Authors: Veronica Melan
It was an ordinary question, but God is my witness, I didn’t want to answer it. I sighed and began to invent a mountain of lies.
Two hours later, after I’d listened to bunch of questions, suggestions, reports and all about the girl’s intrigues, I finally left the shop. When everything was sorted, Linda and I spent some time reading through some documents. I had to put a tremendous effort into not getting distracted from the main subject and remain focused, but somehow I managed. We agreed that Linda will direct the boutique for another couple of weeks while I’m getting back on track, which was very helpful.
One o’clock. The day has only just begun.
I popped to the nearest cafe, bought a sandwich with cheese and ham, packed into a triangle paper box and then headed to the central park to sit on the bench to think what to do next.
Secluded in one of the alleys, I opened the pack and started chewing the bread, looking at the passers-by. Unlike in the Tally’s park - people here were sunbathing on blankets, laughing, chatting, eating and acting very relaxed.
Sliding my distracted gaze on their figures, I continued to wallow in my own thoughts.
Before visiting my shop, I unpacked the bag, standing at the door - put the clothes into the wardrobe, placed the gems in a jewel box, found the credit card, that Hulk planted in between my shirts, checked its balance and found out that I am the owner of fifty thousand dollars on the account that my beloved pledged to replenish every month. At least, that what was written on the note that the card was wrapped in.
I bit another piece of sandwich, chewed it, swallowed and sighed.
He had thought about everything. And fifty thousand a month is plenty of money. I could change cars every week, I could abandon my shop and travel around the Levels, or I even could buy bricks of gold and build a wall around the house; or if I waited for another two or three months I could buy a nice house somewhere on the isles. But did I really need it?
What exactly and how much does a single person need? Not much. Because it’s not about what the world is like on the outside. It’s something deep inside, in your mind, and inside of my mind there was just a realisation that Hulk is there whilst I’m here.
I sighed, trying to make desperate brain work.
What should I do? I couldn’t just sit and wait for Hulk to appear on my doorstep and for the second part of our “happily ever after” to begin. What if that happens in a month or a year? What if I don’t see him for another ten years? I wasn’t questioning the power of my love for him - I was certain I’d still love him in ten years, but I was seriously questioning my ability to keep sane for ten years, sitting there and looking at the door.
Therefore inaction was not an option.
So what do I do?
Later the same evening, looking at the “Dreams Ltd.” advert it suddenly came to me. Of course! Why didn’t I think about it earlier when I’d just arrived to Klendon-City?
I returned to my apartment an hour ago. It was getting dark and it was drizzling outside.
Trying to calm my trembling hands, I began to speculate feverishly. Was there a light at the end of the tunnel I dreamt of?
Walking in circles around the room, I couldn’t believe that I’ll start acting soon - the smell of change surfaced in the air.
Well, I have to focus and think carefully about every single detail. I must not rush and make mistakes!
Just calm down, Shereen. Calm down.
I forced myself to sit on the sofa, gritted my fingers together and halted, thinking.
That’s right. I can’t go and ask Hulk’s friends to help me, because if they learn about Tally, they might want to participate in Hulk’s liberation, which will put them all at risk. That must not happen.
But I have the money. And the Corporation is now around.
Think... think... think...
I began remembering everything that Christopher Laroche once told me in Tally. What did he say when he’d got his parcel?
I paid them for the bracelet that already had a thousand points and they’d sent it to me.
Exactly! He paid first and then they’d sent it and that was why he didn’t get any punishment, which meant you could go the Corporation and just pay them for what you want to have.
Bingo! This was a completely different matter.
Perhaps, it would be logical to be scared to even pronounce the words the Corporation, that three months ago sent me to the middle of nowhere, but for some reason I didn’t feel scared. I felt uncomfortable, but nothing more than that. I knew that they acted solely in accordance with my desire and their own rules, and it wasn’t just some troll who for some strange reason decided to throw me into an enchanted forest.
All this time I was avoiding the “Dreams” because I was afraid of being liable for my new request; and of getting another official commitment, that had already almost led my life to a disaster. But now, if I act smart, the situation might change to my benefit.
In theory, just to imagine, if I have enough money, I can just call them and ask to set Hulk free from Tally. Yes! Just one call! Good morning, Dear Corporation! I’ve got a new wish and I’ve got the money, so how much?
I couldn’t believe that it could be so easy.
I jumped up from the couch, ran to the window and began shifting from one foot to another, looking at the cars driving on the wet pavement.
How much do I have?
Hulk gave me fifty thousand. Next month I’ll get another fifty, but it was too long to wait. Linda said that business was going well, so, perhaps, I could take another hundred thousand out of our turnover. Altogether it would come to one hundred and fifty thousand.
I took a deep breath.
Not too much.
Laroche paid a million for his counter.
Could I borrow some more money from Hulk’s friends? All the guys from the Special Squad were paid well and they shouldn’t refuse to help.
