Fragments - Book One of the Missing

Chapter 3 - Taniel

The sun crept through the dust-coated window and tickled his face. He stretched his arms out in front of him, yawning and delaying the inevitable. He never made it past the front door. Yesterday was too long and too overwhelming. He shouldn't have come last night, or at all. He wasn't ready. But he was here, so he would need to push the memories down. Even if being in the old apartment was the last thing he wanted to do. Today he needed to be rationale, methodical. It was the only way to survive.

And his best chance of survival was pillaging their old belongings. It would have been too dangerous to live there. Living in a condemned building with no one watching his back was as good as walking around with a target for the Underground to find. Or worse to disappear.

The apartments in Glenbrooke, his old neighborhood, were left behind for more populated clusters like Cinclair, Woodchester, and Windstone. Beyond these safer neighborhoods, though, the Underground ran rampant and the Officials played by no rules. No. He couldn't stay there alone.

At least, that's what he reminded himself as he made his way through the apartment. It wouldn't be that the memories were too painful to face everyday. Not a chance.

It didn't surprise Taniel the electricity no longer worked. But he grunted his annoyance anyway. The sound made him feel less alone. The door to his father's room was closed, and made the decision to stay out even easier. But nostalgia still hit him, bringing him to a standstill at the doorway to the room he grew up in.

Blue paint was fading on the walls and chipped in some areas. Soccer trophies and swimming medals were displayed proudly on the shelf with dust coating his treasures of another life. Framed pictures of he and his father covered most of the dresser and desk surface. He couldn't stand to look at them. His father would be so disappointed in who Taniel was today—a criminal.

The mausoleum began to close in on him, the memories suffocating with every breath. In a rush, he grabbed a bigger knapsack from the closet and a flashlight from the nightstand. Ignoring the regret filling his chest, he smashed the old piggy bank and threw the coins into the bag.

What else did he need to survive? His stomach led him to the kitchen where he grabbed a few old cans of beans. Ignoring the memory of the days they ate rice and beans when the money was low. His father always used to make up stories of a magical island where everyone was special. Where trees grew hundreds of feet high, of rolling hills so unlike the island of craggy rock and cliff that was Fenesmere. Taniel loved these stories. But imagination only got him so far. So, on second thought, he also grabbed the old set of knives. Living on his own, he might need them.

He was almost at the door when he spotted an old pile of laundry on the couch. He was tempted to leave his father's things where they were, but the rational part of his brain knew he would need the clothes eventually. Fall was closing in. Without looking at what he grabbed, he threw clothes straight into the bag.

At the door he hesitated for just a moment before walking out. He couldn't bring himself to say a final goodbye.

****

For hours he walked around the city, and mulled over the options. He didn't have many. His stomach rumbled. It never suited to think on an empty stomach. With a very short term plan in mind, he headed to the Market for a bite of food and inspiration. It was a beautiful day, after all, so there would be enough of a crowd to disguise the fact he was essentially an outsider.

The sun was shining brightly, and Fenesmere already felt more welcoming. He couldn't help but feel optimistic. Rather than return to the Underground, he could have legitimate opportunities that could afford him a place to live, food to eat, a life. Of course, the jobs were nothing as exciting as they once were, when people could make a living through artisans foods, music, plays and theater. The world was much more utilitarian now. They needed to focus on the essentials. But at the end of the day, it didn't matter. Taniel would take any job he could get.