Boombox

Winter In Summer | ii

Winter In Summer || ii || 

12:20 am

Winter woke up feeling strangely warm, too warm for his liking on a vicious bumpy road to a string of summery nights. He could swear that last night was breezy cool. He quietly jumped off of his bed and tried his best to walk silently to the kitchen, on top of the staircase he paused, listened to the soft snores of his parents and chuckled lightly at his older siblings’ loud snores. He reached the bottom of the stairs successfully and did a celebratory dance that involved moving his limbs stupidly. He made his way for the kitchen, grabbed a glass and twisted the knob placed on top of the water tap, cool liquid filled half the cup when he felt it. The reason he felt too warm. Still was fazed by it, he touched a hand to his pants and found them wet.

Gulping down the contents of the glass, he put it down near the sink and rushed upstairs in bolt speed forgetting to remain gentle, he jerked his bedroom door open and gasped at his sheets sight. There was a big yellow circle covering the middle of his Pooh sheet and the rest of the space was clear. Winter took baby steps toward his bed, grabbed his Tigger doll from the side and sat on the ground facing his bedroom’s window. Moonlight was gazing through and settled on his face, without further delay Winter’s eyes filled with tears and spilled over his soft cheeks. This was the third time this month. He couldn’t believe it happened again, that he let it happen again. He knew the tactic his family would respond with. His mother would hold him and whisper smoothly in his ears with the occasional quick gentle stroke on his back, his father would look disappointed even through his pep talks and his sisters, oh, his sisters would just love to take the opportunity to make him feel more pathetic than he already always did.

He continued crying and holding Tigger for dear life until his mother found him in the morning on her way to her irregular bathroom trips. He sobbed harder and clutched Tigger to his chest in one hand and covered his face in shame with the other.  

9:39 am

Winter and his sidekick were sat on a bench on the sidewalk between Calfestone and Highmaliya Road that leads to Midwest in the presence of no human beings whatsoever and one stray dog. He was a great black dog and they took turns patting it and scratching behind his ears. Hugo broke the silence first.

“You’re too quiet for my liking.”

He failed to make his companion smile.

“Winter.”

Hugo tapped his finger on Winter’s shoulders. This repeated four times before he yelled.

 “What?” the young boy came to his senses.

“I was calling you.” answered Hugo in a concerned tone.

“Sorry, I was just distracted.” mumbled Hugo.

“Did it happen again?” asked Hugo, quietly. Despite the zero company of human population he still felt it wasn’t safe to talk about it loudly.

Winter tensed. But he didn’t have any reason to. He hadn’t told Hugo, he guessed it himself. The boy was perceptive. Yet each time it happened, he felt ashamed to admit it, even from his best friend. Hugo wasn’t one to judge, and Winter knew that perfectly well. But shame's presence was strong in his spirit, even from himself. 

“Yes.”

Hugo patted his shoulder and reached for the dog and fed him chunks of ginger cookies. 

“How did you like the Hatter?” asked Winter.

“Oh, we haven’t reached Alice yet. I’m really eager. Mama’s Mum said it would be next week’s choice.“ replied Hugo, excitedly. 

Hugo would wake up at a majestically late hour with his Mama’s Mum for a very well known tradition between the elder and her grandson. She’d make him a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows on top and he’d hand her a story each Saturday midnight to read. Hugo declared the custom as Midnighters Lonely Club, when Audrey asked him why he chose ‘lonely’ he explained, “only the lonely people are up at this hour. Aren't they?”

Audrey answered him, “No, malysh. Persons who are up at this hour aren’t lonely; they’re gifted with the presence of God and the stars. They couldn’t be less lonely.” So he changed the title to Midnighters Stars Club and sipped his hot chocolate whereupon Audrey started reading the first sentence of The Tale of Tsar Saltan.

Hugo’s parents would habitually crease their eyebrows at the elder and their child’s conversation on a Sunday morning in the course of breakfast where sometimes it went like, “Why would two sisters be angry toward their youngest sister, Mam? Shouldn't they be happy because she's happy?” Hugo would ask.

 “Oh, dear. Jealousy is a poison often created by our loved ones more than strangers. And the danger lays when it is blossomed by the ones closest to us.” she’d answer.

"I think that's stupid. When are we starting Alice, Mam?"

"That would be next Saturday."  

 “But, a week from now is too long, Mam.” Hugo would whine even as Audrey would laugh and say something completely marvellous for Hugo to remember throughout his life but wouldn’t. “Dear child, a week is awfully long to make many things and accomplish difficulties. A week! Most people have days to live.”

Hugo’s parents would smile sadly at him and carry on eating their Oladushki and devour the buterbrod.

Minutes later the boys parted ways and agreed to meet that afternoon at Mr. Oakley’s woods. They both had excused themselves upon finishing their breakfast to get a magazine from the shop, and when both boys were also offered the company of an adult they refused to claim to walk alone, and unchanged to the very method they retreated to their homes.

3:45 pm 

"Mom, I'm leaving to Simon's now." shrieked Winter from the bottom of his lungs to his mother who was furnishing the upstairs guest room for Aunt Betty whom arrives next week to celebrate the fourth of July with the Wilfred's.

"Darling, hold on a minute, will you?" her voice was faint and Winter tapped his foot impatiently till his father appeared at his office's doorway.

"What's with all the screaming, son? Are you going somewhere?" His father eyed his backpack with raised eyebrows.

"Sorry, dad. I'm leaving to Simon's and mother said she wanted to have a word with me before I go." He looked down at his shoes.

Eldon walked up to his young boy and tilted his head upward with his finger and strictly told him, "Never look down when someone talks to you. It's a sign of slavery and weakness. Are you a slave in this house, boy?" asked Eldon.

"No, sir." replied Winter enthusiastically.  

"Are you weak, sir?" asked Eldon once more.

"Sir, no, sir" said Winter as he touched his three fingers to his head and saluted his father.

Eldon laughed loudly and hugged his son, the affectionate moment between the two soon vanished when Winter's second older sibling reached down the stairs and stormed to climb over their parent's back.

"Daisy I'm not young anymore. Stop it, darling. You'll crack my back." mumbled Eldon during huffs of inhaling air as the second child of the family held tightly to his neck and back and crossed her legs across his torso.

"Father, please. I'm your youngest child." said Daisy, with a knowing smirk sent to Winter's direction.

"I'm the youngest if you haven't noticed." answered Winter in a cold tone and marched off to find his mother. He was running late to meet up with his friend, not the one his family had in mind.

Five minutes later, Chelsea gave him a paper with instructions and told him to be good and kissed his cheeks. As he exited his house's oak door, grabbed his backpack's straps securely and ran off to Mr. Oakley's woods in the opposite direction of Simon Flerish house.

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A/N:  the picture to the side is of the russian children's tale The Tale of Tsar Saltan. bye