A year ago…

1268 A.D.

Night – 278

‘Get up, Maverick’ was the sound that woke him. A blurred figure of a woman stood before him; he rubbed his eyes to make his vision clear. It was his elder sister, Sugaall.

“Can’t you realize, Maverick? It is nearly midnight. You will be late for the first night of your job. Be there where you must be now, before you make Father angry, again.” Razor-sharp words rushed out of Sugaall’s mouth.

“I will be going. Just get out of my room and shut the door behind you,” said Maverick, pulling his blanket off his sister’s hands, and laying back on the bed.

“Get up, Maverick. Don’t be such a lazy idiot. Should I ask Benaida to come, to wake you up? Just like when you were a toddler!” said Sugaall with a wicked smile. Shooting an angry look at his sister, Maverick got up from the bed and walked to the door.

“If you really hate that job, then why are you going?” asked Sugaall.

“What choice do I have?” were the only words that came out of Maverick until he got ready, for the first night of his training at Wheat Cultivation.

Meanwhile, all graduates in the village, Tenebro, were getting ready for Rookies Joining; an annual recruitment event where graduates choose their careers.

In Tenebro, out of a vast number of occupations available, these four were considered reputed: Bulwarking, Fisheries, Wheat Cultivation, and Poultry.

Bulwarking: Dealing with constructions and new inventions for the welfare of people, and protecting the village from wild animals. They maintain the law and order of Tenebro and the most profitable occupation. ‘If you don’t know something, ask the bulwarks’ was the most repeated dialogue among the villagers.

Fisheries: Working as a fisherman in the Great River which flows from southeast to west surrounding the village.

Wheat Cultivation: An agricultural job. Cultivating wheat on the outskirts of the village.

Poultry: Chickens were raised for eggs, only eggs. Unlike Wheat Cultivation and Fisheries, only women work in Poultry because only women are fit for that. A stupid rule imposed by a retarded fool whose name disappeared in history.

Among the four, the villagers considered Bulwarking as a very reputable and high-profile job, forgetting the importance of the other three.

Everyone in Tenebro consumes only fish, wheat, and eggs.

Maverick had chosen Wheat Cultivation because of three reasons: 2) Fishing is not one of his many talents. 3) According to him, Bulwarking, although an innovative job was spoiled by political interference from the Council. 1) His father wants him to join Bulwarking or accept a job in the Council—Maverick hates both.

While getting ready, Maverick saw his reflection in a mirror near his bed. A twenty-two-year-old boy, with dark eyes, an oval face, widow’s peak short black hair, fair height, and normal physique, looked back at him.

A medium-sized, red-colored notebook near his bed got his attention. It was Maverick’s journal, in which he recorded all his happy moments. He took the notebook lamely and frisked a few pages. When he stopped, a page he wrote ten years ago was open.

Hi. I’m Maverick Ciekawy.

I decided to write all my happy moments in this journal starting tonight.

What should I write? All I have in my mind is EYE BURNER BLOCKER, EYE BURNER BLOCKER, and only EYE BURNER BLOCKER.

Let me introduce my lifestyle.

In my village, Tenebro, we all work during the night and sleep during the day. Because everyone says, during the day the Eye Burner will be in the sky and if we step out of our home, it will kill us.

It was a horror for me when I was a kid, but not now. I am eleven years old, nothing will frighten me hereafter.

First, I would like to describe my village, Tenebro. Ours is a small village surrounded by, the Forest in the North, the Twin Mountains in the East, and the Great River which flows from the Twin Mountains surrounding our village from Southeast to West.

Oops! I forgot to say why I am happy.

As I said, the Eye Burner was a big threat to us, but not anymore. I have made an invention to block the Eye Burner during dawn. It is named the EYE BURNER BLOCKER by our chief, Jurisbard Huubrihaught. You may think about how something can block the Eye Burner. I like to describe but my hands are aching by this quill I stole from my sister’s purse.

