Theories of Relativity by Barbara Haworth-Attard

Author:Barbara Haworth-Attard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2017-01-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

I walk and walk, seeing nothing around me, not knowing where I am or how much time has passed. And I don’t care. Eventually, my legs refuse to go any farther. I sit on a bench at a bus stop, bury my head in my arms, and cry, huge sobs that shake my body. People and buses come and go, and still I sit, until I’m empty of tears. Then I remember my grandfather’s letter.

Dear Dylan, I read. I am not sure if this letter will find its way to you. You will be twelve years old now, nearly thirteen, and we have not seen each other for six years. I imagine you are a good size, as you always had large hands and feet to grow into. I study my hands, bend and look at my feet. They seem normal. I picture myself, a small kid with monster appendages. Your Grandma passed away a year ago and I miss her very much. It would give me a great deal of pleasure to see you again. I think of you often, and hope you are well, but as your mother has moved a few times, it’s been difficult to keep track of you. I’m still here at the farm. I would like you to come and visit, and perhaps, if you want or need to, make your home with me. With love, your Grandfather.

I can see him, sitting at the kitchen table, a pen held awkwardly in his shovel-sized hand, Grandma’s chair across from him, empty. I can’t believe my mother didn’t give me this letter. I could have lived on the farm all this time. No dads, no uncles to hassle me. But would I have left Micha and Jordan? Who would have taken care of them? Maybe that’s why Mom never gave me the letter. She needed me to be around. But if she needed me, why did she throw me out?

The sun paints the undersides of the clouds with a pink that fades as grey twilight gathers and softens the city’s concrete edges. I don’t want to be in this unfamiliar place in the dark. I climb on the next bus that comes and miraculously it heads toward downtown. Night falls rapidly now. The buses coming toward us are packed with people returning to warm homes. Gnawing at my thumbnail, I wonder where to go tonight. I could be at my granddad’s.

I’ve barely stepped off the bus when Twitch materializes in front of me.

“Hey, Dylan, I found us a squat,” he cries excitedly. Fingers, arms, legs, eyes move frenetically. Excited and high.

“Where?” I ask warily. Remembering Brad.

“It’s an old factory,” Twitch replies. “It has toilets.”

“Are any surprises waiting there for me? Like Lurch?”

He hangs his head. “Sorry about that, man. No surprises. I promise.” He solemnly crosses his heart, like Micha. Shit, he’s so pathetic.

I follow him through dark streets and alleys to the edge of downtown. Here, it’s empty stretches of asphalt, rusting car skeletons, broken streetlights, and long rows of warehousing.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.