Days of Gold Gone By: Ep.Seven

Days of Gold Gone By: A Serial

Episode Seven: Sugar and Sweets

I can’t say he is the worst. He is not the best but he is also not the worst. I think he knows that he has done something wrong, because he offers me treats of British sweets that he stashes in his pocket every now and then. They taste ‘de-ri-shi-o-sh-’. For that I can forgive him.

June and I have been exploring the grounds on which his house is situated. I know that he does it for me; he seems like he would much rather be reading the newspaper or conversing with adults. However I find the process of discovering new places and mapping new areas in my mind exhilarating. As we follow rusted trails and old marking through the dense jungle-garden I feel my clothes becoming increasingly damp. I assume it is the humidity until it becomes to the point that I can touch my own shirt and see the water on my hands. We finally arrive at the red bridge and sit down on its edge, our legs hanging over, flying above the water. I kick my heels back and forward, entertained by the satisfying ‘tap’ the heels of my shoes make against the wood of the supports. Our shoes are soled with mud.

“Lets go” June says before a long pause. I catch myself looking down into the water. Small grey fish dart beyond its surface. It is surprisingly clear. June is also looking into the water, every place I settle my eyes on he happens to have done so first. He speaks again.

“If people see you they will hate you, then use you. You not only live backwards but you defy the laws of time surrounding your body. Its impossible to jump up out of the water like that.”

What? Did June just mention that I live backward? But that was impossible, how was it possible for anyone else to know. Even if I told someone, their past would not know, only their future. How was June capable of this? I think all the way back to when I had first met June. He had said something strange back then, did he know then also? But ever since he had acted just as everyone else.

“Some people.... if they learn of you...they will use you for themselves.” He continues. “You and I have meditated on this thought in my past, but we decided that in your time, you can’t die. It’s impossible. For me it is completely possible, but from your point of view, you are immortal. You can do anything and come back alive, with no consequence.” He looks up at me and meets me dead in the eye. His thoughts match what I have previously considered, but having someone else state it really knocks the confidence into me.

“The logic behind it, what I am about to-... have explained, is you can’t die and come back alive in our time, we would know if someone was raised from the dead.” I listen to him intently, his sleeves make puddles on the surface of the bridge.

He grins, as he follows on from his explanation. “I’ve known you since we were children, and good-god you have changed a lot, but I know that whole time you were alive and kicking.”

“What was I like...” I butt in, curious about my own future. However June does not hear my future words, instead he pauses for a while; he seems to be thinking very hard. Finally he continues with his speech.

“You have to be careful. You can’t do stuff like that, what just happened, or... for you, will happen.”

What’s going to happen? I consider asking, but hold back. I’ll find out soon enough.

“When you first told me I thought you were playing some sick prolonged joke, but the signs have built up. You have been drifting apart from me, so I assume this is the first time you will hear me say this.” June no longer seems confident in his words, but rather sad. I try to imagine what it is like to him. He is not far off twenty, a grown man, saying something so ridiculous. The words of a child-- to a child; myself.

“You know I know right? About you living back-to-front?” he finally says. I nod, I have just found out. He looks back down to the fish, his breathing particular and steady, droplets falling from the tips of his hair and rippling waves into the surface of the idle river. He moves himself into a crouch and stand up behind me.

“You almost gave me a heart attack. How was I to know you forgot how to swim.”

Huh? June suddenly runs down off the bridge down to the river bank, I intend to follow after him but instead I misjudge by footing and slip forward off the edge of the bridge.

The water is only a meter or so below us, but the shock of cold gives me the fright of my life. It takes me a moment to figure out that I can’t breathe, and start thrashing myself upward trying to escape. I feel a strong hold under my arms as June attempts to drag me toward the bank. He has waded in to follow me.

“Akira.... stop... what are you doing? Stop...” He gasps as he tries to pull my head up. He is tall enough to plant his feet into the bottom of the river. I am not quite. He continues to tug me up until my feet are able to find the soft bed of mud below me.

“Stop!” He yells, “Why are you going into the middle of the stream?” June tugs on me hard before releasing me and hurrying out of the water, splashing avidly as he goes.

