I wake up every day at 5 am or so. My body compels me to do it. It might be because of my study routines, or simply the need to wake up early to seize the day. I don’t really know, but I’ve come to appreciate it. I find myself gasping for air every now and then in the dew of the morning. It’s beautiful. Merciful. Abundant in peace. I am glad I can appreciate it from as early as possible. I tend to be awake for 24 out of the 30 hours a day. It can be exhausting at times, but again, the air I breathe is so refreshing. At 5 am, when the morning is just getting started, the sky is a deep blue, almost shy in its presence, alerting you that the brightness of the day is hurriedly getting here. The chickens haven’t crowed, and the wind is just carrying the fallen leaves in this beautiful small town.
Afterwards, when the sun is low, and still trying to rise up, the dew can be felt and seen all the way through the fabric of the air. It’s fresh and its almost cold, but not enough to make you shiver, no, only to the point that you can feel at ease.
Today was no different. I woke up long before a ray of light could be seen in the distance. I kissed my girls on the forehead whilst they were still sleeping. Lucy moved slightly, I might have woken her up. I didn’t care too much about it though, she didn’t open her eyes and continued sleeping. I know there isn’t supposed to be favorites, but some days I feel like she might be. I might be a hypocrite though, because some other days I feel like Amber is the one that steals my heart. I’m worried I might be a terrible father for even thinking those things or feeling them. I’m sorry for my girls to have such a mediocre father. That’s the one they got though.
“Cecil mentioned you were fixing tables all around town today” said Lola, leaning on the door frame of our room.
I stopped dead in my tracks from leaving our house. I didn’t get scared, but I did get startled by her sudden presence.
“Yeah, I have a lot of work today. Make sure to show Lucy how to work the locks in the house today. She needs to learn how to handle herself better and maybe teach her about the emergency routes to get out of this town. Perhaps start teaching her about Maverick and his- “
“Cassius, relax. You are talking about a lot of things and there are not enough hours in a day to cover all of them. Besides, I have to take them to school today. They just got started”
“What’s the point of that school? They are not going to learn anything anyway”
“Don’t be like that. This town is making an effort to take care of our kids whilst the adults go to work. It’s much better than continue taking them to work with us. Those are not places for children.” Said Lola, almost whispering as to not wake up our girls.
“They learn more with us than going to that primitive school of theirs.”
“I can’t believe you said that. Who do you think you are? You are not better than anybody in this town just because of the education we received.”
“We are though. Did you forget what we were told? The things we know…they are not even fathomable by most the scholars in the capital. And the people here, they barely recognized how different are the fruits that grow from trees than those that grown from the ground. I mean, they barely survive here!”
“Shut up. And shut up right now.” She said sternly, continued “You are going to wake them up”
She had been walking towards me during this conversation but now I was facing her back as she started walking back towards our room. She continued:
“How dare you consider yourself atop all these people here? They’ve given us shelter, a house even, clothes, peace of mind. Who they are, and are trying to be, is nowhere as low as your limitations and knowledge. The things we know don’t make us better. If anything, they make us responsible. But you already know that.” She took a moment to breathe, and continued:
“Don’t even bother coming home late today. You disgrace yourself with each word that comes out of your mouth these days. Would you rather go back to where we were? No, right? Stop spouting nonsense. Neither you nor I are better than them.” Said Lola as a final remark, whispering strongly.
I knew she was right, at least somewhat, but I just valued my girls way too much to depend on other people to educate them. I knew better than that. I didn’t want them to know less than us. It might not bring happiness to know more, but it does prepare you for uncertain futures. I stayed quiet and left.
It was a sour morning. My girls would not wake up for another few hours or so, and Lola was tending to her garden at this very hour. I had the time to work on one of three things: my classes to teach, my investigation, or the self-defense exercises I learned from my buddy Maverick. I couldn’t decide so I opted out to do all three of them but starting with the exercises. I went to the back of the house, where the massive field was, this massive and virgin field that hadn’t anything planted in it yet, but we lived right next to it. I walked up to the light that reflected from the moonlight on the field and started working on some “self-defense”. It was funny to call it such, as I had never done anything remotely like it, but my buddy had so kindly showed them to me, and he knew about this stuff, so I was trying it out. It was mostly kicking, elbowing and punching the air, but I didn’t mind it. It was all about visualization, and for some reason that stuck with me through my body. As I did repetitions and repetitions for the same things, the muscle memory started kicking in and replicating time after time. That made sense to me, almost like Mave said it would. It feels good to have your body do exercise to the point you remember the routine.
