In the Mist of the Early Morning
A Series
Pilot Episode
Short Story
By
Chrif Elidrissi
Copyright ?2015 Chrif Elidrissi
DEDICATION
To my beloved daughter... Lady Fatimah.
You are my inspiration, my muse, my princess?
In the Mist of the Early Morning
Pilot Episode
Friday evening, I just came back from work and had a crazy week, every day felt like an eternity and I couldn't wait until the weekend shows up, sometimes the days are quick and they seem like being skipped, but not this time, this week was the longest for some reason, I sat down on the couch like every night, watching TV, alone, and thinking about my sister telling me, I should get married, like it was easy, she said, there is a lot of women, I should choose one, and as she was saying that, it seemed like picking fruits from trees, I didn't know why I thought that, these are human beings and they have feelings, and those feelings are just not compatible with mine, that's all.
I sat there watching the news, I couldn't focus on my thoughts, and as soon as the show started, the microwave machine made the bell sound and turned itself off, my dinner was ready, so I went back to the kitchen and fixed it on a plate, then grabbed some napkins and hurried up to the living room as the show was already starting and I didn't want to miss any of it.
Suddenly the phone rang and I saw my sister's number, answered and had the feeling that she wouldn't let this week pass by without doing something to ruin it, and I was right.
Before the night ended, I was invited to dinner at my sister's house, and as usual was instructed to be prepared and be formal, I almost felt like it was my late mother talking to me on the phone, and not my sister, and knew before answering that call, that I would regret it.
That night, I went to bed earlier than usual, and slept immediately, and as soon as the first light of the morning showed up, I was already preparing my bag of clothes and traveling kit, then as soon as I showered and ate, I left the house towards my sister's.
Two hours later, I was there, but before that, I had to stop to buy some gifts and fill up the gas tank of my car, everything was going as expected, as soon as I arrived, my sister explained that she had invited a female friend of hers, and that I had to meet her and give a good impression, then decide from there.
I had the strange feeling that this dinner wasn't going to be normal, and whatever my sister was preparing will end badly, or at least be the same as every time.
After I settled in the guest room, my brother in law decided to take me to see the old park, around the neighborhood and leave my sister preparing the night, but from what I saw, everything was already done, and she didn't have anything else to do but cooking the food.
Five minutes after we were walking to the entrance of the old park, the long path was like a roman brick road with defined edges along the sides, leading to the center of a circular looking place that made me think of the old worshiping places from the pagan stories, and all around that circular spot, were standing long trees right after the green and brownish grass, surrounding the rocky looking like sitting sides, the trees were everywhere except on the right side where the grass took hold of the area and expended until it became dominant, and from the middle of that brick made circular looking place were extended path ways in four directions, one leading to the woods and the other to the river bridge, and the one we were walking on from the neighborhood where the houses were built, and the last one to the right that wasn't looking like the others, was situated in the middle of the wild grass, and from its shape, I thought it was the original one that was there in the first place, and they build the center in the middle of it, or at least that was the impression that I got.
Few minutes after we were there, the neighborhood kids followed to play soccer in a small field built apparently for that purpose and as soon as they started, my brother in law said "Do you play sport?"
"No! Not at all" I replied.
"Your sister is on my case these days, she think I am getting fat, and need to get a gym membership" he said, before adding "I think she is the one who gained weight and need training, But you didn't hear that from me... O.K?"
I smiled and knocked my head affirming his words, then looked at the kids playing for an instant, so he said "She is probably going to say the same to you, you know your sister...", then he continued without letting me say anything, "Women, they are strange individuals you know, one day, they are the best help you can have in life, and the next day, they make you regret even living... I envy you, you don't have to deal with them at all, and you didn't hear that from me either..."
While he was talking, I said "You know that I can't help you with that, I have no accurate advice to give you, and my experience is not the best..."
"Yes I know, but I am just expressing my frustration, and it doesn't mean that I..."
And before he finished, I said "If you don't like my sister, why don't you leave her?"
"Oh my god! No! I would never do that, I love her so much, I can't live without her..." he almost yelled replying.