In the middle of Tenebro, there is a tall building called the Watchtower, from which a bell is rung during dusk and dawn to warn us about the Eye Burner’s arrival. My old friend is managing that.

Maverick threw the journal on his bed with a nostalgic smile and came back to reality. Upon remembering the upcoming events he was neither nervous nor excited but departed dull-minded.

Handing over Maverick’s midnight meals (3 roasted fish, 6 boiled eggs, and a loaf of wheat bread) Sugaall asked, “Really! You are wearing this for the first night of your job?”

Maverick’s long overcoat made of wolf’s skin looked dull and his boots were coated in mud. Despite the dim light from the lit torches in the hall, he looked awfully dirty. Maverick didn’t reply; he snatched his food from Sugaall’s hands and stepped out. The wind was not heavy but terribly cold. His every step left a clear mark on the wet mud. It must have rained all day he mused. The street looked beautiful like every night as it was.

The torch posts which stood uniformly till the street’s end sprinkled light over the dark street. The torch posts were vertical iron poles with fire on top, to brighten the heavy night. A few people — bulwarks — were seen climbing the torch posts and refueling them, in order to not let the fire go off. His neighbor, Mrs. Benaida, greeted him, as usual, standing outside her home yawning heavily. Greeting her back Maverick reached the Fish & Egg market.

Among all the stall owners calmly conversing with their customers, an old woman was seen shouting in her sharp, squeaky voice. “Limited offer…… fifty eggs for just five sacks of wheat….limited offer!!!” People who crossed her paid no attention.

“Don’t just walk by, you fools, this offer is only till dawn,” she yelled. An old man in bulwark uniform came out of the shop and whispered something to his wife.

“I know how to run our business. You don’t teach me. Occupy yourself training your rookies,” she roared at him. She turned to her customer and asked in a confused tone, “What was I saying, dear?”

Maverick realized walking down that market street definitely won’t be a good idea. So he turned to go the other way. When Maverick turned he collided with someone; his bag fell but luckily he didn’t. If he had fallen, his already clumsy dress would have become far more awful to explain.

“I’m s-sorry, very sorry, I didn-didn’t see you standing… I’m sorry,” said a trembling voice. Maverick took his bag from the fresh mud. He looked up and saw the man who still didn’t stop apologizing. A tall big man, twice as big as a sack of wheat with an overgrown mustache that almost covered his mouth stood before him.

“It’s okay, I’m alright,” said Maverick dusting the mud off his bag, trying to move. ‘Please he should not remember me’ Maverick whispered in his mind.

“Ah, wait! Are you…you Maverick? You are Maverick Ciekawy?” asked the big man.

“Uh… yes,” said Maverick with more dull in his voice.

“It’s a pleasure meeting you. Ever since the night, you made that historical achievement, I have been waiting to meet you,” he took Maverick’s hand and shook vigorously out of excitement. “I’m bringing my wife for tomorrow night’s celebration, hoping to meet you and—”

“Um, Mr. Fadherdy,” Maverick interrupted with a suspense-filled look. “We met two nights ago. I walked you to your home when you said you forgot where your home was!”

“Oh! We might! Sorry, I have a poor memory nowadays,” gulped Fadherdy Bough. “Oops! I’m getting late tonight too! I hope our chief won’t mind if I say I met Maverick Ciekawy on my way,” he laughed nervously. “Anyway, n-nice meeting you. See you tomorrow night at the celebration. Don’t forget your sss…s-speech,” said Fadherdy Bough and disappeared into the market crowd.

“Hey, Bough, where is the payment for my eggs? Don’t try to fool me.” Maverick still heard that old lady’s voice among the noisy crowd.

While walking around the market Maverick recollected all events from dusk. The whole night seemed to be sluggish for him. Then he remembered Fadherdy’s last words ‘Don’t forget your speech’. Why would I give a speech? Is that important? Maverick mused.

