Evol

CHAPTER II

The stranger was wearing a red cloth of very thin shining leathery material. He was shivering in his sleep, his arms tightly clutching his body, with his knees towards his chest.

Julianna approached the youth and woke him up with a shake.

"Hi," said Julianna.

"Hi," the boy said. His voice was gruffy, as opposed to his smooth dashing young face. He couldn't have been more than twenty, Julianna thought."

"What are you doing out here by this time?"

"Must have been wandering about until I saw the light by your window. Didn't want to disturb anyone so I slept out here."

"You seem so cold," said Julianna, touching him by the hand. "Come to think of it, you're literally freezing. Come into the house and I'll prepare you some hot cup of cofee."

"Uh, thanks but maybe I should get going." He stood up.

"No way I'm gonna let you go in this condition," said Julianna, tugging his arm now. "You need something warm after sleeping out here all alone."

"If you insist."

He had a cold distant look in his sharp blue eyes.

"I'm Julianna by the way."

"Dacha," said the boy.

"Is that your name?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing. It's just that I haven't heard such a name before."

Dacha shrugged without saying a word. He reluctantly followed Julianna into the house.

Her dad was awake now and was just coming out of his room when they walked in.

"Hi, dad," Julianna called out.

"Hi, Jules, Dad replied, throwing a questioning gaze at the stranger. "Who's the young man?"

"His name's Dacha. I met him sleeping outside on the porch. Dacha, meet my dad."

They greeted and Parker quickly gave Dacha his Jacket when he noticed how cold and shivering he was.
Julianna went to the kitchen to fix a cup of hot cofee.

"Nice name, by the way," said Parker. Where are you from?"

"Um, up north," replied Dacha.

"North? You mean like Canada?

"Yeah, that's right. Canada."

They all chatted nicely for some time while Dacha drank his coffee. He felt warmer and better.

"So, you like travelling by night?" Parker asked.

"Not exactly," Dacha replied. "I've been wandering for some time now."

"Why would you be wandering?" cut in Julianna joining them at the dining table. "You don't have a home?"

"Well, not anymore," said Dacha.

"Dad, please lets take him in. The poor soul doesn't have a home," the sixteen year old girl was frantically pulling at her dad's hand now, pouting her lips in a puppy face in order to coy him into giving in to her demand.

Her dad leaned over to her and whispered into her ears hurriedly: "By God, we barely know him, honey! For all we know, he could be a thief. Or more still, a serial killer."

"But dad, come on, he looks so innocent. I don't think he could hurt a fly."
They had moved to a corner of the house now away from Dacha's hearing. He kept eating undistractedly.

"What happened to your home?" asked Parker, returning to the table.

"I don't really like talking about it, Mr. Parker," the shy dashing youth began, "but I uh-I was kinda driven out."

Parker gazed at him with curious eyes. "Why in the world would someone send their son out of the house?"

"I was disowned by my dad. He has such a fiery temper and when I wouldn't do what he desired, something very important, he sent me out."

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry to hear that, Dach." Julianna felt pity for the young man. She was obviously growing soft spots for him already.

"I really appreciate all you guys have done for me, but I wouldn't want to be any more of a burden and an inconvenience. I'll just find my way around.

Julianna and her dad went to a corner to discuss again and shortly returned.

"Well," Parker spoke up, "since you have nowhere else to stay and you happened to stumble upon us, we can't just leave you to wander off again. You can help around in the house."

"That's my dad's way of saying 'you're welcome to our home'", Julianna said with an excited smile.

Surprise was written all over the boy's face. "But you don't know me, how could you just welcome me into your home to live with you?"

"Come on, don't be so modest," said Julianna still smiling at him. "you're welcome."

"I never expected this much kindness from your--from you people," Dacha was smiling for the first time. "I'll be more than happy to stay and help out however I can."

"As long as you behave and be a good boy," said Parker.

"I promise I will, Mr. Parker."

"Call me Karl. There's a spare room upstairs."

Julianna was so excited to have a new friend and companion in the house. Ever since she could remember, it was just herself and dad. She took a great liking to Dacha instantly.

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