. They weren’t afraid; they did it from a sense of disgust. Eric was very surprised. He always struck by the fact that ordinary people, such as the residents of the Silent Valley could behave yourself with arrogance.

“Interesting, who they took me?” – he thought with a grin.

Despite the condemning spitting, Eric tried to cheer himself. Though it was impossible, after what had happened. Trying not to pay any attention to staring in his direction people, he kept going, hiding his eyes under the long gray bangs, sticking out from under the wet hood.

Turning into an empty lane in order to avoid possible collisions with Noah, Eric stopped and pressed himself against the brick wall of an abandoned house.

He couldn’t suppress the thought, which accused him of madness any more. It squeezed his brain, convincing him in frenzy. He didn’t understand what it could be: What has decided to spoil his hard life?

Eric passed by the lively place of the Silent Valley, then he sighed with relief, that was unlikely to last for long time, because soon he will have to breathe differently.

He will have to spend time with person, who causes a desire to stop breathing at all.

The man, whose increased self-esteem wasn’t supported by any life’s achievements – but he constantly pestered Eric with reproaches. To hear it from the loser wasn’t the most pleasant thing for him.

In his youth, Carl Lanter played bass in a band, which was popular in the nightclubs of the town. Not having had time to disperse properly, he shifted gears, making one mistake after another. As a result, his star didn’t succeed: the birth occurred at the stage of collapse. Mr. Lanter proved not those, who gets up after the fall, he continues to lie and wait for someone to help him to overcome his problems.

Eric, by the way, couldn’t understand, how his mother could love such a man? And why didn’t she left him after all that he had done and did not. Eric thought that, most likely, she is simply afraid of him. She is afraid of his hands, which have repeatedly made her hurt. Or maybe the whole thing was in her excessive kindness and faith in a hopeless?

“How can I convince her?” – The desperate hope seemed inaccessible to Eric.

The wind directed straight forward. A gentle breath of wind enveloped the Eric’s body and ruffled his wet hair. It was already dusk, lights in the street began to light up in a random order. After rising to the top of the hill, Eric, as usually, stood some time outside his home. He was thinking about what would happen if he turned back. After a few seconds, with sadness in his eyes and weighed down by his thoughts, Eric continued to go, promising himself that he would soon get rid of despotism.

Not having had time to open the black door, he immediately heard the disgusting, soaked rage scream of the tormentor.

– Who is it? – The resentful voice of Mr. Lanter came out of the living room.

Ignoring the nasty sounds, Eric walked into the corridor. He heard Carl Lanter gets up from the couch – quite rare thing for him- and goes to him. His heart started to beat the countdown, preparing for defense.

– Where is your mother? – Monster came out of the shadows into the corridor, which was lit by dilapidated lamp. – Why she doesn’t respond to my calls?! – His breath was as nasty as his words, which poisonous hatred all around him.

– I have no idea – Eric said dryly, no longer able to tolerate the disgusting creature beside him.

As soon as he tried to escape in his room, Karl Lanter grabbed him by the arm, not allowing to move.

– I didn’t finish with you!

– Really? – Eric asked irritably, in a loud voice.

– Well, shut up – growled the monster, clutching Eric’s wrist. – Quickly tell me where she is, bastard? – His eyes bloodshot with anger.

– Go to hell! – Angry shouted Eric, tearing his limb from his fat paws.

After changing the direction, he went to the kitchen.

– Give me your phone! – Demanded the tyrant, following directly behind Eric.

In the hope that the ringing contraption will help him get rid of the madman, Eric shook out everything from his pockets in search of a mobile phone. Being killed by the ecstasy, he had forgotten what had happened to his phone.

– I don’t have it, – recalling the shrunk piece of metal in his hand, said Eric.

At the moment, he didn’t care how this could happen.

– You are lying to me! You don’t want I call her! You cover her! You do not want me to know where she is and with whom! – Becoming drunk on his own malice, Carl Lanter was losing his mind, and began to tell the full absurdity.

Sometimes Eric thought that blames of the oppressor in these absurdities, happened just because he would do that. Inadequacy persuaded Mr. Lanter in his right, that his actions might be inherent in other people around him.

– I really lost it – Eric tried to speak as calmly as possible, trying not to let his feelings that were inside him to spray out.

The boiling from anger bubbles were escaping from the mouth of Mr. Lanter.

