It had only been a few days since Ernst had seen Christopher. Although he wished to see him, he had already set up an arrangement to meet with Sonia at the address she provided him with.
Having just experienced a memorable nightmare, he stood up from the ground and began to stretch. At some point, Ernst had fallen to the floor during his sleep. Seeing his dress shirt on the ground, he realized that he had unconsciously rolled it overnight.
I wanted to use this today…
Having so many nightmares did not excuse Ernst from nightly spasms. In fact, his persistent condition only promoted such behaviours. Most people would likely develop similar behaviours should they frequently face disturbing imagery on a near-daily basis.
Picking up and tossing the crumpled shirt to the side, he began to walk to the washroom to prepare for the day.
His usual eye bags protruded as he glanced at the mirror.
Then, he began to carry on with his typical daily hygiene, brushing his teeth and splashing water on his face several times. To block any unwanted scents, he doused himself with a bit of antiperspirant before heading to his room to change into a new set of clothes.
It's just a quick meeting…I shouldn't be there for too long…
After selecting a grey button-down and black khakis, he threw on a blazer and nearly began to head out. However, just before he left, he grabbed the pocket knife that was still lying neatly on his desk. Then, only after finally grabbing his tweed cap and watch, did he exit his room.
It was still a few hours before noon, so he went to see Emilia before leaving the bakery.
Walking down the stairs, he sees his sister making a cup of coffee for a customer. With the sound of the door opening announcing his entrance into the bakery, Emilia turned her head to see his brother. Signalling him over to a seat, Ernst made his way toward one of the tables.
Having served the customer's coffee, Emilia sat across from Ernst.
"Did you want some breakfast before you leave? You'll be tired if you don't eat something." Concerned for his health, Emilia wanted to ensure her brother had something to eat before leaving for the address the beautiful Sonia had provided him. "You won't be able to think straight if you don't have something in your stomach," she said, reaffirming her belief in the importance of maintaining nutrition.
Ernst smirked while waving his hand in the air.
"I'll be fine."
"But… if it's no trouble, I'll have a coffee and some toast."
"Yes, sir," his sister responded exaggeratedly. "I'll have it right out."
Tucking in her chair, she went into the kitchen while speaking, "Just regular for the coffee?"
"Yes, miss!" Ernst called out.
Watching his sister leave to prepare his food, he grabbed a newspaper that was sitting on the table and began to read.
"Fervian soldiers occupying the border of Bauner! Brace for War!
"Fervian soldiers have been spotted patrolling the outskirts of Bauner in large armoured motor vehicles. Such technology has never been seen before. This may very well be a showcase of power…"
Why are they getting closer to us…shouldn't they be near the former Iscalvian empire? Ernst, confused by their neighbouring country's seemingly strange act of intimidation, could not think of many possibilities for the nation to show hostility to Gaudner. For centuries, there had been a lack of true conflict between the Eidenshire Empire, Gaudner, and Fervia; thus, Ernst was sure that the news was a surprise to almost everyone.
In the event that the nation of Fervia decided to break the trust they had between their close neighbour, the Eidenshire Empire was likely to back Gaunder, providing aid and protection.
As a powerhouse nation, the country to the south would not let Fervia have the opportunity to expand so easily. Although they had showcased their desire to extend their reach to Iscalvia across the continent, they had been relatively passive toward nearby thriving nations.
Reading the newspaper in his hands, a thought crossed Ernst's mind.
Maybe we should move…
Turning the page, he saw a man printed in black and white. In front of him was a microphone as he seemingly spoke in front of a decent number of reporters. He was none other than the prime minister of Gaudner.
The man wore a clean-looking suit, with his black hair slicked all the way back. His facial expression looked calm and collected, waving his hands with authority in the air in front of him, while speaking to the crowd.
