 
"Damn! What the..." Newton opened his mouth after he spotted Joseph ahead. Joseph who wore a smile of sarcasm as if to mock Newton, was walking towards Newton and Jessica. It was now the fourth time that Newton had run into Joseph and as before Newton's heart rattled.

Jessica turned around and glanced at Newton before Newton could speak another word, "Newt, please stop it."

"What?" Newton replied. Newton did not like what he saw ahead. He had a rattle of thought as he ignored Jessica's credible character and he stared at her with a look which mirrored the emotions he had began to feel when he had seen Joseph approach.

"You heard me--" Jessica snapped and whispered to Newton. As Joseph approached she pretended like she and Newton hadn't spoken a word to each other. She hurried towards Joseph and jumped in his arms leaving Newton behind who stood aloof watched at a distance as Jessica part her mouth into a broad smile while she talked to Joseph. Though Newton Knew Joseph less, he was unsettled by him because Joseph was a reminder of Jessica's past. Joseph used to work with Jessica in an adult film company. Therefore Newton reasoned that he had all the reasons to get upset by Jessica's behavior towards her ex-workmates especially then that she had stopped working there and was married to Newton for a year then.

Minutes passed by. Newton stayed aloof and waited patiently for Jessica to finish her chat with Joseph. He stood silent at the other side of the road and watched as Jessica said her goodbyes to Joseph, and then gave him a peck at the side of his cheek. Upon seeing Jessica's behavior, Newton puffed out silently as he tried to calm his rising exasperation, his heart thumped as he once more considered that glimpse he had seen seconds ago. He wanted to act but considered Joseph's physique-- his strong and huge muscly arms. Joseph was the only black American in that part of Transtevator enough reason for Newton to rather close his mouth and not pick a fight with a guy like Joseph. Though aloof, Newton could hear every word Jessica and Joseph said. Not that harsh, but relationship risking phrases that rushed in Newton's ears. He gnashed on his teeth and swallowed every little bit of anger he felt was grinding parts of his heart, he felt a heat burning parts of it, and surely, Newton wasn't easily going to get over all that he heard, and the gestures both Jessica and Joseph shared, and those cute smiles which Jessica flushed above her shoulder as she walked away from Joseph. Joseph looked pleased at Jessica's gestures. A second more after passing her goodbye to Joseph, Jessica turned around completely and begun to stride towards Newton, but when she was half way from Newton, a mob of her fans came running towards her.

Newton's eyes darkened to the view. What the...damn it! He breathed a sounding gentle breath as he watched Jessica stop to her past... Again. Why can't she put an end to this drama? She is out of that world...she is no longer an actress. I managed to make her quit acting porn films, I bet I will erase that memory of her ever acting. And her fame will no longer torment me. I bet I will. Newton folded his lips and begun to walk towards a nearby lamp post where he leaned and waited for Jessica to be done signing autographs.

The Haunted Chest by Henry Prince Chilonga

Fiction: Paranoid

Copyright © 2017 by Henry Prince Chilonga

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,

electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Epilogue

About the Author

With thanks to Dad, Mom, my siblings...Ernest Chilonga

Who volunteered his time to make sure

I got it right.

Do you like stalking me?" Jessica Holland asked Newton Shetani while they were on their way home. It was another argument on the same topic they had a day before and Jessica was getting bored and offended of having to be reminded of her past over and over again.

A year of marriage, but Jessica's past always came to her and Newton was not prudent whenever he started the topic.

"No! Jessie, so you now find this topic to be some kind of a stalk, right?"

"Newton, let us try and forget about my past. That topic is unavailing if you ask me."

Desperate, mad with frustration, Newton looked straight into Jessica's blue eyes. Anger rose in his throat as he recalled what had happened an hour ago "a man stops you in the middle of the road and tells you...no...thanks you for the the good show you gave him when you two were in bed...with him...and you call this matter futile? You call it unavailing?-- And you did not get offended by any of what that guy said."

"Why should I, Newt?"

"Why should you!?"

"Listen, Newt, that is in the past. After all you married me besides you knowing that I was a porn actress."

"I think there are things you can't tell me."

"Like?"

"Like you are still selling your body to earn some bucks."

"Newt, don't disrespect me. The fact that I am responding to every one of your stupid, sardonic questions doesn't mean you can just say whatever you feel like saying. And the fact that I am still listening to that trivial issue doesn't mean I'm in agreement with what you are saying. I have a heart you know."

"If you had one, you wouldn't had been showing yourself necked on TV." Newton said. Jessica's blue eyes grew wide as she looked at Newton, her eyes slowly become wet when she swallowed through her stringy throat. Tears begun to stream down her cheeks as she saw her husband speak in a tone which never pleased her. And she could see just how mad Newton was after bumping into one of her ex-workmate, Joseph; who twice featured with Jessica in a movie at the xxx video bluster (an adult film company) which Jessica had worked for, for more than five years straight before falling in love with Newton Shetani, a simple ship attendant. "Where was your shame then huh!? Where?" He continued as anger rose in his throat, and a tone of sarcasm which sounded harsh in Jessica's ears escaped from his mouth.

Jessica ducked her head as Newton's words came rushing in her ears. Newton, like any other husband, needed to protect an image of his family. After marriage he had insisted that they shift from their current home to a place were no one knew Jessica as a porn actress and a blond block buster adult movie star, but Mrs Shetani. I guess this is too much to ask for. Newton's thoughts always rattled whenever he remembered Jessica's past work.

Jessica lifted up her head and glanced again at Newton. She tempered her voice as she caught Newton's glance "why did you get married to me? If you saw me to be a whore. Why marry me in the first place?"

"I thought you were the wife God plotted for me. I thought wrong. I thought that I would find happiness and joy in your company. I believed the so called love phrase..." He continued. "But in the abstract thought you turned up to be something else, all that I saw then was nothing but mere fantasy, everybody out there has those. And the funny part with fantasy is that it's never real. And it will never be. I think it will never work."

Jessica held Newton's hand "what are you saying? That the love I feel for you is fake--?" Pausing in her words, "what are you trying to say to me, Newton? That our relationship is never going to work out?"

Newton swung his glance away from Jessica, and back at her again, he saw her weep and soak herself in tears as she repeatedly glanced at him. Am sorry Jessie, but this will never work for the both of us until am certain you are no longer striping your body necked for those losers. He swallowed through his throat as thoughts surged in his mind-- he removed Jessica's hand which had gripped on his jean and gave her an uncertain look and then walked away. He moved into another road which led to his house. Newton's eyes darkened as thoughts surged in his mind.

I am not sure anymore of the type of person I chose to spend my entire life with--I can not trust Jessie anymore. Newton thought as he walked away.

Jessica glanced at Newton as she watched him walk away. She fell on her knees and pressed her hands on the ground as she cried repeatedly. Her head was still ducked down as mixed feelings begun to rise in her heart, she lifted her head and could see Newton afar and about to make a sharp escape.

Newton Shetani and Jessica Holland had been married for a year, pretty much a short time and would be considered newlywed, but their relationship, which inclined to be like they had spent many years together. Every time the two argued, their marriage lost that sentimental value of love and it slowly grew apart.

Jessica Holland begun to work for a porn company at an age of sixteen, pretty much illegal--but with the great show she gave her manager, and her eagerness to help cure her sick mother who had suffered from Lung cancer, the company illicitly brought her aboard. For years, she helped pay her sick mom, but on her third year working for the adult company her mother passed away. Jessica Holland therefore had no reason to stay in the porn business anymore but since she had gained millions of followers and fame around the cities of Transtevator, she decided to continue with her career as an adult film actress. However, on her twenty-second birthday, she met Newton Shetani who among all men found something in her (something special) apart from her striped necked talent and she fell in love with him and thereby stopped acting. Newton seemed to be the only important person in her life then, but her past seemed to keep on tormenting her and it always did despite the two years that she had quit acting.

Unlike Jessica, Newton Shetani grew humble but he loved money of which at times forced him to step foot in prison. His main priority in life was to make money--and make lots of it if he got the chance, but it is doubtful that God has chances for greedy persons like him. Newton had to scrub boats and ships only to make a living and was in need for more money when he had gotten married to Jessica Holland. He wasn't that much hooked up in relationships in his past years, Jessica Holland was thenceforth the first true love partner he had. And after being stabbed many times by Jessica's past, he no longer knew the meaning of love. He always tried as hard as possible to bury everything from Jessica's past which included her being taunted by her ex-co workers and her fan base. He wanted to bury that by moving to another city or town where he and Jessica would not be known. Beside the fact that he could not be known wherever he moved to, Newton reasoned that he could at least get cordial greetings from neighbors, and be seen by all, that he and Jessica were a normal couple. That would be in contrast to what was happening now-- his wife always looked at by other men with a glance of lust. Why doesn't she reason with me?

Jessica's eyes darkened as she glanced at Newton who had then disappeared into another road "I love you Newton, and that is all that matters...I love you." Her voice muffled as she stretched her glance forward.

But Newton was not ready to look back. He kept his glance fastened ahead as troubled thoughts whirled in his mind. Why can't I have peace of mind, for once in my life. I married her in the name of love, but this doesn't seem to be love to me. Was it infatuation I felt? Or maybe I was only fascinated by her fame? Damn! What is wrong with me? Newton lifted his hands and placed them on his face as thoughts continued to ramble in his mind.

Slowly and gently, he rubbed his face. And for a second he glanced back to check on Jessica if she was following behind or maybe still on the other road and crying.

What is up with girls? I can't seem to understand them. His thoughts snapped the moment he saw that Jessica was behind him. But quite aloof and not wishing to get close to him.

He shifted his glance and fastened it on the road ahead. He slipped one of his hands in the pocket and tried to loosen his glance which had seemed narrow. He softened his lips as he strode along the road, and remembered what had happened for them get married. What really had transpired on Jessica's twenty-second birthday that Newton began to date her..

As a famous porn actress, Jessica Holland was having her twenty-second birthday on one of the ships she and her workmates rented--which had happened to be where Newton Shetani worked as one of the ship's attendants and also appointed for a one day service as a party waiter.

It was like it were yesterday when he walked towards Jessica with a tray of champagne glasses; handing them to everyone on deck, and refilling those glasses which had gone empty.

It wasn't like Newton never knew Jessica's and her fame, actually she was at the time the talk of the town of Transtevator-- and Newton never liked that fact one bit, the fact that she was into bad acting. Newton knew of Jessica's career and never liked it, at first he only knew and pictured her as a whore, at least not until he had fallen in love with her, and heard of the reason why she had found herself into that type of acting. For a complete year they dated, Jessica quit her career, Newton put a ring on Jessica's finger and they were both married in a church and pronounced husband and wife on Jessica's twenty-fourth birthday.

Since their wedding, Newton always insisted that they leave Transtevator and move to states like New York, California, Pennsylvania, or his favorite-- Las Vegas, but Jessica found Transtevator to be her one and only city she can live in because she had been born and raised there and she hoped to die there. She cherished the city even more because it was there that she had buried her mother.

Newton puffed between his teeth and glanced behind. Again. And he could see Jessica afar with her head ducked.

I don't know why, but I don't think I can continue trusting you, Jessie. Newton thought as he paused to glance at her.

Newton thought back to a moment when he had been stopped by some guys and asked if he had really married a 'whore.' Newton never saw Jessica in that perspective, but the manner in which Jessica behaved when approached by a guy and many who asked her to sign them an autograph made Newton think of her like that. She always fixed her face with a curved smile...and also injected a smile in her voice whenever she spoke to her fans. At times, Newton felt like he was missing something...he felt like Jessica was cheating on him, and worse...that she was still in her old ways; and again working for an adult film company.

And every time when he changed the channels on his television screen at mid-night only to fined adult movies, he could see her stripped necked with other men in bed.

Although Jessica's habit was of the past, it sure kept taunting her through her jealous husband.

It is not that I don't know of her past habit, but it is quite difficult believing that she is no longer in the ways of acting porn.

Newton swung his glance behind and could see Jessica afar, walking slowly and until then not wanting to get close to him. She placed one of her hands on top of her guitar-shaped curved hip as she walked forward. Wind blew her hair behind and her pretty face ducked as thoughts troubled her.

Newton begun to slow his speed, he slid his feet on the ground and hoped that Jessica cold reach him. But Newton wasn't ready to prove to Jessica that he was no longer mad at her. He thought that if made that certain to her, she would take an advantage of his feelings.

Rather, he continued to walk slowly and hoped that Jessica would talk her way into making him believe that whatever she said was true and that she wasn't acting for any adult film company.

But why does she keep relations with the people she once acted with. I hate that fact that my wife is looked at as a slut by my neighbors. Newton thought.

"Newt--" After minutes of following behind, Jessica called out.

He glanced behind and could see Jessica stopping and taking deep breaths-- she placed both her hands on her hips and received Newton's glance.

"You will meet me home!" Newton responded and covered his face with an exaggerated anger.

"What's with you, Newt? Your wife is ding and you stand meters away from her?" she said in a weak tone.

"The dead don't speak."

"What!?"

"Meet me home, honey." Newton snapped. And shifted his glance from Jessica. At least clear in her eyes that Newton wasn't falling for her prank. And slowly, she too begun to walk forward. Behind Newton. And then upright with one hand dropped down and only brushing her hip.

It was in the afternoon when the couple decided to walk to a supermarket where they met Joseph (Jessica's ex-workmate) and a number of fans who asked for Jessica to sign them an autograph. Quite intense in Newton's perspective, he canceled all their plans to shop for household supplies. Jessica's behavior made Newton decide not to move further. And then forced both of them to make turns and consider that day's lunch canceled.

Newton wasn't going to have an appetite after that quarrel, and neither would Jessica.

He ducked his head as he walked away.

For minutes, Newton and Jessica walked in the scorching sun of the afternoon. The sun hit their foreheads and at times a mini blowing wind (warm too) would hit their faces.

Newton puffed out loud, while walking. His heart twisted with a feeling which he wasn't certain of-- whether to feel ashamed having to marry Jessica, or compassion over the way Jessica had looked after he had shouted at her. Ambivalent thoughts surged in his mind as he walked. Why? What seem to be my problem. Jessica is pretty, and I have as well come to know of her inner beauty after I had made her my wife. She knows moral values, she knows how to love, but what seems to be...? Unable to reason with what was happening in his relationship, Newton didn't find it easy to recollect his thoughts upon comparing just how Jessica reasoned on that matter, how she talked to her neighbors, and how she responded at her fans requests for selfies. Newton did not know what else to believe anymore.