– Who are you kidding, bastard?!

The back of the hand of Charles Lanter slid by Eric’s temple.

His hands were shaking, his eyes were watered. His heart was torn by hatred for the man that stood in front of him; to the person who spoils everything within his radius. He wasn’t even a person, he was a creature – not able to take care of anyone, and certainly, not able to love someone! This consumer eats every day more and more energy: he is dangerous, and he spoils the life!

– It’s ok, if only she … – his threats continued.

Rotten tongue faltered and fell into the pharynx. Eric didn’t hear from him anything any more.

The click in the head said, that the glass was full.

The eyelids shut.

Silence.

A sec.

Blurred loops quietly rushed for racing in different directions furniture: the kitchen tables with a crunch flew into details from merciless blows and its contents flew out and broke into pieces. In the air floated a variety of figurines, which were made of different material. Aluminum forks, spoons, knives, and other utensils —its all bent and compressed in lumps. The dining table was off the floor; it crashed into standing on a shelf picture and then broke in two parts.

All that were in the kitchen were pressing the ceiling, the walls: it seemed, that a little bit more – and the room will fall apart. Whirlwind didn’t stop! Gas stove flew up, then fell down and began to cuddle up to the plinth, periodically tapping on the corner. Poison gas hastened to fill the air. Fifteen years old boy didn’t pay any attention to it.

Eric stood with his eyes closed, as if nothing had happened. The only thing that he has deigned to respond for all time was a solid dull sound. In the hallway the sound of the merger with the wall of the skull of the person, who offended him, was interrupted by frame advance of occurs, replacing it by hurricane of events. In an instant mute knocks turned into a deafening cacophony.

The last chord was the spark of the crashed incandescent bulb, which surprisingly hold out so long time among this chaos: the whole room became decorated in the bright blue color.

The explosion.

The room sunk into the orange-red storm.

Along with shards of the glass door, Eric was thrown out into the cool evening, right on the flower bed of purple asters. His body shook, and his mind was somewhere else, but the instincts of self-preservation were trying somehow to revive the fragile flesh and pull as far as possible from the flame.

The house looked like a torn shirt, from which holes the flame was burning. The fire began to grow, taking more and more of small dwelling for yourself.

Scrolling to his head the occurred things, the instincts shouted to Eric, “Run!”.

In a panic, he covered his mouth with his hand so as not to choke of the huge flow of oxygen, he did it. Eric was all ragged, he got up and ran off into the woods, into the darkness, into the emptiness of the hopelessness of the further normal life.

The poor guy didn’t know what happened and who is to blame? Who killed his father? Who pursues and tries to kill him?

Besides Eric and his father, in the kitchen there was no one: who made furniture to dance in the air and blew up the house?

“What could it be?! Who did it?! "– Eric yelled desperately, still running in deep darkness among the trees, constantly stumbling about almost everything, what was lying on the ground. He made himself not to thing about anything and ran forward.

Sticking out from all sides hooked branches scratched his face and hands, which were paving the way in the darkness of the fugitive.

“Whoever it is, he won’t catch me!” – The words didn’t stop from the moment when Eric woke up after the explosion. These words burnt the heart, they blinded eyes, choked, knocked down. He didn’t realize how fast he run, and whether he was running. In the darkness of the forest he couldn’t see anything, and without stopping Eric was looking for a way – but just where? Where could he get away from what he didn’t even know?

Now, Eric didn’t know how to be, how to live. Everything has become a nightmare. A couple of seconds divided his life on “before” and “after”.

Caught on the right foot by protruding from the ground root of black alder, Eric fell and rolled down. Moving by somersaults almost a minute, frightened boy rolled with from a small slope; committing another somersault, he ran by his shoulder on something sharp. There was no pain, fear didn’t give place in his body any other feelings or sensations.

Coming out onto the highway, Eric didn’t have time to navigate before the surge of boat blinding light. Eric was dumbfounded by the unnatural rubber squeak, his thin body collapsed like a rag doll.

Eric shook immobilized in the shine of white light, until someone’s hands rose him from the wet asphalt. In his eyes everything mixed up, the images around Eric were illegible. Even the feelings were not able to perceive anything.

There was a pause, it lasted so slowly that is already began to seem as if it will never end. The storm has stopped – there was not a single word in his head, just calm, silence and a bird, which was flying in the glass sky. Flickering lights dimmed in the endless expanse of emptiness. After a while it disappeared too.

