When the celebrations finally got underway, they were explosive.
Never had the townspeople of Norock been so raucous, so loud, so infectiously happy. There was a feverish excitement in the air even before the groom arrived as groups of people stood around the ground floor, champagne and sweets on sticks in their hands, chatting up a storm.Imti wandered around the venue after coming downstairs with the long haired man until he found his family. He noted that Deepti had left two seats empty beside her but Ari was nowhere to be seen. The boy tried to exchange a look with his mother but she seemed to be lost in her thoughts, staring at nothing particular with her chin resting on her hand.
Never having been to a wedding before, Imti sat awkwardly beside his fidgeting sister and looked around at everyone. He had known these people since he was born and seeing so many smiles on their faces was as jarring as it was uncomfortable. He couldn't help but wonder why this happiness was absent from their usual daily lives.
Before he too could get lost in it, Imti's train of thought was derailed by loud cheering from outside. It seemed the drummers from before had taken up their instruments again, as loud thrumming was felt through the air, accompanied by the usual guttural throat singing. And just like before, Imti and Deepti turned towards their mother, who took a couple of seconds to notice the attention.
She blinked slowly before answering. "That'll be your father, then. Go greet him?"
Imti nodded and started walking towards the gate, keeping an eye on his mom until she was out of sight.
The siblings barely had time to process the ruckus when the doors seemingly burst open with a new crowd of people. Imti's father was at the forefront, dressed in shiny clothes and wearing a regal hat with a long red piece of fabric flowing behind him. The man seemed jovial and was dancing with his groomsmen, who were flanking him adorned in dark suits. It all seemed out of a movie, with the music and the procession. Clapping echoed harshly on Imti's eardrums as he stood, lower than the rest of the world, looking up at the scenery. The sound seemed muffled to him as the boy stood there with his jaw hung open, watching his father with a sort of horrific admiration. Was this really the same man who had raised him?
The man made eye contact with his son and immediately swooped up in his arms. Imti felt like his arms were about to snap but he returned a pained smile before his father put him down on the other side and continued dancing down the aisle. As the crowd kept marching by, Imti brushed himself off and looked up to see Ari staring at him through the wall of legs. He immediately perked up, but his focus was ripped away by trying to dodge the countless feet attempting to stamp down on him. Covering his head, he closed his eyes and charged through to the other side to reach his best friend. When he opened them again, he saw long black hair trailing down the hallway he had gone down earlier. Wondering how she had gone over there so fast, the boy gave chase.
As Imti ran after his friend, ginger hair was also seen breaking free from the joyous crowd and trail him.
"Ari!"
The calls echoed behind the girl but she ignored them as she adjusted the bag she was carrying.
"Hey, wait!"
She ducked into the women's bathroom on the side to avoid Imti, but this didn't deter the boy.
YOU ARE READING
FALTER
Gizem / Gerilim"Do you remember what we used to say?" "Never falter." "Yeah. Forever after." When a familiar cult emerges from the shadows of Youth City, underground rockstar Imti has to choose between hiding his demons behind a mask or finally facing everyone bur...
