Ch. 10: The Missing Journal Part 1

It felt like being trapped in an apparent death, until a cold, light drop fell on his cheek -- a haze in the night that woke him up. Moving his body, he felt stiff and there was no strength left  even to open his eyes.

"Whaa--t" He tried to speak. No words came out of his mouth. There were only gasps and dark vision encircling him. He had not a slightest idea of what had happened or how it did. The next thing he knew, his forehead throbbed. The pain in his stomach was killing him.


How could he have ended up in such a state? The last time he recalled of being in so much pain was ... when he opened his eyes and found himself being tide to a chair. The blood poured out of his mouth. It felt a lot worse when he bowed down to open a sack and  then the green colored air surrounded him.

“Val?” Rosaline's voice was heard.


Her fingers ran gently through his forelock. He could feel her breathing, soft and tender.  Her skin felt cold and even though her hands were shaking, his depression, anger and fear fell quietly within seconds. There was serenity as he found himself less battling to get his feet back on the ground. 

"Are you okay?"

His cheek became wet  with the fallen of another drop. It streamed down onto his mouth, went inside through the corner of his lips --  tugging  at the tip of his tongue. It tasted salty, like sea water or tears. He knew then that it was  her tears as he heard her sobbing. Why was she crying?

Opening his eyes, all he could see was a blur while everything around him veiled in the dark vision. Strangely though, his head wasn't throbbing, the feeling of nausea had  already stopped, it felt a lot better, and soon... a song was heard. 

He knew the song. It was a song his mother used to sing to them, even though it wasn't his mother that night. It was her... Her light and mellow voice, accompanied by tremors at  the end of each of her lines -- hoarsely, only the remainders of what's left after all the screaming and horror.

“Everything is going to be okay, right?” She whispered  while she's holding his hand. Her fingers were cold. He knew he must get up  to check up on her. 

Getting clearer vision, he had finally recognized his surroundings. They were still there... inside the basement. She should have run, but she stayed with him instead. She held him on her lap and that's why he felt so comfortable around  his head, but not on his feet as they  directly hit the floor. Still, he enjoyed sleeping on her lap. It felt like being a five year old boy again. Her warmth was so much like his mom's. Her tenderness melted him, and the song... the song had been and would always be the song he would never forget. 


Closing his eyes, he  had not moved his body an inch. He wanted to be that way, to be touched, to be loved, and to feel those feelings he had never felt before--  until a harsh jolt pushed him down, and she was taken away from him.

"Valentin, help!!!”

______________________________________ 

What the...?! Valentin's eyes grew larger, staring pointedly to the ground. All  the plates  fell from his hands, turning into little fragments scattered above the floor. Most of the guests   turned their heads around, trying to find the source responsible for the  clattering plates. He quickly bowed  to pick the pieces up.


“Great!” He groaned and sucked the blood out of his forefinger. The sharp one had left him with a line of scratch. He grumbled, reprimanding himself. It's an unforgivable mistake since   he really needed the job to cover the mortgage. 

“Faire attention, Monsieur! You can't be daydreaming at work!” A waitress said to him. Even though those words coming out of her mouth were true, he wasn't building a castle in the air, actually. No one would ever want to have a dream like that. In contrary, the images in his head were real. It happened four years ago. 


Four years and I should have stopped thinking about it.

In a split second, all the guest had returned to their dinner, laughing or dancing with their partners as if nothing had happened. Of course, the festivity they're having was lesser than lively compared to those having in lounge bars or clubs in big cities. It wasn't too crowded either that night, but most of the visitors wanted to enjoy their free time socializing  with each other or just enjoying the old music, like the one being played on an antique phonograph--  until  the music stopped and replaced by a Violist playing the 'La Via en Rose' by Edith Piaf.

“Mon Amour! It's our song!” cheered a woman in a red satin dress to a man sitting before  her. The man was wearing a black tux, probably his best suit for that night.

“Je t’aime, ma chérie, anything for you.” 

They gazed at each other's eyes and made a toast with their Chrystal glasses. "Vouz regardez ce soir belle, ma chérie." (You look beautiful tonight, my love). He gracefully handed her a bouquet of roses. The woman's face turned red while some of the guests were staring at them,  clapping their hands.  The woman's face blushed even more.

It was a lovely view. 


However, it was so contrary to the situation he was having. Kneeling down on the floor, he grabbed the fragments with his throbbing fingers. His eyes caught the sight of her on those broken pieces, smiling beautifully, but there was sadness on her face  and she was saying “I’m sorry.” just like what she did in the morning.