Light alternated with darkness, reality mixed with fantasy, everything was mixing in Eric’s head. He was killed by tragedy, Eric didn’t understand: he is sleeping or awake, lying or sitting, or standing, or even hanging. Everything was viscous and hazy. Stupor didn’t leave him even for a second. Without moving, he kept looking at one point.

Flames. He liked looking at it, lying on a sofa under a warm blanket. That night was very cold, and the only thing that warmed him was the fire in the fireplace. It warmed his naive child’s soul.

It was nearly midnight; everyone had gone to bed, except for the little boy. He didn’t want to miss a minute of the fabulous night. Getting out from the bulky blanket, the child decided to hide under the tree that stood in the living room. The tree was magically beautiful; he couldn’t take his green eyes from its small flashing lights. Closely pressed to the wall, the boy carefully walked fluffy fir, and crept under her thick prickly needles. He lay down on the soft carpet, waiting for a miracle. The lights of shimmering garlands, which reflected in the Christmas tree lulled the boy. He fell asleep, right under the Christmas tree.

That Christmas was the best in his life! Because in the Christmas night there was no man that enveloped a wonderful holiday in shattering loud moans and abominable complaints.

His father’s face, contorted with surprise and fear, his long, and, at the same time, a short flight, kick, crunch, death. In his head flashed the image of the White House, which was dissolving in the fire. The devour guilt, the horror of what had happened shook Eric. But somewhere deep inside, what he was ashamed and afraid, it was simply unacceptable to admit even to himself, come to enjoy from the liberation of the heavy cargo.

– No! – Angrily shouted Eric, without acknowledging the shameful joy. – No, – much quieter, he repeated, pressing his head to the knees.

He wasn’t happy about what happened. On the contrary! It was much worse!

“Where am I?!” – Eric was stunned, when he looked around.

Chapter 3

– It’s not necessary to scream so much – reproached stranger. – At first you seemed quiet and peaceful, and suddenly such a stir.

Eric didn’t remember what happened, and in the confusion he tried to understand – where he is and how he got into the car to a stranger? He looked around – he was not familiar with district. Wherever he looked – everywhere people moved quickly on the sidewalk. Cobbled paths stretched on both sides, along the wide street, crowded with noisy vehicles. The frantic pace of the big city didn’t cease even behind closed windows of the car. The boy bugged out eyes of bewilderment, Eric panicked, pressed against the leather seats, intently examining the stranger.

Behind the wheel of two-seater car sat a broad-shouldered young man, in the view he was twenty-seven. The abundant bristle was sprawling across the face, and also emphasized the lower part of the cheeks. His hair was like coated by dry oil, it was a little worn and pushed to one side, and fell below the eye line. The golden edges of bow tie, strongly stood out against the deep black shirt, they were merging with trousers, jacket, shoes, hair of a stranger, as well as to the vehicle interior.

Without taking his eyes from the young man, Eric strove to understand what was happening here. Assumptions about the abduction disappeared. The victim is usually hidden in a closed room, but not free carried during the day on a busy city street. However, Eric found it necessary to flee as possible. The internal lock of the car door clicked; Eric turned to the man, he closed his eyes and shook his head.

– Don’t hurry, we haven’t really got acquainted, – with a smile, the stranger turned away, and watched the truck, blocking the road.

– I am not interested! – Angrily told Eric, not losing hope to open the locked door of the machine.

– My name is Anders – briefly introduced the young man, without mentioning his surname. – Last night, we literally encountered on the road. Can you remember?

Blinding headlights, grinding sound of tires on wet asphalt: memories pulled behind a terrible fire picture – bright flame obscured little house on Holm Street, and along with it his father Eric. It was hard to breathe…

– I heard your town is famous for its peace and tranquility – continued to say dark-haired man in a lazy tone, Eric almost didn’t hear him; he was busy with the tightly closed door. – I wanted to find a place to live. As it turned out – rumors are not so true. He turned to Eric, he froze with fear, quickly pulling his hand from the dull panel buttons, thinking – what this person hinted at?

Eric’s thoughts jumped from place to place: “It is unlikely that this oddball was walking on Holm Street in the evening, when I ran into an incomprehensible thingy and I don’t think he was in the park, while rainfall lashed out at Silent Valley. And certainly, he wasn’t in my house!”