He puffed out again the moment he glanced at his house which was right in between two neighboring houses, and it faced the road. It was placed in between a short plank fenced which excluded it from its neighbors. The house was painted white to distinguish it from the other neighboring houses. For example, to distinguish it from the house at the left which looked creepy and owned by a creepy old couple: Jack Boxer and his wife, Futtesh Nawar. They were pretty old, but they always insisted on being addressed by their names. Mr Boxer's wife, who made Newton's days worse whenever bumped into him, was in her early seventies, but still saw herself pretty, and prettier than Jessica Holland. She always mocked Newton on his choice to marry a wife whom in Mrs Boxer's judgment, seemed immoral.

Newton twisted his lips into a smile as he walked forward, close to his yard. He dropped his curved smile when he saw yet again the old couple's house.

Take it easy, Newt, the old man isn't around. He isn't home. Newton took a deep steady breath as he walked forward.

"I really need a shower right now," He said in a low faint tone as he paused to rub his face. An exhaustion which covered part of his face.

Right at the edge of his yard, he stopped and glanced at his and Jessica's huge house. Staring at it with a covetous look of wanting more. Newton considered his house to be an investment-- An investment which sure brought him no money in return. If only Jessica agrees in us moving to Las Vegas--that way, I would sell this house and make more money in casinos--I'm pretty sure I'm destined for big, after all, I was born when the state was under civil war, but here I'm...and alive...this and more proves just how lucky I'm...what if I use that luck to win us a fortune and not stay in this city and be cooped between our pasts and two annoying neighbors.

"Hey, get out of my way!" Mrs Boxer hit Newton's legs with her walking stick.

"Sorry, ma'am." He turned around. And said upon seeing that it was his neighbor.

"You better be young man--"

"I'm really sorry, ma'am."

"What did you just call me?" Mrs Boxer asked, still balancing on her walking stick, her glance lifted up to get a clear glimpse of Newton through her specs.

"Nothing ma'am." Newton responded.

"Why do you call me...ma'am?"

"I...I... I don't know...because you are--" Newton paused in between his sentence.

"Because what? Curled haired." Mrs boxer continued "do I look old to you?"

"Ah--" Newton wanted to continue but thought better of what he was about to say.

"The cat has caught your tongue?" Mrs boxer said, her voice muffled through her throat as she spoke "do I look old to you?"

"I don't know."

"I'm still young and sexy...at least better than your wife...your ugly blond wife...what's her name again? yes...Jessica...who names her daughter Jessica in this new era...we are in the twenty-first century damn it! I wouldn't even think of naming my daughter Jessica--" Mrs boxer said.

Newton's eyes darkened as she watched the old lady balance on her walking stick, but still talked as much as yesterday. Newton glanced at Mrs Boxer and hoped that she finished talking soon and walk back to her house--at least that would allow him too to go into his and take a shower which he had longed for. But--

"You know what, ma'am--"

"Ah! Not ma'am...Futtesh Nawar...the only diva in these parts of Transtevator..."

"OK, Futtesh" Newton continued, forcing the old lady's name out of his mouth, "may I walk to my house now, I think I should be in my house, and you in yours. What do you think?"

"Alright, make way!" Mrs Boxer hit him on his legs again as she begun to walk away, sliding her feet as she kept her back curved and her head ducked down.

Newton glanced at the old lady and puffed out loud to what had happened--who would name her daughter, Futtesh, anyway? Newton's thoughts snapped as he watched the old lady walk away--foot by foot into her house. He shook his head.

And before he could continue into his short fence, he was stopped by Mr boxer who was coming from behind, treading towards Newton, with one of his hands place on top of his back. Mr Boxer's back was slightly curved and he was not willing to stretch it further in fear of what would happen if he did. His glance was fastened at Newton who at most occasions ran into his house when he was stopped by the old man. But this time, Mr Boxer sure caught him.

"Where thou hitting on my wife?" Mr Boxer asked, and walked a step further towards Newton.

That's stupid, how could I hit on a woman at her age, she is as old as my great great grandma? Newton sorted through his thoughts as he glanced at Mr Boxer with a glance of bewilderment as he was unable to respond to the question he had been asked by Mr Boxer. He rather fastened his glance at the old man.

"Answer me kiddo!" Mr Boxer insisted.

"Why would I?"

"I don't know, thou have realized that thou are married to a prostitute. And thou find my wife sexy...does that give thou a hint?"

"Se...sexy?" Wait a minute, does he think that his wife is sexy? Old people tend to amuse me "no, sir--"

"Thou better not kiddo!" Mr Boxer begun to walk back towards his house "I'm keeping an eye on thou kid!"

What was that all about? I just wish that when I grow old, I don't turn up to be like this looser. I just wish not.

He puffed between his teeth and shook his head before he could proceed to his fence. He clamped his mouth tight as thoughts whirled in his mind.

Newton saw in Jessica, a better wife, but the people surrounding him always looked down on his and Jessica's relationship. They saw Jessica as a whore and a prostitute, but those and many other hate mails Newton was still getting from his neighbors weren't going to make him to stop loving Jessica.

Newton considered each name the neighbors had given his wife and also the words he had to said to Jessica each time they had an argument and Newton felt guilty for the pain he had made Jessica go through.

Newton walked into the fence and gently locked the small gate behind him. He couldn't see Jessica anywhere behind, but Newton thought what else could have held her behind other than 'Fans!' Nothing else could come to mind other than that, especially considering the fame Jessica had in Transtevator. Newton swung his glance at all directions, but could still not get a glimpse of Jessica anywhere. He could only feel the silent wind of the neighborhood, blowing to his direction--touching and lifting his top hairs and making him feel that warm afternoon breeze. She will come, she knows the way home, after all I'm the reason she isn't with me.

And Newton felt that his pragmatic character always made their relationship bizarre to live in. Newton loosened his glance and opened the door at his front-- and made a silent entry into the house.

"Surprise!!!"

Newton's heart jumped the moment he got a sudden surprise from Jessica and his sister: Norah Shetani. It wasn't like he hated surprises, but this? Newton glanced around the living room which had been decorated with pretty matching colours. And in front of his eyes stood a huge cake.

"Happy birthday!"

Newton's heart bet rampant as he recovered from the scare he had gotten from Jessica and Norah-- he wasn't able to understand why Jessica would still wish him a happy birthday after the huge argument both had. He tempered his voice and injected a smile in it as he stared at both Norah and Jessica.

"Come here--" Newton said.

Norah and Jessica rushed into his arms.

"Thank you so very much" Newton said, "You know you are the only ones I have left in Transtevator...I'm sincerely grateful for all this you have done for me...but wait a minute...Jessie, how did you reach home so quick?"

"Norah gave me a ride back." Jessica responded with a smile curled on her lips.

"Clever--" Newton snapped.

"How is the surprise, my dear brother?" Norah asked upon breaking free from the hug "don't tell me you forgot about your own birthday. Did you?"

"Truthful...I did forget." Newton responded.

"I came here as soon as Jessica reminded me." Norah continued, "do you like the surprise?"

"Like it? I love it...and I love you two." Newton continued, "come on, let us cut the cake."

Jessica walked forward "not so fast, Newt--"

"Why? Am starving."

"After you say sorry for what you did out there. You really hurt my feelings you know." Jessica crossed her arms and opened her eyes wide as she stared at Newton, "am waiting--"

"I'm sorry,Jessie...am sorry" Newton walked towards Jessica and wrapped his arms around her, and whispered in her ears, "let us not talk about that in front of my sister, please. You know how my sister hates to see us argue."

"OK, we cut the cake." Jessica said, forming her mouth into a wry smile as she approached the cake.

"I'm getting a bigger piece because I'm the youngest, and because I bought this cake," Norah said and walked forward. She kept her glance fastened on the huge cake which had sat on the table. And a rising appetite which rushed on Norah's tongue. "Am starving too!"

I can't seem to understand one thing. Newton's eyes darkened as bewildered thoughts rattled in his mind. In front of him was Jessica: his wife, a person he had a fight with a while ago. But there she was, excited and dancing with Norah right at the center of the living room. Jessica seemed happy, but Newton could not understand her actions, Newton reasoned that Jessica was only trying to let Norah feel that nothing had happened that day. And it is pretty obvious that Norah knows nothing that I had an argument with Jessica, I could have been lectured and scolded by her by now. Norah is Newton's only relative-- his sister, and Jessica sure had her ways in pleasing Norah-- in fact, not even Newton knew how to calm her down if she at any time was faced with a dilemma, but with Jessica knew how to.

After having to lose both their parents in a car accident, Newton wanted to secure his sister's well being. And Jessica sure came in handy-- Norah was very much open with Jessica than with her own brother. That made Newton realize just how important Jessica was to his sister as she was to him.

Newton stood right next to the cake...the remaining cake which was half way to be finished up. Newton placed his hands on the table as he curved his back, and gently stared at the cake. His eyes were wet as he remembered just how harsh his words were when he had spoken them to Jessica. He gnashed his teeth as each word rushed in his mind. Remembering just how he had spoken to Jessica. His cheeks burned with annoyance as he did not know what he was to do. He swung his glance to the other side, and begun to stare at Jessica and Norah who seemed to had been enjoying themselves. And gently he lifted one hand from the table and rubbed his face. He slid his hand down from his forehead which had at that time become oily after coming a long way from the supermarket in a scorching sun of the afternoon. He gently slid his hand down to his cheeks until holding on to his comic shaped chin.

He kept his hand fixed on his chin, and stroked it gently as thoughts came rushing in his mind. At that moment, he realized just how much important Jessica was in his life. Not only in his, but in his sister's too. He squared his chin and watched his sister and wife dance. Both seemed happy and excited. It was a joyous occasion, and Newton realized that Jessica was surely a perfect match for him, no one could be better.

And after arguing with Jessica at the supermarket as well as on the road on their way back home, Newton hadn't expected good from Jessica apart from a cold shoulder which he had not gotten yet. He twisted his mouth into a smile as he glanced at both his sister and wife. He curved a smile which he flushed right at the upper of his shoulder as he watched Jessica and Norah dance. He kept his hand on his chin and his other on the table until he decided to drop both his hands down to walked away from the table. Newton flushed a smile as he stared at Norah, and gently he begun to walk towards a couch which was pushed at the far corner wall a while ago by Jessica. Slowly, Newton walked and was upon the couches, he gently flopped into one. He opened his eyes wide as he got both glances of Norah and Jessica. He kept his mouth twisted into a smile as he watched them dance. He took a deep steady breath before puffed out between his teeth and flushed a smile at Jessica and Jessica again.

Norah wore a smile when she decided to tread towards Newton, she tried to pull him up from the couch to make him dance with her and Jessica. It was Newton's birthday after all, but Newton was having a guilt of thought after having said bad things to Jessica an hour ago. He rather kept himself stiffened on the couch and insisted that he'd rather watch the ladies dance. I'm happy, this is the best birthday present ever. Having my sister here and Jessica with me...He thought as he stiffened in the couch. And gently he folded his arms on top of his belly as he watched the ladies enjoy themselves. He screamed "Hooray!" to them as he watched.

Jessica stopped dancing and begun to walk towards him, she placed one of her hands on her hip--and covered her mouth with a wry smile as she walked even closer towards him. She had still wore the same clothes she had wore when going to the supermarket. A pink short dress, which showed just how shaped her body was. The dress which touched tightly her waist and pressed her breasts-- and showed just how beautiful she looked. And her white skin which sure brightened up the dress even more. The dress which met half-way her thigh...and quite tempting if you ask me...Newton clamped his mouth tight as he watched Jessica's hair throw behind and gave him a clear glimpse of Jessica's pretty face. Her smile, though wry, confused Newton even more. But a thought which reminded Newton that he was still mad at her--Jessica; her not cutting her connections with her ex-workmates and her not willing to show a cold shoulder at her fans. Newton reasoned that if she tried to show a slight cold shoulder at her fans then Jessica wouldn't have gotten much attention from many.

"Come on darling, you're missing the fun. You're the birthday boy remember? What is it with the cold behavior?" Jessica asked. She had stood right in front of Newton with both her hands resting on her hips. Her face flushed a wry smile as she spoke. Her legs touched each other, and Newton could curve out Jessica's curved hips. But Newton was not falling for her beauty this time. Most of the times when they had an argument in the house, Jessica, with her charming looks and pretty body would win her way in an argument and Newton would always be the one to ask for forgiveness. But not this time, Newton wasn't falling for any of her tricks.

"Newt--" Jessica said.

And slowly, Newton begun to tilt his neck, he gently lifted his head which was at that time ducked down. He lifted his head and begun to again to study Jessica's guitar-shaped body, but closed his eyes when he was about to glance at her tightly engulfed breasts. Wait a minute...I won't fall for that. Not today.

"What?" Newton snapped, he kept his eyes closed, and swallowed through his throat and continued to speak. "What now, Jessie?"

"The dance floor is now open for arrogant people." Jessica said and kept her glance fastened at Newton.

"What?" Quickly he opened his eyes and glanced at Jessica's fine body. He exclaimed "WOW!"

"What did you say?" Jessica asked, she lifted one eyebrow in mute supplication and still kept her hands rested on her hips as she glanced at Newton.

"Nothing--" Newton continued. "Who is arrogant?"

"I don't know...you maybe...after ditching me in the middle of the road, and right now pretending to be in harmony, like nothing ever happened out there. Does that define your question, Newt--?"

"It would if I were you," Newton continued after loosening himself from the couch and beamed forward. "After being in an argument with me...no, no...the 'birthday boy,' you run home and pretend like nothing happened in less than an hour...and here you are wishing me a happy birthday if all you give me is torment."

"Oh--now you won't even thank me for making this party a success? I could have canceled this birthday party if it were up to me. And probably tell your sister why you and I had a fight. Would you want me to do that, Mr Reputation?"

"What is that all about?" Newton asked, he rose both his eyebrows and stared up at Jessica, glancing at nothing but her bosom.

"I don't know, remind me. Since you care so much about your reputation. Don't you think you might as well have an answer to that question?" Jessica asked.

Norah wasn't paying attention to any of what they had been discussing but rather took that opportunity to grab herself another bigger piece of the cake, after all, she was again starving after a long stressful dance alone on the dance floor. Norah thought that what Jessica and Newton had was nothing but a romantic conversation, considering Jessica's stance, and the way Jessica had landed her hands on her hips. The loud music which played in the house disrupted Norah's hearing she couldn't get anything that Jessica and Newton talked about. She took another plate of cake, a fork, and walked to the other corner of the room where a couch had been rested. She rested her feet on the couch and the plate which had the cake on her laps. Norah dug in.

But Newton and Jessica were arguing yet again, and did not consider that they weren't alone in the house, but Norah too was in the room. Newton who rested his back on the couch and heard Jessica speak and kept quiet as he continued to stare at Jessica's bosom which had been pressed against Jessica tight pink dress.

"Who is wrong between us two?" Jessica asked.

"What kind of a question is that? Of course you are--now what difference does it make?"

