The Red Moon

Chapter-2:A New Life

The gentleman in front of me,who was supposed to be my father's best friend, pulled me and walked straight into the house,walking past the man who had opened the door.The mansion was big,but there happened to be only a dim light of a small lamp.As it was visible to me at that time,I was pulled up through the stairs,passing by three more figures who were starring at me from below.I was pulled into a dark room whose lights were soon turned on.The man put my suitcase beside me and then closed the door of the room.
He then sat on his knees in front of me and said in a very gentle voice,"Well,you have spent a long time in the hospital.It is now time for you to change your clothes and take a bath.Go,the bathroom is that way."
He then pointed towards the wooden bathroom door.Then,opening my suitcase, he slowly stood up.As a middle-aged man,he had trouble siting down and getting up. However ,if he did not sit down,he would not have been able to talk to me because I was perhaps a thousand metres below his eye level. He stumbled to the door and then,before opening it,said,"Oh,keep your clothes that you will take off in the bathroom only. I will wash them later on. While you take the bath,I will arrange for your room."
Then,stumbling,he opened the door and left the room,closing the door and leaving me all alone in the room.I took my clothes out from my suitcase and walked into the bathroom. The wooden door was a bit heavy and it was somewhat difficult for me to push it open,but,I managed.
The bathroom looked very old like the whole house.It was not dirty, but it did not shine. The floor was not made of marble,but of stone. I wondered, when was marble discovered?Exactly how old could this house be?There were only a tap,a bucket and a mug. Not even a shower! Even I had a shower in my own house. Now I was supposed to use that tap,bucket and mug. Well,I did as I was instructed.
When I stepped out,the room was still empty. I looked around the room. Old antique items and heavy,fat books were neatly arranged on the shelves, yet they were covered with dust. Cobwebs hung from the corners of the room. The floor and the bedsheets were clean. Well,I mean they were free from dust.
Just then,the door opened and that gentleman slowly came in. This time,he sat on the bed, just in front of me.I slowly turned towards him. He then reached for my hands and gently took them in his. Then he looked straight into my eyes and asked,"Did you take your bath?"
I looked straight at him and slowly nodded my head.
_" So, what will you call me?"
I was still starring at him. I took some time to think. Then,figuring out my answers, I replied, "Uncle!"
"Great!" he said," so now your uncle will show you your room and for anything you need,you will call him,is that alright?"
I nodded. He stood up,holding my right hand. He then bent a little over my suitcase and released my hands. Then closing the suitcase, he again picked it up. He then grasped my little hand and dashed out of the room. He then took me downstairs. I did not notice it earlier,but there was a room just below the stairs,beside the kitchen. Again I saw those four figures starring at me as if I was an alien, but before I was able to examine their faces,I was dragged into the room. My uncle now placed the suitcase on the bed and closed the door of the room.
This room seemed cleaner. There were only one cupboard,only one bookshelf and a wooden bed. It also had a bathroom with a wooden door,but this door seemed thinner and lighter than the previous one.
Uncle then opened the cupboard and in front of it,placed a small stool and a chair. He then kept my suitcase on the chair and laid it open on the chair. He then turned towards me and said, " So this is your cupboard. I hope you can manage to stand on this stool. Your clothes are already folded, so now I guess you can place them in the cupboard as you wish. Do you need my help?"
This time his voice seemed to lack the confidence that his earlier dialogues were carrying. It also seemed a little less heavy. He was hesitating a bit.
"I can do it myself ,"I replied.
" Very well then,I will arrange for something for you to eat," he said,and left the room,closing the door.
I went and stood on the stool.It was not much tall,but it helped me reach the desired height. I took out my clothes and started to arrange them neatly. The shelves of the cupboard were dust-free,and I understood that they had been cleaned recently. When I finished arranging my clothes, I dropped down from the stool and started to arrange my books on the bookshelf. I did not notice it at first,but below the shelves of the cupboard, there were two drawers.