– Your timid, puts me in an awkward position. Be so kind, don’t look at me like that – bristly Anders frowned from dissatisfaction. Although his eyes remained indifferent.

His eyes were iridescent and multicolored. As soon as he moved, his eyes immediately sparkled with dark blue color on dark-green color with splashes of golden molding near the pupils. They sparkled like stickers with fairy tale characters that Eric used to collect when he was a child. He had never seen such unusual eyes before. He decided that it ware lenses.

– What do you mean? What do you mean, talking about the untruthfulness of rumors? – Said Eric, suppressing the shiver in her voice.

– You don’t really know? – The man portrayed a surprise.

– No, – calmly lied Eric.

– Yes of course! I understand – he obviously didn’t believe. The strange man pursed his lips into a smile, then took colored eyes, and continued his way.

The driver of the truck was able to budge a barely functioning machine. The road has cleared; the motionless cars finally drove off.

– I want to assure you, that you no longer need to judge yourself with anxiety. You’re lucky, and this is enough to calm down.

– That’s really!.. – Not without sarcasm, Eric responded to this nonsense.

The words of bursting with enigma man seemed absurd to Eric! He twitched as if he was poured with cold water. He was not lucky, most likely he was unfortunate teenager, who was pursued by something terrible. Apparently, Anders didn’t know this, if he thought otherwise.

– Almost all of us had to wade through a swamp of doubt and misunderstanding, alone.

It was not clear that he had in mind this time. Eric didn’t touch by his statement, as well as the young man didn’t listen to his advice, and continued to stay alert.

– Where are we going? – he asked.

In fact, Eric would like to know when was going to be the nearest stop. He was still determined to leave the stranger.

Pressing the brake, Anders parked near a small cafe. Before getting out of the car, Eric asked him:

– Who are you? – Finally, Eric still wanted to understand the intentions of person, who picked him up off the road. And maybe he will be able to comprehend the meaning of his hints.

– Just someone who wants to help you. You are need in support; you need it right now, as never before. And there are not many people, who are able to provide it – quite seriously explained Anders.

The gratitude didn’t follow, because Eric didn’t believe in the help of strangers. His own father had never helped him, why the stranger should do it, especially if he doesn’t know Eric?

– Maybe the way it is, but why do you need it?

Everything has a reason – Eric believed. For example, his friend Noah Holm persuaded his father to take Eric to job not only out of friendship: Noah just didn’t want to spend his days in the company of his parents and brothers, who didn’t care about him.

All events had its reason; Eric considered unselfishness the product of fiction, he wanted to find out why Anders helped him.

– I understand what you’re trying to handle now…

– I doubt it! – Immediately said Eric, without giving Anders the chance to finish. He was sure that no one is able to understand what he was that moment.

– I just want to return my duty! – The man admitted, with the different facial expression and tone of voice.

Eric didn’t understand his words again.

– But you I don’t owe anything. I see you for the first time! Maybe you made a mistake? – For the umpteenth time, Eric was in disarray.

– No one said that I owe you! – Explained Anders with a grin.

Despite this, the questions didn’t end there: to whom he wants to repay the debt? He could only guess. Though Eric didn’t care, he decided that he didn’t relate to the quirks of strangers, and that it was time to leave.

– Why are you running? – Suddenly asked Anders, as if he knew the Eric’s idea.

– You said that you know what I’m struggling, so you should know the answer.

– I only know what you have got – the emphasis sounded on the last word – but why are you running I don’t know.

– And what have I got? – Eric also highlighted the last word.

– I asked first! – Said the young man.

His question was not so simple as it might seem to be. There was no exact explanation. Eric didn’t have anything at all, he didn’t really understand, why did it. After a little thought, he tried to give the answer not only to his companion, and also to himself:

– Maybe… maybe I’m guilty in… something, something terrible. I want to make sure – he admitted.

Only that moment, Eric had the courage to put forward the assumption of his own involvement in the incident with his father. A bright ball, the smashed phone, a hurricane in the city park, the explosion in the kitchen: all pieces of the puzzle had common constant. This constant was Eric.

– What are you going to do if your fears confirm?

– I don’t know, but I won’t come back!

If it turns out that it is really his guilt – the return will be impossible.

– Your turn – reminded the scruffy teenager to the new acquaintance.