"A tiny difference. It proves just how bias you are...my dear husband."

"Bias?" Newton lifted both his eyebrows.

"Since no one wants to accept his wrong doing," Jessica continued "I challenge you to a competition. Whoever wins this competition will not be blamed for ever starting this silly argument. And whoever looses will have to apologize to the other and promise to scrub the floors this entire week. What do you say about that?"

"What's the challenge?"

"The challenge is in the bedroom--" Jessica snapped.

Damn! This girl is naughty. Newton thought as he glanced at Jessica.

"It's not what you think, Newt, I wouldn't be in bed with you after calling me a whore."

"who said I was thinking of that?" Newton continued, "I wouldn't either."

"I'm challenging you to play chess, in the bedroom, so that your sister doesn't witness you loosing."

"Chess huh---"

"Nothing else."

Newton begun to stroke his chin as thoughts exchanged in his mind, Newton knew of the fact that he had been in a relationship with Jessica for two years straight, but never had he beaten Jessica in a game of chess. And accepting this challenge will only force me into saying sorry to Jessie. Again. I wouldn't want that. Newton kept on stroking his chin as thoughts exchanged, him then trying to figure out a way out. And tried to figure out how he was to avoid the challenge without him saying sorry to Jessica. Newton knew that he had no other way out; he knew no sport, nor game and only had two options in his mind and non of which was accepting Jessica's challenge. He stared at Jessica with a penetrating glance as he stroked his chin.

"NO--" Newton replied in a voice of steel. And then shifted his glance to face Norah who was at the corner of the room helping herself with a lump of cake.

"Seriously?"

"Uhm, I have spoken my decision."

"So you choose not to talk to me? Until when, Newt?"

"Until I'm certain." Newton snapped.

"Of what!?"

"Please, let us have this conversation once my sister has left. I don't want her to have a bad impression about all this."

"Fine!" Jessica snapped. "Since you care so much about your sister, at least dance with her, and don't let her have a bad impression about you. You can dance with her. I disgust you, right?"

Jessica turned around and begun to walk away, and Newton had seen just how Jessica looked, Jessica's eyes that were wet and her cheeks that burnt with frustration, despite her trying hard not to let Newton notice her cheeks burning, but Newton had already seen them, and was again blaming himself for having made Jessica mad.

"Jessica, I didn't say that!" Newton said, but his voice was faint as it muffled in his throat. Words which Jessica did not hear, in his glance, He watched Jessica climb up the stairs to the rooms up. He stood up from the couch, and called again, but Jessica did not hear with the loud music playing in the house, Jessica couldn't hear any of Newton's words.

But he rather watched her walk away.

He ducked his head as a twisted sensation rose in his heart after he had considered what had happened. I didn't mean to. His thoughts snapped. He took a deep steady breath and hoped to dilute the thoughts that had seemed ambivalent, but couldn't fine any solution to that dilemma. And at the time, Newton felt as if it was his wife who had tried to rip the family apart. He always tried to find someone to blame for his wrong doings, and he was good at it. Good thing that Jessica never accepted defeat when if it wasn't her fault.

Something which had taken place at the supermarket, until then was affecting the couple. Newton was to blame for what was happening, but Newton felt that Jessica was having an affair with some other guy, which wasn't true.

If she's not, then she is still acting for adult film companies. Newton had no solid evidence to prove his allegations, but to him, how Jessica had a way with her fans and her ex-workmates was enough to prove that Jessica was doing something behind his back.

Newton puffed between his teeth as he stared at Norah who had her plate cleaned and walked back towards the cake. He had a reason to smile, he watched Norah walk on her toes and a plate which Norah gripped on with her both hands. Norah quickly glanced around the room--she scanned to check if anyone was watching. Newton tilted his neck and then stared back at Norah right at the corner of his eyes. Norah who lifted up a knife and gently stabbed it on the upper surface of the cake--he pressed the knife down until it met the tray on the bottom. Again eager for another bigger piece.

"Norah--" Newton said and rushed towards Norah, he grabbed the knife from Norah's hand and turned off the stereo player.

"What, Newt...am starving," Norah said in a funny tone, she folded her lips and arms as she stared at Newton.

"What did the Doctor say?" Newton asked.

"What Doc?"

"That Doc...ah...I don't remember his name, but I do remember him mention that much sugar is bad for your heart?"

"Yes, I do recall, but who said I'm taking sugar?"

"This thing here contains..." Newton began to speak but cut off by Norah.

"Listen, Newt, I'm a university dropout...I'm supposed to be a doctor by now if it weren't for mom and dad ding in that stupid car accident...I would have continued my studies...what am I saying? Listen, Newt, I have studied medicine...worked for a number of clinics part-time, internships to add up to my credentials and this cake you see here has no sugar..."

"Hey, Norah, don't confuse me, I can taste sugar in this cake."

"There is a difference between sugar and dissolved sugar, brother...I don't think you would understand any of that. Lesson sixty-one in the third semester of the third year. You wouldn't understand any of that either. Just give me the knife."

"Norah, don't try to act smart with me...I know that I did not attend tertiary education, but I'm certain that you are taking me for granted."

"OK...just a small piece...after all this thing is tasty...uhm...you gotta have some of this stuff brother...you will realize that you have been missing a lot." Norah said while stuffing her mouth full.

Newton's eyes darkened as a thought reached his mind. I'm missing a lot. He thought of Jessica and just how cruel he had treated her. And slowly, he walked away from the table and back on the couch. Thoughts scampered frantically in his mind. Unable to reason properly-- Newton ducked his head and hoped that he would find a solution to what had been happening to him and Jessica. And to where did the love go to. He found it difficult to think of a solution nor think straight, but again found fault in Jessica. He tried to differentiate between his mere thoughts and his emotions, what did his heart speak? Newton's eyes darkened even more when he threw himself on the couch. He placed both of his hands on his face and puffed between the spaces formed by his fingers, and then regretted ever to had started the argument with Jessica. This was the least that Newton thought would happen.

Norah walked towards Newton, she wiped her mouth before getting closer. And Tried to annoy Newton as she told him of how sweet the cake was, but that did not seem to had shaken Newton. Not even a little. Newton rather kept his hands placed on his face as irrational feelings begun to rise up again, along his throat. But Norah was the last person Newton would want to upset then. Newton sat silent as Norah continuously shook him and begged that he enjoys himself, it being his birthday party. Newton gently removed his hands from his face and forcibly wore a wry smile.

"What is wrong, Newt?" Norah continued, "I'm your sister, you can tell me what has been bothering you. I'm sure I will help."

Newton swallowed through his throat as he received Norah's glance. "You wouldn't understand any of it, sis, you wouldn't."

"Listen, newt, mom and dad are both gone. We are here for each other. Try me...and see if I will fail to understand any of it that has been bothering you."

"No--you won't."

"And by the way, where is Jessica?" Norah swung her glance around the room until it got back at Newton. "Oh! It's confirmed. It's a family fight right? Tell me about it...I too am married and I always come to ask advises from you. What makes you think I wouldn't understand yours?"

Newton looked into Norah's eyes as he held her hands. "Do you think I'm bias?"

"Yeah...a little." Norah snapped.

"Arrogant?"

"Yeah, a little. And greedy...a lot." Norah said and decorated her face with a tiny smile.

"That's the thing. I knew you wouldn't, Norah. You may be married, but that doesn't mean you can help solve my problems."

"Did Jessica say all that to you? She is right, Newt, the problem with you is that you have never accepted your mistakes. You always run up to blame others for the wrongs you do. Jessica is a sweet lady...I like her...she is a sister I never had...if you ever try to annoy her...it is I you will be dealing with. I promise." Norah stood up and glanced at Newton, "you better ask for forgiveness from her...I'm leaving, I'm sure Daglus must be waiting for me at home...I don't want to offend him, he is bias just like you are," Norah continued after kissing Newton goodbye. "I'm leaving, Newt, take good care of my sister, will you."

"Tell Daglus I pass my greetings."

"I will!"

Newton puffed out loud as he watched Norah walk through the door. And it were like Norah knew Jessica well--they had spent a year together, and Norah knew that Jessica was upset, better not cross her path...nor even had a thought to calm Jessica's temper. Newton was Jessica's husband, for better and for worse, no wander they had to bear each other's company. Jessica had to bear the feeling of loving someone who hardly looked up at her bright side, but always looked at her past behavior. Jessica's worst side. Which probably would be called her dark past.

But what Newton did not accept was the single fact that a porn-star--a person who acted adult movies would change so quick and easy. Newton found Jessica, to had been a good pretender, and he never believed any of what Jessica said. Jessica's looks when upset, Newton found all that as a character Jessica learnt when acting. That and more--but what Newton did not understand was that Jessica too had feelings. Feelings that could be hurt. And Jessica too having a heart which is equally fragile like his.

Newton puffed again, and took a deep steady breath which he released after a count of seconds. And swung his glance towards the stairs that Jessica climbed a while ago. He loosened his glance and begun to walk forward, towards the stairs that were to take him to the rooms up. And at least take him to his infuriated wife.

He clamped his mouth tight as he climbed up the stairs. Silence had hit the house, and only his feet and irritating creak sounds coming from the bottom wooden stairs. He gently lifted his feet as he walked forward. He closed shut the thin line on his mouth, his arms had dropped down as thoughts scampered in his mind. He knew less of what was about to hit him. He did not know what Jessica had planned for him. And after Jessica walked out of the living room with a sad face, and a concluding stiff phrase...Newton had all the reasons to get worried. Right in front of the bedroom door, a step away, Newton took another deep breath and puffed between his teeth as he held the handle at his front.

Newton slowly opened the door and walked first his head into the room to just make certain Jessica wasn't still holding on to a grudge, he swung his glance around the room and could then see Jessica lie in length and silent on the bed. Still in her clothes and had not yet wore her night gown. Newton walked in the room and could as well see that Jessica was still awake, but not willing to talk to him. Newton reached form the bed, he said something funny and hoped that it could amuse Jessica and make her snap out of her cold state, but that wasn't working--Jessica was silent with her eyes wide and wet. She silently wept and made wet his pillow below her head.

Newton tried stroking Jessica's cheeks. But that neither worked until he decided to act all ignorant of what was actually wrong with Jessica. And an immediate update that Norah had left.

"Please, Jessie, I hate to see you sad...at least say something...what is wrong with my wife? What is upsetting her?"

Newton slept beside Jessica and placed both his hands below his head and begun to stare the sealing of the roof. And every after ten seconds, he emptied his lungs to a refill of fresh air. He tilted his head to glance at Jessica who had given him her back and not willing to look at him.

"Jessica, please--" Newton continued. "Don't make me sad, please talk to me."

But Jessica wasn't just ready to talk to Newton after an argument both had. It was twice that day that they had argued over one thing: Jessica's past which Newton always used as a weapon to annoy Jessica.

Newton rested one of his legs on top of Jessica's hip and hoped to provoke Jessica and to make her speak for once-- Newton placed his hands on Jessica's waist and gently stroked her belly hoping to get attention from Jessica. But it sure wasn't worth it. After minutes of insisting to calm Jessica, Newton dropped his leg from Jessica's hip and got up from the bed--walking towards the other side, and only in need to look into her eyes as he spoke. He finally caught Jessica's wet glance.

Jessica quickly rubbed her face when she caught a glimpse of Newton at front of her.

"What is the matter? What is wrong with you?" Her voice sounded with ripples and obvious in Newton's ears that Jessica inwardly cringed.

"Let us find a solution to this, Jessie." Newton said. He wore a worry face as he spoke.

Jessica pushed herself up to sit on the bed. She glanced at Newton. "A solution to what? You mean a solution to this madness?"

"Let us not go there."

"You are the one taking me there." Jessica begun to cry again, tears slid down her cheeks as she continued and got short hiccups as she spoke. "What more do you want me to prove? I have gotten married to you in a church. You of all people, Newt, I wasn't expecting such insults from you. You know the reason why I had acted in the first place. I was forced to do that--I had no other option, my mom was dying. I was the only one to provide for my ding mom, I had to take care of mom, buy her medicines, pay house hold bills. After mom passed away I had no other alternative than to pursue what I had already started, I was a broken girl by then. But after I met you...I started going to church. You gave me life, Newt, I was lost when I was an actress. But at least now I can count myself to be among those who lead a descent and normal life...you changed me...but with these arguments we have each day...you are going to change me into a person you think I'm."

"Don't say that, Jessie--we can find a solution to this."

"You're right, Newt, there is a solution..." Jessica said. She jumped from the bed and walked away, she strode towards their closet.

Please let it not be what I'm thinking right now, I don't want her to leave me. It wouldn't be right. Newton thought as he watched Jessica open the doors of the closet. And swallowed through his throat and puffed when he saw Jessica only remove from there a laptop.

Jessica had her face still covered in anguish when she walked back towards the bed and placed the laptop on the bed and snapped it on.

Newton squatted silent as he watched Jessica land her fingers on the keyboard. And in Newton's mind; he only thought of money, and hoped that she doesn't remove him from the joint account both shared-- which he had made Jessica to be the soul owner of the account, and kind of the account's admin. She better not. A thought struck in his mind as he shot a suspicious look at her. But Jessica had better plans other than that concerning money-- she went online and searched for famous fortune tellers, and quickly, she brought the screen to Newton. Four powerful well known fortune tellers living in neighboring states of Transtevator. Newton read out in his heart.

"Why should we, Jessie? Just let it be." Newton said upon hearing Jessica's suggestion.

"It is either this or I pack my bags and leave, Newt. Why don't we let the fortune tellers speak just how faithful I have been to you." Jessica said.

"If I choose, will you put a smile on you face?"

"I will try--"

"Will you take a shower with me?"

"I will think about that."

Newton begun to stroke his chin as he glanced at the screen of the laptop and sorted in his mind and tried hard to decide who it was that he had to go for. "This one here...Mama Lina...what do say?"

### CHAPTER 2

"Newt, wake up--" Jessica continued. "It's seven in the morning."

"Quit shaking me." Newton's voice muffled through the pillow, he kept his mouth planted between the soft parts of the pillow.

"We have to get ready--"

A quick snap and Newton lifted his head from the pillow-- And directed his faded glance towards Jessica who at the moment had her glance fastened at him, Jessica who was still sleeping in length and to her part felt excited to the fact that she was going to prove Newton wrong. But Newton was over the issue, his motive...impress Jessica...he pushed himself up until he rested his back at the wall behind the bed, he had his face fixed into a smile as he glanced at Jessica.

"How was the night dear? Did you like it?"

"Stop with the teasing already. I did like it, but remember, it's morning, we have to get prepared for the trip to New York City to meet Mama Lina."

"You know I hate traveling by bus."

"I know-- That is why I took the privilege and contacted the Fix The Day motor company to be quick with whatever you had told them to do to the car-- I did that a couple of minutes ago, they delivered it in time. It's outside."

