Symbols of Love

Nathan

I labored at the metal factory. I have the job of loading the metal sheets into the trucks to be shipped. I worked in a two man team constantly lifting the heavy sheets into the loading bay to be picked up by forklifts to be placed in the trucks. I stripped my shirt off because of the warm Spring weather and from the exertion of lifting the heavy metal sheets. It is strenuous work but it was the only the only job I could find when my mom became bedridden. They were glad to hire me because I'm eighteen and had no more schooling obligations they also liked that I had a lot more energy than the older men that usually needed jobs. I dreaded the long hours but it was the only way to pay the bills. After a few more hours the work bell rang releasing us to go home.
I walked home from the factory, the warm Spring air whispered against my skin causing beads of perspiration to roll down my brow. The dust of the slums rose with every step I took. The smell of dirtiness and sickness is a constant bombardment where I live but I got used to it after time.
I walked the familiar path to the house ducking into alleys to get home faster. Every now and then I'd see a scraper looking for food in the trash cans. There's rarely any food in the trash but people look anyway, hoping to find a scrap of something, anything to fill their empty stomachs.
I came up to my house, it is made of old bricks with a rotted wooden door and no windows. The roof is made of rusted aluminum sheets that lay at a slight slant to let the water roll down. It isn't much but it's all I could afford with my wages at the factory. I put my key in the lock and wiggled it a bit to get it to turn. I pushed my shoulder into the door and it squeaked open. I gently closed the door and locked it again.
The house only had a single room with the only light coming from candles lit around the house. High pitched squeals filled the room, my two brothers ran up to me and latched on to me. My brothers, Henry and David, are twins of 9 years old. I picked both of them up and let out a roar, running forward I threw them onto the mattress laying on the floor. I held them down and tickled them until they couldn't breath. I let up and laid down in between them, panting. I sat up, "How is mom doing?" I asked them.
"She's been asleep all day, but her breathing isn't as labored" they replied in unison. I stood up and walked to her bed sitting in the corner. Her hands laid on her chest and her hollow face twitched while she slept.
"Ok boys" I said, "let's get something to eat." I grabbed a pot from the sink and brought it the sink. I filled the pot with the murky water and set it on the counter. I opened the rusty fridge and grabbed carrots and cabbage. I cut the molded pieces off and threw them in the pot. I placed the pot on our single burner stove. Once the soup started boiling I poured it into three bowls.
I set the bowls on the table and ate with Henry and David. We ate hungrily the only sounds were slurping and moms occasional snore. When I finished I gently shook mom, her eyes fluttered open and she gave me a weak smile. "It's time for me to feed you mom" I whispered. I walked back the the pot and poured the remaining soup into a bowl. I pulled a chair up next to mom and started feeding her. She ate it weakly and when I finished she fell asleep. I kissed her forehead and put the chair back at the table.
"Ok Henry, David it's time to take a bath."
I poured water into the old porcelain tub across from the door. The water was cold but it was all we could afford. We only bathed once a week and when we did I had to make sure we conserved the water. I made Henry and David strip and then washed their clothes in the tub. I hung the clothes on a twine rope hanging above the sink, I washed my clothes and ordered the boys into the tub. I ran the water through the hair and washed their skinny bodies. A wave of sadness washed over me as I saw their starved bodies, I wish I could provide more for them. The boys got out of the tub and dried themselves with a shared towel. I got in the tub and washed myself. My fingers lingered on my birthmark, a small jagged mark that lay on my collarbone. I could feel my counterparts mind lingering close to mine, just out of reach. After I bathed I made the boys sit at the table and taught them what I had learned while I was in school. I couldn't afford for them to go to school so I stole a simple chalk board and chalk and taught them how to read, write, and do math. They both seemed to excel most in math. I schooled them for three hours every night and then we went to bed. Because we each had only one pair of clothes we had no pajamas to sleep in at night, this forced us to sleep the way we were born. As I lay in bed with my brothers curled against me I tried in vain to reach for the consciousness of the girl who would be my soulmate.