…
The sun was starting to rise when I finished all my exercises. I was exhausted and sweating. I headed to take a shower in the creek nearby so I wouldn’t wake up my girls.
It was a good way to start the day, and there was plenty more time to go about it, but I noticed… a black crow…seated on a branch…I didn’t care for it really, but it kept looking at me.
It was clamantly, not ceasing. I tried to ignore it and went my way.
I arrived at my house. Sun beams were breaking the sky in the distance. I went straight to my office. It was not a big office, but it sufficed me with the things I needed to get down every day, and for now, investigating.
…
I prepared my classes for the whole month just to get ahead.
As I was getting into my investigation on the embedded writings and knots found all around this town, I noticed the crow was sitting outside my window, on the branch of a tree. I focused on it, and strangely I found its eye had some engraving on it. I tried to get closer to detail it, but it flew away. I decided to ignore it for the time being.
I went through my books from my bags. I had dozens of it, but I was looking for one in particular.
“Here! This is it” I said out loud.
The tome of the ancient people.
This one had the history of the ancient houses, the great families, and the old politics.
This one in particular I needed to check out. I needed to be careful though; the edges of the pages were so old that looked like thermite was on them. Should I get cut by one of those, I’d probably die.
As I was going through it, I saw the inscription of one of my old masters, Judy from the ‘Sapientia school’. It read: “To you young Cassius, hope you find wisdom in it as I have done. Sapere.”
I took a moment to reflect on what she was telling me and the fact that I betrayed her, all of them.
…well, it’s time to get to work. “I should decipher this thing right here in order to understand what this here means.”
…
In the middle of my deciphering, the crow came back and stood on the window right in front of me. I stood up slowly, hoping to catch a glimpse of its face. I started walking slowly towards it, but when I finally came close enough, the broom in the closet fell down, making a huge noise, battering pans and plates and such. To my blessings, the crow didn’t fly away, it just got startled enough to be alert and thus I made my way into range to observe it. It was awfully pretty this crow, and it had-wait, are those? Those are the same markings as the ones in page 7.
Those symbols that were used as a foot note to slightly signify energy, intention, imagination, will, and believe…
I took my book out and a piece of paper to draw on and started drawing the bird and its symbols in its eye as detailed as I could. My drawing abilities were not that good as you might imagine, but they sufficed.
…
After I finished drawing, I tried to get close enough to see if I could pet it, but it flew away. This time definitely and surely. I decided to go to the caves after I had finished getting all sorted out here at home in the morning. I needed to get the girls ready of course and take them to school, before going to work. I might just have a solid 4 hours to go to the caves and check them out afterwards.
…
As I returned home the sun was definitely out now, and my girls came running towards me. Lola was standing in at the door with her arms crossed. I hugged them tightly. I kissed them both on their heads and let go of them.
“Daddy, are we going to school now??” Lucy asked me.
“Yes, my little sunflowers, we are” I replied with a smile. I really loved them.
I tried not to look at Lola.
…
After dropping my girls at the ‘bad enough to make them even more incompetent than they could actually be at any moment’ school, I returned on foot to my house to say goodbye for the day to Lola. It was a sort of ritual we started when we got here for the first time. At this point it caused me anxiety to not do it before going to work. But then again, what was I going to say to her now after we had fought? There was no way she was going to let me talk. And I guess there was also no way I was going to retract my statements if I am being honest. This is quite hasty.
Upong my arrival I noticed her still standing with her arms crossed…BUT HOW COULD SHE?? It had been an hour since I got the girls and dropped them off. She must have had to stay in the same position for all this time hating on me, either that or she went in and then back out perfectly timing my arrival, standing in the same posture as I saw her last. This woman is just unbelievable.
I approached her as a dog might approach its owner after it has thrown up on the living room; on the carpet; a really fancy one that has a stain now forever; with its tail in between its legs.