"Did you talk to my boss as well?"

"No--" Jessica continued. "Why should I?"

"To excuse me so that I can take a day off."

"You can miss a day, what will your boss do?"

"He will deduct from my paycheck...I'm already finding it difficult to set all my bills with the little that I earn, remember?"

"I get it--" Jessica snapped.

Newton stood up from the bed, still in his late night boxer...foot by foot, he walked to the closet. And flushed a smile above his shoulder as he looked back at Jessica, he shot a penetrating glance right at the corners of his eyes. And brought back his glance and gently opened the doors of the closet where he got from there, a pair of jean trousers, a gray shirt and a pair of socks.

He tossed his trousers on the bed and his shirt as well. He wore his socks and walked back towards the bed to grab again the pair of trousers. Quickly wearing, and sliding himself into the jean until he met the bottom with his feet. And went for the shirt. Jessica was still on the bed, still necked, she covered her breasts with a white sheet on the bed-- The edges of the sheet passed beneath her armpits and above her breasts. Jessica flushed a smile as she glanced at Newton. But her not willing to get out of bed. And informing Newton that she will be sleeping until she is sure that Newton makes a certainty that he decides to go to New York City with her. she lain in length, in a prostrate position and slept on her buttocks and back, her hands still held on to the sheet. And her head which had just landed above the soft pillow and slowly sank as she glanced at Newton. She tilted her neck and glanced more at Newton, and flushed again a smile.

"I'm leaving, Jessica, let me inform my boss first, I have to inform the big man before leaving for New York City." Newton said and kissed her on her forehead "and by the way, I will be taking the car with me, you wouldn't want me to be late."

He took from a table at the far end of the bed side: a phone, a bunch of keys, and walked towards the door. Steps away from the door, he heard Jessica shout out to him "I love you!"

Outside the house, he found the car packed right next to their fence. He twisted his mouth into a smile and begun to walk forward. Tossing the keys in the air and catching them again. He proceeded to the small gate of the short plank fence. And gently opened the door of the car, and jumped into the car.

He rested his hands on the steering wheel and begun to drive, he drove out of the neighborhood.

He slid open the glass of the car and sent outside his glance and begun to stare at the running poles at roadside. And ahead, he saw Mr Boxer walk slowly to where Newton thought to had been the supermarket. Newton shouted "Morning neighbor!" to him, but all he got in return was a glare which proved to Newton that the old man wasn't going to reply. Reason? Newton lifted his shoulders. He shrugged as he stared at the old man again. And slowly drove pass him.

Then proceeded to the harbour of Transtevator--

Meters away from the boats and huge ships at his side, he stopped the engine of the car and walked ahead. He slid the car keys into his pockets and gave a majestic walk down the path as if he owned one of the big ships at his left. And a smile which he flushed at everyone who walked pass him, like he sure owned some kind of an expensive yacht.

OK...OK...enough with the false gestures. Newton glanced at the ship were he was working as part of the rest who did quite a number of work: cleaning, fixing and as well attending to the guest as waiters...and some other less paying works when the ship sailed. Newton had worked for the ship owner for over years then-- Sometimes got in wrong terms with the boss-- But never did Newton cross any job risking boundary.

"Newton! What's up, hommie?" Raymond rushed towards Newton the moment Newton walked on deck. Raymond covered his face with a smile-- In Raymond's hands, he held a tray which made Newton pause to the glimpse. What is happening here? Newton lifted his eyebrows as he watched Raymond walk close upon dropping the metal tray on the ship's floor, a meter apart.

"What's up, Ray?" Newton said. Still having that curious thought.

"Dude, everything is up! We are right now above the ground, remember? And did you manage to convince Jessica in allowing you to go out with me and some hommies?"

"Remind me, Ray--"

"The bachelor party we are having this next evening."

"Should I remind you that I'm no longer a bachelor, Ray, I have a wife. Did you forget this too? Like you forgot to tell your sister to stop annoying me with love text messages she sends to me every single night?" Newton asked, and kept his glance fastened at Raymond.

"Wait a minute, what text messages? What sister?" Raymond lifted both his eyebrows in mute supplication.

"Gat ya--" Newton chuckled and walked away, "see you later, Ray."

Newton walked away from Raymond...he still couldn't put his mind unto it. His brains were mute, he walked on deck...in his glance, he could see his fellow workmates decorate the boat. Is this ship taking off today? This can't be it, it's a Monday, we are just coming from a weekend. Newton's eyes darkened to the view. And him only looking forward to talk to his boss. Newton walked into the ship's control room, but neither there could he find his boss, but outside the morning which was slowly fading. No breaks for the workers--it seemed as if the boat was to take off fast. And him going along on the ship would only make Jessica upset. It was early that Newton and Jessica started getting along again--and spoiling that chance, a chance which sure would make a peaceful relationship was the least that Newton wanted then. I need to go to New York City with Jessica today. He swung his glance while back on deck-- Shifting his glance to get a glimpse of his boss; Lordwell King (a rich business man).

Just anyone; be it Captain Boston or Lordwell King himself, I just need someone to tell of my trip to New York City. Newton thought continuously as he stood firmly upright, and only tilted his neck in eagerness to get a glimpse of those important men he thought about. Newton's eyebrows begun to ache as he thought. And his eyes insisted to look at the watch which then showed him that it was 10:00 A.M. he fastened his glance on his wrist watch as thoughts scampered in his mind. His glance which slowly faded and only got it back when he heard a shout from behind.

"Hey, Newton, I don't pay you to supervise!" Lordwell King's voice thundered, with his finger pointing at Newton. Although at a distance, Newton could see how much rage Lordwell King had consumed, and most of it which covered Lordwell King's face.

Newton kept his glance at Lordwell King as Lordwell King walked forward, Newton swallowed through his throat, and thought of how he was going to ask for a day leave if his boss was at that time annoyed with him. Newton met Lordwell king up-close, then receiving Lordwell King's glance and giving a silent puff which Lordwell King did not notice. But Lordwell King could at least noticed that Newton wasn't working.

For seconds, Newton and Lordwell King stared at each other. Newton expected scolds from Lordwell King before he could state his reasons for not doing what was expected to do, and before Newton voiced out his today schedule. Lordwell King was waited for an excuse from Newton to why Newton was standing right in the middle of his friend's working space, and only staring at his wrist watch-- And probably counting the number of minutes his workmates spent on lifting up tables and scrubbing of the wooden floor.

And when Newton wanted to voice out a sorry excuse to only start a conversation, he saw Lordwell King's mouth open. And rather, Newton had to let Lordwell King speak first. Lordwell King who was up-close when he begun to speak to him, his rough voice which rushed in Newton's heart, but the hot air which came out of Lordwell King's mouth steamed Newton's face.

"How do you explain that, Newton!? Lordwell king spoke in anger.

"What--?" Newton lifted one eyebrow.

"Didn't you get anything from what I had just said?"

Blah. Blah. Blah...Newton's thoughts snapped as he stared at Lordwell King. "Sir, I understand. But I would like you too to understand me...I have a wife..."

"I have wives, what are you trying to say to me?"

"That's the point, sir, I came to ask for a day off."

"Why?"

"I and my wife are traveling to New York City. And I needed your permission, sir. I have a relationship to hold."

"And I have a reputation to hold, kid, this ship has been hired. And its service too-- Senator Jombosque's grandson is cerebrating his fourth birthday, today, and on this ship. That's the reason you see everyone busy--why would you know? You are hardly here on time--this ship has to go to the south port of Transtevator. And I need everyone on board!"

"But, sir--"

"Make yourself useful, Newton! The tables over there won't arrange themselves you know."

"But--"

"Who is the boss around here? Do you want me deducting from your paycheck!?"

"Why?"

"For wasting my valuable time."

"No, sir." Newton responded.

"Now get to work!"

Newton ducked his head. That was after he gave Lordwell King his last glance of disappointment. And then walked towards the strewn tables that laid on the ship's floor. Newton's head was heavy with thoughts that surged in his mind, what was he to say to Jessica? Newton knew that Jessica cared little about money, finding it, nor spending it, after the death of her mother...taking money to had been the reason to had forced her into acting for an adult film company. Upon resigning-- Jessica never liked the sound of somebody yearning lustfully for money. But it just happened that she got married to Newton.

And by hearing the sound, words of deduction of his paycheck. It barely covering for all the expenses of my wife. What will be left of my income if Lordwell King deducts from the little that I earn?

Upon arranging all the tables on deck, Newton glanced on his watch for the last time. And Newton could see how time had escaped his favor, two hours passed twelve. Newton lifted his hand and begun to stroke his chin, and stared at Lordwell King who sat on a king sized laid flat chair. He wants to play dirty huh!? Then it's dirty we shall play. I can't risk Jessica being hurt because of my actions again. I will find a way out of this hell hall without Lordwell noticing my absence. He continued to stoke his chin as thoughts whirled in his mind.

Minutes after, Newton could see Lordwell King dozing off--still on the chair, Lordwell King's eyes slightly closing as he fell into a deep sleep. And it then being Newton's only opportunity to escape form the ship without Lordwell King noticing...nor Newton himself risking his paycheck into losing valuable digits. He walked on his toes and proceeded towards Raymond. Raymond was Newton's only chance of escaping then...a help from his fellow worker.

And behind Raymond, Newton rested his hand on top Raymond's shoulder--a scare he gave him-- Newton gave a quick sharsh as he begun to explain that he wanted to leave the ship without Lordwell King noticing his absence.

"But how will you pull that off?" Raymond asked.

"Can't you cover for your good buddy?"

"I would. If you gave me some kind of a laid down plan. You know better than anyone that my brains haven't worked since ages."

"I should have thought about that, " Newton continued after a quick sort in his thoughts, "I think I have an Idea...why don't I escape and you make sure that the boss doesn't luck anything for him to look for me...and tell him I'm in the kitchen when ever he asks you on deck. Tell him I'm on deck and attending to the guests whenever he asks for me in the kitchen. Will that be difficult?"

"Easy peezy, bro...just like having carnal knowledge."

Newton lifted both his eyebrows in mute supplication as he stared at Raymond. His thoughts snapping in bewilderment. How does that match with any of what I'm from saying?

"OK, now I will be leaving. Make sure he doesn't notice me missing..."

"Don't you worry...am on it, bro...remember, I'm good at keeping secrets, did I tell of you having to had stolen the missing gallons of the boss' fresh squeezed satsuma juice."

"Don't remind me of what you did...why am I even trusting you?"

"I only told thirteen of our workmates...what's the big deal?"

"Out off?"

"Fifteen," Raymond snapped. "But that was long before. I am new, bro."

"Prove that, Ray, am off..."

Focus, Newt, don't look behind. Newton begun to walk. He walked silently as if nothing of any sort he had planned. Everyone on deck just stared at him and ignored. Lots of work had to be done. But Lordwell King who was deep asleep couldn't notice Newton leaving the ship...and with a little help from Raymond, everyone, his workmates did not have a tiny thought that maybe Newton had escaped the ship. Everyone of the workers did go on free will. No one could have a thought that their fellow worker was escaping, but Newton was for sure. He wanted to hit two birds with one stone. His relationship with Jessica, as well as to receive a normal fixed paycheck at the end of the day. Could that be difficult?

Away from the ship, he walked on the side ways of the harbour as he proceeded towards his car. Meters away-- he slid his hand into his pocket and pulled from there the car keys. He walked into the car, and quickly stepped on the gas pedal--Newton was in no time close to home.

He gripped on the steering wheel as he sent his penetrating glance at the road ahead.

"4:00 P.M." Newton puffed between his teeth as he opened the door of the car and begun to walk towards his house.

The neighborhood was silent. Everyone had left for work...except Mr and Mrs Boxer who had retired, but their presence was silent too; when not in glance. Newton strode into the house, his glance forward and not willing to bump or be stopped by any of the two, either Mr or Mrs Boxer.

A quick jog up the stairs and Newton was a foot away from the bedroom door. He gripped on the door handle and made a silent entry into the room. Newton forwarded his glance.

"Jessie--" Newton called out, and swung his glance towards the bed. Seeing as if there was a pile of clothes right under the sheet, Newton shook his head upon noticing that it was Jessica still in her slumber. He walked towards Jessica and silently pulled the sheet.

"What's the matter with you, Newt!?" Jessica shouted and reached up for the sheet.

"I'm the only one here, can't I see the nude of my own wife? Do you have to act timid?" Newton said upon letting go of the sheet.

Jessica was still in bed from the time Newton had gone out to the harbour of Transtevator...and she did not bother clothing herself.

Newton sat beside her, he flushed a glance at her as he waited for her to get up from bed.

"Go back, Newt--" Jessica's voice sounded faint as she kept stiffened on the bed and until then had gripped on the sheet.

"What does that suppose to mean? I came all the way here as quick as possible just to make it up to you, so that our journey to New York City be a success."

"Really, Newt?" Jessica pushed herself up and sat on the bed, and kept her hands gripped on the sheet as she continued. "You would do that for me?"

"Don't be a drama queen, just get up from bed. And dress up. I just learnt that it will be a three hour drive...if we make it in time there...we may as well return home in no time," Newton continued. "Be quick, I will be outside...let me try to fix the wind shields of the car. You will find me outside."

"I will take a quick shower."

"If that doesn't delay us returning home in time...I'm fine with that." Newton continued, half teasing-- " But first, let me bit those lips."

"Not now, Newt, this body will be all yours tonight. Right now, let us focus on one thing."

"Alright, babe--" Newton said in a thick tone.

"Babe?" Jessica continued. "That sounds chintzy. But I like it."

Newton covered his face with an exceptional smile as he walked away from the room, he turned around and twisted his mouth again into a smile which sure amused Jessica. Gently, he opened the door and begun to climb down the stairs--down to the living room where he could see all the residues of the yesterday party, down on the floor--balloons still hang on the sealing and a piece of cake which stood on the table, and open. He walked towards it and grabbed the tray, he gently lifted it up and headed for the refrigerator. This is money, I wouldn't want this to go to waist because of my and Jessica's yesterday's fight. Newton thought as he closed the refrigerator. And scanned the room again to check if there was any yesterday remainders.

OK. Am done here.

He walked out of the door and glanced at his car which had parked, inches away from the fence. He covered his face with a smile again as he walked towards the car. With the car keys already in his hands, and ready to pierce open the car door.

He gently inserted the keys and walked half way in...and left outside his right leg.

And at his side mirrors--Newton saw Mrs Boxer walk towards the car, with a walking stick, and balanced on it, Mrs Boxer who slid her feet slowly on the ground, her back curved but she still kept pushing forward. She looked exhausted by the time she reached Newton's car. And furious when she stared at the car which stood right at her front.