“Wonderful!” A man spoke to him.

He gazed up, pulling his hands from the pieces. The situation he was fearing off was about to happen. His boss was standing before him, throwing a sullen face at him.

“Forgive me, Monsieur.”  Valentin stuttered. A jittery came out of his throat. He had just earned the job  and breaking those plates would be a bad first impression to make, especially when his boss, Monsieur Francois, was a man with little consideration for careless mistake.


“25 simoleons for each from your salary, and shall I say, Monsieur White, I'm so amazed since you've only been working here for two hours."

Splendid! A quick and concise answer was just what he needed. If  he kept on doing the same, he would surely be seen scrapping up every penny on the floor only to pay for the mortgage, and then he and Rosaline must leave the house immediately. Perfect!

After Monsieur Francois left,  he grabbed an open basket, scrapped the pieces off the floor,  and then threw them into a nearest scrap-basket, just right at the corner. "Better not do anything stupid again, Valentin!" He muttered.

"Yo, Valentin!" A guy came and shook him off with a light punch over his chest.  He's Eddy, a friend who's also working in the same restaurant as a part timer.  His accent wasn't like any Frenchmen because he came from Sunset Valley, the same as Valentin.

“What's up with you, bro? Lot's on your mind, huh?” 

“Nothing.”  Valentin smiled sheepishly. “Was it  so obvious?”

“Not really. It's just your eyes. They can tell you no lie, bro!”

Valentin glanced away. Perhaps it was quite obvious for everyone else to see, but Eddy had already known that he was trying to get the money in speed of time. He had handed Eddy his scooter, the one his father gave to him, and by then, they had nothing left to sell, not even a television which had broken a year ago. Still, he couldn’t believe himself that he had actually let the scooter go.

"Whoa, this is classy, bro! And it’s still in its perfect condition. Are you sure you wanna sell it?"

Valentin stared at his friend. No! He didn't want to sell it, not when it's a part of the memories his father had given him. They have shared their laughter and even arguments on that scooter. 

"Come here,  boy.  I've got something for you!” 

“A gift? Dad! I'm not even expecting it." 

"I know... your birthday was days ago. So... don't you want it?" 

"Of course, i want it, dad." 

"Here you go, son!" 

"Wow, dad. It's a... scooter." 

"D' you like it? I bought it from my friend." 

"I like it, dad. Thanks." 

"Is  something wrong, Val? You know you can't fool your father." 

"Nothing, dad. It's just - "

"I know." He chuckled . "It's old and broken, but don't worry! With a little touch, this scooter will look like new. Come on, let's make a bet! I bet we can fix this within a month."  

"A month?!  Really?! But could I have the key after we fix it? Could I?" 

"Nice try, son, but you have to wait for another three years."

***

“No-no, son,  you're not doing it the right way.”

“But, dad this is what exactly the book says.”

"Still, you've got it all wrong,  boy." 

"I may not a scientist like you, dad, but I'm not stupid." 

"Son, who says  you're stupid? Come on, let's read it carefully..... See what I'm talking about?" 

"Yeah, I guess you're right, dad."

           ***

“Val, handed me the screwdriver, will you?"

"Dad, could we do this later? I want to play baseball with my friends.” 

"But, Val, you've  played baseball with your friends yesterday." 

    


          ***

          "Son,  why are you knocking the crank arm like that?” 

“I don't know, dad,  maybe it's not going to work. This scooter is ... old." (Hate to tell you, dad, but it really is)

"You're right, but if you keep on knocking the crank arm like that, it's never going to work".  

        ***

"That means, we have one more week left. Do you have an idea?" 

"Dad?" 

"I'm kidding. We'll figure it out, but an idea would be great."

The time was ticking  and   so Valentin and his father had a couple of days left. The big question in Valentin's head for the whole month was: Why did his father have so much faith on it... on what he was doing? 

Until one day, at the end of  July, Valentin rode the scooter on a street in front of their house. 

“It's working, Dad! It really works!” 

“How about the audio system?” 

“It's cool. How did you know?” 

“Well, you turned it on and on in your room most of the time, son.” 

Valentin's face turned bashful. The loudness of "Starlight" from his room might have bothered his father so much when he was concentrating on his research. 

“Just remember to turn it off and not to use it too often since it's a solar scooter.” 

“I will, Dad. Thanks!" 

“You're welcome, son. We've  made it. We actually made it. There's nothing impossible if you have a hard will and willing to work hard on it. Remember  it, son!"

