Broken Glass

Chapter 5

     Shaardul sat in one of the plastic chairs in the hallway, his elbows on his knees, face hidden by his hands. Worry, fear, confusion, what happened, would they be okay? Questions rattled through his mind, question without answers. He took a deep breath, the scents of the hospital flowed around him, but he focused on her's. The doctors' voices were loud and he was easily able to listen in on them, something was wrong with her lungs, they were filling to quickly. Akiye, what was going to happen to her? Shaardul listened as the heart monitor beeping speed up to a dangerously fast pace, the doctors didn't like that. 

     As he listened the beat grew faster and faster, finally it stopped in one long sad tone. Tears ran down Shaardul's cheeks and he stood, nothing was left for him here. A man in scrubs came out of the room, removing his mask and cap. "We're sorry, but we weren't able to save your wife. We were able to save your son though."  Shaardul was dumb struck as the nurse carried a blue blanket with his son wrapped up in it to him. "Your wife called him Yuki."

     The old pick up bumped along the road. the egyptian city was full of people and life as vendors tried to sell good and people looked to by them. Upon entering the market area Numair hopped out of the back of the truck and strolled away to have a look. A nagging feeling on the edge of his mind pulled him in a certain direction. He ended up away from the bustling noise of the market and in front of an apartment complex, on a saturday afternoon, it wasn't odd to see no activity around it.

     Numair strolled up the steps and into the lobby.

Getting warmer.

     He went up the first floor, then second.

Even warmer.

     The third floor was a storage area with a ladder to the roof. Without hesitating he climbed up to the roof.

Found it.

     A boy about Numair's age sat on the edge of the roof looking over the city streets. He was african with dark hair, and when he turned to look at the new comer Numair could see his eyes were the color of the forest canopy. "Well, hello!" Numair sat next to the boy and took the paper out of his hand, "Love letter?" 

     Dear Mr. Nyatui 

          We are sorry to tell you that due to recent events

          the farm of ownership to your direct family members

          has been destroyed by recent weather occurrences.

          As such we also inform you that insurance form the 

          deaths of your parents and the destruction of the farm.

                                                   Sincerely:

                                                        Black Stone Tiger System

     "Dude, that really sucks." Numair handed the letter back and patted the boy, Nyatui, on the back. "Do you happen to be eighteen, single, and with no earthly ties?" Nyatui stared hard at Numair, "Yes, now." Numair smiled and stood on the edge looking down. "Do you think the drop from here would kill me?" Nyatui looked bewildered, "Possibly, of course if you did drop from this high you would definitely have broken bones." Numair nodded as if that was his thinking. 

     The sun was setting and the boy who had been eighteen for only 12 hours laughed at the one who had been for three days. "I hope you're wrong." The fell backwards off the building.

     Nyatui gasped and reached out to grab the boy. Numair flipped backwards and landed on all fours. The black tiger looked up at Nyatui and rumbled with pleasure, his yellow-gold eyes sparkled with amusement. Nyatui stood hopped off the roof then twisted in mid air to rake his claws down the brick building to slow himself, landing lightly on the street. A large bengel with the same green eyes.

     The rubbed faces, exchanging scents and friendly greetings, it was the first time either of them had meet another tiger, they were excited. A person screamed nearby and the two tigers looked up. A woman dropped her groceries on the ground and ran still screaming. Together Numair and Nyatui ran down the back roads out of the city so that they could speak.

     In the end, Nyatui agreed to come with the gypsy and see the world.

 

     Ocarina was livid when her brother strolled over to the truck. She smacked him upside the head and yelled, "What did you think you were doing? Where did you go? You left us without a guitarist, it didn't go as well as it should have today." She looked at Nyatui and extended a hand, "Ocarina, I'm Numair's sister." Nyatui, nervously took it and shook, "Nyatui, Numair asked me to come with." She nodded and pointed to the case in his hand, "Violin?" He nodded, she smiled, "Welcome aboard."

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