Before getting excited, I frowned.
Perhaps, they won’t refuse (even if I can find them), but they will ask me some questions that I must not answer in order not to jeopardise Hulk’s safety.
Damn it!
I have to deal with everything on my own.
Different emotions were taking over me one another like the waves of a stormy ocean. Wild joy, excitement, worry and joy again. I’ll manage, I’ll find a way, I’ll think of something and who cares how exactly. I’ll do it anyway.
I headed to the kitchen to put the kettle on. My brain was working so intensely that it seemed if I kept thinking for a little longer it would explode like a watermelon that’s been overheated in the sun.
It’s ok. It wouldn’t hurt for my head to work sometimes.
So where can I get more money and how much do I need in total?
Should I call the Corporation and ask them how much they would charge for a favour like that? Will they answer my question over the phone or will I have to go there again? Perhaps, the latter. They are not too keen on talking over the phone and that means I have to collect a decent amount before even considering calling them.
But what kind of sum could be regarded as decent in their opinion? No less than a million, I guess. If Laroche bought his freedom for a million then they won’t set Hulk free for less than that.
Fuck! One million dollars! Where can I get that much?
I put a teaspoon of instant coffee into hot water, stirred it, but moved the mug aside without even drinking it and rubbed my forehead.
If I save what Hulk sends me every month, it will take twenty months before I get a million. No, that’s far too long. I have to find the money sooner. And is one million enough?
Think, Shereen, think!
There is always a solution; I just have to find it.
How do people make money? They earn it (nope), they borrow it (nope), they steal (nope), they sell something...
And then it suddenly hit me.
I slowly got up from the chair; my coffee was now completely forgotten.
Of course!
I have something that I could try and sell. And maybe, my inner voice sang timidly, maybe I'm wrong, and this “something" doesn’t have any real value, but there is no harm in trying, is there? I only have to wait till the morning to find out.
I sat back in the chair, and, feeling an inner excitement and relief, finally, took a sip of coffee.
*****
A middle-aged man with a moustache and curly hair that fell over the collar of his neat dark jacket was scrutinizing my gems for over thirty minutes now, using either a magnifying glass, or a microscope. He’s turned on so many lights that it would be enough to flood a small stadium with light, and because of that it got really hot in the room very quickly
I started feeling tired. Well, how much longer does he need to examine my stones? During the examination he didn’t speak a single word which could have possibly given me a clue about the value of my gems, he was just smacking his lips, scowling and murmuring something unintelligible, staring into the depth of each gem. What is he looking at in there?
I wasn’t particularly picky with choosing a jeweller, just opened a yellow pages book, found a company located in a prestigious area of the city, and then immediately went there. Now I was in the room, where, behind a counter, that man was carefully and silently studying and weighing something. His desk was piled high with some books and papers, as well as different tools - God knows what sort of things they use to do their job. The tools were not important, the result of his examination - that was the most important thing.
Will he buy them or not? And for how much?
Trying not to show my impatience or irritation, I took off my coat, put it next to my bag on a chair, and then went back to studying some chains, rings, bracelets and pendants that he had on display.
As I understood there were things that were not shown on the main shop floor and they were not for sale. Or maybe these were going to be sold later.
In one of the windows I caught the reflection of my own face - pleasant, barely there make-up; smeared with some moisturiser; overall I looked fresh but a little peaky. I almost forgot how good I could look with a proper hairstyle...
“Mrs Moore?” Finally, coughed the jeweller whose name Theodore sounded either too proud, or pretentious, “So, you are saying that you are willing to sell these stones?”
“Yes.” I stepped away from the display and walked back to the counter, “That's correct.”
Theodore stood there for a while deep in thoughts. His thick glasses glittered in the light.
“May I ask you where you got these from?”
I hesitated. Why would he ask such a question? And what difference does it make?
“It’s a long way from here, Mr Larsheld. Why do you ask?”
The jeweller chewed his lips again.
“Well, you have quite rare stones here.”
At these words, my heart jumped excitedly - will I hit the jackpot or not? My face continued to maintain an impassive expression. No way, he will see that I am clueless about my own treasures.
“Yes, I know that the stones are rare. And they are very precious to me.” I pretended not to be too interested in the subject, “But now I’m ready to sell them. Of course, if I’m offered a good price.”
“I understand, Mrs Moore.” Theodore rushed to reassure me, “Your diamonds are not just outstanding quality; they are unique and very rare...”
I almost jumped on the spot. These sparkling roundels are diamonds? Unbelievable! Did the quarry workers know what exactly they’d presented to me? And Hulk? Did he know that there was a diamond vein in the stone pit which he used for mining limestone?
“Of course, I am not belittling the quality of your emeralds either...” continued the goldsmith, “...and your sapphires have quiet rare colour, but the diamonds - this is something else. They are pink and without any inclusions, just perfectly clean!”