"Get out of there young man!" Mrs Boxer voice rattled like an unoiled door being pushed by a burglar.

Newton chuckled while still inside the car, as that sound reminded him a lot of one time when he was pulled over by a road patrol vehicle, for speeding. It was like 'get out of the vehicle with your hands above your head!' the difference being that the voice he was right now hearing sounded like a rattle. Newton removed his head from the car, and glanced at Mrs Boxer when he heard another furious command. And then out of the car he stared at the old lady, his head partially ducked down and staring at that old lady's upper head. Newton's mind was mute and just waited to hear what the old lady wanted that time.

"Get off my property!" Mrs Boxer snapped angrily.

"Say what?" Newton lifted an eyebrow as he stared at the old lady.

"You head me right, curled brains...I said get off my property. Why did you choose to park your vehicle right in front of my house?"

Newton opened his mouth wide as thoughts scampered in his mind. And just to be certain before uttering a word, he tilted his neck to glance at his house. What is wrong with this lady. OK...all is well. Newton thought and glanced again at Mrs boxer. "Ma'am, your house is over there. This is my property."

Mrs Boxer followed Newton's pointing finger "Oh! Boy...clumsy me." Mrs Boxer continued, she pushed herself forward and tried to get into Newton's car. "Come on, drop me off."

What is wrong with this lady? Her house is right in front of her...about twenty feet sliding for someone her age. Why need a lift? Newton thought after blocking Mrs Boxer's path when she tried to force herself into the car.

"Sorry ma'am...the car is broken."

"Alright, alright. I was walking anyway."

And before Mrs Boxer signed out, Jessica came out of the house. She walked towards the car, towards Newton and Mrs Boxer-- she had wore a red dress which suited her high shoes and the fake diamond chain she had wore. Wow! She walked step by step and covered her face with a smile. When close, Jessica injected a smile in her voice, as she asked how pretty she looked in the dress.

Mrs boxer stared at Newton who had been daydreaming at the moment, and made Newton snap out when she hit him with her walking stick.

Jessica snapped a quick "Hi!" at Mrs Boxer and walked into the car. But Newton who stood and then stared at Mrs Boxer hoped to find an excuse to all that he said a while ago, but no thought had seemed beneficial.

"So you rather drive your Kardashian wife, right?" Mrs Boxer asked, she sent towards Newton a glare of annoyance.

"Ah, Yah!" Newton snapped, and quickly jumped into the car before he could receive another hit, again, from Mrs Boxer. "See you later!" Newton added and drove out of the neighborhood.

Miles away and Jessica asked. "What was that all about, Newt?"

"What?" Newton lifted both his eyebrows as he kept fixed his hands on the steering wheel, and a glance which he shifted back to face the road ahead.

"I mean Mrs Boxer, who else?" Jessica said.

"Just some jealous old freak. Don't mind her...I myself have learnt how to bear her presence."

"I wouldn't stand a minute talking to her."

"You don't say--"

"The only bother I'm trying to get rid of, is Mr Boxer, " Jessica continued. "Just imagine, the old man was flirting with me the other day."

"Tell me more about it."

A great thing that they had chosen Mama Lina among the fortune tellers they found online. New York City is right next to Transtevator, and them being located at the boarders of Transtevator-- they were definitely going to reach New York City in no time.

That only requested for Newton's focus in reaching there fast, and keeping his hands griped on the steering wheel.

Newton swung his glance at Jessica when driving on an open road. Jessica flushed a smile right above her shoulder. Newton flushed back, and swung back his attention on the road ahead.

"How much longer, darling?" Jessica asked while kept herself stiffened in her seat belt. Jessica's voice sounded exhausted and her face which looked pale as she reached for the window, and slowly sliding the glass open to a cool running breeze into the car.

"The map says...we are a lot closer."

"Closer to where, Newt?" Jessica continued. "New York city? Or Mama Lina's apartment?"

"We are already out of Transtevator...we are close to Mama Lina's apartment." Newton sounded while kept his hands gripped on the steering wheel.

"Great--" Jessica snapped and rested her head behind.

Driving in the streets of New York...and both could notice a change of infrastructure, and an introduction of new faces as well lots of black Americans-- Newton stared at a man who was biting on a hot-dog. Newton flushed a smile the moment he noticed ketchup spill on the man's t-shirt. And give a thumbs up when he noticed the man stare back at him. But what Newton received in return was something cold. A middle finger which forced Newton to get a deep sounding breath and stare back in the car, until he met Jessica's grin, her face which flushed a broad smile at Newton.

"Told you--" Jessica chuckled.

"That dude is mean! I work with a black guy, but I have never received such responses even if I offended him."

"You should hear yourself, Newt...there is a difference. This is New York, and that guy you just provoked is a black American. And your workmate is...African American."

"I don't get it."

"You will soon, if you try to act smart with anyone around these parts."

Newton shook his head and puffed out softly. And gently, he swung his glance outside the window and stretched it as he begun to stare at the residents of New York City. This is different with how I see New York City on television, or maybe I'm on the other side.

Newton glanced on the map on his phone, and could see that the trial he took headed to Mama Lina's apartment. He stopped the car and stepped out. Kind of partial debris houses in his glace. He swallowed in his throat as he watched black Americans walk pass him. And a scarcity of white guys. He stared again on his phone and saw where just the trail had ended. He glanced at Jessica and cleaned his throat before he begun to speak. "I see why people call this place the project."

Jessica chuckled.

"Here we go, Jessica, there is the house--as shown on the map--let up just hope that it doesn't fall on us when we get in there. "Here we go--" Newton rephrased.

In front of them was a house made of wood, literally made of wood. It wasn't shined, nor painted to beautify it. In Newton and Jessica's glance was a creepy old house. And Newton could then compare it to the house Mr and Mrs Boxer lived in back in Transtevator. But this is just way too creepy. Newton's eyes darkened as he tried too get a proper glimpse of the house. It was 5:00 P.M. And the sun had slowly begun to set..giving the house a way much disturbing look. What now? Newton thought, and daresaying that he said that out loud...he begun to glance at Jessica expected her to respond.

"Jessie, there is still enough time to head back home. What do you say? Jessie, are you with me?" Newton said.

"Oh...yes, Newt, it's just that this isn't how I pictured Mama Lina's house would look like. I know that she is a fortune teller, and that something has to be creepy about her-- But this? I just didn't think of this..." Jessica said.

"Should we head back?"

"We have come a long way, Newt."

Better not annoy her right now. Newton's thoughts snapped as he swung his glance back at the house at his front. And the internet said that the lady lives in an apartment, but this aren't an apartment. It's a freaking ghost house.

The building seemed abandoned, dark planks with a little colour of white faded paint on the edges of each plank. Newton stretched his penetrating glance as thoughts kept on scampering, frantically in his mind. Bewilderment thoughts which surged as he glanced more at the creepy house. Projects. He puffed out silently.

Newton shifted his glance and begun to stare at Jessica. He had noticed that Jessica was equally twisted at the glimpse, but because of him, Jessica was ready to move forward despite her knowing how creepy the house was...and only yearned to meet up with Mam Lina. Newton fastened his glance at Jessica. And watched each puff she released and just how tight Jessica had sealed her mouth afterwards.

Jessica lifted her glance and saw just how concerned Newton had been. Newton who was certain that Jessica was not going back home without meeting the fortune teller, and hence, prove to him just how loyal she was.

The house seemed empty, no window curtains--broken window panes, some windows that hanged in their view. And no one of that neighborhood dared to walk five meters close to the house.

Newton scanned the house...creepy like before-- But he did not want to take any chances. Newton had dealt with situations like these before. Staff like haunted houses, but all that was in his scary nightmares. And this is reality. This calls for what? Panic? Or maybe a helper? OK, a helper will do.

Newton shifted his glance towards the other side of the road. He stared at blank Americans who walked at the other side of the road, he glanced back to make sure his car was still there. I don't trust these black Americans one bit. He held Jessica by her hand and begun to walk to the other side of the road. And a great thing that a white guy moved along that path. And in Newton's mind, he thought that was his perfect opportunity to get some information about Mama Lina, and if really they were at the right place.

"Hey, may I borrow a minute of your time?" Newton said upon blocking the man's path.

"Sure--" The man snapped, and fixed his face with a wry smile.

"I was wondering if you could know anything. Just anything, that will help us find Mama Lina...we know that she lives in these parts, but where exactly?" Newton received the man's glance.

A glance which the man loosened by the sound of Newton mentioning the fortune teller's name. And both Newton and Jessica saw just how frightened the man was. The man trembled by the name, and shouted, with sweat dropping to the ground after sliding down the man's face. He screamed and shouted loud and clear that he knew nothing about Mama Lina-- The man strode away--giving Newton and Jessica a strange look on his face when he strode. Newton could tell that something was wrong...the man's tone had proven that, but Newton thought that something was act wrong with the man's brains. He stared at Jessica after he had watched the white man walk away, who strode in terror like he had seen a ghost.

Jessica lifted her shoulders upon receiving Newton's glance.

"Jessie, what do you think?"

And still Newton could get a shrug as response.

But Newton was not ready stop yet, he took a deep breath and released it slowly when he saw two teenage black American boys walk towards him and Jessica. One boy who had a basket ball cupped under his armpit. Newton wanted to ask the teenagers instead--who else--the place was full of black dudes walking around.

Let's hope I don't get a middle finger from these young-stars as well. Newton thought as he watched the boys approach.

Like before, he as well stopped the boys with the same phrase he had used to stop the white guy earlier. And Newton could see terror in the eyes of the boys the minute he mentioned the fortune teller's name. The boys scuttled back to where they had come from, leaving behind their basket ball. This is odd.

Newton glanced forward as he watched the boys run in terror.

Newton tilted his neck and glanced at Jessica, he clamped his mouth tight and after a minute of thought, he opened it again-- "Is it in the way I'm talking to them or what?" Newton rose his eyebrows, and kept Jessica in his glance. "Wait a minute!" He rested both his hands on Jessica's shoulders as he bore a glance into Jessica's eyes "do you know how the fortune teller looks like?"

"NO--" Jessica continued. "The internet only had information of her location. And her names of course."

"Damn! You should have mentioned this earlier--no wonder everyone is running away if they hear the sound of me mentioning the fortune teller's name."

"Who would run away from a fortune teller?"

"Them...how do you explain that?" Newton continued. "We hurry back home before things turn ugly."

"No, Newt, I'm not leaving until I see Mama Lina." Jessica refused.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, Newt, I have made up my mind." Jessica said, and begun to tread to the other side of the road where the house stood unstable.

Newton was silent and hoped to reason with what his wife had put her mind unto. And at least he considered the fear he saw in the eyes of the three people he had asked about Mama Lina. Newton glanced back and could then see Jessica cross the road to the other side. He had doubts with the decision Jessica had made, but it was his duty, always to stand by Jessica's side. He swallowed in his throat and begun to stride towards Jessica. "Jessica, wait for me!" He shouted, his voice jumping to the other side of the road and give Jessica a quick halt.

The house looked much creepier up close. Newton and Jessica were staring at the door of the house. Their eyes darkened as they tried to figure out how they were going to open the door. Only pieces of planks joined together and set as a door. Shutting tight the planks together, and sealed any hole between that no one could send a peep through the planks. No holes of any sort to help Jessica and Newton peep inside he house. Newton glanced at Jessica as he held her hand and hoped that she kept close to him no matter what-- How they were to open the door was then their puzzle to fix-- in order For them to get in the house.

Jessica shot a glance of ignorance at Newton, and then left the thinking and the 'figure out how,' to Newton. The door had no handle nor any sort of anything to prove that someone had locked it. At least that could have given them a hint on how to open the door.

The house was a piece of junk-- Newton glanced at the other side of the floor which held two greasy planks which had kept the entry roofing intact. But not as quite when he decided to stare at the roofing above-- Newton's glance gently shifting to meet other planks which he had thought to be on the other side. But the roofing was hanging on one plank on the other side. Newton stamped his feet on the floor below as thoughts begun to whirl in his mind, he wondered more what person would have a concrete floor for a wood made house.

Newton stared at Jessica, and slowly shifted his glance to face the roofing above. Again. As he felt his heart beat rampant, and considering that the house and the neighborhood looked creepy, he griped on Jessica's hand and insisted that they make their way back to their ride.

Jessica had then reasoned with Newton, she turned around--taking a foot away from the door. Until the door suddenly swung open.

"Newt, wait! The door has opened."

"Are you sure you want to get in?" Newton's voice rattled as he spoke. And kept his hand still held on to Jessica's.

"Yes--" Jessica responded, and reversed her step.

"Just take a look, Jessie, it's getting way darker than before. We have spend an hour just trying to figure out a way in this house. We are late, we will try another day, like in the morning."

"Precisely, that's my point, Newt, we have spent an hour trying to find our way in...and the door is open, why leave then?" Jessica continued. "Let us get into the house and meet Mama Lina."

"Aren't you scared of any of this?"

"My marriage is way too scary, Newton."

"I really wasn't expecting that for a response." Newton continued, "if you insist to know who this Mama Lina everyone in the neighborhood is scared of, be my guest. Let us move in, but make sure you watch your step."

Jessica twisted her mouth into a wry smile as she walked through the door after Newton. And the door swung back locked. Newton turned behind with a sudden thump of his heart-- He quickly stretched his hand to touch Jessica, his heart still beating rampantly he took desperate breaths, he was much concerned about Jessica who stood behind him. Jessica too stood scared, but the question then was who had shut the door back locked?

Newton's heart was beating rampantly as he stared at a fading glimpse of a dark room. Behind Jessica, Newton reached for the door, he slid his hands over the joined planks, and tried to find a handle on the door hoping to run out-- Newton was freaking out way more than Jessica as he continuously felt the rough texture of the wooden door.

I can't believe it, we are trapped! Newton's heart thumped--a sudden ripples which touched his toes-- And quick knocks on the bars of his chest. Which Beat hard, and Newton could feel that he and Jessica were in danger.

"I'm sorry, Newt--" Jessica's voice sounded faint.

"We don't have time for all that right now. We have to..." Newton continued in an impatient tone. After swallowing through his throat, "ah...I just can't seem to think straight."

Jessica griped on Newton's shirt. A grip which was shaky. "Am scared, Newton."

"Let us look for this Mama Lina lady."

"Don't you think we have seen enough?"

"Not until I see the fortune teller." Newton continued. "Are you having your phone?"

"I have left it back in the car--" Jessica snapped.

"OK...let us use the back-light of my phone...although it's quite faint."

"But--"

"Just hold on to me, Jessie." Newton said.

Newton removed his phone from his pocket and again reminded Jessica to keep holding onto him.

