15. Around The Sun
Chapter fifteen
Around The Sun
E strellas froze. The man’s shocking white hair stood up in all different directions as though in a state of permanent electrocution. He was so close they could count the pores on his nose and smell something nutty on his breath.
When they did not say anything, Talia piped up from beside Estrellas. “Excuse us sir, could you please step aside?”
Neither the man nor Estrellas responded, both stuck in time waiting for the other to make their move. Talia pulled on Estrellas arm in an attempt to maneuver around the man, but their feet were firmly planted, as if their body did not want to move.
“Estrellas, come on, let’s go.” Talia pleaded.
Suddenly the old man spoke with a voice deep and raspy with age with a hint of anger around the edges. “I knew it was you.” He said.
“Do I know you?” Estrellas responded.
“I will not hide, this is my home.” The man said resolutely.
Talia’s face twisted with concern. “Sir, are you lost?” The man did not reply and Talia’s body language softened. “Let’s get you to the front desk, I’m sure they can help you find your way home.”
Talia attempted to lead the man back towards the entrance, but he yanked his arm away and glowered at Estrellas, “These humans will not bow down, not to you, not to anyone!” The man’s face twisted with indignation.
Talia spoke again. “Sir, please-”
Estrellas interrupted. “What do you mean by that?”
The old man’s thick knuckled and age spotted hands clenched in frustration. “Don’t play the fool with me. I will no longer cower below you, nor anyone else!”
Talia then tried to pull on Estrellas arm again. “Come on, let’s go. We can let the front desk know this man is lost and confused.”
But they did not budge. Estrellas stared into the old man’s eyes, one slightly lighter from a clouded spot in the center, perhaps partially blind. They felt their human heart thumping, and breathing accelerate. They were pulled into another memory. It felt familiar, perhaps from the same life as when they had the vision of working with leather saddles.
He was in an expansive wheat field being blown by the wind and his heart raced with fury. No, not wind. The tall grass swayed from the blades of a helicopter, and dozens of wild horses ran in a panic. Their hooves flung clumps of dirt in all directions while their neighing rose above the tumult of the mechanic wings high in the sky. He shouted fruitlessly into the ocean of thunderous sound as he shook his fist in anger.
Estrellas blinked and the world around them cleared. They clenched their teeth in an attempt to fight off the building headache that the memory had caused, and stared again at the old man.
His body language had changed. He squinted his eyes and grabbed their shoulders. “You’ve turned.” He smiled widely with a mouth full of sparkling white dentures. “How long? When did you first see the light?”
Estrellas shook their head. “I don’t know what you mean.”
The man’s eyes darted back and forth across their face as if seeing behind a mask. “No, you don’t, do you? It’s all scrambled in there.” The old man swung an arm around their shoulders. “Come, you’ll stay with me.” He paused and scanned Talia from head to toe as if assessing her threat level. “Your human friend can come too.”
Estrellas shuffled a few feet forward with the old man’s arms around their shoulders.
Talia stood still, crossed her arms, and scoffed. “Estrellas. We’re not really going with
this guy, are we?” She asked in disbelief.
“Yeah, I think we are.” Estreallas shrugged and kept moving.
Talia sighed deeply then dropped her arms to her sides in defeat. “Okaaay then.” She
said uncertainly but followed.
Outside the heat of day bathed over them, a stark contrast from the darkened coolness inside the museum. The old man's mood had completely shifted to jovial, as if he were thirty years younger than what he appeared. “Y’all got a vehicle? My sight’s not what it used to be, I took the city bus today.”
“She does.” Estrellas thumbed behind them in Talia’s direction. “Where to?”
“A little farm just outside of town. Not too far, bout twenty minutes or so.”
Talia squinted under the bright blaze of the desert sun as she followed a few steps behind the pair. “Oh sure, don’t mind me, just call me your chauffeur for the day.” She said, her voice thick with sarcasm.
Estrellas was surprised that the old man’s farmhouse was still standing. Its wooden exterior was bleached from the sun and the front steps curved heavily downward. The whole house appeared sunken in from years of use. Tan dirt and dust stretched as far as the eye could see, obvious that it had been years since the farm produced anything monetarily.
“How do you live out here, in a place like this, alone ?” Talia asked the old man. “Assuming you do live alone? And what should we call you? Do you have a name? You didn’t talk at all the whole way here.”
