Chapter IX - Part I

Read all available chapters:

1. Chapter I
2. Chapter II - Part I, Part II
3. Chapter III
4. Chapter IV
5. Chapter V
6. Chapter VI - Part I, Part II
7. Chapter VII - Part I, Part II
8. Chapter VIII - Part I, Part II

Chapter IX - Part I

Samuel lay awake in his bed staring out of the window. His room wasn't as impressive as the library but he had gathered quite a lot of books there. The sun was already rising with the light casting long shadows on the floor, but it was still too early to get out of bed.

He grabbed his notebook he had hidden under one of his pillows. The first page was filled with blue hair and amber eyes. He had finally been able to buy color pencils from some merchants passing the city and redrawn the picture he had taken by lake Darq. He stroked the drawing for a moment and turned the page. It was still blank and full of possibilities.

There was someone already in the kitchen. His mother must have woken earlier. He wanted to pour himself on the paper before going to work but his mind was completely blank. He put the pad back under the pillow and stood up. As he neared the window he noticed some people already on the streets. Some of them were guards going home after a long night, others were prisoners taking a walk before starting a long day. A lovely red-haired woman was resting her back against a wall and looking up at the sun. Her short hair seemed to be an extension to the dawn, bringing together heaven and earth. Samuel picked up a red pencil from the table but hesitated for a second. He lowered the pencil and chose a dark orange one instead. Red would've been too harsh. He needed something softer and warmer for this picture. Samuel blinked a few times trying to remember the image in his mind as precisely as possible. He didn't have time for drawing it now, the picture would have to wait until night-time.

He heard his father's low voice rumbling something in the kitchen. He was probably hangover like usually after a day off. Samuel put the orange color separately from others and changed into the uniform. Although his father hadn't commanded him to take up some duty, he had volunteered himself. Seeing the prisoners working made his imagination blossom. He was drawing and coming up with short stories about the lives he knew nothing about. The prisoners were like a strange species to him, something to explore and record.

His parents weren't the only ones in the kitchen when Samuel got there. Some women were already carrying the buckets with soup to houses. How could they eat that? he wondered. It was practically just water. The nutritional value must have been close to nothing. Samuel took some bread as usual and put a few pieces of bacon on top. The crunchiness combined with the soft texture of the bread made it his favorite breakfast.

His father's face was reddened from excess alcohol and there were bags under his bloodshot eyes. His mother tried to pour him some tea but he pushed the cup away angrily. She was a true master of herbs and knew exactly what would help in his condition. Yet, he didn't allow anyone to pity him even if it meant declining help.

Samuel avoided their looks and concentrated on eating. He finished his bread and contemplated on having another one when his father lost his temper and hit the table with his fist. His face had grown even brighter red.

"Stupid woman!" he yelled and hit the table once again. "You can't even fill my cup right!"

Samuel could see her mother's eyes already filling up. She couldn't stand that kind of behavior, yet did nothing to prevent it or end it. Samuel felt frozen behind the table staring at his plate. Father paced around the kitchen pushing things off tables and mumbling something to himself before stepping outside. Samuel relaxed but the anxiety of the situation didn't leave. His mother wiped away the tears and continued as if nothing had happened. He didn't say anything either and stood from the table. He wanted to hold his mother or comfort her in some way but he didn't know how. So he stepped outside feeling a lump in his throat.

In a way, Samuel was a freelancer guard. He didn't actually take orders from anyone. He could have chosen any lake or watchtower he wanted but he always went to the smallest of the three lakes, Darq. He never went to gather the families or perform executions. He chose the easy life of watching the workers by the lake. The sencurium findings had grown rare and he wondered what would the Emperor use the prisoners for once it was clear the lakes were out of the green metal. Would he send them to some other place or just kill them?

As he took his regular position by the lake he could already recognize some of the workers. The small boy with long blond hair that always stayed close to the shore, the old man who was almost bald but had massive white whiskers, three women who could've been triplets. They were all characters in his stories so it like he knew them already. His eyes traveled across the lake a few times before realizing the blue-haired girl wasn't there. He had heard that someone matching her description had attacked his father's friend. It had caused quite a scandal. There was no news of anyone catching her yet but there weren't many places in Sencor a person could hide. Samuel had thought that she was different but the criminal blood in her must have gotten the better of her. At least that was what everybody was implying.

"Kalbott Junior?" asked a short dark-skinned guard holding a letter.

"Yes," Samuel answered and the guard passed him the envelope. Samuel stared at the big red seal which had the Emperor's mark pressed into. His heart started racing, he could almost feel his blood pressure rising. Why now? he asked himself.