JANUARY 15th, 1860
"The Stargazers followed the alignment of the stars, and they found their way back home."
Salvatore lectured three kids on modern literature and folklore. Iliana, his son, Vander Richards and a bored Lucien who had dozed off on the table.
"But I thought they had no home?"
Iliana asked, intrigued with the story.
"No. Not physically. But they had a home. To them, wherever the stars aligned, that was their home."
"This was the best one yet you've told dad."
Vander was a calm and quiet boy who enjoyed his father's stories with his best friend, Iliana.
"That's enough today."
Salvatore sat down.
Iliana and Vander got up and rushed to Salvatore, holding his jacket, begging for more.
"Please, please, please, one more."
Iliana asked.
"Just one more story, father, please."
Vander joined in.
"Look, it's getting dark."
Salvatore tried to dismiss them.
"But we can't go to sleep like this… It's too early."
Iliana insisted.
"Read me a story!"
She became commanding. Even Salvatore knew it wouldn't be easy to tame an angry Iliana.
"Okay, okay."
Salvatore gave in. He got up and they both ran to their seats.
"But this time. It's going to be a horror story."
Salvatore threatened.
"Yayyyy!"
The kids were excited.
"Wasn't expecting that to be a good thing."
Salvatore was surprised. But he smiled and was prepared to read them another story.
While this was going on. Lucien was fast asleep on his chair. Snoring and drooling.
The door opened, and Irene and Doug came in with a cake.
"Happy birthday to you!"
They cheered. Iliana pinched Lucien's ear, awaking him. The three kids stood together and clapped on as the twins brought the cake.
The twins stood on both sides of Salvatore and held the Cake up. There was a candle on it for him to blow off.
Salvatore took a brief moment and turned to the three kids. Iliana and Vander looked up to him with a huge smile on their faces. Lucien's head was down, sleeping. Iliana spotted him and stepped on his shoe to awaken him. He lifted his head and faked a smile, opening his teeth so wide.
Salvatore looked at Irene and Doug. He had all his family with him, one of his greatest wishes. Salvatore blew out his candle. They all cheered and celebrated him.
Salvatore had wished this moment would last. But, deep down in him, he knew… It was just a wish.
.....
Salvatore carried Vander, who slept on his shoulder. He took him to his room and laid him in bed. He was about to turn off the lights.
"Father."
Salvatore stopped and went by his son's side, stroking his hair.
"Nightmares again?"
Salvatore asked.
"They're subsidising."
Salvatore let out a little laugh.
"Subsidising? I guess I am doing a great job."
Salvatore was a proud dad.
"Do the stars align where we are?"
Vander moved closer to Salvatore.
"Yes. And we call it home."
"Please stay. At least till I fall asleep."
Vander was so timid in his requests.
"I would not move an inch."
Salvatore stayed beside him until he fell asleep.
The door swiftly opened. It was Damian.
"I'm late."
Damian didn't sound like he was in a hurry.
"Yes."
Salvatore replied as he got up from the bed.
"I thought I had the situation under control. I hate fighting Gorgons."
"An annoying bunch they are."
Salvatore agreed.
.....
Salvatore smoked by the end of the corridor. Damian was next to him. He wasn't around most of the day, and it was almost an hour to midnight; he wanted to spend the rest of the birthday hour with him.
"What did you wish for?"
Damian asked?
Salvatore just glanced at Damian and tried to wave it off.
"Oh, it's nothing."
He said.
"The fact that you said 'it's nothing' makes me think that it's something."
Damian knew Salvatore too well. 10 years together was more than enough to know where his chords were hidden.
"Did you get me anything?"
Salvatore tried to change the topic.
"Did you want something?"
"Oh, come on, now. Don't you give presents to people who are having their birthday?"
Salvatore was surprised that he had to teach Damian this?
"What did they get you?"
Damian asked.
"Irene and Doug baked the cake… It was delicious… Their baking mastery is unmatched, as usual. Iliana and Vander got me a book. It was a quest for them to find something I hadn't read before."
"Did they succeed?"
Damian was curious.
"Fireflies go dim at dawn, Monique Ambrose." "Of course, I told them I haven't read it… They didn't believe, and they decided to tell a story of their own. A tale of two lovers from rival families. A bit niche… But it's the thought that counts."
"And Lucien?"
Damian already knew what was coming when he asked.
"Lucien asked me to spar with him. So I challenged him to a fencing duel… He broke the rules and lost, and whined about it."
Damian and Salvatore laughed together.
When the laughter stopped, Damian took out a gift box from his left jacket pocket and handed it to Salvatore.
Salvatore was genuinely surprised, but he tried his best to downplay it, only letting out a soft smile.
Salvatore opened his gift. It was a monocle. It was fancy, with a golden chain and body.
Damian watched Salvatore open it. He studied his face to be sure if he liked it or not. Salvatore's liking of his present meant a lot to Damian.
Salvatore held the monocle over his right eye, and everything became bigger and clearer.
"You did mention once how things were getting blurred in your right eye… So I--"
Salvatore cuts Damian off with a hug. He was a big old softie, and most times, he couldn't hide it.
"Thank you."
Salvatore appreciated.
Damian hugged back with a comforting smile on his face.