People keep voting for him, yet the people are still suffering… Ernst felt a sense of bitterness while looking at him. While his eyes continued to scan the newspaper for anything that could interest him, at some point, Emilia was seen walking toward the table with his food in hand.
Placing down a plate with toast and eggs, as well as a cup of coffee, Emilia spoke to her brother, who had just put away his reading material.
"You're going straight over there, I assume?"
Taking a sip of his coffee, Ernst looked at his sister.
"Yep, I doubt I will be there for very long, so I'll go see the old man once I'm done."
"I'll probably need to take a motor taxi to get there. I don't believe the building is in our area."
Emilia crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.
"I was about to ask how much you've budgeted lately, but, with your new job, I suppose we won't need to worry about money anymore."
The young woman sighed while resting her chin against her palm.
Chewing on his toast, Ernst responded to his sister, saying, "A few peffings a day for transportation shouldn't be too bad, especially if the worksite is a distance away from where we live." Although he had yet to sign any documents regarding the acceptance of the position, the two siblings spoke as if their income had been pre-determined. With the bakery and Ernst's new job, their annual household income was easily over 5,000 markings — an amount that could easily get them a new house that was closer to the upper-middle-class areas of Bauner.
Emilia buried her face deeper into her palm until it eventually held her forehead. Staring down at the table, she still seemed to be unable to fathom their new financial status.
In order to break free from the stress, she asked another question.
"You mentioned you'd see Christopher later. Did you want to bring a few donut holes along with you?"
Nearly done with his food, Ernst spoke as he chewed on the last bit of his eggs and toast, "Sure."
Emilia felt a hint of annoyance.
"And…chew your food…please – you're 22-years-old now."
Oblivious to his sister's comment, Ernst ruffled his hands together as crumbs fell to his plate. He then grabbed his mug and began to slowly enjoy his morning coffee.
After a few minutes, the young man got up and left the bakery with a small paper bag of desserts in his hand.
Although the street where they lived was a bit narrower than other areas of the Bauner, motor taxis would still frequent the area in order to save time and gas. In hopes of coming across one, Ernst began to walk alongside the road.
From afar, the rough sound of an engine could be heard echoing down the street. The sound grew louder until it eventually came into Ernst's view.
Waving his hand out to the motor vehicle, the metal carriage slowly began to brake in front of him.
Opening the door, he saw a man dressed in a navy uniform while wearing a formal-looking hat.
"Where to?"
To prevent any chance of forgetting the address, Ernst had both written it down and recited it a handful of times after Sonia had given it to him.
"31112 Atkinson Road, if possible, please," Ernst asked politely.
The driver thought for a while before responding to Ernst.
"Yeah, that shouldn't be too far. We will need to go through the plaza if that's alright with you. I know a lot of folks who aren't too comfortable with going through that area."
We're passing Christopher, huh… With that short thought passing through, Ernst smiled at the driver.
"I don't mind at all."
Signalling his hand to the seat at the back of the taxi, Ernst ducked his head into the vehicle and closed the door behind him. He then sat down, and it was not long until they began to move.
Watching buildings and pedestrians move by, Ernst felt a bit of relief, knowing that he no longer needed to commute on foot anymore. Although his university was some distance away from his home, he would simply wake up early, strategically planning how long it would take for him to make his way to the campus. Of course, during his days as a secondary student, he did not need to worry as much as the institution was only a few blocks away.
The cart shook as it hit a few cracks and bumps on the stone road.
What was typically a 30-minute walk to the plaza was cut down to a 7-minute commute by vehicle.
Slowing down, the small taxi slowly pulled into the plaza filled with people.
It then turned and began to circle the center, where merchants and citizens carried out their daily tasks.
On his right were the suspicious-looking people who typically coerced among themselves under the shade of alleyways. Directly to his left were a mixture of lower and middle-class citizens walking about.
Ernst imagined himself among the crowd of people. Not too long ago, he would regularly walk to the area. At one point, it was as a beaten and bruised orphan, rummaging for food. At another point, it was during a time when his parents were alive. Regardless, he now found himself with a new status in society.
