10/01/2020
1 recensioniHere I am, standing on my couch, a brown scarf on my left hand, a jumbled action figure on the right one, looking at the blinking lights which decorate our Christmas tree, lighting the white pine needles.
I failed.
I’ve sworn I would have restrained myself. Anything to avoid lying here, without an ounce of strength inside me; but in the end the temptation was too great.
«Christian! » my mother beams at me «You sure you don’t want another gingerbread man? » She waves the brown figurine with its unmistakable red buttons in front of me, like I’m a pike and that’s an exquisite bait «It’s the last one. »
Why does my loving mother want to kill me via swift diabetes? I muster all my will to wobble my head.
«You getting old, my dear. Last year you ate twice as many. » She giggles «I had to pry them from your hands. »
I shrug «Old? Wiser, I’d say. »
«Well said, boy! » My uncle towers over me. «There might be a chance you’ll sleep without holding your tummy the whole night. »
How can he stay on his feet, since he ate an entire pie by himself beats me. A rectangular shaped package enveloped in a brown paper stays firm in his hands.
He smiles and stares at me with an illegible look, with warmth, indeed, but the furrowed brow gives him something else I can’t quite catch. I swallow before being able to speak.
«Let me guess, » I point at his gift «You brought me another book. »
«And they are starting to work, you are smarter already. »
I snatch the package and turn it on its side, as the rest of the family draws in to witness the ritual.
«But that’s not all, » he caresses his white moustache «I brought you a heavy hitter, my boy. This one you HAVE to read. »
My mother scoffs, raising her eyes under her bony glasses. She doesn’t wait for me to unwrap the present and brings the plate filled with nuts to my sister, who stays focused on her cellphone and waves without looking up.
Why doesn’t one of them give some advice to uncle Harvey? I might open something I like, for once.
Unwrapping the box reveals what I was expecting: a book inside a cardboard case, silver tentacles running front to back interweaving with one another on a blue background. “The complete works of H.P. Lovecraft”.
It can’t be…
«This is the author you were talking about when you drove me to school the first time. »
«The one and only. »
Everything disappears. There is no Christmas Tree, no little Jesus lying on a straw bed surrounded by his loving parents, not even my mother giving bingo folders to the rest of the family while screaming gleefully “I get to win, this year”.
All I can feel is the voice of Harvey, driving a black Twingo, a plushy bear disguised as a bee for some reason, hanging from the rear window.
«You afraid of your teachers, boy? Don’t you worry, even the worst of them will be a slight bump on the road. You don’t expect Cthulhu to be teaching here. »
Both then and now the question is the same, although this time with a different meaning.
«The Great Cthulhu? »
«The Great Cthulhu! »
I unsleeve the tome and let my hand hover on the cover, following a pattern indiscernible even to me.
«Chrissie! » my mother’s high-pitched shout breaks the spell; I stare at her green eyes «You can read that book later: we are playing altogether, and you’re not getting away this time. »
I cock my head. The book I thought I was just fiddling with is, in reality, resting on my thighs open at page one, the title “The beast in the cave” printed in large letters at the top.
I lower my hand, but Harvey has already reached the book and closed it for me.
«Don’t worry, sis! » He booms «The horrible distraction has been banished, for now. »
My mother starts to laugh, and not after long I start laughing too. I guess the idea of me becoming a bookworm is a bit too much. My hilarity gets extinguished all at once though, as soon as I see the humourless expression on my uncle’s face.
That didn’t bother him, right?
I take a seat beside my father, who is entertaining my cousins with the old vanishing coin. The trick is nothing new, but the way he makes it while drinking at his whiskey always amazes me.
The sound of the little wood cylinders rustling in a cloth bag signal the start of another Bingo round.
«66! 6! »
«The number of the beast! » Lily growls, winning the title of “most inappropriate joke of 2019” at the latest moment.
The beast. And the Cave. Wasn’t that the title I saw earlier? It doesn’t get any basic than that, I guess; then why do I need to know more right now? Is there something marvellous hiding underneath the most basic premise possible? It doesn’t make any sense. I fell for my uncle’s spell, but it will go as always: I’ll give it a try, last ten pages or so, and in the end, this tome will rest in the graveyard of Christmas Past, in the good company of his other presents.
«Bingo! » Lily springs up, holding her card tight as if aunt Sophie could rob her of the seven euros destined to the winner; which isn’t out of question knowing how greedy she is.
I can’t believe it is already over. I doubt I’ve even put a single number on my card. My whole attention was on the book laying on the velvet cloth draping the table.
«It was not the right one, honey. » Uncle Harvey is staring at me as he extends the card to my mother «Thanks for trying, though. »
«Another round » my mom’s voice has a hint of frustration, although she still seems excited «And you are all playing, right? »
«No mom, I—»
«Sorry, hon— »
Harvey’s matter of fact refusal mixes with my mellow voice.