The old man gripped the wooden rail as he climbed the few stairs up to the modest front porch. “Home is home young lady, someday you’ll understand, it don’t matter what a place looks like, it matters only what a place feels like.” Not bothering to answer her other questions, the old man dug a ring full of keys out of his brown trousers held up with suspenders, sifting through them until he found the one he needed. He stuck the key in the slot and wiggled the rusted gold handle until the door opened with a groan.
Estrellas kept a palm on the old man’s back in support, as if they were a loving family member, and followed him in.
Inside the house was stiflingly hot and muggy.
“Open that window over there for me, would ya?” The old man pointed to a living room on the right and spoke loudly as he shuffled to a small kitchen on the left. A staircase faced the entryway which led to the second story.
Talia stood in the foyer, arms crossed as she waited for Estrellas to get back from opening the window. A faint breeze blew through the small house, refreshing the air. Then together they headed to the kitchen where the old man was filling up a dented silver tea kettle at the kitchen sink.
“Got some chocolate chip cookies from the neighbor in that jar there, help yerself.” He pointed to a small round table where there was a ceramic jar sitting in the center.
They took a seat and hesitantly reached in the jar. Estrellas took a bite and their eyes widened in surprise. “They’re delicious!”
The old man chuckled. “Darn right they are! Best in the county, award winners you got there.” He moved to the stove and pressed the button for gas then turned the knob at the same time, waiting for three seconds while clicking sounds emitted and a flame erupted. He adjusted the setting and set the kettle on the burner, then took a seat with them at the table. Without missing a beat he looked at Talia and said. “As for your other, might I mention very nosy questions, I do live alone and I manage just fine.” He reached into the jar for his own cookie, took a bite, and continued to talk, spraying a few crumbs as he chewed at the same time. “My name’s William, but you lot can call me, Bill.”
Estrellas looked wide eyed to Talia, as if unsure how to respond. Talia finished chewing with her mouth closed, swallowed, and said. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Bill, thanks for having us in your home.”
Bill smiled wide. “It’s my pleasure.”
After a few awkward minutes of silence, the kettle sang on the stove. Bill grunted as he stood and waved away Estrellas when they offered to help. Holding a ratted mitten around the handle he filled three steaming cups and then dunked in the bags of what smelled like mint tea. He placed them on a rectangle tray and carefully set it on the table.
Estrellas blew on the hot liquid, content and unaffected by the weirdness of the situation. Talia shook her foot below the table until she could no longer hold back. “Are you going to tell us why we’re here? How do you know Estr-my friend?”
Bill squinted in her direction as if she were nothing more than a buzzing fly. He shifted his body in his chair to face Estrellas before asking. “So, when did you turn?”
Estrellas stared silently while cupping their hot tea. They looked from Bill to Talia and back again before saying. “I’m not exactly sure what that means… um, sir.” They gulped a sip of liquid and said. “I was hoping, maybe, that you could fill in some blanks for me.”
Talia let out a soft laugh. “Hold on, how do we even know what this man,” she paused and looked at him, “sorry, Bill. How do we know Bill knows what we know.”
Bill chortled, he slapped his knee in delight and said. “Missy, do you really think I don’t recognize my own kind when I see em?” He continued to laugh and wiped a tear from his eye. “And tell me, how much exactly do you know about our alien friend here?”
Silenced by those words, Talia held her tongue. Estrellas cut the silence next. “Bill, the thing is, I’ve been a bit lost as of late, and it would really help if you could tell us what you know.”
Bill nodded his head in understanding. “Yes, of course, I sensed the disconnect in you… it’s all-scrambled. Like a mixed signal trying to straighten itself out.” He set down his half-eaten cookie and looked at Estrellas with more seriousness than before. “I may be able to help untangle a few wires, but it’s dangerous, it could untangle the signal for them as well.” He took hold of Estrellas hands. Holding his aged ones tightly against theirs. “Are you sure that’s the road you would like to go down.”
Estrellas and Talia exchanged uncertain glances. After a few long pauses, Estrellas cleared their throat and said. “Maybe first, can you tell us about you?”
Bill nodded. “Smart. Sure thing friend. Settle in, it’s quite the story.” He smiled with a twinkle in his eye, just like any other grandfather whose grandchild has asked them about themselves, eager to share their tale.