A Summer’s Tragedy

Callisto didn’t expect that his father could lift him a hand. He was just lucky that his mother went between them, and that dispute ended when his mother asked his father to be calm. Sebastian got out of their house and went somewhere to get ventilated.

“I told you,” Dorothy said. “It’s never easy to get your father’s permission to take care of a girl we don’t even know.”

“Mom? But Stalin can’t live alone. There are many mysterious things about her that you don’t know,” Callisto complained.

“It came out from your own lips: there are many things about her that we don’t know. It might be better if you just avoided her. You know, I and your father were just thinking about your safety.”

“You don’t need to be worried about my safety, mom. I’m not that little anymore, and I just want to help other people. What’s wrong with that thing?” Callisto asked.

“There’s not-” Dorothy stopped, as she realized the next words she was going to say. “There’s nothing wrong with helping other people, and you must explain that to your father. I’m sure he can understand you too.”

“But I can’t do that if you won’t help me. He was so mad when he went out, and he’s not in the mood to talk with me right now.”

“That’s not the problem, son. You know your dad well. Perhaps he’s just thinking of anything else why you brought this girl into our house.”

Callisto sighed. He felt relieved that his mother told him that his father wasn’t really mad at him; he knew that he wouldn’t be mad just because of petty things. What he’s going to do could not really enrage him. He must be happy because he had a helpful son like Callisto.

Dorothy stood up from the couch and said, “Don’t worry son, I’ll be the one to explain it to your father. For now, you and Stalin should go to the dining room and feed yourselves. I know you’re hungry.”

The living room suddenly became empty as everyone did what they should do. Callisto leads Stalin to their dining room, and he feeds her like a little child who knows nothing to do but stare at everything with astonishment. Meanwhile, Dorothy got out of their house.

Looking at the clear view of the high mountain, Sebastian was thinking about his son when an unambiguous scene interrupted his mind. It was the time when the happiest day of their lives was going to happen. Dorothy, wearing a beautiful white gown, was walking down the aisle, and Sebastian was waiting for her right at the altar.

Unfortunately, that incident didn’t turn out to be the happiest day of their lives, because it turned into a nightmare that his wife doesn’t want to remember anymore. That was the day of regret for Dorothy, not because they didn’t love each other, but because the one who also truly loved her husband killed herself during that day.

Blood is shed on the floor. Undying love: it was written by the blood that was shed on the floor. That’s how deep her love for him was, that even though she died, that love didn’t die with her, and she didn’t really die with her love for him, and it seems that she came back to take revenge.

“What are you doing here, huh?” Dorothy asked.

When she saw her husband holding his head again, she was definitely panic-stricken. The nightmares of the past still bother his mind, she thought. So she approached him with worried expressions and led him back inside their home.

“I already told you to take your medicine and stop looking at that mountain, but you still did, so look what happened,” Dorothy reprimanded while helping her husband sit on the couch.

“I’m sorry, my love, but something was compelling me to go out and stare at that mountain,” Sebastian replied. “You know, it wasn’t because of Callisto that I went out. I’m not really mad at him.”

“You don’t really have to be grim on him, because he just wants to help that poor girl. And, are you sure that you’re just fine? Don’t you want to consult a doctor?” As Dorothy suggested,

“I’m not sick as you thought. But I can be sick because you’re so caring for me, and why won’t you just make everything clear? I know that there’s something you’re not telling me.”

Dorothy screamed in her mind: something she’s not telling him? She knew she had told him everything; it was almost just yesterday, and the problem was not with her, but with him, because he’s so oblivious. Well, she couldn’t blame her husband. It was only because of his amnesia that he could easily forget little things.

Moreover, it seems that Sebastian doesn’t have that simple kind of amnesia, but an Alzheimer’s disease, because he could even gradually lose control of himself as he was brought by his own feet outside their house and his hand wanted to punch Callisto.

“Okay, my love. I’ll tell you anything, but first you must tell your son that you’re not mad at him, or else he will be sulking at you.”

“Do I really need to say sorry?” Sebastian sounded reluctant.

“He’s your son. He can understand everything you say.” Dorothy stood up. “Come on, don’t be so shy about your own son. He will not eat you.”

Sebastian isn’t really in the mood to apologize. How unmanly would he be to do that? But he also knew that he couldn’t really hurt his own son, and although reluctant, he followed his wife because he knew his mistake.

They walked towards the dining room and halted right at the door. They were looking at their son and the girl, whom they didn’t really know, but it seemed that they were as intimate as twin bananas. They are just worried about their son: he’s too young to take care of other people.

“Look at him. Our son doesn’t really have any other intention than to help that girl who couldn’t help herself because of her poor condition,” Dorothy whispered, then embraced her husband.

“So, what do you think is the best thing to do?” Sebastian asked.

“What else? You should let our son help her. We don’t really feel difficulties in raising children. We can even add another one if you want,” Dorothy suggested. Her fingers crawled down Sebastian’s chest and down to his abdomen.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, not now.” Sebastian grasped her hand and got out of his wife’s arm. “I just want to talk to Callisto.” He went near to them without making any sounds, while Dorothy went somewhere.

Callisto had just finished feeding the girl under his care when his father sat down on the chair in front of them. He didn’t know why his father was seriously and curiously looking at Stalin’s face.

There’s something wrong, Sebastian thought. He couldn’t just remember it, but he knew for sure that Stalin was involved. But instead of searching for them in his degenerated mind, he didn’t want his head to ache again.

“Where does she live?” Sebastian asked.

Callisto led his father to Stalin’s house, where Stalin herself was. As they walked on, he told him that Stalin’s mother wasn’t buried yet. They both knew that they didn’t have the decision on when she’d be buried. In that case, Callisto revealed the truth about the curse.

“A curse?” Sebastian exclaimed. “You will be mistaken for an insane boy, son. There’s no such thing occurring in this world, at least not at this time. But generally, that’s drastically impossible.”

“I know you won’t believe me, dad. But if you can see her transforming into a beautiful girl, you will be amazed-and for sure, your belief will change,” Callisto defended.

“Now I see why you’re so eager to take care of her. But then let’s see if you’re really telling the truth.” They eventually arrived at Stalin’s house.

The smell is so bad, Sebastian thought. He doesn’t know why they just let Stalin’s mother decay inside the wooden coffin. That’s so disrespectful, but he knew that it was nobody’s responsibility to take care of it but her own daughter, and her own daughter must be put in the booby hatch.

“It’s still early. We shall wait until dusk comes, so that we can watch Stalin come back to her real identity,” Callisto suggested.

“Do you notice anything wrong?” Sebastian asked.

“Something wrong? Such as the bad smell? I also smelled that, dad, but we can do nothing, and you shall stop complaining if you won’t ask an embalmer to embalm Stalin’s mother.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I have already called an embalmer. But what I mean is that the girl you’re taking care of was gone. Do you know where she went?”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“Huh?” Callisto exclaimed in shock. Where did that crazy girl go? He thought, but he didn’t know, and his feet immediately brought him outside their house. He turned around and began searching for Stalin.