“What the hell are you doing!?” He cries as I too wade out. It feels strange; I am suddenly dry.

I jump back from the water, feeling twitchy. I don’t like it; I can still taste the murky water on my tongue. I grab to June’s arm. I have a new-found confidence in him now.

~

Back indoors I find myself seated in front of June’s father in the main living room. June was very dismissive in placing me there; storming out as soon an he had entered. The man in front of me intrigues me. His short greying beard is cropped clean, his deep-set eyes glare. The furniture setting could have made me feel like we are sitting in a foreign country. The couches are plump and brown and the grandfather clock behind me ticks ominously. I pick up a magazine brochure that sits on the coffee table in front of us. It is written completely in English, with pictures of European women and a crude cartoon depicting the Japanese leader with a pair of huge buck teeth. The letters themselves are slightly blurred. I take out the pair of glasses I keep in my pocket and put them on. The English characters crisp. I don’t often wear the glass; until recently I had not known the purpose for them, and had struggled through the pages of texts I read. After discovering reading books were so much easier with them on I had been able to pair them well to reading. I find I can recognize most of the English words on the page as individuals, but putting them together as a whole is more difficult, especially when I come across unfamiliar ones.

“You are ignoring me, Akira.” Says the father; his Japanese is not completely confident and his words are soaked in accent.

“I’m not ignoring you.” I contradict, lifting my gaze to meet his. Having the glasses between my eyes and his own makes me feel somehow protected.

“Look,” he says, sighing, “We have known one another for years, we get along well, so please just answer me when I ask of you?”

I turn my head to the side, “What do you want me to tell you?”

“What have you done to June?” He says sternly, “What is this illicit dealing? Have you been interacting as so?”

“What!?” I almost proclaim, I need to smooth out any misunderstanding. “I haven’t been involved in anything illicit! Me and June haven’t done anything illegal or immoral; I mean he drinks alot but he is mature enough....”

I have barely finished my sentence when he offers me a tray of beauteously served chocolate éclairs. I can taste the rich sweetness in my mouth already.

His smile is very shrewd, “I know you love sweets Akira, here you can some if you just tell me what’s going on.” He says as he puts it back down. He is right, I love the sugary and rich foods, especially the western ones.

“I just need you to confirm what is going on. Who is involved? You and June? Or are there other people too? Dare I say... clients?”

I shake my head, unsure what to think of what he is asking me. He smiles.

“I offer to you the opportunity to undergo it as well, at my own expense since you are a family friend. It will improve your life significantly.” The man seemed to be offering me some sort of deal. I scratch my head.

“So what’s the offer?” I had to listen carefully, if this was something I have been living with having accepted, if I deny it now I could damage their future.

“Even though June would deny it there have been no negative effects and I would say that very well it has been working as I have seen him mature and change after being subjected the the procedure.” He explains as he drums his fingers against his own kneecap.

“Recently I have come into contact with a very proficient doctor. He is currently involved of treatment to June with the state of the art technology, years ahead of its time.”

“Hold on!” I cry, standing up quickly.

“Akira...” he says looking concerned, “Please sit down and listen to what I have to say before you jump to any assumptions. I know June may have hinted something to you but I assure you his is mistaken on what I am to tell you about.”

“No! What is this!? Some sort of sick medical experiment? What have you been doing to June? And now you want to drag me into this? No way!”

He stares at me, quite shocked, but his face is still and tense; trying to hide anything less than composed. At that moment June comes back, eyeing his father.

“June do you mind giving us a moment?” His father says.

“I’m sorry Mr. Henderson.” I put in before anyone has the chance to say anything else. I turn to June who looks taken aback.

“We have to go. Your father is insane!” I lead him out and into the hall where I sit down on the step, head in my hands, wondering what to think of this all. June had undergone this ‘procedure?’ What did it do to him? What was it?

“Akira, calm down.” June says, “My father wishes to speak with you.”

“No!” I yell, forgetting there was no reason to be panicked. The ‘Talk’ in question has already gone underway. It is in the past now. I have to relax.

But I can’t relax. The ‘thing’ had happened to June. It is in his past but also in my future. It hasn’t happened yet; perhaps there was some way I can prevent it.