The house was dark. So was the outside. But Newton was then determined to meet Mama Lina. His eyes darkened even more as he stretched forward his hand which kept hold of the phone. And tried to find a way to the rooms upstairs. If there is any. Down stairs seemed empty--silence which scared Newton and Jessica even more. There foot steps that kept beating on the concrete floor below their feet.

"There--" Newton whispered.

And begun to move forward, towards the stairs that sat motionless at the last far end left of the large living room. Around the room, Newton could see nothing but crap lying on the floor. Couches turned upside down, broken lamps on the floor-- Furniture on the floor, making Newton and Jessica wonder even more on what type of person would stay in such an environment.

Newton tempered his voice as he held Jessica and asked her to watch her step when stepping on the stairs.

He swung his glance behind as he climbed the first stair. His heart still beating, and a breath which sounded in the silent environment. Newton directed his torch back, and tried to see if anything had been following them. Just anything was to be feared in times like those. Newton directed his penetrating glance, and back towards the front, where he then moved slowly his stretched arm.

And ahead were long unsteady stairs that clenched as both trod on them. Newton held Jessica by her hand. And cautioned again to Jessica so that she walk with much care...prudent enough, it was clear in Newton's glance when he swung the torch down the stairs, he could see empty spaces below the planks of the stairs and as well the shaking legs of Jessica that were on top of her red high-hill shoes.

Before Jessica stamped, she gripped on Newton's shirt to balance.

"Careful--" Newton cautioned. Yet again. As he stared at Jessica's feet that had been shaking to the silence and creepy clenching sounds in the house.

"Newton, what was that?"

"What was what, dear?" Newton stretched his hand forward and tried to check what Jessica talked about.

"Not there, Newt, I'm talking about the noises." Jessica added.

"What noises, Jessie, you must be hearing things." Newton denied hearing anything strange. Apart from the clenching sounds which came from the stairs they had stood on.

"Keep quiet and listen, Newt--" Jessica whispered.

Faint voices came from up above the stairs. Newton was beginning to freak out. Jessica too. Newton's legs begun to shake, his cheeks burnt with fear, but his heart twisted with curiosity in wanting to find out what it was that made those sounds. Where did the murmuring sounds come from?

Newton and Jessica both stood silent as voices came rushing in their ears. Murmuring voices that both couldn't interpret. But both knew that someone was definitely in the house. But who would leave in a piece of a junk like this house. Newton thought as he kept his ears open and trapped every single murmur he heard-- as he hoped that he could interpret any of what he had been listening to.

"This sounds different--" Newton said and stretched his hand forward to see what it was that he heard.

Jessica knew that whatever it was, it sure was scary. Murmuring sound had stopped and only loud squeaky sounds came from up the stairs. Newton kept his hands stretched with his glance fastened at the spot light ahead.

A large swam of bats came rushing towards them.

"Jessie, get down!" Newton screamed upon glance. He pulled Jessica by her hand and forced her to duck down.

Bats flew right above their heads, and touching the above curled hairs of Newton. Newton who kept himself ducked, and kept firm on a stair he had squat on as he held tight Jessica's hand.

"What was that?" Jessica asked in an impatient tone upon getting up by Newton's request.

"Bats--" Newton whispered.

"Bat?"

"Ya, and lots of them. Let us move forward. I'm sure there has to be something in this house that made those bats flee in terror."

"Were they running in terror? Or they were trying to terrorize us?" Jessica whispered a question, and paused to temper her voice.

"Either way, Jessie. Terror--that's the main word here. Right now, it doesn't matter much who was in terror." Newton continued. "Let us keep going."

Jessica gripped on Newton's shit. She too climbed up the stairs. Crazy sounds could be heard, but both chose not to respond to any.

Clenching sounds were heard as both stepped on each plank of the stair--ten more stairs, when Newton missed a step and fell on the step ahead, his head hit on one of the above steps. The phone still in his hand, but dead after a stiff hit on a plank. Jessica held Newton up. Darkness had surrounded them. Newton got his glance back. A glance which swung in the dark.

"What just happened?" Newton asked, with a leg stepping on a stair below. His hand holding on to his head as he felt a sharp stab of pain in his head.

And upon noticing that his phone was dead, he held Jessica's hand and begun to walk up the stairs. His heart raced as he glanced forward. Darkness everywhere. His hopes of meeting the fortune teller had begun to fade until a foot away from the stairs him and Jessica noticed light ahead. Light which squeezed through the tiny spaces of a door afar.

Step by step, Jessica and Newton begun to walk towards the room. And ignored the clenching sounds of the wooden floor above the living room. Both had to stick together. Newton held Jessica's hand, tight and swung his glance in the darkness as he hoped to have a glimpse of Jessica, but with darkness surrounding them, he couldn't see her, but only felt her closeness. And had at least kept hold of her hand.

"This is it, Jessie--" Newton said. And pushed the door where the light had come from. The room sounded silent.

Newton swung the door open. Gently. And pulled Jessica in as well. He directed his glance ahead, and right in the middle of the room, he could see a lady seated on a chair, with a table at her front and a round glass ball which was glowing, producing the light which Newton and Jessica had spotted penetrating the spaced door. The other side of the table were two empty seats. Newton and Jessica walked forward and offered themselves a sit opposite the fortune teller. And glanced at the lady who had covered her head with a veil. The lady who had her head ducked down and kept her hands below the table.

Newton stared at Jessica and smiled, still held on to Jessica's hand. And him being excited of the fact that they had made it to meet the fortune teller.

That fall was worth it, I sure cracked a skull, but I'm fine thanks to my determination. Newton thought as he stared at Jessica, him and Jessica slowly swung their glances and stared at the fortune teller whom both had longed to meet. The room was silent, Newton had wore a glance of curiosity as he stared at the lady in front of him and just wondered of who could be behind the blue veil.

The fortune teller slowly lifted her head and threw the veil behind her as she sent a glance towards Newton and Jessica in front of her.

"Greetings! I'm Mama Lina-- A medium of the present, past and the future. How may I help you?" The fortune teller said in a voice of steel.

What? Another black American? This day just keeps on getting odd....it's the least that I expected.

"Newton, I forgot to mention that I could as well read minds. Let us begin, shall we..." Mama Lina said, and beamed forward. She laid her hands on the table, her glance fastened upon Newton and Jessica at her opposite.

Newton sat quiet as Mama Lina's words rushed in his ears. But on a second thought, Newton wanted to stand up from the seat and leave the room, but an inch above the chair, Jessica pulled him down. He sent a glance at Jessica and hoped that she too had the same impression he had over Mama Lina.

Jessica cleaned her throat, "something is wrong in our..."

And before she could finish her statement, Mam Lina stopped her with an uplifted hand. "I know what brings you here." Mama Lina continued after she took a short meditate. "I would like you both to hold on to the ball you see in front of you. I will try to connect to both your pasts, present and your future life together."

Jessica reached for the ball, but Newton did not like that one bit, the fact that it was a black American lady who had made him freak out a while ago, and that it was her to teleport in his and Jessica's life. Newton kept his hands below the table.

Jessica shot a glance at Newton hoped that he did as asked-- Seconds later, Jessica whispered to Newton, as she reminded him how important that was in their relationship. Newton clamped his mouth tight as he heard Jessica whisper to him. And slowly, Newton reached for the glowing ball upon lifting and stretching both of his hands.

"Now, try to think of your past." Mama Lina said--her glance fastened at Newton and Jessica.

Newton puffed out silently as he received the Mama Lina's glance. And then fought his thoughts so that he doesn't think of anything to mock Mama Lina. He did not want to upset Mama Lina, being aware of Mama Lina's gift to read minds. And worse...the creepy house being Mama Lina's territory.

"OK. Enough...you may both let go of the ball." Mama Lina said in a voice of steel as she glanced directly at Newton and Jessica. And quickly, Newton and Jessica had let go of the glowing ball and flopped back in their seats, then sent curious glances at the fortune teller.

Mama Lina who fastened her glance at Newton and Jessica as she begun to speak. She kept her arms laid on the table. The light produced from the glowing ball on the table touching her face as she spoke, "I can get the impregnables. After taking a look at both pasts...and I can tell that both were awful...abominable...Jessica once worked for an adult firm company, right? And newton was involved in many fraud cases and had to set foot in prison sells once every year, that was before you two got married."

Newton's mouth was sealed tight when Mama Lina spoke, one hand brushed his thigh below the table while his other hand kept hold on Jessica's hand.

"The love that you two share has made you overcome all such hardships that used to torment you. You shouldn't take that for granted...Newton Shetani...your wife has been faithful to you since day one of you relationship..." Mama Lina snapped at Newton, and to Jessica's satisfaction.

"Great! We will be leaving now. I think we heard what we needed to." Newton stood up from his seat and turned around, but Mama Lina stopped him.

"Wait young man...I wouldn't leave so soon if I were you...let me finish first...I have only talked of your past and present life, let me tell you what the future holds for you. It's important that you know."

"We will discover that on our own, thanks, ma'am." Newton said. But Jessica was eagerly wanting to hear what was to happen in the future. Jessica sat back on her seat and glanced back at Mama Lina. "Please tell us, ma'am."

Why? Newton's thoughts snapped as he tilted to face again at Mama Lina.

"I can see a third person in your life, who will make you both happy, and make the bond of your marriage even stronger...very soon you will have a baby. A fruit of the love you two share." Mama Lina announced.

Jessica chuckled, and flushed a smile above her shoulder to face Newton, and quickly she shifted to glance back at Mama Lina-- Jessica's mouth twisted into a smile again, "is it a girl or boy? Please tell me it's a girl--"

"I can't be sure, but I see a girl. If you two are fortunate enough, it could be twins."

Jessica passed a soft laugh as she fastened her glance at Mama Lina.

"But the problem...I can see danger at the ship your husband works...fight between him and the spirits, if he dares to go back to work...rift between him and his boss. He should quit his job and stay home until the end of this month...only then will he find peace. If not, he will not only risk his life, but yours as well." Mama Lina said to Jessica.

Newton's face grew pale as he stared at Mama Lina, he rubbed his face as a thought of unbelief reached his mind. " What shit is this woman trying to say? Huh!?"

Jessica stood up and held Newton by his hand, and tried to calm him down knowing that Newton was short-tempered. And at least she tried to calm the rising temper in Newton's throat.

"Listen young man, it's for your own welfare. If you go against the prophecy. You will only perish in the hands of the demons." Mama Lina said.

Newton clapped his hands and gave a loud laugh which echoed in the room, "Now we are talking about demons, right? You are kidding me...Jessica, I told you that coming here wasn't a good idea. This lady is insane. She says that I stay home for a month without work. Who will pay our water bills, electricity bills...will she help?" Newton held Jessica by hand and gave Mama Lina a glare which he shifted to face Jessica. "Let us get out of this piece of junk!"

"Morning Newt--" Jessica said in a gaspy tone after opening her eyes from a sleep.

It was in the morning, and after speeding their way back throughout their evening, three hours in heading back to Transtevator, both took a sleep and cured the tension both had acquired after coming back from New York City. Newton still had a mask of annoyance--the one which he carried with him from New York City after being told by Mama Lina to quit work until of that month.

In the morning, Newton tilted his neck and glanced at Jessica who was still under the sheet and enjoying that sentimental feeling of not wanting to get out of the bed in the morning. Newton met Jessica's glance--which was no happy glance at all, but since the two were obligated to do such things as in waking each other. I guess Newton kind of neglected his, he stood right next to the closet doors when he heard Jessica speak. The doors of the closet still open when he decided to turn around and look at Jessica. Newton's eyes were wide and heavy; having not slept the eight hour normal sleep. But having to meet up with Mama Lina, Newton was half way pleased.

Newton at least had the chance to know just how loyal and faithful Jessica was to him, and this he heard from someone who neither knew both. Mama Lina, who had no relations whatsoever with the two. But Mama Lina managed to see their love...the die hard love that Jessica and Newton shared. And this unlike other things Mama Lina talked about was far the perfect topic to begin a conversation.

He fastened his glance at Jessica, Newton swallowed through his throat, a bob which sounded when he swallowed, but rather chose to ignore that. he cleaned his throat, his eyes still wide with guilt when he stared at Jessica.

Slowly, he turned around without sounding a word.

He wore his old pair of jeans and a pair of socks. And not yet wore his shirt when he decided to hold the handles of the doors of the closet again, he swung the doors back closed before he thought of turning around to face Jessica, again.

He saw it in her eyes as he walked towards the bed. In his glance--and as well judging from how his heart spoke, that Jessica was not that excited. She should be. Newton argued in his thought as he stared at Jessica. After rubbing the truth to Newton's face, that she was as innocent as a saint after quitting her bad habits. Why? Newton couldn't seem to understand why Jessica's face looked cold, her looks that of disappointment, and her body which shook a little when she met Newton's glance. Up close. Newton looked into Jessica's eyes. Still silent. And as well remembering that he had a phrase to respond to. The one which Jessica said a minute ago right after getting out of bed. But newton was until then searching for a perfect response. He held Jessica's hands as he pushed himself on top of the bed. He stroked Jessica's palms and stared into her eyes with a slight glance.

A romance breeze which came rushing in the room, and touched Newton's bare chest. Newton took a deep steady breath and released it slowly, he tempered his voice and then decided to say something after a couple minutes of nothing but silence in the room.

"I'm sorry, Jessie, please, will you find it in your heart to forgive me?" Newton's voice sounded with ripples as he spoke. The upper muscles on his chest twisted and folded as he stared into Jessica's eyes. Unable to keep up with Jessica's wide and wet glance, he ducked his head and only begun to face his laps.

"Why do you say that, Newt?" Jessica said-- She got up and rolled partial of the sheet away. In her night white gown, she sat right next to Newton and held tight both Newton's hands. And Newton had just realized that Jessica was not going to accept it that he had been begging for forgiveness. Not that she did not like him doing that, but the fact that Newton was lost in a sorrowful gesture when he met her glance.

"Because I thought the worst of you, Jessie--" Newton said in a thick tone upon lifting his head and shifted back his glance at Jessica.

"I like that single tiny fact that I'm married to a man who is jealous. Your jealousy proves to me just how much you love me, Newt." Jessica continued after cleaning Newton's face with her hand. "Please do not form that gesture in front of me again. You don't look good when you cry. Here let me wipe away your tears...what evil did you do anyway? Being jealous? That proves to me just how much you care...and now that we know a lot...better not try to loose your trust in me. I love you and that's all that counts, and what should keep this house and our lives in it intact and not shaken by external forces. I trust you, Newt, you should as well learn to trust me...I believe it is difficult for many of the men out there to trust their wives. You always place forward your jealousy above all things that should keep this family breathing: like trust, patience when trying to handle certain aspects. And I believe that you are faithful towards me...I'm too, but you never seem to see that. On second thought...I should have taken you to see a fortune teller earlier."