"Happy birthday."
JANUARY 15th 1865
This was not how Salvatore remembered his birthdays. He was usually pampered the whole day. He remembered Irene always waking him up for an early morning birthday massage, and the kids would either get him a new book which he hadn't read or, if he had read it, they would create their own story. Although he'd get to be honoured with Damian's presence close to midnight, which he was used to, and the fact that a present accompanied the lateness comforted him. But he wasn't used to this.
This time, it was a little past noon and no birthday wishes, no birthday massage and no birthday story. The entire house was empty.
Salvatore wasn't too sad. He didn't expect things to be the way it was five years ago. He respected the change and was ready to adapt to it.
Salvatore sat in his study and smoked a Cigar. He unlocked his drawer and took out a book. 'The Holy Bible', He flipped through the pages to the middle and read with his monocle on his right eye. Salvatore wasn't sure if he was a believer or not. However, he was very fond of the stories of a man called Jesus, who forgave sins. Sometimes he'd wish that his sins could be forgiven.
.....
It's been over two hours. Salvatore came down to see if there was any improvement. He made his way into the kitchen, where he saw Doug and Irene in the middle of a culinary mayhem. There was flour and smoke everywhere. It was pure chaos.
"Hurry the fuck up, Irene, we're very late."
Doug was whisking as fast as he could.
"I know. I'm doing my best here. There's something wrong. It's not burning up like it used to."
Irene tried to sort out the cast-iron stove.
"Why the hell do we not have a pyro demon with us!?"
Doug yelled in frustration.
"We have Lucien. He is useful."
Irene suggested.
"Where is that little fucker?"
Doug wandered aggressively.
"I think he went out with Captain."
"Great!"
Doug was sarcastic as always.
The twins barely noticed Salvatore standing by the door. They were busy trying to resolve the crisis.
Salvatore smiled and shook his head. One thing that was common with this crew was the fun and chaos. Sometimes, it made them feel human.
Salvatore made his way down a flight of stairs that led deep underground. Before him was a door. His hand hovered over the handle. His body was stopping him from entering, but his mind was in control. He pushed open the door and walked into a dungeon.
It was like a maze in a cave. There were several passages, doors, and prison cells. Salvatore made his way deeper and deeper, walking past empty cells. He stopped when he heard Iliana's voice. He sat on the floor and leaned against the walls, listening. He knew she would be here.
Iliana sat on a chair, far away from the cell. She spoke to someone… It was Vander.
"My favourite story was the one about Slaves who rebelled against their masters and slew every one of them… Such bravery… I wish to possess."
Iliana tightened her fist.
"Then, wish no more… Bravery, you already possess."
Vander lay on his bed in the corners of his cell. He had visible eye bags, and his skin was pale and white. He hadn't had much sleep in the past few days. He feared going to sleep.
"My favourite is that of the moon gazers… Father would always tell me that the stars aligned here… where we are… Of course, he lied. He was only saying, so we don't wake up at night and decide the trajectory of the stars had changed and that we needed to move."
Iliana laughed at what Vander said, reminiscing on the lies they were told as children.
Salvatore quietly laughed, too, in the corner.
A sudden silence befell her.
"Don't ask."
Vander already knew the question that would follow after that silence.
"When will you get out of here?"
Iliana asked anyway.
"It's best I remain here… I'm afraid of what I might see if I'm close to all of you. I'm afraid of what I would do, should I choose to go back up… The visions are getting darker. Sometimes I wake up with no recollection of what I had done hours ago. They take over my body and make me do things…" "I don't want to be close to him… I fear I may see a future of him that would give me nightmares." "He called it… The curse of sight. A unique punishment for our kind."
Salvatore couldn't listen anymore. He got up and walked away. He was of the same demonic origin as his son, A Noctyros, born with the power of absolute knowledge, and further into their years, they'd develop the power of premonition. With his kind, that power was a curse, and it plagued the older ones of their kind. Why hadn't it come for him, why his son? Salvatore wandered, even though he was a being of vast knowledge, there was one question he hadn't found an answer to.
.....
Lucien, Iliana and the twins gathered with Salvatore in the living room. He finally had his cake. He closed his eyes, made a wish and blew out his candles.
Vander watched from the inside of a room, through a slightly opened door. He wanted to come and have a look at his father after months of not being able to.
Doug cut the cake and shared it around.
"Where's Damian?"
Salvatore asked Lucien.
"He said he'd be back before the end of the day, and you should wait for him."
Lucien said while throwing the cake into his mouth.
"Okay."
Salvatore responded quietly.
Lucien started to choke.
"Fuck! It tastes bitter… Burnt."
He choked harder. It was serious that they had to take him upstairs. Irene and Doug had never failed before. What happened this time? They all wandered.
.....
Salvatore sat on the couch in the living room, waiting for Damian. Vander was still watching him. He tried his best to resist the urge to walk up to his father and give him a big hug.
Salvatore continued reading his bible with his monocle as he watched the clock. His eyes would go up and down. The next time he looked, it was 10 minutes past 12.
Salvatore was done waiting; he got up and was about to leave, but he sensed someone watching and looked directly at the door where Vander was peeping from, but no one was there.
Salvatore ignored and went upstairs.