SCHORIANS

C.1 - Water Book

Song: Nightbook, by Ludovico Einaudi.

This is the story about a boy named Chanoch, and I really need to tell you about his parents first. Helena and Thomas Eibenschütz ran a business in Aufshürg, a country located in Asca, the continent where this story takes place. The couple had met after having lost their families during a war entitled as anonymous. Helena had moved to Aufshürg with barely fifteen years-old, and Thomas, with seventeen. For five years they lived in a simple village called Österauch.

Helena shared a house with an old lady, and this old lady told her: "You must leave, my darling. Go and develop your potentials. A smart and erudite girl wasn't made for this kind of life." But Helena enjoyed her so-called life. She had a small library in her room and she'd spend the days and nights feeling the warm touch of the pages and the friendliness of their words. Yet things somehow changed after the advice. The money was now short and something rather than a book caught Helena's attention.

Thomas was the poorest man at Österauch village, and for a remarkable reason. He was known as a Robin Wood freelancer. Money wasn't something he could keep inside his pocket. He'd share everything. And because he'd forget to save a part for himself, Thomas could barely pay for his rental. But thanks to his unwavering determination, he'd still get around.

It was a rainy day. Helena had dropped her book on a muddy pool. She was to turn around and leave the sad piece on the ground, when the Robin Wood freelancer stopped her.

"Woah, young lady, is this book yours?"

The lady stepped back, and Thomas understood. His hair was glued onto his forehead, and such a thing is not interesting when a young lady is standing in front of you, and especially when this young lady happens to be beautiful. So he pulled it back; it spilled water at her face, making her look away and lower her umbrella.

He chuckled. "Sorry. I'm Thomas."

The soaked guy stretched out his hand in a friendly greeting, but the young lady seemed absorbed in something he couldn't tell. He lowered his hand. "Sorry I'm wet."

And she said nothing. Thinking of how to make the woman speak for God's sake, Thomas stared at the book. "Jeez, that's bad, isn't it?"

She finally spoke. "Indeed."

Some hours passed, and Thomas was still trying to break the ice, saying that he knew how to make a good deal with the book.

"I can earn some money and buy you a new book, miss," he said.

His determination was impressive, as well as his lack of financial knowledge. So a few months later, Helena was teaching him how to save money and how to invest, under the discrete realization that she should've taken care of her own savings as well. Thomas was marveled, nodding at everything she said like a desperate pupil. He was also plotting a secret project: to start an editing business so she could have a giant library. Helena soon made him drop the idea as if she were aware of it in the first place.

"We need a profitable business of something highly vital and that can be sold at large quantities."

"And that would be...?"

"Asca's infrastructure was affected by the war. It isn't noticeable here in Aufshürg, but the industry needs support."

"Can I marry you?"

"Excuse me??"

The little boy rested his head over his mother's lap. "So..."

"Yes, son?"

"So you and Papa married because of a book?"

Helena smiled. "One way or another, yes... You were born thanks to that book. Interesting, isn't it?"

The little boy gaped at the huge pile of books over his mother's desk, and at the dozens of shelves around the room.

That was a little scary.

His father laughed beside him. "Aha! I bet you saw a lot of babies coming out of the shelves, right?"

That was definitely scary.