PeaCe
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Year#4 in Rukongai
Sho radiated an aura of excitement. Finally, finally the time had come. This was certainly a magic moment for him, he'd been waiting a solid three years and today was the official start of his fourth year in Rukongai; his four year anniversary. It was not what today represented, but what he would receive today that excited the teen that was out of bed early this morning; it was indeed a rare occasion when he awoke of his own free will.
It was so early in fact, that he had expected to be the first one up, but perhaps sensing that this day was also special, upon opening the door, he was greeted with the sight of his two friends "" no, his family "" smiling at him, also remembering the significance of this day.
"The start of your fourth year in Rukongai begins today Sho. New years is a few months past, but you certainly didn't appear here at the stroke of midnight." Kaver had a habit of saying things Sho didn't take much notice of, but today was different; it was like every word he said solidified into gold; as if every word turned the key another degree inside the door, slowly opening the lock to grant full access to the wielder of said key.
"Congratulations on being dead for three years," Andrago said gruffly with a strong tone of sarcasm which attracted a minor glance from his elder. "I myself will make it seventy-seven very soon, actually." Of the two men, Sho disliked Andrago the most. Kaver was kind and compassionate, a caring old man. Andrago was the polar opposite, a burly middle-aged man without a care for anyone else in the world. This was rather harsh and unfair though, most of it was hyperbole Sho used to describe his superior who was simply less relaxed than Kaver; that didn't mean that the two of them didn't get along. Despite the age difference the two were fierce rivals, doing everything in an effort to outdo the other. Sho had exhausted all the books he could find and his knowledge was ever expanding and surpassing Andrago's by a larger and larger degree each day. While Sho was great with science, both were skilled mechanics and inventors, with Andrago "" much to Sho's dismay "" still clearly the better of the two.
Sho looked back and forth between the two men expectantly. He looked hungry, but food would not cure this particular type of hunger. The teen needed but only one gift to "˜celebrate' this anniversary of his death "" although the gift technically represented three years of dedicated service under Kaver and Andrago "" the key; Sho wanted the key to the storehouse behind their home and next to the workshop. By this point his eyes were almost pleading with the two men, where was the key that he so desperately desired? Dismissing Andrago, he looked at Kaver and directed his own eyes at those of the old man, a sly grin spreading across his face as he engaged in a silently accepted blinking contest.
***
Seventy-two minutes, a record! Sho was impressed that the old man had held out for this long, but he had been training hard. Why had they engaged in such a contest? Sho had no idea, the idea had swept between them and Kaver had given him a challenging look, as if to suggest that by outlasting him in a staring contest, the key would be provided; that Sho's fantasies would come true.
Emerging from within the bathroom, Andrago was surprised to see Kaver give a slight bow to the youngest member of the family.
"Very nice," praised Kaver, "You have beaten me in a staring contest, good job."
Sho grinned with pride, "The key master? I am glad to have earned it. It was tough trying to out stare you but I was glad I could get the job done." Sho gave a thumbs-up before blinking his now bloodshot eyes furiously, focusing and keeping them open for seventy-two minutes straight had taken excruciating effort.
Kaver looked on with surprise, "Oh? The key you say? That was what you wanted? I thought you were merely challenging me to a staring contest," the old man explained, "I don't have the key, Andrago's been holding onto it."
Andrago removed the key from his pocket and tossed it to his understudy with a shrug, "You should have asked for the thing, I didn't know that you wanted it. It's not like we just automatically give it you; remember to alert us to your intentions next time, I was wondering why the two of you had started staring at each other."
His hand flew up like a natural reflex and caught the key, perhaps his mind had been subconsciously training for such a moment, now that he had the key in his possession, he wanted to hold onto it and rush for the wealth of information it gave him access too. Alas, there was work to be done; this wasn't his rostered day off. Letting out a grunt, caused by both the realisation he needed to get to work and that he'd wasted a good seventy-two minutes staring at a tired old man, Sho pocketed the key and began to head for the front of the store, his shift was due to start.
"No need," Kaver stated cheerfully, tilting his head from side to side, "I'll be taking your shift today." Both Andrago and Sho looked at him with a questioning ignorance. As if he could not work, he was the one who had started the business all those years ago after all and he was certainly still "" despite being out of practice "" a better salesman, mechanic and inventor than his two employees.
Jumping at the chance and hoping Kaver wouldn't change his mind; Sho turned around and rushed out the back door, eliciting a chuckle from the other two men. Withdrawing the key from his pocket he slid it into the lock and twisted the key, a click could be heard and he pushed the door open. He felt around for a light and quickly found one, turning it one to provide some vision in this darkly lit storehouse.
He was amazed, there were literally thousands of titles to choose from and his knees almost bucked under the pressure. Bearing in mind the details of the specific book that he needed he estimated it's location in the organising system Kaver used and rushed forward through several rows before coming to a stop; he was out of breath, but he'd arrived. Sure enough, he'd finally found it, extending his left arm out, he grasped hold of the book's spine and plucked it from the shelf. Turning the book so that the front cover faced him, he marvelled at the elegant title written in gold sprawled over it. Yes, he had indeed finally found it, in his hands he held "˜Night of Indignation'.