She fixed her gaze on me strongly. I could feel it. She was expecting me to apologize and retract my statements. I went right in, stepped on our room and got ready. Took my compass, my archeological tools, and the book. As I was getting ready, I noticed her still standing at the door frame. Patiently. I made haste to change my clothes and get fit into ones that were adequate to explore caves and such. I went past the living room and outside the door. Thankfully, it was big enough for the both of us to fit into it. I stopped dead in my tracks for a second and looked back. It made me uncomfortable, but I just said:
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Hey… I’m…going to work now…have a good day” with a smile and left.
I felt her gaze still on me, but then I heard... faintly:
“you too.” She said, and then I heard her steps going back into the house.
I became embarrassed to not be able to make amends right away, but slightly happy she answered back. Besides, it’s always a problem for me to made amends right away, I guess. It had been to soon since our fight, I think we both needed a few hours to cool off.
…
It was already the 4th table, and I was ready to go. This was THE most boring thing I’ve ever done in this job, but Cecil asked me to do it, and I have to deliver. I still had like 20 more tables to go today.
This town or village (I still don’t know what to call it really. It’s too small compared to what I was used to), had 109 inhabitants, counting my family and I. Every family had at least 2 tables, for a total of 60 tables…and I promised old Cecil that I would check, clean, fix or otherwise do maintenance to all of them in the span of a 10-day week, like he used to. He said is part of the job, but I suspect is also an annoying thing to do and that might be the reason why he left it to me from now on. He said he would help me next year… I doubt it. He also said is part of my training…that I might believe…
Cecil had been making them their tables all these years, of the highest quality and his highest intent, and of course tending to them every year, taking care of the people and their necessities. He cared a great deal about those tables and the people here.
I knew he sold tables and wood worked items in the other smalls towns and even beyond. His work was of high quality after all. That is why it surprised when he told me that the ones here he gave for free, and these are the ones he remembers the best, every single one, and according to him “those are the best ones” he’s ever made.
I wanted to get done as most as I could today, so at least 25 or so. That way the next days would be less boring, but also because I would have learned the task to the highest point without a doubt. Thus, achieving mastery over this task. I need the highest concentration on this task today.
All right, let’s continue…
…
In the end I finished 15 tables total. This was a difficult task without a doubt now. But I think by the end of today I got the hang of it to be efficient in it. I have 45 tables left and 9 days to cover them, meaning 5 a day or so. Good. That’s better. If I can, I might reduce that number tomorrow as well. Maybe even finish before the weeks is finished. Although I don’t want old Cecil to think I can do this job in less than a 10-day week.
I still have a few minutes until my girls get out of school. It’s incredible that they only have 8 hours in school, 4 hours less study time than in the capital. It might seem Little to most, but that time, especially the final hours are substantial. It’s a shame that so many hours are not used, and the ones that are, are probably barely used at all. After picking up the girls, we are going to the creek like usual, and I still might have a few hours to investigate the caves. Although, it might be a good idea to start getting used to this 25-hour + 5-hour time system. It’s not that different from the capital being 30 hours anyway.
Up here they had a tradition, which was more of a rule embedded in its own culture, which was to spend 5 hours a day with one’s family by the river, spending time together with it, in it, playing, talking and eating, even drinking from the river itself. It was not like I disliked it per se, but I just wasn’t fully used to it yet. I liked tending to my family at different times a day without hindering my investigations or studies. But I admit it wouldn’t be so bad to complete all 5 hours, so far, we’ve gotten to 4 hours before getting tired and leaving.
It might be like the Anthropologists say, “you have to show respect to their traditions”. Perhaps we can start by doing that.
…
I’m kind of hurrying there now, and it’s almost time. My girls are getting out of school right at this moment. I don’t want them to wait to long for me. I don’t like that. Different from all the parents here, I know how to tell time precisely just by looking at the sun and measuring it with my hands like I was taught at the Scientia. I’m glad I decided to go with Archaeology at the ‘Scientia school’.
…
As I got there, I was faced with having to wait whilst my girls were finishing their last class of the day. Whilst waiting, I was going in my head through the process of getting home later, packing my Archaeology bag and heading to the caves after spending some quality time with my family at the river. In my head, I took my tools from the table and put them into the bag I was carrying and such…
“Hey! how you doing Cassius?” Asked one of the teachers, interrupting my line of thought. I couldn’t remember his name for the life of me. Perhaps was his insignificance that didn’t allow it. I just said hello in response with a polite smile.
