The Parents

The Parents Part I

It was the winter of 1985. Mr and Mrs Henley - an old couple was going around the town, knocking door to door. It wasn't Christmas. But it was cold. It was freezing cold and the whole town was covered in snow. They weren't well covered to tolerate the extreme conditions. It was a little hard to tell if they had enough clothes underneath their raggity old overcoats and wrappers. They had their heads and ears shut covered with mufflers and caps. No one was outside their homes. It was the coldest day of winter, most schools, offices and shops were closed. People sat inside their homes, wrapped from head to toe in warm clothes, by the fireplace, drinking wine and were shivering still. The old man and old woman, were moving slowly around the neighborhood. Cutting the snow with carefully deliberated steps. They were looking for their son. Their son had come to the town of Memphil, in search for a job. He was their only child. He had found himself the job he came looking for, earning a decent wage. He used to write to his parents and send money every month. The money stopped coming for the past six months. So did the letters. If it was either one that had stopped coming, the old parents wouldn't have to take the trouble of travelling a thousand myles across country. Where would they start looking? They knew the address. Their son had given them the address, just in case. They came a long way by train. It was a 2 day journey. They were carrying substancial amount of baggage. They had brought food, clothes, medicines, some wine and other accessories. It was a long journey. The temperature kept decreasing as the altitude went on rising. Mr. and Mrs.Henley have been together for over 35 years. But they still take good care of each other, and care for each other's preferences. They remind each other of their medicines. Two people sitting face to face in the same berth, asked them of their destination. They too were going to Memphil. They asked the Henleys the reason behind their long journey in this weather. The Henleys told them about their son. His name was Walter. The two men seemed a little stumbled upon hearing the name. They looked at each other for a brief moment and one of them said, "I believe I've heard the name before, is he a tall, good looking boy with brown hair?" Mrs.Henley, "Yes, that's our son, Walter." Mr.Henley, "Do you know him good sir?" "Well, not too intimately but I think I've seen him around the neighborhood. I did not know his name before, but the description you folks gave of him and the work you mentioned him of being employed in, matches the profile of one man, plus it's a small town after all." "He lives a few blocks away, to where we are going."- interrupted the other. The Henleys and the two men discussed a lot about the town of Memphil, the people there, the festivals etc until one man got up and after asking permission, made his way towards the toilet. Soon the other man followed his friend. The two men came back together and after their return from the toilet they were much reserved and did not want to involve themselves in further discussion with the old couple. Mr. Henley was a bit open about his feelings. He didn't take their sudden change in attitude well. "What did they do to you two in the loo?"- he exclaimed and made a gesture of disgust with his hands. The two men just smiled and said, "oh no, it's nothing as such, we're just a bit weary of the journey. We had to take care of many things before aboarding the train. We're just tired, that's all." "I bet you are." - said Mr.Henley with a tone of disbelief and his eyes contracted. They didn't interact much throughout the rest of the journey. After two days of constant click-clack and choo-choo, finally the train arrived at the Memphil station, where the train stops for a short while. So one must be ready to get off quickly. Hence the passengers were waiting near the door. The entire platform was covered in ice. Other than the stationmaster, a few cleaners, staff and a handful of passengers, all shivering under their heavy winter wear. As the train slowly approached the station, one could oversee a black burnt out forest. It looked intense. Dark black burnt out large trees covered in snow, as if it had snowed in hell! It was the Earnest Sanctuary. But at this time, the name and recent history of the place did not go together. As Mr and Mrs Henley were standing near the door of their wagon, they spotted this burnt out looking forest covered in snow. Mr.Henley was a realistic man. Fantasy and mythology had not much place in his heart. But Mrs.Henley was more instinctive in her approach. Something told her that, it's not the bitter cold that has deflowered the forest and made it unctuous.The trees look exactly like this after they aare burnt down. Black as coal and powdery. Only thing making an effort to hide this obvious truth is the thick layer of white snow, everywhere. A rather good cover up. Soothing. "It has been like that for a few years, the Earnest Sanctuary. No known causes have been detected. The trees just dried out. Lack of rainfall and excessive pests, neither of which were taken into consideration by the Memphil Town's callous forest department. It's no more a sanctuary for sure. All the animals were shifted to different zoos and sanctuaries. Well not all, the ones in the deeper parts of the forest are still doing well and good. Just the northern part has dried out and died out." - Said a passenger also waiting around the doorway to get off at Memphil station. This was a certain blow to Mrs. Henley's assumption. She wouldn't be that wrong would she? Maybe it's the age factor. Her eyesight is getting weak. Maybe it's the logic factor as well - why would they burn down their own place of tourist interest? "I've never heard of such pest problems in my life!" - said Mrs.Henley. "Did the forest attract much tourist attention?" - asked the curious and analytic Mr. Henley. "Earnest Sanctuary? Oh yes! It was one of the main spots of attention to whatever little number tourists this uninteresting and unhappening little town attracted." - answered the man. The people in this town are pretty friendly. They give away a lot of information and they talk to as if you're one of them. "Did it just dry out suddenly like that?" - Mrs.Henley asked. "Well, no. Not suddenly. It was a gradual and natural process. But it feels like yesterday, I saw this place blooming with birds chirping and deers peeping. My childhood memories too, peeping." - smiled the man in a sad and nostalgic manner. Mrs.Henley became emotional. She was prone to it. But it was time to get off. She wanted to talk to the man a little more. But he walked away quickly lifting his hat and bidding them farewell. Oh well, maybe Walter could tell us a thing or two about the sanctuary, as soon as we find him. Thought the old woman.
Mr and Mrs Henley got off the train slowly, carefully watching their steps in the slippery platform.