The Goldfinch (Fanfic)

I - Chapter 5 "Desert Stars"

"We are all in the same gutter, 

but some of us are looking at the stars" 

_Oscar Wilde

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         At the time the universe was only made up of dusk, desert, and his silhouette... and the wind too... the moving air that carried his scent towards me as he was ahead running, taunting, teasing and trying to provoke me. At about 175 cm he was tall for his age, I assumed he's older than me like he's 15 or so, I ran and tried to cached Boris but heck he ran like an athlete, I couldn't catch him.

"come here! I'll kill you"

"yah can't do that! can't even catch me sissy boy!"

           Boris stopped suddenly and as I was running fast, I couldn't stop my drive and before I reached him, he shifted, and there was nothing before me except the desert, I fall into the sand directly.

"oi! careful with Beer!"

           He rolled towards me and took my bag; the beer was okay as it was tightly packed and before he knew I drag myself up and punched him in the face. He trundled backwards and while holding his face. I was sure I hit him hard and he appeared hurt. He was sliding his hands on his face, moving his entire face and jaw trying to reattach his teeth, though I was pretty sure it was intact he appeared to be really hurt. And seconds later his eyes were intense, and he appeared to be in great pain.

           I didn't know what to do, I remained in my position but he sure in bad shape curling in pain... and then suddenly I shuffled towards him, tried to ease and comfort him

"hey! I'm sorry I didn't mean to..."

           Then before I knew he stood up fast and punched me in the stomach. It was so hard I fell onto the ground; I was lucky I didn't fell into my backpack and the beer was safe.

"ha! can't believe yah fell for it"

"Boris! you're really a fucking retard!"

           I was still in great pain, but I stood up and grabbed him, we rolled together in the sand, squaring each other and whacking each other's face. I didn't hit hard, it was very difficult because we're rotating, rolling and the shards of sand were all over us. In truth I didn't punch him hard because I didn't want to hurt him... one thing I also noticed was his punches were also soft at all, as if to say he was just having fun too.

          We fought for twenty seconds and I suddenly decided to stop and just lay on the ground, he was positioned above me, above my body, he looked straight to my eye and smiled. Then he rolled over and just lay beside me and said

"let's open Beer, let's drink here"

         So, he took beers my bag and sat beside me, we sat in the desert and drink. It was my first beer. Me and Boris in the sand as we watched the sun waving goodbye.

"where're you from?"

"Australia, Ukraine, Poland, New Zealand, Alaska, Canada, Sweden... originally from Russia"

"fuckin hell, what are you a spy?"

"yah? I wish! but me father digs mines, people hate us everywhere we go"