The Cursed City of An'Kah - An Alternative Universe: Alfie Solomons

Chapter Six: Flash Back

The year was 1914 and it was eight a.m. on a Saturday morning. It was a beautiful sunny day in late July and twenty-seven year old Alfie was taking breakfast with his mentor, Avrom. Every other Saturday, Avrom and Alfie attended afternoon prayer at the temple together. However, today Avrom was required to go to both morning and afternoon prayer as a special guest speaker.

"Alfie, my boy, I'll see you at afternoon prayer," Avrom said.

The older man patted Alfie on the shoulder as he passed by and left the house. Alfie finished up his breakfast and decided to take a morning stroll. He had several hours before afternoon prayer, so he decided to take advantage of the sunny morning. As he was making his way down the hallway toward the front door, he heard a loud crash come from the study room. Thinking it was an intruder, he quickly braced himself as he flung open the door.

There, straddling the window, was Avrom's twenty-two year old daughter, Nailah. She had been trying to sneak through the window, but instead managed to topple over a drawing desk. She glanced up at Alfie's entry and sighed in relief that it wasn't her father.

"Oh, hello, Alfie," she said, casually slipping into the room.

"Miss Nailah," Alfie replied, leaning on the door frame with a grin. "And where did you toddle off to this morning?"

Nailah adjusted her dress and walked into the room.

"Nowhere," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Avrom said you were still in bed," he said, walking forward to join her in the room.

"And that's exactly where you'll tell him I was this morning," she said, poking him in the chest.

Alfie chuckled and rubbed the spot where she had poked him.

"You're just fussy because it's your birthday and Avrom didn't remember it," Alfie said.

She frowned and folded her arms grumpily.

"I don't care, he never remembers it. Where is he anyway, already gone to temple?"

"Yeah, he is," Alfie said.

"Good," she said, then eyeing Alfie. "What are you doing today?"

"I'm attending afternoon temple, as you should be doing," he said.

She wrinkled her nose. "That sounds awfully boring. No, I think I'd rather spend my birthday at the summer house," she said.

"Fine, you can explain that to your father. He's guest speaking, I'm going to temple," Alfie insisted.

Nailah rolled her eyes.

"That's right, I forgot. You're like a whipped puppy, Avrom tells you to do something and you always obey," she said.

"That ain't true," Alfie said, defensively.

"Really? Prove it," she challenged.

Alfie hesitated at first. Avrom was expecting him to be there, but he also didn't like Nailah thinking he was submissive or wasn't manly enough to make his own choices.

"Alright, I'll go. There, happy?"

The young pair made their way outside of London. It took almost an hour and a half, but they made it to Avrom's summer home. It was a pleasant little cottage with a small pond out back, concealed in a grove of trees. Alfie and Nailah strolled around the shore, watching the water sparkle in the sun, listening to the trees rustle in the breeze.

"You know, you really should learn to have a little fun," Nailah said.

She bent down and picked a dandelion, twirling it in her fingers.