“Why are you talking to yourself?” a sharp voice pierced his ears. The crowd paused and all were staring at a person across the street. A boy of his same age, fair height same as Maverick but stout, with curly black hair which jingled while he crossed the street came near him. He was Maverick’s best friend, Blardece. “What are you doing here? I thought you will be taking the market route,” the boy asked.

“Err — Mrs. Kindlespoon is in a bad mood tonight,” replied Maverick tilting his head. Blardece burst into laughter. “That woman is far too complicated to understand.”

They moved to avoid the crowd.

“Forgot to ask something, have you prepared your speech?” Blardece asked.

“What speech?”

“Hey, don’t try to fool me. I asked my mom to pack me extra fish and eggs so that I can stay until dawn,” said Blardece. “I can’t wait to see you standing among the council members in the Great Stage. Everyone will be chanting your name,” Blardece said with his hands in the air imagining that scene. “I heard something; they are giving you a special title, ‘SAVIOUR OF TENEBRO.’”

“WHAT?” bounced Maverick with a horrified face.

“Nah, I’m just joking. Just to see that look on your face,” Blardece smirked.

They reached the main street which was less crowded. Maverick stood unmoved looking at the street’s end. Blardece, who took a few steps stopped after noticing Maverick.

“What’s wrong, Mav?” asked Blardece, gazing in the same direction Maverick looked.

“Why haven’t they lit the beacon fire?” Maverick said in a jolting shock, without even blinking.

“Maybe they are still sleeping.”

Maverick shot a sharp look at his friend. “I’m going to the Council to report this,” he said, starting to move.

“Whoa, wait! We are already late for Rookies Joining. You can’t just—”

“This never happened before. They are responsible if—”

“Hey, Mav, look!”

A tiny sparkle twinkled far away in the dark night. The sparkle expanded and became a steady light. Another light peeped through the dark, near the first light. Suddenly the two lights started to climb uniformly like someone was chasing them, and they stopped. It looked as if a painter painted the number eleven in the air with fire.

“I wish I could light them myself one night,” said Blardece with glittering eyes. “It’s not easy as you see,” said Maverick with relief after seeing the beacon fire. “You will be like standing under an inferno; you must prepare your body to sustain the heat—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You invented that, everything you say will be right,” sighed Blardece. Maverick didn’t respond; he stood with his dark eyes fixed upon his greatest invention.

“Admiring your invention, huh? Maverick, the inventor of ‘EYE BURNER BLOCKER’ ta-da,” mimicked Blardece.

“Shut up, Blard,” Maverick chuckled.

“Holy chicken! An old man can ring a bell punctually but these youngsters are too lazy to light the beacon fire,” roared Irascias Piraat from the balcony of the Watchtower, looking at the ‘number eleven’. Even at the age of eighty-seven, he didn’t lose his solid voice. The shaggy beard, heavy boots, stinking hat, and dirty coat frightened every child in Tenebro.

Blardece went near the Watchtower. “Actually, Mr. Irascias Piraat, it’s not as easy as you see. You will be like standing under an inferno; you must prepare your body to sustain that heat,” Blardece repeated Maverick’s words.

“Shut it, boy,” said Irascias and threw his wooden mug aiming at Blardece’s head. Maverick rushed near and pulled his friend out of the speeding mug’s path. It missed Blardece’s head by an inch.

“Mr. Irascias, it’s me. Maverick!” he raised his voice so the old man could hear.

“WHAT?”

“It’s Maverick, uh, ‘wheat boy,’” replied Maverick.

“Oh, it’s you! Hold on,” said Irascias and climbed down the wooden stairs which creaked because of his weight. “What you brought me now, boy? More wheat I assume!”

“Um, no. I’m on the way to Rookies Joining,” replied Maverick.

“Oh! Okay.” There was some disappointment in Irascias’s voice. Blardece still stood like a statue watching Irascias’s mouth, which spat words without opening wide. Irascias ducked to take his mug but Maverick rushed before him and handed it over. Irascias breathed heavily because of the stairs.

