GOOD DEEDS / PART THREE
A short story
It was time for Jonathan to return back. He hadn’t gone far away but everything he experienced away from Noland, made him believe that his homeland was not substantial but just a creation of his imagination.
If for any reason he was asked, he could still name you exactly what had happened the day he left his native land. He wasn’t the only one to make such a decision. Moreover, he hadn’t planned that for while before or anything like that. It was something unexpected and inevitable.
Everything happened a quiet regular evening. After the animal feeding he was on his way home when he heard the double stroke. At first he thought that he had probably overheard but as seconds later he saw his fellow-townsmen trending hastily to the central square, he realized that something wrong was actually happening. He accelerated his pace and as he reached his destination he found out that almost everybody was already there. Few seconds later he saw his father standing in the highest spot of the place ready to announce something –as everyone could understand- unpleasant.
He wanted to ask him what was all that about, but he wasn’t in position to reach him because the square was overcrowded and everyone was standing frightened, and stable before him. So, he stood there waiting to hear what his father had to say and right that moment he saw his mother and his two sisters looking to his dad with the same surprise in their eyes.
Quietness spread to the crowd when Joseph told them to. Not to broaden any further, he told them what he had found out and he tried to explain to them how things used to be in the past. The residents seemed confused and they surely were, because no one had ever left Noland, nor even for a day and it seemed totally inconceivable to them to realize how things could possibly have been different. You see, the current way was the only way they had ever known.
When everything was said you could see that some of the Nolands was just standing there apathetic, some frustrated and some surprised. But all of them were facing something unprecedented. They were all trying to imagine how things may used to be like and why such an event was well-hidden all this time. If you were there that moment you could hear nothing but an uproar. That exact time nature made her presence perceptible. They hadn’t yet reached to a conclusion when a great rainstorm poured down. That time everybody headed to their houses in order to protect themselves by the sudden weather breakout. That night some thought that this event was nature’s punishment for the revelation and some as nature’s gesture for salvation. Despite what was for real, it was for sure the strongest rain Noland had ever experienced. Even until this present day.
The next morning found the peasants numbering disasters. Most of their animals and plants had vanished by the strong wind and the flood. After the initial shock they gathered again in the same square. Double stroke was not necessary this time because they instinctively went there, as they had nowhere else to go. A lot was said during that congregation but the final decision didn’t pleasure any of them. As they didn’t have any other choice they decided that some of the peasants had to leave from their native place because the food wouldn’t be enough for everyone. The place was in miserable condition and it couldn’t provide everyone with the necessary supplies. No one was forced to do such thing but the ones who would decide that they could, they would do it for the common good and only by their will.
Everyone was hesitant at first but when Joseph’s son Jonathan took the first step a lot followed. His character was kind of exemplary as well.
Now after a long time by that day Jonathan felt like he had to go back home. He was feeling kind of disappointed from the outside world. In the beginning he felt charmed by all the new sceneries he faced. The enjoyments he tasted were tempting and obstructed but as years past an inner voice was calling him back. He definitely had felt happiness from time to time but he never felt fulfilled. He had met a respected number of lovers, he had drunk the greatest wine and had tasted really memorable flavors but nothing of those had managed to warm his hurt. And how could they?
It was about to dawn when he reached the Noland borders. He didn’t know what he would find after all those years, which now seemed like it was like all had happened just yesterday, and he didn’t know if he was the first to come back or if the others had already came back before him. Mostly he was worried if Noland and his family were as pure as he had left them. He had seen a lot during the last period and he was hoping that his shelter would still be as unaffected as he had left it. The anxiety and thrill made him feel a lump in his throat the moment he crossed the imaginary border line...
It was time for Jonathan to return back. He hadn’t gone far away but everything he experienced away from Noland, made him believe that his homeland was not substantial but just a creation of his imagination.
If for any reason he was asked, he could still name you exactly what had happened the day he left his native land. He wasn’t the only one to make such a decision. Moreover, he hadn’t planned that for while before or anything like that. It was something unexpected and inevitable.
Everything happened a quiet regular evening. After the animal feeding he was on his way home when he heard the double stroke. At first he thought that he had probably overheard but as seconds later he saw his fellow-townsmen trending hastily to the central square, he realized that something wrong was actually happening. He accelerated his pace and as he reached his destination he found out that almost everybody was already there. Few seconds later he saw his father standing in the highest spot of the place ready to announce something –as everyone could understand- unpleasant.
He wanted to ask him what was all that about, but he wasn’t in position to reach him because the square was overcrowded and everyone was standing frightened, and stable before him. So, he stood there waiting to hear what his father had to say and right that moment he saw his mother and his two sisters looking to his dad with the same surprise in their eyes.
Quietness spread to the crowd when Joseph told them to. Not to broaden any further, he told them what he had found out and he tried to explain to them how things used to be in the past. The residents seemed confused and they surely were, because no one had ever left Noland, nor even for a day and it seemed totally inconceivable to them to realize how things could possibly have been different. You see, the current way was the only way they had ever known.
When everything was said you could see that some of the Nolands was just standing there apathetic, some frustrated and some surprised. But all of them were facing something unprecedented. They were all trying to imagine how things may used to be like and why such an event was well-hidden all this time. If you were there that moment you could hear nothing but an uproar. That exact time nature made her presence perceptible. They hadn’t yet reached to a conclusion when a great rainstorm poured down. That time everybody headed to their houses in order to protect themselves by the sudden weather breakout. That night some thought that this event was nature’s punishment for the revelation and some as nature’s gesture for salvation. Despite what was for real, it was for sure the strongest rain Noland had ever experienced. Even until this present day.
The next morning found the peasants numbering disasters. Most of their animals and plants had vanished by the strong wind and the flood. After the initial shock they gathered again in the same square. Double stroke was not necessary this time because they instinctively went there, as they had nowhere else to go. A lot was said during that congregation but the final decision didn’t pleasure any of them. As they didn’t have any other choice they decided that some of the peasants had to leave from their native place because the food wouldn’t be enough for everyone. The place was in miserable condition and it couldn’t provide everyone with the necessary supplies. No one was forced to do such thing but the ones who would decide that they could, they would do it for the common good and only by their will.
Everyone was hesitant at first but when Joseph’s son Jonathan took the first step a lot followed. His character was kind of exemplary as well.
Now after a long time by that day Jonathan felt like he had to go back home. He was feeling kind of disappointed from the outside world. In the beginning he felt charmed by all the new sceneries he faced. The enjoyments he tasted were tempting and obstructed but as years past an inner voice was calling him back. He definitely had felt happiness from time to time but he never felt fulfilled. He had met a respected number of lovers, he had drunk the greatest wine and had tasted really memorable flavors but nothing of those had managed to warm his hurt. And how could they?
It was about to dawn when he reached the Noland borders. He didn’t know what he would find after all those years, which now seemed like it was like all had happened just yesterday, and he didn’t know if he was the first to come back or if the others had already came back before him. Mostly he was worried if Noland and his family were as pure as he had left them. He had seen a lot during the last period and he was hoping that his shelter would still be as unaffected as he had left it. The anxiety and thrill made him feel a lump in his throat the moment he crossed the imaginary border line...
posted by yioeng @ 4:40 PM
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