The Cure To All Disease

Chapter 19: Serialism

Why are you asking for a phone all of a sudden?” Troy asks standing over a pot of stew in the kitchen, Melokuhke was behind her finding more random things from the fridge to put into the pot. Stew night is also ‘get rid of everything in the fridge that’s about to expire tonight

“Do you think it'll taste good with celery, chilies and three week old spaghetti?” Melokuhle pulls an arm full of random ingredients out of the fridge. I almost completely forgot what I was going to say.

“Oh I wanna go down to the library, like, right now. I wanna do some research. I'll be back before it gets dark.” The thought finally comes back to me. Melokuhle walks over to the pot and eagerly waves his hand full of chopped celery and chillies over the pot that he is too short to actually see into. 

“Sure Melokuhle, throw it in” She says to Melokuhle who might burst if he has to wait any longer than turns back to me. “Excuse me, mister, slow down. You just got home a few minutes ago and you haven't even asked me properly yet. You can go after dinner and after you’ve asked me properly.”Troy pulls the spoon out of the pot to hold it menacingly in front of my face. Somehow Troy holding that ladle is more terrifying than if she were holding an actual weapon.

“It’ll be dark by dinner, can I please go  to the library now?” 

“No, not the spaghetti, Mel.” Troy stops Melokuhle just as he is about to dump the spaghetti into the pot. She was probably dissuaded by the fact it's stuck in the container and smells weird “Go throw that out” As soon as Melokuhle leaves Troy continues speaking to me. “I think you’re old enough now that you can go when it’s dark.”

“Sure I am but I don’t feel like going out in the dark, it’s annoying.” Darkness is annoying, it's annoying to walk in, it's annoying to stand in, it's annoying to exist in. 

“What am I going to do with you?” Troy sighs but there isn't a trace of disappointment as her sigh is followed by her grin. “Fine you can go, just don't miss dinner, I'm making your favorite.” Stew night was everyone's favorite night, not for the sake of eating it, but seeing just what kind of forbidden combinations we could conjure in that pot. 

“Yes I'll be back for sure, don't even worry about it” I grab my backpack that I just threw off my shoulder less than moments and start towards the door. However before I can make a full exit I suddenly remember, “Also think about the phone.” I peek my head around the corner and into the kitchen one last time before making my escape. I open the door and carefully step out so as to not fall from the balcony which would be a fatal drop. I hope that someday they put a better railing up. 

I make my way down the stairs with a vague recollection of where the local liberal was but I'm sure that will begin to recognize where I am eventually. It’s right next to the caged baseball field and we go there almost every other Saturday and it's not even that far of a walk. The air smells like fall as the city is currently embracing its late afternoon glow. During this time where I am alone amongst the crowd of strangers pushing me along the streets a sudden chill runs down my spine. Suddenly it is accompanied by that strangely familiar sound piercing through my ears. I tense my body as I pull my cupped hands to cover my ears but it continues as though it's coming from a brain. I begin to walk faster, making full strides in my steps. 

I turn the corner darting which brings me to an alleyway resembling a tunnel. I feel strangely called to the light between the two buildings. It's almost irresistible and my curiosity is strong. So even though alleyways are usually off limits I find myself in the middle one. It's been awhile since my ears have rung like this and I wasn't letting a precious opportunity to find the cause go to waste again. As I advanced the sound was only amplified, reminiscent of my first morning at school.