…
On the way home I way home I was holding Lucy’s hand whilst Amber was playing along the way. It was a sight to see really. She was just playing around with the flowers and running and even jumping from time to time. I was happy. On the other hand, Lucy was being a good girl and holding my hand tightly. She was smiling from looking at her sister, but also, she seemed happy just because. I felt grateful we were not in the capital.
“Daddy, are we going to the creek right away, or later?” asked me Lucy.
“Yes sweetie. Unless you’re tired. We could go later if you girls want to rest first.” I replied.
I really wanted to go to the caves, but I could figure it out later though.
“No no daddy, I want to go right away” she replied, with a smile from ear to ear. She continued “I’m sure Amber wants too as well. Look at her!” She said whilst laughing. I got the feeling she loved Amber very much.
“All right” I replied.
…
When we got home, we saw Lola standing on the porch with all food already packed and the covers to sit on the grass and all. She was truly amazing, my wife. My girls went running to her arms except Lucy who remained clutched to my hand. She asked me if she could go to her mother. I told her to go, and said “Of course, Lucy”. She ran to her mother and hugged her. I barely exchanged looks with Lola but told her to wait for me a few minutes whilst ready myself. We went into the house right away. I put the girls’ stuff on the living room and headed to pack my things. Lola put the stuff on the kitchen table, took the girls to the bathroom whilst I went into our room and my office to get ready.
Whilst I was packing my gear, I open my Archaeology set of tools to check them out before we left and noticed the engraved words on them: “To you young Cassius. I know you’ll put them to good use. Scire agereque”. I took a moment to remember master Sao, who wrote these words.
“You ready Cassius?” asked me Lola, saving me from my pondering.
“Yes! Be right there” I said right away.
I love my wife.
…
We sat on the grass. Lola put the blanket right next to us with all the food, the essences and our wooden cups to fill with water from the river. It was safe to say we first played around, talked to each other, or otherwise enjoyed nature all together. Afterwards, we went into the water. At the end we started eating and drinking. I was told the water here was so pure and pristine that it became clean and new every second that I flew across the creeks. Apparently, even after it had washed our filth away, it became clean right after. Either way, we had Lola’s plants and garden to take care of us in case we ever got sick. Thankfully, Lola went with Horticulture at the ‘Scientia school’.
…
Our daughters played around on both the grass and the creek. They seemed happy to be here. Lola and I played with them for a whilst, then just looked at them, and then we both read our books whilst they continued playing. They had no end to that playing capacity, I became astonished and let out a laugh just by looking at them.
…
My wife had brought some towels, but they were not needed in the end. The sunlight dried us off. We exchanged a few words here and there, but nothing much. A few pleasantries and the occasional “pass me the salt and the limes, please”.
This time we ended up staying the full 5 hours. To my mind it was an achievement. We picked up our things, the dirty dishes and cups, the blanket and the towels we had brought. Some other families could be seen around us, nearby. I wonder if they paid any attention to us every now and then just like we did.
…
Upong arriving home we let our girls have a nap and agreed they would work afterwards, on their school assignments and the few extra ones we left them to support their education here.
Whilst they slept, we settled down, organized everything excepts the girls’ things, and seated down to try to have our talk.
It didn’t work.
Words barely came out, the tension was palpable, and I didn’t know where to start, especially because my words I held true still.
We were still agitated and quite irritated with one another, so we opted to give ourselves one more day to really discuss it. We reminded ourselves that we loved each other and that upon mutual decision, we would talk about it tomorrow.
Although, it didn’t happen tomorrow either.
…
After getting our girls to work on their assignments, I told Lola I was going to head out for a little whilst to check out something from the books. I told her to not wait for me awake. She seemed adamant and somewhat upset. I guess on top of it all, she did not find it amusing or pleasing that I wanted to check out something interesting, at this time, after our fight.
I head out and said goodnight to my girls in the process. Kissed them both on their heads and told them both to be obedient and head to bed as soon as they finished.
I felt the tension, and the unease behind my back as I left.
