Shadows of Death

Chapter 3(Christopher section 5)

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After Mary paused a little pause, she left the room, dragging her feet. It seems she expected Christopher to say "thank you ma'am" for her unprecedented kindnesses. Maybe she just enjoyed being called "Ma'am." Christopher put his suitcase on the bed. He took off his coat and put in it his suitcase on the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed. It was harder and stiffer than he thought. But he wasn't a stranger to such beds. After all, he spent eighteen months of his life in prison on such bad beds (although he felt the prison beds were a little softer than the bed in Marie's favorite room!) But it was not important to Christopher. He slept for most of his life on such soft and expensive beds, soft like a swan's wing, because of his grandfather's inexhaustible wealth. He didn't come to this city for such things. Maybe he would feel better when he spent the night in such a place instead of five-star luxury hotels. The hotels with soft and big beds and aromatic sheets that shined in the light and with newly purchased furniture. These things couldn't cheer him up now. Such rooms reminded him that he had lived in such a place all of his life and now without much pleasure his life was going to end. A room without any additional distractions was better for him than a luxury room!

He stood and took a step toward the window, pushed aside the creamy curtains and let in the waning autumn sunlight. He stood for a little in front of the window and looked at the alley from the third floor of the building. He turned back and opened his suitcase. He picked up a photo among two black and cheap suits like what he wore now, three shirts, one pair of pants and some underwear. In that picture he and Charlie sat with their arms around each other's backs. He sat on the bed and stared at it. This photo was taken three months ago in prison. Even his face in the picture was interesting for him! He had tried to make a smile and show himself happy, but his face was still stern. But his attention focused on Charlie's face more. Charlie clearly had an artificial smile on his lips and was trying to look happy. He remembered well that the suggestion of taking a memento picture was from him. Charlie wasn't so satisfied but forced himself to make an artificial smile while one of their friends in prison took a picture! Although they were not wearing prison clothes in this picture.

He lay down on the bed without taking off his shoes, put his head on the pillow and stared at the picture in his hand. He looked at the picture for one minute, two minutes... Even looking at this pictures brought relaxation into his existence. Charlie was the only person in this world who didn't persecution and upset him. Now it seemed he was the only person who brought a safe and secure feeling to all of his body. Although his inability to express his feelings to him caused Charlie to evade him instead of being enthusiastic!

After a long moment he put down the picture and put it back inside the suitcase with care. He closed the suitcase and while he went to lying down on the bed he took off his belt to be more comfortable and rest for a while. He was too tired to take off his clothes. Although his trip was comfortable, he couldn't sleep well during the flight. And he was not going to sleep now, either. He just wanted to close his eyes for one or two hours and as much as possible enjoy the silence and solitude. He closed his eyes, emptied his mind of all thoughts and tried to inject relaxation as much as he could into himself.

After two hours he opened his eyes. The room was mired in darkness and besides the streetlight in the alley there wasn't any light in the room. He looked at his watch. He saw in the low light that it was eight-thirty. He felt a little hungry when he realized what time it was. He needed to eat something because his stomach had been empty now for few. He got up and sat on the edge of the bed. Rubbed his hands together and stretched his muscles to remove the stiffness from his body. Then while he put his coat in the suitcase he walked toward the door.

He exited the room and locked the door to make sure nobody came in. He wondered before leaving the boarding house if he should give the key to Mary . But before he got to the stairs he saw Jolie who was coming up. When Jolie saw him she smiled and warmly said: "Hi! Are you going out?" Christopher didn't answer her and passed by her without any attention. Jolie, who in this short time seemed to be accustomed to this kind of behavior from Christopher, continued behind him: "If you're going to eat dinner there is small restaurant right before the corner. Delicious and cheap."

By the time Jolie was finished giving her advice, Christopher was beside the counter on the ground floor. Jerry the dog was still sitting in the corner of hall glumly. From his not-very-friendly eyes Christopher could guess that he was really hungry and his owner had forgotten to give him food. Christopher gave Mary the room key and with a faint voice said: "I'm going out to eat dinner...ma'am."

A smile came on her wrinkled lips. Even though Christopher said "ma'am" with a really faint and slow voice, Marie's ears picked up this favorite word and gave her owner maximum pleasure from it!

Christopher put the key on the counter and went out. A little cold autumn wind buffeted his cheeks but it wasn't cold enough to dissuade him from going out. Christopher took a few steps. He came out of the alley and continued on his way toward the crossroads. He heard the honk and movement of cars a few streets away. The street where Christopher walked was silent, and besides one or two cars, nothing could break that silence. Even the intersection not too far from him wasn't busy at that hour.

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Continue: Chapter 3 (Christopher section 6)

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