"Well, think about all the good things and just pass on the rest, when you feel she is being against you, maybe she is expressing a pain that you can't see" I said calmly.
"You are right, I don't understand why you say can't find somebody, you are the perfect gentleman..." he asked.
"I don't know either, it is one of the mysteries of the universe my friend..." I replied.
The conversation went over and over, until he looked at his watch and said "It is almost time, we should get back before your sister get worried, you know how she is".
"Yes! Sadly I do" I replied.
Back to the house, we noticed a new car parked in front of the garage right next to mine, then my brother in law said "It look like your sister's friend is here, I didn't expect her that early".
A weird sensation took over me suddenly, I didn't realize what it was until later when we were in the house, when my brother in law said "aren't you anxious to meet her?"
"Yeah! Anxiety is going to kill me" I replied.
My sister and her friend were sitting in the living room, and as soon as she saw me, she got all exited and introduced me, then my brother in law and I, sat down with them, and talked for a while, then had lunch and few hours later, my sister's friend left.
In the evening, my sister said "So, what did you think of her?"
"Who? Your friend? She's O.K." I replied.
"Just O.K." she asked.
"What do you want me to tell you? O.K. She is great, the best in the world" I replied quickly.
"No sarcasm please! I am being serious" she said angrily.
"I don't know, she fine, more than that I'll be just lying to you" I said.
"So you liked her?" she asked again.
"Why? What's going on?" I said.
"I'm just asking you, what you think" she replied.
"I think all the best things, now if you want to pass that and say what you want to say, I am all ears, but if you are looking for compliments for your friend, I can get my dictionary and tell you a bunch" I said with frustration.
"Well, excuse me, Mr. Perfect, I thought I could help you find someone nice and whatever...."
Before she finished her sentence, I was already out of the room, and few steps away, I found myself out on the front porch where my brother in law was sitting on his straw chair, so I told him about what happened and then started thinking about leaving immediately, but he convinced me to wait until the morning, and five minutes later, my sister followed me outside.
> She said "You are hiding here?"
"I am leaving, see you next time" I replied.
"Why are you like that?" she asked before adding "You get upset for nothing, I was trying to help you".
"I am not arguing with you again" I said angrily before going inside the house then to the room where I gathered all my things from the bathroom and closet then headed to my car.
Two hours later, I was back to my house, regretting the whole thing, I put my bag on the bed and don't know how I felt asleep right there.
I woke up early in the morning before sunrise and couldn't get back to sleep, all I was thinking about was the argument with my sister, and slowly felt like my room was getting smaller and the house wanted to punish me for upsetting my only sister, and despite convincing myself that it wasn't my fault and she is just too controlling, I still didn't feel any better, I got up and had to get out of there.
Outside, while I was stepping out to the street, I remembered the park I went to with my brother in law the previous day, and I knew that I had one similar nearby, few blocks away, I saw the entrance to my neighborhood park, and went straight to it.
The morning light was barely shining, like pushing the darkness away, in an eternal fight between good and evil, like the books of poesy describe it, and further into the park the pathway was leading me to the metal tables where people usually sit to eat or just chill, and beyond that, was the wild grass and the trees...
I sat on a metallic long chair facing the wild grass, while the morning light was shining through the dancing trees branches, the mist was crawling slowly like fighting the light for a fading moment of dominance over the grassy side of the park, and while my mind was relaxing from my early anxiety, I suddenly noticed a small movement behind the small strings of grass, which I thought first was a small animal then after I saw it, maybe a butterfly, but when I focused realized that it was neither, but something else that I never expected.
The End
Thank you
Firstly, thank you for downloading and reading In the Mist of the Early Morning - Pilot Episode. I would really appreciate your feedback, if you could kindly leave a review wherever you downloaded this book from that would be great.
I would also like to let you know that there are several episodes in the same series In the Mist of the Early Morning and they will be published in sequence, as soon they are finished.
Stay connected for updates.
Much appreciated.
Chrif Elidrissi.
About the Author:
Chrif Elidrissi is a writer of Fantasy genre and Science Fiction.
You can follow him on https://Chrif04.wordpress.com
Or write to him at:
[email protected] By Chrif Elidrissi :
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