“You must sit,” said Maverick grabbing Irascias’s elbow and directing him to a nearby chair. “He is my friend, I thought you knew him?!” said Maverick helping him sit.

“I thought he was from the Council, to reduce my wages, again,” muttered Irascias. “I’m sorry about the mug, boy,” he added towards Blardece.

“It’s okay. No problem,” said Blardece with a stupid smile.

“I thought you came to see me,” said Irascias looking at Maverick.

“I…uh…,” Maverick scratched his neck uncomfortably.

Maverick used to spend most of his time with his old friend but at that moment Irascias Piraat failed to understand that, Maverick was in a hurry.

“Who cares about this old man?” Irascias howled. His rusty voice broke in sadness. “All you need me to do is, ring the bell twice in the dusk to wake you all from your happy sleep and do the same in the dawn to warn you all to close your doors and windows before the Eye Burner shows up. But you cut down my wages,” he said furiously.

There was an awkward silence among them.

“Uh, Mr. Irascias, it’s getting late. Don’t worry, we will meet at dawn,’ said Maverick tapping the old man’s shoulder.

“Good luck with your job, boy,” Irascias said lifting his half-closed eyes.

“Thank you, sir,” said Blardece.

“Oh, Good luck to you too,” Irascias added towards Blardece. Maverick tried to hide his laughter, but couldn’t.

They started to move fast.

“That man is crazy. He tried to break my head,” said Blardece.

“He is a nice guy, just short-tempered, that’s all,” Maverick shrugged.

“You are bribing him wheat every night?”

“Bribe? No! The Council is not paying him well. So—”

“So you are supporting his living?”

“Yes. So what?” bounced Maverick irritably. “My father works in the Council, they pay him well. We always have more than enough,” replied Maverick. “Don’t tell me you are not getting enough fish. Your father is head of the fisheries department,” he added.

Blardece nodded and after a moment of silence asked, “Hey, do you know anything about Wheat Cultivation? Any facts or information I could use to impress our trainer?”

“No. Nothing,” Maverick opened his arms lamely.

“If I perform well, I could get a promotion in Wheat Cultivation, and support my family too,” said Blardece with new enthusiasm in his voice. “If you too perform well, of course, you would, we both could get promoted.”

“We may,” said Maverick palely.

“What? Are you not interested in Agriculture?” Blardece barked. “Yeah, I understand now, your father already earns well and you too get a lifetime supply of wheat, fish, and eggs because you are famous. Why would you hope for a promotion? How stupid of me,” Blardece scoffed and slapped his forehead.

“Whoa! Where did this come from? I’m not interested, that’s all!” replied Maverick.

“Not interested?”

“Yes. What? You don’t know what is happening in my life?” asked Maverick.

“No,” Blardece shook his head innocently.

Maverick took a deep breath and said, “My father wants me to join Bulwarking and have—”

“Wow! Seriously?” Blardece interrupted before Maverick could finish. “You can have a lifetime supply of resources, and if you marry someone she gets a job in Poultry by default. What do you want in your life other than this?”

“Lifetime secure job is not what I need, Blard. We must be passionate about what we do, irrespective of what the work is,” said Maverick.

“You are taking philosophy seriously,” Blardece said with a solid face. “What is wrong with Bulwarking? You have always wanted to become a bulwark since your childhood!”

“Yes. I love what they do in bulwarking, but hate how they do it,” said Maverick. “They should work with some pointless rules and should get approvals from the bottom level to top management if they come up with something new. Some favor you for no reason and some hate and degrade your work for no reason. I can’t imagine myself pleading with someone to approve my invention. I want to be a freelance inventor but my father isn’t accepting it,” he finished.

“This is life; you can’t always be gifted with opportunities. If you want to succeed in something first stop complaining. Society always listens to the winner’s lie, not the loser’s truth.”

“Who is philosophical now?” asked Maverick.

Blardece froze for a second and said, “Never mind. So why did you choose Wheat Cultivation?”

“Here I can at least be happy with you people. I got you, Velve, Lidrolla.”

“Okay!” Blardece sighed lowering his bushy head.

“STOP…” a voice echoed. A tall man with a dark mustache, tight outfit, and messy hair stood before them. Pointing his brawny hand towards their face he said, “Late for the first night of your job! Are you both stupid in your empty heads? Before you got yourselves admitted, you are EXPELLED. Off to your homes,” he erupted. Both Maverick and Blardece stood motionless, filled with horror. Blardece’s eyes became wet.

“Wait. You are Maverick, right?” he asked

“Yes, sir,” Maverick replied politely.

“Good. Good,” shrinking his brown eyes he said, “Splendid.” His big nose grew even bigger. “I retrieve what I said, you are not expelled. You are admitted and you. What’s your name, kid?” he asked Blardece. But Blardece with his eyes wide open looked directly at that guy’s nose. Before he could figure out what was going on, Maverick interrupted, “Blardece, sir. Blardece Neying.” The tall man pointed his brawny hand towards an archway, which said: WHEAT CULTIVATION.

Before the tall man said another word, Maverick caught Blardece by his collar and dragged him into the archway.

“That was too close. I thought he expelled us,” said Blardece still not recovered from the shock.

The smell of wet soil filled the entire area. People of the same age stood in groups — noisy as usual. Maverick stood on his toes to find his friends among the crowd.

“Ouch!” Blardece cried in pain, rubbing the back of his neck.

“What?”

“Someone hit me, look.” Blardece showed a small stone. Maverick knew the person who has the habit of giving that kind of welcome; with a smile that occurred naturally, he turned. Lidrolla Scintill stood behind them, a few yards away aiming another stone at Maverick’s head. As he turned unexpectedly, she couldn’t control her arm which already released the stone. It hit straight in Maverick’s forehead. “Come on! Not again,” cried Maverick. She came hopping like a child.

“Why do you do this always?” asked Blardece still rubbing his neck.

“Why? I always like to welcome by surprise,” said Lidrolla.

“Stupid welcoming,” Blardece muttered looking around.

Lidrolla, adjusting her dark waterfall-like hair said, “Don’t worry, next time I will aim a rock at your mouth.”

“Um, no, thanks, good welcoming,” Blardece jerked. “Where is Velve?” asked Maverick, looking around.

“Uh, she went to bring some water. Will come soon,” said Lidrolla.

“Hi.” A soft voice came floating in the air. It was Velvebloo; with her brown-striped hair dancing in the wind, matching her brown eyes which sparkled, she came with a mug of water.

“Hi, Velve.”

“Hi, Velve.”

Maverick and Blardece rhymed.

“You both are late! How can you be so careless?” asked Velvebloo, trying to sound strict in her sweet voice.

“It’s because of him,” Blardece instantly pointed at Maverick. “We had to stop at the Watchtower.”

“Please tell me you didn’t trouble that old man.”

“We troubled him! He tried to hit me in the head. Maverick saved me.” Blardece’s eyes widened in anger.

“He is a little disturbed.”

“Little? Seriously, little disturbed?”

“I don’t remember retards are allowed in Wheat Cultivation,” Swanky deliberately poked his nose in their conversation.

Swanky the only grandson of the village’s chief, Jurisbard Huubrihaught; spoiled and annoying, he never missed a chance to poke into someone’s discussion. He set up a rivalry against Maverick for reasons unknown. Swanky stood rigidly with his jet black hair covering his forehead, skin glowing like polished metal, and showing off his upper body muscles deliberately. Maverick remembered that Swanky was four years older than him, so what was his business there?

“What are you doing here, Swanky?” asked Maverick in a bossy tone.

“Making friends,” said Swanky, fixing his eyes on Velvebloo. She paid him no attention.

“You have nothing to do here,” said Blardece.

“That’s none of your business,” Swanky replied without taking his eyes away from Velvebloo.

“Of course, he has business here, Blard,” said Lidrolla. “Who do you think handles chicken poop supply to the entire Tenebro, other than the prodigal grandson of our Chief. Oh, not chicken poop, many call that manure for plants. Yes, manure supplier.”

All four chuckled except Swanky; his face was red in fury. The flirting look vanished from his face and he gave a sharp look at Lidrolla; she looked away mockingly.

Swanky moved away, his face must be burning in shame. They all laughed again till their stomachs ached. “That was a nice one,” said Blardece.

“Alright, everyone enough of your gossip and chit-chats,” the tall man who stopped Maverick and Blardece rushed into the field. Everyone ran to their allotted piece of land and stood firmly. Maverick searched for his land; luckily his land was near Lidrolla and Velvebloo. Blardece’s was next to Lidrolla. The tall man gazed at everyone from one end to another.

“The name is Bestride, Sinewy Bestride. I will be your trainer in Wheat Cultivation. I don’t care who you are or where you come from, all I need from you is to obey and respond, only to me. Never try to act smart, never leave this place without my permission, and most importantly, don’t ever, ever, ever, and never question my authority. You all will be given an equal piece of land, in that you must cultivate wheat at the end of the oncoming winter.”

Sinewy Bestride continued, “Only those who make within the first thirty ranks are eligible to be farmers. They will be presented with a piece of land that serves as an ancestral property for them and their family (Blardece’s face brightened). Others who fail to make it within the first thirty ranks will be again admitted for training or can choose some other profession, like Bulwarking, Fisheries, or anything you consider as a job.” Sinewy twitched a nasty smirk on his rough face and continued, “Wheat Cultivation will be not like how you studied in your school. This will be tough. If you want to leave, leave now or else I’ll kick your lazy face if I find you skipping my instructions.”

None moved a muscle.

“Alright, let’s start with the basics. Before you get your hands on the field you must know the basics of Wheat Cultivation. You must know your land very well than anything in your life…”

Sinewy Bestride continued without stopping. No one asked any questions. They all stood like statues. Soon some of the trainees had half-closed eyes — sleeping, but they gasped whenever Bestride raised his voice. Blardece, who was enthusiastic in the beginning, soon joined the sleeping crowd.

“Do you think he is going to speak all night?” whispered Lidrolla.

“I don’t know. Just act like you are listening,” said Maverick, barely opening his mouth. “What do you think Swanky is doing here?” he asked Velvebloo, the know-it-all of the gang.

“I’m not clear, but I heard a rumor—”

“WHAT?” shouted Blardece, who just woke up from his sleep.

Sinewy Bestride stopped his speech and gazed at the crowd with his ghoulish eyes. Unsure about who did that he continued. “You must use your tools very carefully. I don’t care if you hurt yourselves but no harm should be done to the land…”

Lidrolla stomped on Blardece’s foot. “Sorry,” he whispered in pain.

“What’s the rumor, Velve?” asked Maverick.

“Tomorrow night during the tenth anniversary of your invention, EYE BURNER BLOCKER, there is a talk that a new commander for bulwarking is going to be appointed.”

“Really!” surprised Maverick. “Whom do you think will be—?”

“SILENCE,” roared Bestride and continued, “After you make sure your crops are planted uniformly you must…”

All stood pretending to listen for the whole night. Their legs ached but no one dared to raise their voice. Maverick desperately waited for the words ‘class dispersed’ from Bestride; which he finally said. All trainees rushed out of the archway as fast as their legs could carry them.

“I’m hungry,” said Lidrolla. “I can’t believe he didn’t allow us to have food. A whole night lecture is not enough for him.”

“I’m hungry too,” said Blardece.

“Hey, why don’t you all come to my home? My mom would have prepared some boiled eggs, fresh from the Poultry,” asked Lidrolla.

“No, it’s already late.”

“I need to take care of my cousin.”

“I need to rest.”

All three bounced soon.

“Um, see you all tomorrow. Don’t be late for your celebration too, Mav. We all will be watching you,” Lidrolla departed reminding Maverick about something he should not forget.

Maverick entered his home and saw his sister at the feasting table with a plateful of roasted fish and boiled eggs. “How’s your job?” she asked, with a mouthful of food.

“Horrible.”

“Uh, at least make it sound good when Dad asks,” said Sugaall.

Maverick didn’t respond. He sat down at the table and started to eat. Since he was hungry, even his sister’s cooking tasted good.

“You hungry?” asked Sugaall, fixing her dark, adorable eyes on her brother.

“What do you think?” replied Maverick, busy swallowing the boiled eggs.

Their father Aegis Tutelage stormed into the house, carrying heavy baskets filled with fish and eggs. He looked identical to Maverick except for the thin receding hairline, which looked like a cultivated wheat field. “Sorry..! I’m late,” he gulped.

“Sit down, Dad. I’ll bring you fresh fish,” said Sugaall, collecting the baskets from him. Aegis sat opposite Maverick. With a broad smile on his face, Aegis Tutelage looked eagerly at his son.

“How was the night?” Aegis asked with bright eyes.

Maverick remembered his sister’s advice. “Splendid,” he said, trying to make it sound good. “We learned new things about cultivation, wheat, and tools, of course. We enjoyed really.”

“I knew you would… enjoy,” said Aegis with a fake smile.

Sugaall brought a plateful of fresh fish and distributed the fresh and hot ones to Maverick, others to her father, and sat between them both.

Aegis said, “What surprised me is, you are not accepting a job in the Council and refusing to join Bulwarking, but you find something interesting in Wheat Cultivation.”

“Father, we talked about this,” said Maverick in a frustrated tone. Sugaall switched a fresh fish to Maverick’s plate against an over-baked one.

“But what I am trying to say is, if you still join Bulwarking you can get a fair promotion within next year,” said Aegis, swallowing his chop of fish. Maverick opened his mouth to say something but before he uttered it, Sugaall kicked his feet from under the table and signalled him not to speak. Maverick got up without finishing his food and went into his room. He slightly heard Sugaall and Aegis arguing.

Maverick Ciekawy sat near the window and watched the people hurrying to their houses. The street was usually noisy at dawn. The first bell from the Watchtower chimed. Irascias Piraat, even though in his trembling old age was always punctual. Soon it will be dawn, but before that, the Tolerators must turn on the EYE BURNER BLOCKER.

There was a knock on the door. Aegis stood by the entrance, folding his coat made of lion’s mane, and said, “Um, sorry, I shouldn’t have talked—”

“It’s okay, father. Please, let’s not talk about that again,” Maverick pleaded.

“Okay. It’s about dawn. I’m… I’m going to the DNIMATIV building,” Aegis said. Maverick nodded.

All council members should sleep in the DNIMATIV building every seven days once — a rule by the Council.

After Aegis left, Maverick closed the front door and all windows and made sure nothing was open. He turned off the lit torches in the hall and went into his room, leading the darkness.

There was one lit torch in his room in a corner, and a lantern hung above his bed. He went near the lit torch and took a closer view of the fire, which burned heavily, clinching the top of the wood, like something trying to drag it away. He took a book from his cupboard and glanced over some pages. The second bell chimed from the Watchtower, indicating the Eye Burner has come. Maverick turned off the lit torch and jumped on his bed. His eyes started to close slowly and shut at once.

In his deep sleep, Maverick felt some tingling feeling in his toes. He rubbed them on the bed. The tingling increased. Now his toes started to fold, and his ankle then the knees and hips too. His neck twisted causing horrible pain.

Maverick opened his eyes; he was not in his bedroom anymore. He felt like he got stuffed into something, like a four-foot cradle. He tried to get up, freeing his hands but his head bumped into something. He couldn’t open his eyes which were in great pain like someone punched straight into his eyeballs. He strained a lot to open but shut them as fast as he could. In a swift movement, Maverick dumped himself into the four-foot cradle and covered his eyes with both hands. His body started to tremble from head to toe.

Maverick Ciekawy never saw such brightness in his life. He once visited the Council which had hundreds of lit torches and lanterns, but they cannot possibly match the brightness he saw. He heard strange sounds; sounds which he never heard in his twenty-two years. He didn’t dare to open his eyes to see what was going on around him. But then, out of nowhere, he heard a familiar sound in an unfamiliar voice.

“Why hasn’t he moved his car yet?”

The sound stopped his brain from panicking. His body exhaled relief. Maybe someone is there! I could ask for help. Where am I? Where is this brightness coming from? Is it dangerous? Questions flashed through his mind.

Still, the sight of brightness frightened him; he didn’t dare to stand but soon understood he can’t be in that four-foot box for long. His elbows and spine were in severe pain. Maverick opened his eyes slowly, this time it didn’t strain. He looked up and saw what he bumped into. A black plain metal, the same metal was to his right, crushing his elbow. On his left was something like a barrier but covered tightly with a black, thick cloth. Grabbing the black cloth he managed to sit, but his right leg got caught in a tangled coil of rope. Maverick got his eyes above the barrier, his black pupil got big, and so was his mouth.

He was in a box, but not perfectly cubical. He remembered the unfamiliar voice ‘Why hasn’t he moved his car yet?’ Car! What’s a car? What language is that? Maverick mused.

Maverick looked around the box which was divided into three compartments, he was in the last small one, the middle one was big and the first one had two big chairs, chairs without legs, and there was a medium-sized stick between them. In the right chair, he saw a man, who faced the same direction as Maverick; only the back of his head was visible.

Maverick assumed that the unfamiliar voice belonged to him and opened his mouth to talk, but his tongue didn’t twist. He couldn’t make any sound, only air rushed out of his mouth. Maverick stretched his hand, trying to reach the ‘unknown’ man, but he couldn’t. The more and more he tried, the more and more the rope tightened on his leg. There was a tiny mirror in the front of the box. When the man adjusted the mirror Maverick saw his reflection.

“Hey, move your car, you idiot,” the ‘unknown’ man yelled; he took a small, slim, rectangular box and placed it on his left ear. “Hello. I have very happy news for you… my client presented me a new car… yes, yes in your favorite color… I’m on the way… I know, I know, I should not use mobile while I’m driving… okay… okay… within thirty minutes I will be in our home, get ready…. aha…. uh…”

Maverick tried again to call him but his tongue remained stiff as a stick. He started to free his leg from the messy rope. After a great struggle when he freed his leg, suddenly the box stopped.

The man pushed the metal to his right, it opened similar to a door, got out, and slammed it hard. Maverick jumped into the middle compartment and saw a beautiful house pained in green, and a lady coming out, but couldn’t see her face.

“You are early,” the lady said.

“Yes. I promised my son I will take him to see the cricket match. If I fail to keep my promise I’m not a good father,” said the man.

Maverick opened his mouth and shouted, “HELP.” His tongue twisted letting the words out. He shouted again and jumped into the first compartment. Instead of getting into the first compartment, he felt like falling. There was no possibility to fall inside such a small box, but he still felt like falling from a great height. Suddenly Maverick felt severe pain in his back and head.

Maverick found himself in his bedroom, lying on the floor beside his bed. The lantern’s fire was still alive, and his back was hurting a lot. He got to his feet and saw his messed-up bed. His whole body was sweating and his entire room was in boiling heat. He felt like a fish being baked in a fire.

“Stupid dream,” Maverick said to himself, got on his bed, and slept.

_______

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