behind the garden wall

chapter 7

❖ || I am waiting to collect my words and my vocabulary || ❖

Like any normal morning in the summer of Paris, the weather was mild, the market was crowded with girls shopping, and the suburbs were quiet, like the calmness of the waters after a storm, but the calmness of the place was not preceded by a storm, but it is always like this, because all these vast lands belong to rich families.

Where the green carpet occupies fifty kilometers with scattered bushes here and there, as far as the eye can see, you will find nothing but tranquility as it takes refuge in this place. At a close distance is the house of the Leonardo family, which is surrounded by a high wall of marble stones, and next to it is a group of houses. The distances between them for cars to cross

On the threads of the sun that crept through the wide window and penetrated the blue curtain, the dark man opened his eyes to release their blueness, sat down automatically, rubbing his eyes lightly and getting up to perform his boring routine very slowly and with focus on the smallest boring details.

He takes his clothes out of the bag, arranges them according to his mind in the closet, but he does not care about his appearance, all that matters is that he is clean.

He wore broad gray clothes with long sleeves and short shorts, then he went down the stairs and again in his strange way, holding with both hands the protective wall of the ladder, and one foot went down, then the other followed.

From below, Julia saw him carrying the breakfast dishes. She continued to look at him with a small smile, then moved towards the wide square that overlooks the garden and in the center is the table at which everyone sits. While she was arranging the table, Eugene entered and his eyes watched his steps.

- Good morning, little Eugene.

Everyone looked at each other and then back, where Eugene ignored everyone and took himself a chair behind him in the garden. They were looking at him in astonishment. James whispered to his wife.

Don't be sad, he just didn't get used to us...

Julia shook her head and sat next to James. Mateo's eyes did not move away from the younger one until he realized what he was doing. He lowered his eyes and then looked at his grandfather and said quietly,

"Grandpa, I'm going to Chile tomorrow. The next scenes need a natural and calm ground."

Grandpa looked at him in shock and inquired in astonishment.

But didn't you tell me you'd do the parts here? Then Chile is a very distant city. Has all, nature ended up in Paris, so do you have to go there?

Completed Martin and he puts the sandwich in his mouth

I was only with the director, so when did he change his mind?

Matteo sighed, ignoring the annoying voice that hadn't stopped since their conversation began.

He called me in the middle of the night. I really don't know what's going on in his mind. Our equipment is all here. Then I hate America, so how will I bear a whole week away from you...

Roslyn laughed and winked at Matthew.

Away from us, or from your sweetheart.

Matthew looked at her, deadpan.

How silly you are. You'd better shut up, Rose.

Rose snapped angrily

- I'm Rose...

Oops, I apologize...

James and the grandfather laughed loudly, as they were the only ones who differentiated between them well. Everyone returned to their calmness except for the sound of the clicks on the table. Light clicks and at a steady pace similar to the sound of the clock. Matteo hit the table angrily, so everyone was startled except the concerned. Matteo shouted silently.

Stop clicking like that and eat quietly.

As if he was talking to the monster, Dora, who did not understand, continued what he was doing while his eyes watched the many dishes that were strange to him, and this was the first thing that was broken in his fixed rules. Discomfort appeared on his features as he remembered Thomas and the sandwich he used to eat with him.

He pursed his lips and fought his panic attack when what he wanted didn't happen or when he faced something he hated.

Julia stood up to find out what was wrong with him, but as soon as she approached him, he quickly stood up from the chair and fell backwards. She stopped, concerned with astonishment at his behavior. In a moment he flees to his refuge, which is the green land that makes him calm down. Julia sighed and returned to sit in her place.

James said rebukingly.

- Is that how you talk to a child, Mateo? He was just confused...

Matteo Ward sighed as he fiddled with his food.

- You don't understand anything Uncle... He's... he's just weird... Didn't you notice he didn't even look at us... am I talking to one of you yet?

He raised his head with the last sentence he uttered seriously, so everyone shook their heads, denying what he said. He sighed and went back to eating silently.

He went into the front garden, looked around... He went out the door next to the big car exit gate,

He smiled when he glimpsed Eugene's back while he was sitting on the side of the road, looking in front of him specifically at their neighbor's children who had just gone out to play and unload their energy and madness. He was watching their movements and everything they did,

Martin sat next to him, looking at the mass of activity in front of him, unlike the mass of laziness next to him. He blushed to get Eugene's attention, but all he got was ignorance.

He tilted his head to look into my younger eyes. His smile increased at the galaxies he saw in the early morning. He opened his mouth in amazement at the children's movements and their running behind a green ball.

Martin sighed and spoke to break the silence.

- Eugene, that's your name, right?

He was silent, waiting for the answer that he would not get, so he continued while extending his hand to shake the younger one.

- I'm Martin... your younger uncle.

Eugene leaned his torso to the side in order to avoid touching Martin, so the other smiled with difficulty, thinking that he only disrespected him. How could he not think like this when he is Matteo's brother, who never respects him and treats him as his friend? Martin pulled his hand and sighed, saying:

- Eugene, I know you hate us for what your mother did, but...you have to be kind to us...as you can see, everyone is trying to get close to you, hmm, you understand me right?

He waited for an answer, moved him, an indication that he understood his words, but he was still in his own world. He not only left the barriers of communication between them, but also wrapped them in chains of iron that will not soften except for the people whose mind defines him and is comfortable with them.

- At least tell me how old are you, Eugene?

And because of the time that I did not know how much I had become, he did not receive the answer, so he squeezed his hands, half a minute was only what silence could control, after he was interrupted by a soft voice that was not appropriate for a nine-year-old, but for a child of a few years of age not exceeding five... He was faint and stuttering

Nine years, four months, seven, twenty-seven days, and fifteen hours.

Martin's eyes widened, not because of his age, which his small body did not show, and not because of his intermittent voice, as if it was the first time he had spoken in months.

I never imagined in my life that I would find a person who counts the hours of his life...

Eugene raised his gaze at Martin in astonishment at what he had done. Martin did not notice those admiring glances with his whistling, but while he was talking, Eugene remembered the words of one of the children who confused him with everything which he had learned after months of fatigue and struggling. Martin wanted to speak or apologize if I disturbed him, but he was silent after Eugene shook his body, and the locks of his hair were still between his small fingertips while repeating

- Not true.. not true.. lie.. lie..

Martin was amazed at his words. Eugene stood up after he calmed down and took another place, far away from Martin, so that he could return to watch, so the eldest sighed and entered the house to let the other do whatever he wanted... Eugene sat at the gate of another house and raised his feet to his chest, moving the palm of his foot as if he was following a certain tune. It could be breached

"Eugene, you are fake... Your life is fake you don't know your real age, no one knows and Mama Mina pities you so she made you a different birthday from us... you are fake"