Shriek
Ernst's body forcefully leaned forward. Nearly failing to catch himself, he almost slammed into the driver's seat.
"Are you alright?" The driver asked in concern.
Inspecting himself for injuries, Ernst looked to the front of the taxi.
There was a formally dressed officer signalling them to stop.
With a sigh, Ernst responded to the driver's check-in, "Yes, I'm alright. But what happened?"
"We're about to find out, sir," the driver said as the two watched the officer walk around the car, then tap on his door.
Rolling down the glass window, the officer leaned in to see who was in the car.
"I apologize for that, folks, but you'll need to turn around."
"Something is happening in the plaza, and we've been ordered to evacuate citizens."
The driver, a bit unsure as to how to react to the officer's statement, turned toward Ernst.
"The other possible route may take another 40 minutes. Although if you get off and walk on foot, you might be able to save some time, maybe by 5 minutes."
I might also save some money and check up on Christopher…Ernst thought inwardly while listening to his options.
"Which way should I walk if I decide to get off anyway?"
The driver pressed his thumb against his lips while thinking.
"Head down the western exit, then walk for about a kilometre until you're forced to make a turn to the right. After turning, keep walking until you reach your destination."
"I'd say the distance is about 2 kilometres from here."
Ernst began to dig into his pockets, grabbing a few peffings to hand over to the driver.
"I'll get off here. I hope you have a good rest of your day. Thank you for the directions."
Having been used to long walks, a few kilometres of effort was nothing to the young man.
After paying the driver for his service, the taxi motor turned and left the way it came. Similarly, the officer began to head toward the east entrance of the plaza, preventing other civilians from entering.
Ernst's boots hit the damp ground while facing the center of the plaza.
I'll just make sure he's doing alright…
A few more men dressed in uniform coats were seen running into the marketplace. Just like a few days prior, each of them was armed with an assortment of weaponry.
Ernst's heart tightened while watching them rush into the stalls.
Old man… As he thought about the worst of outcomes. He slowly walked into the sea of shopping stands. In order to avoid being escorted out, he strayed away from other civilians who were running away from the area, guided by men who looked to be of military status.
It was not long before he could hear the sound of people struggling.
"Contain them!"
"Don't let them leave the plaza!"
The shouts of the men rang throughout the area.
Ernst hastened toward the center of the plaza where the fountain was.
Small splatters of blood stained the pathway along the way.
Women and children could be heard screaming as he closed in on his destination.
With the head of the monument in sight, the sound of soldiers fighting grew louder and louder.
Suddenly, a tent collapsed nearby. The sound of wood cracking could be heard, with dust rising from where the business once stood.
What is happening…this madness!
This is nothing like my dream last night… With that thought in mind, Ernst cursed his luck as if the scene he saw during his sleep was a premonition of some sort.
Racing toward the tent that had fallen, he found a soldier slammed against the stand. Blood ran from his mouth, with evident signs of dislocation on his arms. His body seemed mangled beyond repair, as if he had been hit by a cannon.
Kneeling, he checked the soldier's pulse.
"Dead…" Ernst whispered under his breath.
He turned in the direction from which the man had seemingly been sent flying, and saw a man who only resembled fragments of someone he knew. The person in front of him wore a regular button-down shirt that had been dirtied by a mixture of dirt and blood.
Evident signs of rot seemed to spread throughout his skin.
Greys and blacks ate at his seemingly dying flesh.
"Give her back!"
The being roared, as if a trumpet and bellowing horn were played out of pitch frequencies, and the young man felt an uncontrollable temptation to shield his eardrums.
Slowly, Ernst stood up beside the dead soldier.
In doing so, did the pastries he got from Emilia slip through his hands?
His unoccupied hand held tightly onto a small object in his pocket.
"Old man…what are you doing?"