"I will." Valentin held the handlebar tighter,  observing every inches of it carefully.  "This scooter is totally awesome, dad. No one would ever figure out that this one was very old. You're amazing!” He smiled and then hugged his father close.

"You can let go your father now. You're making this old man cry."

They both laughed. "But  you know what?" His father continued. "This scooter wouldn't be this good if you weren't working on it too.  You had your share of rough times, but you kept on trying to the end with me. You and me, son -- we made such a great team!"

“Thanks, Dad.”  He hugged  his father close while  his father patted him on the back. 

Those were memorable and precious moments. Every words of his father were priceless and carved within his heart. Even though, sooner or later the scooter would break, got lost or stolen, but the memories of times they have shared together would last for his lifetime. 

"Quite frankly, Ed,  I'm not sure." Valentin bowed his head, trying to conceal his pain as he remembered about his father.  "Just don't sell it to anyone else, okay? And take good care of scoopie for me. I'll come back for it later. I'm going to get that money."

“Don’t worry, bro! I won't. Scout's honor!"

"I'll consider it as you borrowing the money, and I'm borrowing the scooter. This baby is just going to be fine until you have settled all your matters with the bank.” 

“Thanks, Buddy! You're a real friend!” 

Actually, Valentin didn't know whether his father –-up in the sim's heaven- -would mind about his decision to sell the scooter, but he needed the money to extend the mortgage term. 

"Those were what I have. Could I get the extend?”  

“Sure, but only for another two months.”  

“What?!” Valentin hit the table, leaning forward,  sending quakes across the table as he stared at Monsieur Ferdinand's eyes. He's the man from the bank who had called him  the week before. His fists were fully clenched and  glued to the edges of the table. 

 “How can I get that amount of money in such a brief? We didn't even take it in the first place.”  

“I know.” Monsieur Ferdinand stuttered. His right hand adjusted the position of his glasses, right after it was almost sliding down from his nose because of the shock. 

Valentin leaned back in his chair, giving enough air for the man to breathe in. Of course, it wasn't the answer he wanted, but he could see the uncomfortable expression on Monsieur Ferdinand's face. Monsieur Ferdinand cleared his throat, loosening his tie.  “Actually, things would have been different if your aunt's still alive. Apparently, we cannot sue someone who's already dead.” 

Monsieur Ferdinand tried to laugh at that, but Valentin only stared at him.  It was a terrible joke, either. What he really needed was a solution and not another problem, or some dry jokes.

“About the money. How did she spend it?” 

“Your aunt had transferred it to her account.” 

“So... there must be some amount left, right?”

“Yes, but it could not cover the principal amount. We wouldn't call you if it already has.” 

“Are you saying that there's no good news? Even one?” 

“Unfortunately,  no."

Valentin sank deeply into his chair. He knew that it was going to be the exact answer, but he was still hoping for some possibilities, or even a miracle to happen. He thought that the money from the scooter would give him plenty of extra times, but it didn't.  It only gave him an extend for another two months. 

What should he do about it? What should he do next?

“At least could I get her bank statement? I want to know every detail of how my aunt spent it.” 

“Of course." Monsieur Ferdinand answered. "Since she doesn't have any living children or anyone besides you as her relatives, you may see it. You can go to the customer service. There are some administration forms you have to fill in first.” 

Once Valentin read Aunt Amelie's bank statement, his eyes widened in shock. Within the first year after she had made the loan to the bank, most of the amount was transferred to...”Blue Hill Mental Hospital?” 

"Hello!!” the flick of Eddy's fingers brought him back to the present time. "Are sure you're  okay, Bro? You're making me worried, here. Your face is a mess!  Jeez, you should give yourself a break. You're working for almost like  twenty  hours a day. That’s scary, bro. Maybe that was why you broke those plates. Just be careful, okay? I have a face to keep here.”

Valentin smiled. “Don’t worry, Ed! Your face is going nowhere -" Eddy was the one who  helped him in getting the job. "- Except for your hair, though. Did you cut it?”

“Yeah.  Girls are going to be so amazed by it."

Eddy turned around to the aquarium behind them, counting the fish inside it. "I've just known we have a crocodile."

"It's  a hologram, Ed. You're working longer than I am. You should have known about that."

"Really?" He laughed, but he suddenly stopped.  "Hey, handed me the menu, Bro!"

"Why? It's my turn now. Your shift has ended, Ed."

"Only for a minute. Look at the lady! Jeez, she's so fine!" Eddy referred to a girl with a short bob blond hair, wearing an evening gown that showed off her shoulders. She was sitting on her chair gracefully, quite tally with a red rose in front of her. She's…

"She's my future wife, Bro." Eddy's eyes glistened, becoming more mesmerized as he saw the woman smiling back at them. 