Newton chuckled as he held tight Jessica's hand. And a glance he sent deep into Jessica's eyes--seeing pass Jessica's outer beauty and seeing her inner perfections, Jessica's inner person. Newton twisted his mouth into a smile and thanked in his heart...the Lord to had given him such a wonderful bride despite his past unpleasing fraud life-- Newton stroked Jessica's hands even more as he stared into her eyes, and gentle pleasing thoughts which whirled in his mind. But still kept Jessica in his glance. "I love you, Jessie."

"And I love you too, Newt--" Jessica whispered back.

Newton wrapped his hands around Jessica's face after a seconds kiss, a smooch. Newton kept Jessica close to his necked chest and could feel the warmth from Jessica's body. The warmth of love, perfection, care and tenderness and more. Guess Newton couldn't be getting that if he hadn't chosen Jessica.

Newton slowly unwrapped his hands from Jessica's cheeks, and quickly rubbed his face.

And walked back at the closet--slowly opening the doors to get from there a shirt. And quickly wore it while he faced himself on the mirror which stood glued to the wooden closet, right between the two doors--he buttoned his shirt.

A gentle touch which made Newton shrug, Jessica was behind Newton and slid her hands across Newton's chest. Newton turned around and could see Jessica up close, who covered her face with a smile which sure amused him a lot.

"I will button the shirt for you, my love." Jessica said, her head then ducked down and glanced on the buttons below Newton's neck.

Newton twisted his mouth into a smile when he received gentle touches from Jessica. Touches which continuously brushed his chest and stomach, he stood firm and made sure that he didn't shake again to Jessica's touch.

Jessica shifted and buttoned Newton's sleeves when she decided to glance again up at Newton, her smile was fixed on her lips-- Jessica tempered her voice and asked a question which Newton was sure to receive, sooner or later. But it was great that Jessica had asked early.

"Darling, where are you heading to?"

"Work--" Newton responded in a faint tone.

"But, darling, the fortune...Mama Lina...she mentioned something concerning your life. That it will be in danger if you decide to go back to work...at least for a month." Jessica said upon dropping her smile, and kept in her glance only Newton.

"I remember everything, Jessie, and I do remember her mentioning that demons will oppress us...but do you believe in such? No right? Do demons even exist? I trust non of that...the fact that she was fortunate enough to read our past, our emotions, doesn't mean she could just come around brainwashing us with silly ideas of demons existing. I'm right now 27 years old...until date, I have never felt the presence of ghosts or demons, nor even seen any. If ghost were real, I would like to meet that of my parents. But where are they?" Newton begun to touch Jessica's face and slid his hands back and forth on Jessica's cheeks. "Demons don't exist."

"But the fortune teller said that a month of no work will be the only way to twist our fate which is soon to land harsh on our family." Jessica opposed.

"Jessica, a month is quite a long time for a man leaving in this century to only stay home in slumber. And doing nothing. In this new era money is all that matters. And that can sustain us being alive and health today--even a refugee coming to live in the Transtevator Refugee campus has to bribe his/her way in-- What do you expect if I just stay home relaxing, lazing around. Yes you will feel happy having to spend days with me. But what will we eat after giggling and blushing all day? You see why I insist to tell you that the fortune teller is nothing but a joke to her career...if that even is a career." Newton slid his hands down Jessica's face and then rested them on Jessica's shoulder.

"We can survive on the money we have saved in the bank. How about that, Newton?"

"That money has taken us a year of saving...and we just squander it in a month? Listen, Jessie...what do you think I could have done if the fortune teller said that in order to make our relationship to be in one peace...that we separate for a month...do you know what I could have done?"

"Refuse just like now."

"Wrong guess...I could have buried her in that same trash cane she calls her house."

"But this is different, Newt."

"There is only a slight difference...you know I love money and yes I love you more, but how will our relationship be without money? It would be nothing right? I knew that would be your response. Right now, I'm only in need of your blessings...bless me for the first time, Jessie, so that I reach the harbour in time and not get fired by Lordwell."

Jessica stared at Newton and wore a wry smile. Slowly she dropped her glance and reached for the other sleeve she had not yet buttoned. Newton puffed out loud. And Jessica could hear that-- Jessica lifted her head and stared at Newton. She asked him why he had puffed, and Newton opened his mouth to a surprise of Jessica.

"I did not get permission from Lordwell King; my boss." Newton said.

"What do you mean you did not get permission, Newt?" Jessica stared at him with a glance of surprise.

"Not like I chose not to...the thing is that I did ask for permission, but he denied me a day off...the ship was taking off to the south port of Transtevator, but I just couldn't turn you down."

"Oh! You did all that for me?"

"I did. And I would do much more than that?"

"Oh!" Jessica fixed her mouth with a tight smile as she reached for Newton's nose, and brushed the tip of Newton's nose with her finger.

"But the thing here is that I asked Raymond to cover for me."

"Raymond?" Jessica chuckled and walked back on the bed. Leaving Newton with bewilderment thoughts that seemed to had no solution. Newton glanced at Jessica and lifted his shoulders the minute he caught again her glance.

"What is wrong with Raymond, Jessie?"

"He is clumsy, that's what--" Jessica snapped, and stretched in length on the bed.

Clumsy? Not that Newton did not know of that. Even before he had escaped from the ship-- Newton was reminded by Raymond himself. And Newton then realized just how not safe he was. Let's hope Raymond did not blow up my cover. Newton thought as he stood firm right next to the closet, he shook his head and glanced back at the mirror behind him. A gentle smile which he forced on his lips before he could look back at Jessica.

He begun to walk towards the bed again. And again had the same thought spinning in his mind. Clumsy? Let me not think of that right now...I have to get to work in time...the first step I have to take in order to impress Lordwell King. Newton walked to the table which only held a lamp, his and Jessica's phones, a land phone, and a bunch of keys which Newton reached for second after grabbing his phone. He took a deep steady breath and released it slowly before he spoke to Jessica one last time and before he had walked through the bedroom door, "see you later, Jessie."

Newton glanced at his front. As he stared at his car when outside of the house-- He twisted his mouth as he proceeded forward. He opened his eyes wide and scanned the neighborhood for any sign of the old couple. Newton shifted his glance towards the old couple's creepy house were he met Mr Boxer's glance. He quickly walked into his car--inserted the car keys and drove off.

At least, he had escaped a morning torment.

But Newton wasn't easily going to escape this one. He drove pass Mr and Mrs Boxer's house, his thoughts kept on scampering. Until then, thinking of Mama Lina; the fortune teller. What did she expect? That I run back home and quit the job which has been paying me, which has been giving me all the financial support which has sustained my and Jessica's needs. Sustaining my day to day normal diet and as well helps me settle most of my bills. That lady is definitely some kind of a lunatic bastard. And considering the house which he and Jessica had found Mama Lina living in...what more could be thought of. Not even lower class civilians can dare to stare in such a house.

Newton griped on the steering wheel the moment he felt a sharp stab of pain on his skull. And then remembered of just how bad he had fallen on the stairs at Mama Lina's house.

"Damn!" Newton hit the steering wheel hard the minute again he felt the same irritating stab. "Focus, Newton." Newton said to himself, he puffed between his teeth and focused more on fastening his glance on the road ahead. This was after his thoughts tried to get a lot of his concentration. Until then he had gripped on the steering wheel, and hoped that it could adjust his anger after he received pain of an internal injury on the back of his head.

Ahead, Newton could then see the harbour, and only looked forward to sneak back on the ship without Lordwell King noticing him.

It was obvious that the ship had just returned 'cause it had sailed to the south port of Transtevator. And Newton's instincts told him that the ship was definitely back--and that everyone (his workmates) was still aboard and had not gone back to their homes. His instincts told him right.

A perfect opportunity to sneak back on the ship without Lordwell King Knowing that he wasn't present the entire night of yesterday.

Newton stopped at the end of the trail-- A trail where cars had to stop. From there, Newton begun to walk on foot and climbed the path made of wood. It was like walking on the red carpet...only that he was surrounded by boats on his left and ships on his right.

Newton never had a way with words, and he knew that as well, like he knew of his love for money. Newton was tense as he walked forward...and hoped that Lordwell King and the rest were sleeping. He knew that captain Boston was probably still awake...and Newton already had a way planned to convince the captain to not tell on him. But for now, Newton had to worry about Lordwell King's presence on the ship.

At the end of the path, he found the ship still and the ladder already dropped out, he stared up at the ship and swallowed through his throat. I believe everyone is awake. His plan being futile of jumping from the planks he was standing on, but since the stairs were already prepared. It was not normal of him sneaking up. Hence, he climbed the stairs of the ladder instead. He lifted a leg after another and his hands dropped down as he climbed. His mouth clamped tight and only waited for what was about to hit him.

He took a deep breath, and walked forward. His eyes had narrowed as he met no one on deck...only the tables and some party residues, strewn on the floor, he jumped stuff as he walked forward.

"Let me check the Enmate Fortarge Room," Newton said to himself. "I just can't be certain that Lordwell knows of my absence."

Newton slid both his hands in his pockets...and begun to walk down towards the rooms which the ship had. He glanced at the first room to his right until he remembered. Enmate Fortarge Room. And then walked towards that destination.

At his destination, he stopped by the door and pulled out his hands from his pockets, his glance fastened on the door on his front, the door which seemed a foot away. He lifted his hands, and gripped both of his hands on the handle and gently begun to push open the door. Oh! Thank goodness. His heart beat hard as he opened the door, his heart which returned to its normal pound-rate the minute he saw his fellow workmates sleeping on their beds.

"It sure is a narrow escape--" Newton said in a low tone and walked towards his bed space where he placed himself and lain in length for minutes, and waited for an alarm to the awake of all on the ship.

Newton placed his arms below his head and begun to stare at the bed which was on top of his--he stared at the bed until his glance begun to fade.

Until an alarm sounded in the room which woke everyone in the room. Everyone rubbed their faces after a short night sleep. And Newton's glance was back to normal the moment he heard the loud alarm. Then glanced at everyone who had woke up and walked out of the room.

And from the upper bed he had been staring at earlier, Raymond jumped down, he as well rubbed his face and swung his glance to see who had slept below his bed and met Newton's glance.

Raymond twisted his mouth into a smile as he spoke. "Newton! What's up bro? I had been looking for you the entire night...where had you been?"

Newton's mind twisted with surprise, he lifted up his head with shock until he hit the plank above-- "What did you say?"

"You heard me, bro. Where were you?"

"But I told you to cover for me yesterday--" Newton's face was heavy with anguish.

"Oh! Don't mind me, Newton, I was sleep talking...what was that you said again?" Raymond continued. "I covered your back, don't worry, bro."

Newton puffed out loud as he stared again at Raymond. "You sure caught me--"

"I sure did!" Raymond chuckled and walked away.

He sure did. Newton thought as he watched Raymond walk through the door just like the rest of his workmates. Like always when came from a trip, held a party on the ship, or some voyage; either short or long. The workers spent their night on the ship, and in the morning--they all were to head back to there respective homes. Newton had a smile on his lips, but unlike others, Newton wasn't going to take a bath, he had just arrived from home. And only him and Raymond knew about that until...

"Newton, the boss asks for your presence on deck." One of his workmates walked in to the Enmate Fortarge Room and approached Newton.

"What for? Is there any work he wants me to do?" Newton lifted both his eyebrows as he glanced a his workmate.

"Not really--"

"OK then, I will be up on deck in a minute." Newton said.

His workmate walked out of the room and left Newton with a blunt of thought. Unable to figure out what it was that Lordwell King needed him for. Newton got out of bed and glanced around the room. Only him and some empty beds. Newton, after a minute of trying to figure out what it was that Lordwell King called him for opened the door to an exit and walked back up. He stared at the rest who had stood in groups and chatted on deck.

And at least, all not willing to clean all the strewn stuff on deck. Newton stared at the wooden floor, still the way he had seen the surrounding a while ago.

And there came Lordwell King-- who wore an exquisite white suit. In his hand, as usual, he carried a golden stick, kind of a walking stick but Lordwell King used it as an addition to his attire. A walking stick which hardly touched the ground. Lordwell King walked forward and glanced at everyone.

"May I have everyone's attention!" Lordwell King said, he kept one hand in his pocket while the other gripped on the golden stick.

Everyone turned around and glanced at Lordwell King.

"Congratulations men! For that wonderful party you presented yesterday. All thanks to you. The party went smooth and magnificent. I was complimented for the great service each one of you had provided the guests, when indeed all those praises should have gone to you all. I thank you for the great job you did...for the job well done." Lordwell King said in a voice of steel. He shifted his glance to look at all who stood on deck.

Applause when Lordwell King finished with the first sermon.

"To show appreciation...to just how grateful I'm to have you as my employees...I will allow you all to have a two days leave, starting now, today...I know that your wives must be waiting for your arrivals right now." Lordwell King announced.

"But, boss, we can go home after we finish with the work today. The pending work. Let us clean the ship and we will gladly accept tomorrow's day off, " one of Newton's workmates said.

"I insist that you all go and take a rest--"

"But, boss, what about the ship's tidiness? You always emphasize on that from time to time. What is up with you, boss?" Another worker spoke against.

"Don't you worry, I have everything under control--" Lordwell King said.

"The last time you said that you had things under control was in January. And minutes we came back, we found the fuel tank leaking."

"Yes, Jack, I know that you worry a lot about me. That is why I'm also trying to act as a caring boss for once. I need you all to leave. And don't worry about who will clean the ship 'cause I already have someone in mind."

"Who, boss?"

"Newton! newton will clean the ship...today and tomorrow...the rest can leave...you see? I have everything under control...with Newton here...there will be no leaking of fuel tanks this time."

"OK. Boss, we will be on our way."

Newton's eyes darkened with disbelief as he stared at Lordwell King. And slowly Newton swung his glance towards Raymond who shrugged at the moment upon receiving Newton's sharp glance, and walked away behind the rest.

Newton glanced again at Lordwell King.

"But, sir-- Why me?" Newton looked tense as he met Lordwell King's glance.

"Do you mind explaining why you had chosen to go against my orders? You had left the ship without my concern...I asked... No. No. No. I gave you an order not to leave the ship, and told you that you were required to attend to the guests on the ship. And yet you chose not to obey any of what I said!" Lordwell King glared at Newton--sparks coming out of his mouth, and rushed to Newton's face. Lordwell King continued after a seconds of clearing his throat. "I thought you were among your friend, working, and attending to the guests, just as the rest did. But no! You chose to disobey me! You should thank me for not firing you, 'cause am annoyed right now...you have disappointed me Newton...I came to know that you were not on the ship when Raymond approached me and asked me where you were."

"Damn!" Newton paused. Did I just say that out loud? He stared at Lordwell King and swallowed through his throat.

