Editorial
May the reader use discerment
Poems
The Giants
and the Dwarfs
heart of darkness
The Wanderer
A chocolate room
Relay
Writing
Cafe Evergreen (3)
Multilingual
Page
German:
origin of English
Guest
Writers' Corner
Wondering
Novel
Adonis Blue (4)
(Continued from the Last Page >>)
One evening, Eugene said to Jeanne.
‘I’ve got something fascinating to show you’
What Eugene brought out was a black object like an AA-size battery.
‘What’s that?’
‘I made it a long time ago’
‘What for?’
‘ — To ruin this civilised society’
Jeanne looked at the face of Eugene.
‘This was designed to completely destroy anything connected by electricity
and its encompasses a thirteen kilometre radius. Here, this way —‘
Eugene attached the device to the back of a canvas left in the corner
of the room.
‘When this picture is displayed somewhere, and, some security gadget
is patched to the frame of the picture, it will come into force thirteen
days after that, automatically transmitting electric currents —‘
‘And break down everything connected to electricity and anything
in contact with electricity; that’s how it works?’
‘So is everything wireless connected via radio transmission, or
anyone existing within the thirteen kilometres radius — any one enjoying
advanced civilisation alone will disappear from this earth, except —‘
‘Except?’
‘Except for someone wearing this patch. It is the only one which
exists in this world, but I’ll give it to you’
So said Eugene, and stuck a tiny seal-like sheet on the lining of Jeanne’s
coat.
‘The name of the time fuse is déraciné. Once
set, it will not stop, except only one way to stop it from exploding:
a sacrifice of one human who grabs the device in operation with bare hands’
‘How come you made such a stuff?’
‘Cos this world, humankind, is too absurd — like cancers leeching
sound cells. — But, now I packed it in. You know Jeanne, such a thing
became ludicrous to me now. I was the most absurd to think of such stuff.
There’s no point in wanton destruction and the taking of lives. Now,
it’s getting late, let’s go to sleep. Jeanne, take me to painting
after school tomorrow’
A few days later, Eugene asked his mother after dinner.
‘Dear mum, do you know that picture? You know, the picture left over
there, of the rainbow’
‘Oh my Eu, that’s the picture I submitted to an art competition.
The international art concours. That is the one which has set the stage
for making the debut of a lot of prominent artists’
‘Really?’
‘Because dear Eu, this is a wonderful opportunity to let the works
of the dear master to a wide public! Isn’t it wonderful, eh? The
prize-winning works will be displayed on the gallery in the sponsor company’s
main office.'
Jeanne and Eugene looked at each other.
‘…I forgot to take it off…’
‘No worries. That can’t win such a prize’
‘Oh, what’s the story?’ Marie said unknowingly.
Three months had passed since then.
He remained a hanger-on. Such a day went on routinely: he taught painting
to the chatelaine of this estate in the daytime, and then went out to
sketch with Eugene from time to time. He was secured of shelter and food,
and could take a breathing spell. It was the days of comfort.
‘You flirt with another older woman again!’
‘Nope, gimme a break’
‘I’m telling you I’m the only one to deserve you’
He awoke all of a sweat at midnight. His body was hot as if he’s
got a fever, though he got the shivers.
He started to pack up his belongings, though these are trifle if excluding
the ones given from this house.
As he came out on the corridor, there was Eugene who was on the way
to his room from the toilet.
‘Jeanne’
‘What’
‘I feel like somehow you’re going away from my place soon’
‘A fat chance’
‘Yes, that’s true. Jeanne, we are friends, aren’t we?’
‘…We are’
‘Then have a good night. See you later’
Eugene entered his room and closed the door.
As he made sure Eugene was back to sleep, Jeanne took up his tattered
coat, made no noise of his steps, and left behind the estate.
Ten minutes after that, Marie sneaked into his bedroom.
‘My dear Sir, I can’t stand it anymore. I…’
The windows of his room were wide open, and the light of the full moon
whitely shined upon the curtains flapping in the wind.
‘Hello, I’m home, mum, Jeanne, here’s the post in the
mailbox. Oh, this says: Dear Mr Jeanne d’Arc, the notification of
your receiving the grand prize on the international art concours…wow,
fantastic! Here!’
Eugene, back from school, walked around the large compound with his bag
and an envelope in his hands.
As his voice echoed throughout the house, Marie kept pouring coffee into
the cup at the atelier. The brimming liquid was already overflowing, covered
the whole table, and infiltrated the floor.
‘ — Mother? — Jeanne?’
He walked round and round the house —the one which was abandoned.
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