"Her name is Madeline, Ed." Valentin chuckled, glancing away, placed down a plate and then took the menu with him.

"You know her?" Eddy blocked his way.

"Yeah. Excuse me, Ed."

"Wait! Do you have her phone number?"

"I think. I don't remember it now, but -"

Before Valentin could finish his words, Eddy had grabbed the menu and then scurried off to ask for Madeline's orders -- of course after he had spruce-up his appearence a bit. "Wish me luck, Bro!"

Valentin returned to his tasks. A woman asked him for a menu.  "Waiter, I'd like a glass of…"

Valentin leaned over to pay attention to the woman's orders, but he froze as his eyes caught a man wearing a red tuxedo walking toward a chair.

The hair, the face, it couldn't be. It was four years ago, and he should have been dead.

"Do you know I could go to the other restaurant if this is the kind of service you could offer?" The woman's voice  sunk in his head. 


"Pa-Pardon me, Madame, what did you order?"

The woman let out a sigh. "I think I've lost my mood here."

Knowing  he had made a mistake, Valentin quickly apologized to her. "Forgive me, Madame. This is my first time here. "

Hearing his excuse, the woman finally gave him another chance. She ordered a glass of Champagne, but as he poured the Champagne, his eyes tried to find again the man between the guests.

"Watch what you're doing!" The woman shouted as some of the drops had splattered on her dress. "J'en ai mare! I'm leaving."
 

The woman arose from her seat, but before she could reach the exit door, Monsieur Francois managed to stop her.
 

"Faire job, Monsieur White!" said Monsieur Francois. He had just returned after giving the woman a seat next to a window. "The total would be 100 Simoleons for today, and shall I say thanks to you  this restaurant almost earned a bad reputation. Did you know that Madame Jolene Montaque is a reporter of the Good Choice tabloid?"

"I-I didn't know, Monsieur. I'm sorry." 

One hour passed by and it was time for him to leave the restaurant. Actually, his shift had not ended yet, but it was going to be the last time he ever worked there. Monsieur Francois had fired him. "I don't need more garçon to break my plates."

It was a shame, still it wasn't the reason that made him stood on the hallway while looking down to the floor.

It's him wasn't it? The man whom he met at the alley and whom he had brought home with four years ago.
 

Until now, he still couldn't forget about the incidence. It was an awful mistake that they should not have experienced, a fatal one for letting a strange man came into their house and sleeping on their bed. He should have learned from The Three Little Pigs which his mother used to tell him about, but what has been done was done. There's no way to turn back the time.
 

"Valentin?" a soft voice of a woman startled him from what it seemed like a nightmare, although it was actually a reality in the past.

He found her walking toward him, as usual full of confidence.
 

"I couldn't believe I'll find you here." Madeline smiled at him. "It seems, we always stumble across everywhere."
 

"Madeline, I- "

"I'll only be here for a couple of days. Romeo and Juliet' is being performed at the Theatre across the street. Jules wanted to ask me out, but I prefer someone else -- someone I know."

"Madeline,  I'm sorry, but it's never going to work."

"Pardon me?"

"Between us. It's never going to work."

"Why?" asked Madeline. "I really like you, and I'm pretty sure you feel the same. I've seen the way you look at me."

"Madeline, I- ", Valentin made a step back,  frustrated. "We ... We are just different.  I'm not your kind of guy."

"Oh? Who is then?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure there are other guys who want to go out with you."

"Hello Madeline!" Eddy waved at them across the hall.

"Like... my friend there."

"Who is he?"
 

"He's my friend, Eddy.  Come on, I'll introduce you."
 

"No!" Madeline stopped him, lifting  her hands and then placed them on his chest, feeling his heartbeats. "I don't want to go out with him. I want to go out... with you."

His heart stop beating for a moment. 

"Madeline, I-" Valentin put Madeline's hands down. "I'm serious. You don't want to get involved with me, plus I am already in love with someone else."

"Someone else?"

"But...  what do you mean? Is she the same girl?"
 

"It's - it's rather complicated. Something is still holding us, but .. yes... I'm still in love with her. "
"I see... However, I can't believe that you would  get stuck in that kind of relationship. Just call me sometimes, okay?"
 

Madeline left the restaurant. Valentin finally found his way into the kitchen. Even though, he had lost his job, he still found himself cleaning up the dishes again. He bowed after finished washing his hands under the tap -- staring down at the floor.