«My nephew and I have a couple of matters to discuss. » He plays with his chips, raising one with a thumb and shifting it at the end of a stack in a steady flow. «I hope you don’t mind. »
«Not at all. » She bites her lower lip and snatches our losing cards. «Just make it brief. We are having dinner, next. »
Harvey sighs «We’ll be back before you notice we are gone. Heck! We might even make it in time to see Lily win the third straight. »
«Promise me. » My sister still doesn’t raise her head from her phone. «We’ll celebrate my triumph over you all. »
I nod and hurry after uncle Harvey, who has grabbed the book and is already at the end of the corridor, headed to my room.
«32! » My father yells behind us. In a flash, another game is afoot, and we have disappeared from the family Christmas party.
I swear a spirit works hard to make a mess of my room when I’m not watching. A huge stack of paper, which I swear to god I have no idea where it comes from, lays at the centre of my desk, which hosts a black dragon perched on a tower and a few pencils spread here and there.
«As always you have an interesting taste in decorating your room. » Uncle Harvey clears a little space and faces me, leaning on the wooden surface.
«All right, Chris! » He stares at me. His palms run on his grey trousers, sometimes catching on one of the many pockets «Now listen to me, and don’t interrupt me. You hear me? »
«Yes sir! » I stand at attention and raise my hand on the forehead. He slams his hands on his tighs
«Attaboy! I knew I could count on you. You are a smart kid, so I’m sure you noticed: there’s nothing normal in the book you are holding. »
I was sure he had taken it, but there it is: the tome is again open in my hands, and once more I can read “The Beast and the Cave” inviting me.
«I—»
«You’re about to see a world you always knew existed, but have never really experienced, except for a few glimpses. »
I turn the tome on his back. A nice one for sure, but ordinary enough.
Then why I can’t keep my eyes off it?
«I know you don’t believe me, but no one knows this world better than me. » He extends his arm, and I put the book on his right hand.
«These stories and me, kid. » He shuffles the pages with care as if they could turn to dust. «We go a long time. »
«More than the one you gave me last year? Gordon something, I remember »
«Gordon Pym. You finished it? »
«I… I…» A sudden heat rushes to my cheeks
«Of course you haven’t. » He snaps the book shut; all his care gone. «I wonder if I made the right choice giving you this one. »
«You did! » I rush in front of him, not sure whether driven by real interest or guilt. «I’m not putting this one down until I finish the first story. »
He stares at me, his mouth ajar.
«That’s a promise. » I cup his hands in mine, trembling.
The Beast and the Cave. I have to know.
«Calm down, kid! » He poses the book on the desk and raises his hands. «I was just pulling your leg. But I’m afraid those terms are unacceptable. »
«What do you mean? » I cock my head «You’ll make me read it? »
«No kid. The book will. »
I failed.
I’ve sworn I would have restrained myself. Anything to avoid lying here, without an ounce of strength inside me; but in the end the temptation was too great.
«Christian! » my mother beams at me «You sure you don’t want another gingerbread man? » She waves the brown figurine with its unmistakable red buttons in front of me, like I’m a pike and that’s an exquisite bait «It’s the last one. »
Why does my loving mother want to kill me via swift diabetes? I muster all my will to wobble my head.
«You getting old, my dear. Last year you ate twice as many. » She giggles «I had to pry them from your hands. »
I shrug «Old? Wiser, I’d say. »
«Well said, boy! » My uncle towers over me. «There might be a chance you’ll sleep without holding your tummy the whole night. »
How can he stay on his feet, since he ate an entire pie by himself beats me. A rectangular shaped package enveloped in a brown paper stays firm in his hands.
He smiles and stares at me with an illegible look, with warmth, indeed, but the furrowed brow gives him something else I can’t quite catch. I swallow before being able to speak.
«Let me guess, » I point at his gift «You brought me another book. »
«And they are starting to work, you are smarter already. »
I snatch the package and turn it on its side, as the rest of the family draws in to witness the ritual.
«But that’s not all, » he caresses his white moustache «I brought you a heavy hitter, my boy. This one you HAVE to read. »
My mother scoffs, raising her eyes under her bony glasses. She doesn’t wait for me to unwrap the present and brings the plate filled with nuts to my sister, who stays focused on her cellphone and waves without looking up.
Why doesn’t one of them give some advice to uncle Harvey? I might open something I like, for once.
Unwrapping the box reveals what I was expecting: a book inside a cardboard case, silver tentacles running front to back interweaving with one another on a blue background. “The complete works of H.P. Lovecraft”.
It can’t be…
«This is the author you were talking about when you drove me to school the first time. »
«The one and only. »
Everything disappears. There is no Christmas Tree, no little Jesus lying on a straw bed surrounded by his loving parents, not even my mother giving bingo folders to the rest of the family while screaming gleefully “I get to win, this year”.
All I can feel is the voice of Harvey, driving a black Twingo, a plushy bear disguised as a bee for some reason, hanging from the rear window.
«You afraid of your teachers, boy? Don’t you worry, even the worst of them will be a slight bump on the road. You don’t expect Cthulhu to be teaching here. »
Both then and now the question is the same, although this time with a different meaning.