I didn’t exactly say where I was going, just that I needed to, and that I would be back.
…
I walked the town for almost an hour until I arrived at the hidden pathways. It seemed to me that the caves themselves were not publicly known by this town, even though they were not hidden at all. To my mind, they seemed to be in plain sight. Although that might be because of my curiosity that I found them. The people here don’t seem that curious though. They seemed to just get by. I understand it might be because of traditions, scarcity, or perhaps even Illiteracy and benightedness…although…that might not be fair of me…I guess…
…
The road in the village seemed human made and even some routes outside of even seemed fit for walking and such. But not there. The road to get to the caves was quite broken. Like I said, it was in plain sight, but one could get distracted by all the huge plants that had grown around it, the broken pavement road, or the beautiful sea that could be seen from here on the mountains, impeding the entrance as such. Perhaps it was not as plain as I had thought, but I do think just a bit of curiosity could be ignited after seeing broken steps, like where do they lead? Why are they broken? And many other questions. Perhaps it was part of my training in Archaeology, to ask so many questions. Either way, I wonder if we could exchange…-as I was walking it seemed I had arrived at my destination, the entrance, or what seemed like it. How did I know I was on the right track and all? Well, the books hinted at it. On the fourth month of our arrival to this town, after we had received our own lodging, I ventured into all corners of this land, exploring it, and I had found certain curiosities by the edges of it. This had been one of them that I hadn’t fully explored, and now I finally had done it.
The entrance was huge; it was looking at the sea. Of course it was quite far, but it could be seen from this distance. There were rocks everywhere, big, huge, and small ones. Upong closer inspection, the cave was deep. Deep enough to take me a whilst to get accustomed to it. There were pathways in all directions, 10 to be exact. This would take me at least a month, to explore everything, fully. But the first thing to grab my attention, was the wind current that was felt all the way into the 10 pathways, like asking one to explore it. That was interesting enough to make me venture into one of them. Thus, I began exploring them almost every day, with excitement. I would get done all my stuff to be able to do this last without worries, especially because of my curiosity, which could only be satisfied by letting myself go fully into it, with the only breaks from having to go back home to my family. After all, that’s how I was taught to do it, “Leave the most interesting things for the end, so you can fully immerse yourself into it, without worries”, Sapientia school… I miss them. They’ve taught me so much.
It might be tiring at the end, but worth it. I know this week would probably be a harsh one for me, so I opted for to check this big entrance before venturing into one of the pathways. Whilst cleaning out some leaves and tree branches in the way, I started seeing the symbols from my book, from the bird and from the drawing I made of it…they were on the rocked floor, quite big, making a circle that was quite big. They were carved onto the stone floor, engraved. I wonder if it could be considered etching or chiseled, whilst on the wall there seemed to be petroglyphs all around after I had uncovered the leaves, branches and some dirt. This, I needed to investigate as well.
…
As I got home, I didn’t see lights coming from it, which relieved me. It was quite late. The girls should be sleeping now, so I’ll try not to wake them.
I opened the door as silently as I could, but of course, the locks made some strong noises every now and then whilst I moved them and jacked them. I headed in the dark through the living room and past my girls’ room, past the bathroom, and into my bedroom. I didn’t know whether Lola was asleep or not. She was facing the wall, the other way. I was quite dirty after finishing in the cave, so I was glad I had stopped at the creek for a quick shower. It was freezing, but I needed to.
I got into bed slowly and as silently as I could as not wake up Lola. After I was inside of it, I let my mind wonder for a whilst about the things that had happened today, but mostly the ideas I had gotten after getting through the day. I couldn’t help it. I wondered if it was a blessing or a curse to let my head go through the process of problem solving almost every time. I know Lola liked me because of it, as well as my teachers. Perhaps one of these days I should ask Lola why she fell in love with me… I wonder if that is the only reason.
Cassius’ day log: 7 hours of sleep even though he could sleep 9 hours (his children sleep 11 but supposedly, in the capital, they would be forced to sleep 9 as well for efficiency.) 4 hours of exercise. 8 hours of work while his children were at school (he dropped them off late today as well). 5 hours of communion with the Spek river. 5 hours of investigation in the caves. The rest in not accounted for. Perhaps benign talk and actions.
