Sentiment of a Witness

𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙽𝚊𝚖𝚎, 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙵𝚊𝚖𝚎

If you had told little six-year-old me that in three years I'd be living in a hotel with a mad ginger, giant talking cat, a vampire-dwarf, a famous soprano, a spritely elderly gentleman and two morons who couldn't even tell they were in love, I would have laughed.

I wouldn't have believed you.

Mainly because my parents would not have let you see me, but even if they had, it was quite a bizarre thought.

But yet, at the age of nine, there I was, living in a hotel with a mad ginger, giant talking cat, a vampire-dwarf, a famous soprano, a spritely elderly gentleman and two morons who couldn't even tell they were in love.

And even then, I still couldn't quite believe it.

"...Jack? You there, buddy?"

I nearly didn't look up from my book, and not because I was completely enveloped in it, no – my... new name? Nickname? Whatever it is, it was taking a bit of time to get used to.

When I did look up, I saw Jupiter standing against the frame of my door with a small smile.

"What's the book?"

I showed him the front cover, which held a picture of a ship with a crew on board. Waves rolled wildly around them, and a sea serpent towered over them, baring its fangs. The book was a dark navy blue with golden ridges down the spine. It was a good book in every way a book should be.

"The Serpent of Serkwer," I didn't miss the slight concern that flashed across his face, "is it a good read?"

I nodded – though I had been at the Deucalion for a little over a month, I still hadn't felt comfortable making regular conversation – and then found my bookmark to mark my page before closing the book to hear what Jupiter had sought me for.

Jupiter continued to eye the book warily, as if it was talking to him, telling him things.

It was the book I had taken with me from my parents' house in the Forest of Somerher, the one Todd had nearly burnt at the Larommi Orphanage and the one thing that was a constant for me in my everchanging life.

"So... you wanna do anything today? Frank's hosting that party of his tomorrow night, so today's the day to do something!" Jupiter eventually tore his gaze away from The Serpent of Serkwer with a somewhat sad look on his face.

I shrugged as if to rid of the uncertainty of what I wanted to do and, would be allowed to do hanging around me, "maybe go outside?"

Jupiter grinned, "well, go get your coat and meet me in the lobby!"

I wasted no time putting my book back on the slowly growing bookshelf in my room – the Deucalion seemed to catch onto my love of literature pretty damn quickly – and grabbed my coat before leaving my room and shutting the door behind me.

I pulled my coat on and buttoned it up once I made it to the lobby as I waited for Jupiter, who arrived a few minutes later.

I'm not a huge outdoor person, but I do take the opportunity to sit under a tree with a book whenever I can – I suppose it's from not being allowed out much during my early years. Yes, my family would spend some time in our backyard, sitting, reading, occasionally playing a few games, but the last time I had been allowed out was the trip to see Doctor Hardengruber.

And then, of course, Larommi had the strangest set of rules I have ever been forced to follow. So yeah, going outside as a kid was not a common occurrence; besides, I like it better inside.

An open window is enough outside for me.

Jupiter and I walked the ground the block of land the Hotel Deucalion inhabited. As we passed small shops and certain trees, Jupiter would point to some and share a story about someone, sometimes himself, and that particular place.

My favourite was definitely the time Fen got stuck in a tree. It was hard to imagine the Magnificat anywhere but lazing on Jupiter's rug in his office.

I had been silently swinging my legs as we sat bench overlooking the ocean when I felt it – an unspoken question lying between us.

Where are you from?

I blinked, thinking it was just my head telling me, begging me, to tell this man whom I was beginning to trust about my past.

However, when I looked up to see Jupiter's face, I could tell the question was there even as he tried to play it down with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

"A forest," I mumbled, looking back down.

Part of me hoped he hadn't heard me; the other part hoped he had.

"A forest, you say? What kind of forest?" he seemed genuinely interested, though I knew it was so he could find out more about me, not some trees that were densely gathered together.

"One with trees."

Jupiter sighed, shaking his head and chuckling softly.

"Yeah, okay, let me rephrase that – how was the forest? Was it nice? How many people lived there? That sort of thing."

With a small huff and a, "well, why didn't you say so?" I began to tell Jupiter about the forest and how big it was, and how there were only four families in our clearing, though I didn't know if there were any others somewhere else in the forest.

"Sounds like a lovely place. What was it called again?"

"I didn't mention."

"Ah, well then, care to tell me this dear forests' name?"

I scrunched my nose up, "you talk of it like it's a person."

Jupiter shrugged, "the trees are alive, aren't they?"

"..that's pushing it. The trees in the Forest of Somerher just stood there, as far as I'm aware at least – they didn't talk or walk, dance nor did they do much except stand there and sway in the wind, allow us to breathe and provide us shelter from the world beyond the trees."

Jupiter nodded, looking a little baffled, "who knows, maybe they're sleeping, waiting to be awoken."

I snorted, "that sounds like the plotline of some fantasy book."

Jupiter shrugged again before looking over at me with his mischievous smile and shimmer in his eyes, "you're in Nevermoor now, Jackie – anything is possible."

Written: 28 August, 2021

Published: 28 August, 2021