«The Great Cthulhu? »
«The Great Cthulhu! »
I unsleeve the tome and let my hand hover on the cover, following a pattern indiscernible even to me.
«Chrissie! » my mother’s high-pitched shout breaks the spell; I stare at her green eyes «You can read that book later: we are playing altogether, and you’re not getting away this time. »
I cock my head. The book I thought I was just fiddling with is, in reality, resting on my thighs open at page one, the title “The beast in the cave” printed in large letters at the top.
I lower my hand, but Harvey has already reached the book and closed it for me.
«Don’t worry, sis! » He booms «The horrible distraction has been banished, for now. »
My mother starts to laugh, and not after long I start laughing too. I guess the idea of me becoming a bookworm is a bit too much. My hilarity gets extinguished all at once though, as soon as I see the humourless expression on my uncle’s face.
That didn’t bother him, right?
I take a seat beside my father, who is entertaining my cousins with the old vanishing coin. The trick is nothing new, but the way he makes it while drinking at his whiskey always amazes me.
The sound of the little wood cylinders rustling in a cloth bag signal the start of another Bingo round.
«66! 6! »
«The number of the beast! » Lily growls, winning the title of “most inappropriate joke of 2019” at the latest moment.
The beast. And the Cave. Wasn’t that the title I saw earlier? It doesn’t get any basic than that, I guess; then why do I need to know more right now? Is there something marvellous hiding underneath the most basic premise possible? It doesn’t make any sense. I fell for my uncle’s spell, but it will go as always: I’ll give it a try, last ten pages or so, and in the end, this tome will rest in the graveyard of Christmas Past, in the good company of his other presents.
«Bingo! » Lily springs up, holding her card tight as if aunt Sophie could rob her of the seven euros destined to the winner; which isn’t out of question knowing how greedy she is.
I can’t believe it is already over. I doubt I’ve even put a single number on my card. My whole attention was on the book laying on the velvet cloth draping the table.
«It was not the right one, honey. » Uncle Harvey is staring at me as he extends the card to my mother «Thanks for trying, though. »
«Another round » my mom’s voice has a hint of frustration, although she still seems excited «And you are all playing, right? »
«No mom, I—»
«Sorry, hon— »
Harvey’s matter of fact refusal mixes with my mellow voice.
«My nephew and I have a couple of matters to discuss. » He plays with his chips, raising one with a thumb and shifting it at the end of a stack in a steady flow. «I hope you don’t mind. »
«Not at all. » She bites her lower lip and snatches our losing cards. «Just make it brief. We are having dinner, next. »
Harvey sighs «We’ll be back before you notice we are gone. Heck! We might even make it in time to see Lily win the third straight. »
«Promise me. » My sister still doesn’t raise her head from her phone. «We’ll celebrate my triumph over you all. »
I nod and hurry after uncle Harvey, who has grabbed the book and is already at the end of the corridor, headed to my room.
«32! » My father yells behind us. In a flash, another game is afoot, and we have disappeared from the family Christmas party.
I swear a spirit works hard to make a mess of my room when I’m not watching. A huge stack of paper, which I swear to god I have no idea where it comes from, lays at the centre of my desk, which hosts a black dragon perched on a tower and a few pencils spread here and there.
«As always you have an interesting taste in decorating your room. » Uncle Harvey clears a little space and faces me, leaning on the wooden surface.
«All right, Chris! » He stares at me. His palms run on his grey trousers, sometimes catching on one of the many pockets «Now listen to me, and don’t interrupt me. You hear me? »
«Yes sir! » I stand at attention and raise my hand on the forehead. He slams his hands on his tighs
«Attaboy! I knew I could count on you. You are a smart kid, so I’m sure you noticed: there’s nothing normal in the book you are holding. »
I was sure he had taken it, but there it is: the tome is again open in my hands, and once more I can read “The Beast and the Cave” inviting me.
«I—»
«You’re about to see a world you always knew existed, but have never really experienced, except for a few glimpses. »
I turn the tome on his back. A nice one for sure, but ordinary enough.
Then why I can’t keep my eyes off it?
«I know you don’t believe me, but no one knows this world better than me. » He extends his arm, and I put the book on his right hand.
«These stories and me, kid. » He shuffles the pages with care as if they could turn to dust. «We go a long time. »
«More than the one you gave me last year? Gordon something, I remember »
«Gordon Pym. You finished it? »
«I… I…» A sudden heat rushes to my cheeks
«Of course you haven’t. » He snaps the book shut; all his care gone. «I wonder if I made the right choice giving you this one. »
«You did! » I rush in front of him, not sure whether driven by real interest or guilt. «I’m not putting this one down until I finish the first story. »
He stares at me, his mouth ajar.
«That’s a promise. » I cup his hands in mine, trembling.
The Beast and the Cave. I have to know.
«Calm down, kid! » He poses the book on the desk and raises his hands. «I was just pulling your leg. But I’m afraid those terms are unacceptable. »
«What do you mean? » I cock my head «You’ll make me read it? »
«No kid. The book will. »