"Damn it, Rose..." With everything he had said to her, he didn't want to be her brother nor her friend. He wanted to become more for her.

Even after hiding ten feet beneath the ground, she was still following him like a beautiful ghost, her smile, the way she leaned on his shoulder, her eyes glistening brighter than stars. He hit the axe  harder until the sweat on his skin pouring swiftly -- anything to keep his mind from thinking about Rose, her kisses, the warmth of her body.

The location where Madame Fouchier had told him about was still buried deep within the Celtic Foray. Apparently, there were couples of quakes that made the rocks fall and block his way in. The dust filled his lungs. He coughed, but he continued to clear his way. He had to find it, the object that Madame Fouchier had asked him in return for a reward, although he had not known its descriptions yet. She only told him, "You will know once you get there."

In the morning, he had observed the place and found men digging for artifacts there. One of them was Mr. Chang.

"You know about Carbon Dating-14?"

 
"Yes. My father taught me once. He's a Scientist. He likes to learn Archeology as well."

 
"Really? I guess you know more than I think. If you like, you can come with me to Egypt. I need more men to dig the Antinopolis."

"How much does it pay?"

"800 Simoleons a month. It's a low budget research, but you don't have to pay for the food, traveling and lodging. It's not that bad enough for compensation. If the findings are rare, you may get higher payment."

"I'll think about it."  Even though he knew  exactly that 800 Simoleons a month wouldn't be enough to cover the mortgage, he would think about it.
 
"This is my card name, if you are interested."

"Thanks."

What the…! Valentin brushed his hand as he withdrew it from the hole on the wall. Millipedes, insects, and bugs were crawling on his skin and couple of them had just left him with a sting. He felt the itch and burnt on the spots where those small creatures had stuck him with their stings. Luckily, they were not poisonous ones, or he might not be able to get out of the ruins alive.

It was cold in there, and he was alone, accompanied with only scorpions, worms, rats, snakes, and even deadly traps, but it was far better than being locked inside his father's basement. He and Rosaline haven't even dared to go inside it, fear of the bad memories that the basement would bring, fear of a chance that the man would show up again, even though the man was being reported dead.

"Valentin, help!" shouted Rosaline in a  shock. The man covered her mouth and pointed a knife toward her neck. Valentin clenched his teeth. "Let her go!" But the man only smiled viciously as he held her tighter. "If you dare to come near, your sister will not open her eyes again tomorrow morning."

"What do you want? If you want money, we have none. We had only those we have given you and there's nothing left." Valentin yelled as loud as he could be, but  their nearest neighbor wasn't at home, and it was impossible to hear loud screaming from afar, unless someone coincidentally passed their house.

"I don't want money, kid. I want your father's journal. Where is it?"

"My father's- how did you -?"

The man pushed his knife toward Rosaline's face. The knife was getting closer to her eye, and her pupils became smaller, as the white area of her eyes enlarged from fear.

"Don't!" shouted Valentin. "Don't hurt her! The journal you want -- we don't know anything about it. My father kept his books inside his library. If you let her go, I will show it to you."

The man went silence for a while.
 

"Just show me the place and I'll think about it!"

Valentin had no option than to lead the man into their father's library. Along the way there, he thought about every possible ways he could to run and save Rosaline's life. Her face turned palor as she might drop in any second.  Perhaps by getting the man busy to search for the journal of her father,  they would find a way to escape.

"This is it. It's my father's library."

The room was dark because one of the lights was broken. There were only two lights on the ceilings and the corners of the bookshelves were covered with spider web. The wall was painted in black and the room was an open area. It didn't have a door so anyone could go inside it freely.

"Those are his books. You can find whatever you want to find there. Let her go now! "

"Not so fast! What's in there?" the man pointed at a dark room  in front of the library.

"Nothing it's just an empty room."

"Really?" The man went inside to check it out, still keeping Rosaline as his hostage and still threatening them with a knife to her neck. "Where's the key?" he asked.

"It's over there." Valentin pointed toward a desk. "The key is inside the drawer."

"Grab it and give it to me!" asked the man.

Valentin did as the man told him to, although he wasn't sure of the man's intention, and his mind was still racing, trying to make out a way to divert the man's attention, grabbed the knife, and pulled Rosaline away from him. Unfortunately, there was no way for him to do any of it. A slight strange move and Rosaline's life would be in a great danger.

"Go there!" The man gestured at Valentin to stay at a corner  and then walked backwards toward the door. After he reached it, he pushed Rosaline inside and  then locked the door.

  "Rose, are you okay?"

To be Continued