Jhon Burston. The demise of the Nainka heir

The man in the lake

The man in the lake

The parlor became a thermal tangle combining the cold of the night with the high temperatures made of tears and sweat from worry. It's not easy for someone that young to accept hidden destinies and I know at the end of this you'll prove me right. I don't intend to compare you with Jhon, of course not, but I want you to understand that no matter what identity they impose on us, we can't escape our reality unless we decide so; and in the end, you will have to make a decision yourself. Jhon was imposed a destiny hidden from him. His nature spoke for him.

The wait became imminent. I counted the seconds and they, in reproach to my anguish, played tricks on me, they even prolonged my life when I felt that I was losing it in a chamber of uncertainty. Grandpa, still pale-faced, saw Jhon who walked crestfallen, almost sorrowful slowing down his step towards one side of the corridor while he gave him room in the parlor; Uncle Richard took Aunt Andrea by the hand. Grandpa nodded. Aunt Andrea dropped onto the furniture as an avalanche rushing through the village, my parents were left weeping arm-tangled like a forest after the storm had passed; at the other end was Jake, not taking his eyes off his brother. A fraught atmosphere, heavy breathing and messages preceding me joined the caution and understanding of those present. Joanne and I couldn't catch a hint. As the wait didn't last any longer, Grandpa took a seat.

Jhon moved closer. And out of inertia, he stood still while Grandpa confessed having told him about how he had gotten to the Burston.' Besides Jhon, the only ones to ignore the story were little Joanne and me. Other than the "story," there were still adjustments that Grandpa kept locked in the pocket of his memory. Aunt Andrea, though wary, complained aloud about her father revealing the secret without consulting her. Grandpa struggled to ignore the crying and, remembering effortlessly his little secret, revealed that Jhon's gaze had been kept under a state of rest ever since. Jhon was another spectator. When we reflexively wanted to see if his eyes regained the look Grandpa had described, he awkwardly tried to look at himself to find out. Grandpa apologized countless times for hiding it, but how to blame him, he didn't want us to think of him as insane.

The truth of it all, my little child, is that no one knew what caused Jhon's reaction, not to mention that we didn't know its true origin. We couldn't tell if it was an inherited disease. Despite the many questions, we remained silent listening to the story. Grandpa claimed that he hadn't been back to the lake since that day because a few minutes after his returning home, he heard people from the island riding to the lake, he met with everyone he knew in search of information about the lightning coming about on Jhon's rescue, but he had no answers. The impact of the blinding light Grandpa described resembled the lightning bolts he left behind; he dismissed the possibility of it being ordinary lightnings since there was no rain or storm, not even rumbling sounds emanating from the town. Nothing but light, cold and silence. It took him years to resign to the idea of feeling observed. After his confession, Aunt Andrea seemed to understand Grandpa's obsession with always keeping the windows shut and the curtains drawn. Grandpa confessed that several times he saw the silhouettes of men appearing and disappearing, peering in. He was terrified of going out and being hurt; he was worried that they might be Jhon's relatives guarding the house; he was gnawing at the thought of discovering that he was losing his sanity out of guilt At least five years had passed since he'd stopped seeing them and feeling strange things.

—Honestly...! —Jhon paced between speaking or listening, but when he intervened, all attention was drawn to him. As he spoke, he ruffled his hair to no purpose. —As it's been so many years since you stopped seeing them, there's no reason to worry... I believe. I can't feel anything but gratefulness for taking me as one of the family. In fact, that's how I feel! —he added with a vague smile that didn't quite match the moment. —What I don't understand is why you didn't tell me sooner.