– Before I answer, I would like to know what do you think about everything that happened to you in the last days?

Anders continued to amaze by his awareness that he possessed. Perhaps he deliberately unsaid, so Eric excluded the specifics of his response, leaving only the impression of his experience.

– The only thing that comes to mind is his loss. It is likely, I’m going crazy – sad Eric with a grin, and then he hid his eyes behind gray bangs. Eric didn’t want to show his fear.

– My story is similar to yours. Once, I had to run away from home. It was many years ago. I thought I was the threat to my family, so that for the sake of their protection I had to abandon them. It was quite a difficult dilemma.

The surprise flashed on Eric’s face, even before the serene voice of Anders had stopped.

– Indeed, very similar to my story! How can I know that you are telling the truth? – Eric demanded evidence.

– I have no idea, just believe! – Anders advised. It was strangely, but it seemed that he didn’t care: did Eric believe him or not.

– It is not simple! – Eric opposed.

It was too recklessly to trust a stranger, who even behaves yourself eccentrically and sometimes spooky.

– Yes, make a person believe it’s a heavy task, but I will try, – judging by the expression on his face and manner of speech, it’s hardly believed, that he was at least a little bit interested in it.

Because of this fact the mystery has loomed – why did he want it?

– You are still didn’t tell me.

Anders distracted Eric from thinking.

– What exactly? – Eric didn’t understand him again, gradually he began to get used to it.

– You are so much concerned about the situation, that you haven’t introduced yourself yet.

Eric always was not very friendly; it was connected with his positive indifference to other people.

– My name is Eric Lanter.

Before getting into a cafe, Eric had warned that he had no money with him, so that he couldn’t pay for his order. The demarche of the fifteen-years old boy caused discouragement and a very sincere smile on Ander’s face.

All the tables in the cafe room were occupied, so Anderson and Eric located outdoors. A tiny waitress in a white apron brought the menu and immediately ran to the other visitors, who were impatiently waiting for the service.

Today is the boom in the cafe “Blah Bar”! Shaking his head, Eric noticed how much he and his new friend distinguished among other people. Unnatural black Ander’s clothes devoured the light, which was falling on it. He hid his eyes behind sunglasses and waited for the next arrival of the waitress to make an order. Intently examining the proposed food, Anders refused to a main dish, and immediately asked for a dessert – pancakes with lingberry jam. Eric didn’t determine the choice, so that he asked to bring him the same dish. He put the menu aside and looked at his hands, they were soiled with mud: also they beautifully harmonized with a torn jacket, smeared with wet ground.

– We are going to the north – declared Anders.

Eric hasn’t decided, whether he would go with him yet. On the one hand – he had nowhere to go; he had no shelter at the time of clarification of the mysterious events. On the other hand – it was unwise to go who knows where with a stranger.

– Why is the north? – He asked, sticking a fork in a pancake.

– I live there for many years – said Anders, scouring jam by fork. His impressively smooth movements combined with detachment, which increasingly commanded his appearance. At least, Eric got to know the motive for selected destination.

– Tell me about yourself – briefly bestowing with a smile, asked Anders.

His facial expressions was constantly changing from friendly, but not always plausible, on the detached, sometimes slightly sinister.

– You already know my name – Eric didn’t notice how he turned to him to “you.” – I am fifteen years old. This year, I had to leave school and go out of town, where people believe that on my head was poured a jar of gray paint, when I was a child. With the first I’m afraid, that nothing will come, and with the second, as you can see, there were no problems. How all this came up, I don’t want to explain – he felt uncomfortable. Anyway, Eric doesn’t have a tendency to revelation.

– And you don’t need to do that, I know everything – calmly said Anders – anyway, I understand. Perhaps, you will fell yourself be easier when I tell you the truth. But maybe you will not.

– Really?! Why so? – Eric became indignant.

– People are extremely unpredictable creatures.

– I promise to be restrained! – Eric insisted, squeezing his lips and making a resolute look, as much as he was able.

– You should really try – his voice sounded in a mandative tone. – Well, let’s suppose, that everything in this world has a certain energy, due to which it exists. Whether it is a person, animal, plant, and even star in the sky: all has its own key to life. Also, let’s suppose that someone honored to receive a share of someone’s energy by chance, for example of our planet.

The only word that forced Eric after hearing was: