Destination Eden (revised)
Chapter 8
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
Chapter
8
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>When he woke up, still very
early in the morning, he could tell two things for sure. One: he was terribly
cold and two: boy, he was hungry! Like they were out to nag him, they had planted
a bakery, not five feet away from him. A bakery that had always been there for
that matter, he'd just never seen it before.
The most wonderful smells wafted through the
air, making him picture the most colorful pastries
and cakes. Gingerbread with candy, apple dumplings with icing sugar, cinnamon
bread with raisins.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>His eyes opened again and
everything was gone. Bye gingerbread, bye apple dumplings, bye cinnamon bread.
They looked rather sad, his eyes, until they noticed movement. A delivery van
out and went inside. A few moments later he came out again with a large, flat
tray. He entered again, and came out with another one of those trays. And in
again, and out, over and over. They all disappeared at the back of the van.
Trays stuffed with tasty things.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo sneaked closer. The man
stayed in longer this time. He and the lady behind the counter had started
chattering and tried to surpass each othe tel telling the most world shocking
gossip. Hey, have you heard about that skyscraper that burnt down? No, tell me.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>With careful steps, Duo
tripped to the back of the van and peeked inside. Oh heavens! Muffins, donuts,
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>And have you already heard
about that bank that was robbed? Really now? No, didn’t know that.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo’s hands crawled to one the the trays. One. As good as nothing. Two. Oh, they surely won’t miss them.
Three. Well, now I’m at it. Four. Fat cats. Five. And one for the road. Six.
Duo had just come up with the most world
shocking gossip. Hey, mister delivery guy, have you heard? Your van is being
robbed right in front of your eyes.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Laden with his freshly built
up food supply and a good amount of fear, he ran for it. He ran, turned into
the first alley, almost slipped, ran again, nowhere in particular. His backpack
sloshed on his back, but he kept on running with the precious pastries tightly
clutched in his arms.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>A hand shot out of a
building and dragged him inside. An other hand was clasped in front of his
mouth and strong arms held his floundering body tight.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Don’t be afraid. I won’t
hurt you,” someone whispered in his ear. “Do you trust me?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo shook his head. No, he
didn’t trust him. He didn’t trust anybody. Still the pn len let him go, and he
turned around to see who had had the nerve to drag him by
the arm, just like that. It was a boy. He looked older than him. He had black
hair and blue eyes and didn’t give a mean impression.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Why did you do that?” Duo
asked.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>The guy grinned. Good, he
wasn’t about to go screaming blue murder, that little boy. “Let me tell you
something, chap: when you have stolen something, then…”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Who says those are stolen?”
inteinterrupted him, glancing swiftly to the cakes in his arms.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Oh, were you running
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo looked down in defeat
and suddenly found the dirty floor very interesting.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Thought so. Well, what I
was about to tell you is that when you have
stolen something, then you shouldn’t run away,” the boy said. “You make a suspect
out of yourself if you run away.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“You also make a suspect out
of yourself if you wear poor clothes,” Duo retorted brightly.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Running away and poor
clothes is doubly suspicious. You’d rather be
just suspicious instead of doubly suspicious,”
the boy replied sagely.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“I’d rather be not
suspicious.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“All street boys are
suspicious.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“I’m not a street boy.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Street girl?” the boy
asked, eyeing the braid.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“No! I’m just a boy.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Just a boy who steals for
fun.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Back to the dirty floor.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“What’s your name?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Duo.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“How old are you?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Twelve.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Are
you looking for shelter, Duo?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Yes.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“For half of you food supply
and the contents of your backpack you can stay here.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo snorted disapprovingly and
finally ventured to look up again. “You hardly know me and already you start
wheedling stuff out of me.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“That’s not wheedling stuff
out of you, boy. That’s negotiating.”
a tad too belittling for Duo’s liking, but he
assumed that anything was better than the open
sky as a roof.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Are you a street boy too?”
he asked.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>The boy grinned self
evidently and meticulously pointed out the stains on his shirt. “Guess.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>That made Duo laugh.
Stealing scum, just like he was. “Good,” he said. “But first I want your name.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“I’m Solo,” he smiled,
gratefully taking his part of the food. “Keep that backpack with you for a
moment. That’s for the others.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Others?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Yes. Follow me.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo followed him to a
stairway, munching on one of his s, ds, devouring would be
what you told me?” he asked with his greedy mouth still half full.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“What?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“About th
have stolen something.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Sure, that’s true. You have
to sneak away, not run away. The trick is to make
sure ylwaylways have a hole or crack through which you can disappear. If
you don’t have that, then you’d better steal nothing at all.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo’s footstep
banged his way up the stairs, floor after
floor. “How old are you?” Duo asked.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Sixteen,” Solo said.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“How
long have you lived here?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“About a year, I think.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“How did you
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Fight with my parents.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“About what?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Solo turned abruptly and
looked at Duo. “You want to know a lot, don’t you?” he said, playfully swatting
his head.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Dammit! He almost lost his
donuts! “You’re afraid of telling me then?” Duo asked.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Of course not.” He turned
around again and continued his way. “They had always expected me to take girls
home with me. But I didn’t. I took boys with me. Oh, you’re only fifteen, that
will change, my mother said then. No, that’s not gonna change, I said. I love
boys and it will always be that way. Short
bombshell dropped. My mother burst into tears,
kept on blaming me, saying how filthy and
unnatural it was. My father even hit me for ihen hen they
have any effect, they told me I was no longer
their son, not as long as I refused to change. Good, I told them, then I don’t
want to live here any longer either. And I
hightailed.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>By this
reached the upper floor, Solo panting slightly, just like Duo. Duo looked at
him wide eyed and didn’t say anything.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“We’re here,” Solo said. As
he went to proceed, Duo stopped him.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“You know, I don’t think
it’s filthy and unnatural,” he said softly.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“That’s very sweet of you,” Solo
smiled, wiping the icing sugar away from Duo’s mouth with his thumb. “Was it
good?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo nodded. “Yes, very good.
I was very hungry. Aren’t you gonna eat yours?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“In a minute.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Solo, I have to tell you
something.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“What’s the matter?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Yesterday a man
that? That’s not what I am, am I?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Solo sighed and lowered his
eyes. The fellow had already found out for himself what kind of neighborhood
this was. Well, that was one thing off his list of confessions to make. “No,
you’re not. But there are many who are.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“You too?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Yes, me too. We have to
eat, Duo. Did you go whim?him?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“No.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Why not?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“He didn’t want to anymore.
I think I was a bit too insolent.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Solo’s eyes shot back up and
he frowned. “Oh, what did you say?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“He asked me how much he had
to pay, and I said as much as possible.” Duo jumped as Solo started laughing
all of a sudden.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Hey, haven’t tried that
head in amusement and went to the door. “You’re a good kid. Come, come on in,”
he said, pushing the doorknob down with his elbow. Duo followed him and entered
a large room that once must’ve been an apartment. There was hardly any
furniture, only a table and a couple of chairs. A few
mattresses lay littered upon the floor which obviously had seen better
times. On one of those mattresses lay a moving pile of blanket
look much older than eight. When they saw the pastries
in Solo’s arms, their eyes lit up.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Hey kids. Look what I’ve
got for ya,” he said, kneeling down and each giving them one of the fragrant
cakes.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“That’s all for us?” one of
them said incredulously.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Yes, all of it. Now eat
it,” he smiled, rubbing over his reddish head.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“But Solo, now you don’t
have anything anymore,” Duo said.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Solo turned around and
flashed him a smile. “That’s alright.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>The imaginary balance in
Duo’s head started functioning. On his scale there were takesakes left. On
Solo’s there was nothing but air. Two cakes weighed heavier than air and bang!
the balance overturned.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Solo, this one is for you,”
Duo said, handing him one of the delicacies. But Solo pushed his hand back.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“No, keep it. We shared.
Those two are for you. You’ll still be needing them.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“But…”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Hush now. Told you it would
be alright.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>The door swung open and a
boy whooshed inside. “Tadaa! Fifty grands, try to beat me!” he said merrily,
holding the valuable notes triumphantly up in the air. A smile colored his face
and a nice row of teeth shone between two rosy lips.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“And with that money, we’ll
go shopping,” Solo said. He reached the boy in
a few strides and took the money from him. “Good job, kid,” he said with an
appreciating tap to his shoulder.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Who’s that over there?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“That’s Duo. I picked him
searching for refuge.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“You know, Solo, keep it up
and we’ll be starving in no time. I earned fifty dollars
now, but don’t forget we have to save some money to rent something decent in
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Benoît, he’s the same age
as you and look at him. He simply oozes sensuality, even at such an age.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Oh, so I’m not good enough
anymore all of a sudden?” Benoît reproached him playfully.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“I didn’t say that, stupid.
But I’m convinced he could make us a lot of money. Only, he’s still a bit
skeptical.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Benoît rubbed his hands
together and grinned. “Leave that to me,” he said, heroically shoving Solo
aside. “Hey, street boy!”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Oh, he’s not a street boy,”
Solo smirked.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Street girl?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Would you stop it already!”
Duo yelled frustrated. “I’m a boy, alright? Or do you want to see?” he added
with a grin.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Can I?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Hadn’t expect that. Dope,
don’t ask for it. A hostile look kicked the challenging grin away. “You’re
mean.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“I’m not mean. I’m just
teasing you. You have to know the difference between being mean and teasing.”
Benoît reached out his hand and let his index finger wander over Duo’s
cheekbone. “Has someone already told you you’re beautiful?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“No.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“I’ll tell you. You’re
beautiful, Duo.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo looked at him with
doubtful eyes and in the end opted to just cast them down again. “You’re
teasing me again, aren’t ya?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“No,” Benoît said.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Then you’re mean?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“No.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>It never ceased to amaze
Solo how much power of persuasion that boy had. His box of tricks never got
empty. He could even convince a tiger to take off his stripes and go rope
skipping in them.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“What’s your name?” Duo
asked.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Benoît.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Benoît?” Duo said, as if
the name was a hotchpotch of spinach, Brussels sprouts and everything else a
twelve year old doesn’t like. “A French name?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Yes. Don’t you like it?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“No.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“What do you like then?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo shrugged. “Dunno,” he
said.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Alright. Then you can call
me “Dunno,” Benoît said.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Oh funny, see me laughing!
Where did that boy get the nerve to ridicule him like that?
This place is a lot better than the
street, be content with it. And his common sense was right.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Listen, I just earned fifty
dollars,” Benoît whispered in Duo’s ear.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>The words hadn’t been said
in a boastful way, but rather
that sure if he liked it. What exactly would they compete with? “Good for you,”
he said, trying not to appear impressed. “And what did you have to do for
that?”>
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“What do you think?” Benoît said
self-evidently. “Fucking, of course. Or did you think I could go around
pretending to be a salary man in th
an arm around Duo’s waist and pulled him closer. “Could you do that too?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Very well, fellow, challenge
accepted. No way would he be intimidated by
that kid. “Of course, piece of cake. One day I’ll come back with one hundred
dollars.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“I'll
hold you to that. Fifty dollars is an
exception. The usual tariff is twenty, thirty at
the most. The day you come back with a hundred or more, I
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“If I can interrupt my
lovebirds for a moment, I’m going shopping now,” Solo meddled carefully.
“Anything you need?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Shampoo,” Duo said. “I
would like to wash my hair.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Say, what do you think this
is, kid? One of those snob hotels?” Benoît snorted disdainfully.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“But it’s greasy.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Benoît regarded the brown
mass and stretched out his hand. “Let me feel.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Don’t you touch it!” Duo
yelled, taking his braid in a possessive grip.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Talking about freaking.
Although he had to admit the boy had indeed wonderful hair, no doubt about
that. Something told him that maybe, if he would extol the hair, Duo just might
like him then. Hail to the braid! He almost had the tendency to hold out his
left hand and shout out like the Germans had done: “Heil Hitler!” Or was it his
right hand? It would cost a lot of water though to wash all that hair. But
surely, that shouldn’t be a problem. They used
rainwater after all, since the waterworks had been turned off.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“You’re right, it is greasy,”
Benoît said. “Solo, I think we should let him wash his hair. It would be a
shame to let it go to waste.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Surprised eyes shone and
looked hopefully to see Solo’s mind playing
paper, scissors, stone.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Show him the bathroom,” he
said finally. “There should still be a bit of
shampoo left. And Duo, you can give your backpack to him.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>The backpack was accepted
and greedily emptied out before Benoît
amusing, for Duo much less amusing, conclusion
that the bit of shampoo left wasn’t enough.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>To be continued…
style='font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>