"What did you just say!?" Lordwell King asked, he fixed his face with rage. Which Newton could see clearly. Newton had never seen Lordwell King this upset. Both had quarrels here and there, but he had never talked back at Lordwell King. Newton swallowed through his throat again and again as he stared into Lordwell King's burning eyes. Please, I hope I don't get fired. Newton stood still--his mouth clamped tight and his arms which he had dropped by that time he had spoken without thinking of the consequence of what could happen to him by uttering the word a minute ago. Newton's hands continuously brushed his jeans. Not only did his cheeks burn, but his heart had twisted with shame to had said that to Lordwell King.

Lordwell King removed his hand from his pocket, his eyes were wide and only stared at one person at front of him-- Newton Shetani who had at that time become mute. And did not even move a muscle. And gently, Lordwell King lifted his hand and rested it upon Newton's shoulder, and made Newton shake to the feeling that he was doomed and that there was no way he was getting out of the mess he had just put himself into. Lordwell King shaped his chin into a square as he stared at Newton, a clench of muscle which appeared in Newton's glance-- Which had formed on Lordwell King's jaws before Lordwell King begun to speak. "Repeat what you just said earlier, Newton, rub it to my face!" The warm air come out of Lordwell King's mouth kept hitting Newton's face as Lordwell King spoke in rage.

"Sir--" Newton opened his mouth, and kept his glance fastened at Lordwell King. But words just couldn't come out of his mouth.

"come on! Say that again."

"Damn..." Newton's voice rattled like the wind over a clenching window pane. And for seconds, Newton stopped to swallowed yet again through his drying throat. "But I did not mean to say that to you, sir, I respect you. I couldn't say that to you."

"You did--"

"Please, sir, I'm sorry. Please don't fire me...I have a wife to take care of...four kids who as well depend on the paycheck I get from this job...if you fire me, how will I care for my family? Who will provide for the kids? Or pay the bills?" Newton said. Ling about having kids, but his eyes were wet and showed a ninety percent sincerity to Lordwell King.

Lordwell King slowly lifted up his hand from Newton's shoulder, and walked two steps away. He gripped on his golden stick, and gave Newton his back.

Newton had no idea of what Lordwell King had in plan for him. Newton stood silent and glanced at Lordwell King who at that moment kept his hand gripped on his golden stick. Newton took a deep breath which he kept inside him for seconds count-- And tried hard to temper his breath rate which did rise before, he fastened his glance at Lordwell King until he puffed out gently--the warm air which escaped between his teeth, until his lungs had been empty again, and needed another refill.

He ducked his head and then faced his arms which had folded below his waist, he had never thought that he would dare say that at Lordwell King. Not evening in his widest dreams would he fantasize on that. Newton knew that there was no better punishment than to be fired fired. Newton stood silent and stared at Lordwell King as thoughts surged in his mind. But I wasn't expecting that word could reach Lordwell King, I meant to say that at Raymond. And once again, Raymond ditched me. Jessica was right when she said Raymond is clumsy. He really is clumsy. I should have thought about that before trusting him to watch my back.

He lifted his head and glanced again at Lordwell King. Newton's eyes had become wide with a quarter of expectations that Lordwell King would take that word to had not been an offense.

In his glance, Newton could see Lordwell King turn around--slowly, and a gentle loosening of his grip on the golden stick.

"Sir--" Newton opened his mouth, but got caught by a sudden stab of memory. He quickly stopped and gnashed his teeth, a muscle appeared on his forehead.

"Don't you worry, Newton, I won't fire you...not today...not ever, but I believe that there is still something I would like you to do for me." Lordwell King said.

"Punishment?" Newton unfolded his hands and glanced back at Lordwell King. Newton's voice sounding surprised when he asked Lordwell King. Unable to believe that Lordwell King would just let him go just like that, after speaking to Lordwell King that way.

"Don't count your birds before they hatch, Newton--" Lordwell King said.

What does that suppose to mean? What birds? Newton stared at Lordwell King up-close and newton's face got hit by every hot air that came out of Lordwell King's mouth as Lordwell King spoke.

"I have three ships on this harbour...and six boats. I want you to clean them all, but first clean this one...and go for the boats." Lordwell King announced.

"But--"

"I don't know what is up with you, kid, you say that you can't afford loosing this job. And I say fine! A simple punishment would do, for responding to me in such, and you say but!? What do you want, kid?" Lordwell King asked as he fixed his glance upon Newton.

"What, sir?"

"Yes, tell me, kid, anything--and I will be glad to accept your request. Tell me anything and I will do as you ask."

"Really?" Newton rose one eyebrow in mute supplication as he stared at Lordwell King. "anything?"

"You are wasting my time!"

Newton narrowed his glance as he stared at Lordwell king. It's quite a relief that I'm right now talking to Lordwell King after what I said a while ago. Newton thought, "I only need your forgiveness, sir," Newton snapped.

"Only?"

"Yes, sir, it was stupid of me to had said that."

"Count yourself lucky, Newton, I forgive you." Lordwell King said. His words rushed in Newton's ears, and forced a smile on his lips.

Newton wasn't able to believe just what Lordwell King had just said. He has forgiven me? Newton lifted up his hand and cupped his mouth, this calls for celebration. Thoughts that exchanged in his mind as he stared at Lordwell King. But a few second later, his thoughts begun to camper frantically upon getting Lordwell King's terms of forgiveness.

"But the punishment still stand Newton. Clear the ship first and go to the other side of this harbour and clean my six boats, after that you can finish cleaning the remaining two ships. And fix what needs to be fixed."

"But--" Newton's voice tattered. His hands slowly begun to slip off his mouth upon hearing that Lordwell King was not letting go of him just soon.

"What did you expect, Newton, that I would forgive you so easily? I will after you finish what I ask of you. You only have two days to finish the work...today and tomorrow...if you fail to meet up to my request... No. No. No. Command. I will not be able to meet up to your request, Newton, that means you will no longer work for me nor my partners...and that will force you to leave Transtevator 'cause it happens that every employer in these parts is my friend. You offend me, you offend my friends. Get it!" Lordwell King had sent sent a penetrating glare at Newton who stood mute and unable to snap any thought which could comfort him at that moment. But he continued to swallow through his throat as he got each and every word which Lordwell King had to throw on him. Lordwell King continued after a minute of silence, but stared at Newton. "Get to Work!"

I have no other options than to do as the man says, but cleaning three ships and six boats in two days is practically impossible. Newton's thoughts whirled in his mind, his eyes were wide and about to stream, he turned around and rubbed his face, to get rid of the tears which had streamed a second ago. And for seconds kept his eyes wide so that he couldn't cry.

This is the only alternative I have left. I know it isn't possible...but maybe if I show some effort into trying to clean at least half of what Lordwell expects of me, I can buy myself freedom from the rich men's wrath...this is the least I wanted right now. Being threatened that I will be jobless. Damn! Damn! Damn! I hate it that I found myself into this mess. Newton lifted up his hands and pressed them on his face. And gently slid his hands down as he rubbed his face which was at that moment tensed with the uncontrollable shaking he had to bear when he heard just how low Lordwell King was willing to stoop in order to insure him poverty if not abide to Lordwell King's desires. Newton rubbed his face and turned around to face Lordwell King who at the time waited for Newton's concern in the punishment he had prepared for him. "I will do as you ask of me, sir." Newton said and twisted his mouth into a wry smile--rage and anger shooting up in his throat, but chose to bear the punishment he was forced to do.

"You can start working now, Newton, leave no stone unoverturned. Make sure the ships and boats are in perfect shape to be hired again--you can spend your night here if you want to, that I do not mind, but I want to see the work done. Alright?"

"OK--" Newton responded.

Newton's head was heavy with rage, anger and disappointment, he walked away from Lordwell King with his head ducked down and his right hand fixed into a fist. He folded his hand hard as rage raise in his throat.. Meters away from Lordwell King, Newton stopped and glanced at the boats at the other side, he shifted his glance to face the big ships at the same roll in which the ship he he stood on. Newton clenched his hands as only one word came into his mind. Raymond! Newton bit his mouth tight as he thought of how Raymond had betrayed his trust. Newton moved to the supporting upper bars of the ship and griped on one.

Rage was all that he felt, he glanced back and could see Lordwell King ling on a king sized chair, and basking in the sun. And right at the corner of Lordwell King's eyes, Newton could see that he was being looked at-- Newton shifted his glance and walked at the other side of the deck were he picked a mop and a bucket which he filled with water and mixed that with soap.

He slid the bucket ahead, and moped from the last corners of the deck, he moved forward while he had gripped hard on the moping stick. His face kept twisted with anger as he slid the mop back and forth on the ship's floor.

After minutes, the sun was heating real bad on the ship, and irritatingly on Newton's forehead as he moped. He glanced at Lordwell King who had then wore black sunglasses and faced up as he lain on the chair.

Were did he get the sunglasses? I wonder. Newton lifted his shoulders and proceeded with the punishment.

Before he could complete to take care of the deck, he decided to go down and clean the rooms there quickly before it was too late. Time was ticking, and it was then passed lunch. Newton at the moment was not feeling the need to take lunch, he had a lot of pending work. And hardly had Newton finished cleaning one ship.

He climbed down the stairs of the ship, he carried with him the mop and a refilled bucket of water and soap. And switched from room to room. Newton puffed out loud the moment he realized that all the rooms down there were clean, he begun to run back up-- And towards the control room where he gave a quick dust.

"I'm only remaining with the upper base now." Newton said to himself in a gaspy tone. His voice which muffled with stress as he begun to walk back up. He clamped his mouth tight. His head ducked down as he pushed forward, with the mop and bucket in his hands. Sweat slid down from the upper of his head which was covered with curled hair. It slid down his cheeks and forehead as he reached back up and he could feel the intensity of the afternoon scotching sun.

He placed his bucket on the floor and balanced on the mop stick as every little bit of energy he had begun to fade--his body had slowly begun to give out.

"Hey, kid, what's up? Are you feeling alright?" Lordwell King stretched his glance towards Newton, penetrating it through his black sunglasses and the hot air surrounding the afternoon.

Newton tilted and glanced at Lordwell King. Before answering, he tempered his voice and swallowed through his throat. Still unable to understand Lordwell King's actions. Yes--Newton was to blame, this was a product of his own doing and there was no way he could justify his mistakes. There was no way that Lordwell King could have bought any of his reasons for screaming 'Damn!' Newton's reasons were lame, Newton had shouted that after hearings from Lordwell King that Raymond had told on his absence. But Newton knew that Lordwell King would never accept that as an excuse. But who could clean three ships and six boats in two days? Not even the entire crew.

"I'm perfectly fine, sir, all is well." Newton responded after he had stretched upright and until then held on to the mop stick.

"For some second, I thought you were dying." Lordwell King said and chuckled as he turned back to the way he had been ling a couple of minutes ago.

Newton stood upright and did not want to show any least signs of weakness or stress to Lordwell King. He felt that he was wrong to had shouted that way at Lordwell King's face, but the punishment was just way too much...I have no other option. Newton thought, he walked to the other side of the ship and picked a bunch of paper on the floor and walked forward to arrange the tables at the far end of the ship's deck. I rather not start taking the tables to the storeroom. I would just waste more of my time. I better arrange them and sort them later, tomorrow when I have enough time. Newton sighed and cleaned the floor below the tables.

"How is your wife?" Lordwell King removed the sunglasses off his face and glanced at Newton.

"What?" Newton lifted an eyebrow after he had turned around to face Lordwell King.

"I'm saying your wife...how is she?" Lordwell King asked.

Newton tilted his neck and received Lordwell King's glance. "She's fine."

"That's great." Lordwell King paused for a couple of seconds, then continued. "I hear she is quite famous."

"I'm aware of that, sir, we better not talk about that right now."

"Why not?"

"I'm at work. I have a lot of boats to clean remember?"

Lordwell King stood up from the chair and begun to walk towards Newton, his face fixed with a smile...a smile of mockery as he decided to open his mouth again. "I'm the boss here...I will excuse you for the minutes I have made you stop working. Just answer my question, kid, what harm can it make?"

"Nothing--" Newton snapped. Still holding on to the mop stick, he took a deep breath.

"Good. Now will you tell me, kid, what career is she famous in?" Lordwell King's voice sounded with sarcasm as he stared at Newton, his mouth which was slowly twisting into a smile the moment Newton decided to look away.

"I would rather not discuss that right now, sir." Newton responded and pressed the mop on the floor and begun to mop gently and then gave Lordwell King his back.

Now aloof of a couple of meters away and Newton heard Lordwell King again insist in making a mockery of Newton's relationship with Jessica Holland.

"I'm a fan of hers!" Lordwell King shouted and walked back at his chair.

Newton stood still and silent, considering the words which Lordwell King just said. Anger slowly rose in Newton's throat, Newton tilted his neck and faced Lordwell King again who had at the moment flopped himself back on the chair with his sunglasses back on his face, his sunglasses positioned to glance at the sun above. Newton clenched his hands as troubled thoughts surged in his mind.

Newton quickly slid the mop on the floor...and hoped that he could just get out of Lordwell King's sight. I hate to be reminded over and over of my wife's past misconducts, but there is nothing I can do to Lordwell King--he is the boss--I just have to bear all the insults coming from his mouth, and at least learn to ignore each one of them.

Newton gently loosened just how tight he had bit his teeth, he begun to walk towards Lordwell King. Newton walked front, and jostled his way through the hot air of anguish and pain wanting to hit Lordwell King, but decided not to, considering that his job was already on a verge of collapse.

"Sir, I'm done." Newton said in a low tone with a bucket in his hand and the mop stick which he pressed on the floor and leaned on--balancing on the mop stick, and his glace had fastened on Lordwell King, he waited for Lordwell King's response.

"Good." Lordwell King snapped.

"I will now go and work on the boats on the other side." Newton said, and slowly begun to walk away.

"Introduce me to your wife someday, Newton." Lordwell King said.

Newton tilted his neck and faced again Lordwell King who was until then staring at the sun behind his sunglasses. Newton swallowed through his throat and opened his mouth to a sharp painful response. "I'll" and gnashed his teeth as he walked away.

Newton was running out of time, the sun was gently loosening its heat and Newton knew one thing--and that was that he had less time to clean a parade of boats and to head back to clean the remaining two ship at this side. This was hard labor, but by then, Newton felt that he deserved that for having spoken to Lordwell King that way.

Outside the ship-- Newton stood on the plank-made-path...with his mop and bucket still with him. He gripped on both handles as he puffed to a view of six large boats floating on the other side of the wooden path.

He took a deep steady breath and headed toward the boat which stood at the far end of the parade. Jumping on it and balancing as the waters shook...making the boat shake to his landing, he balanced while holding firmly to the mop stick and bucket of water.

Newton glanced at a boats as thoughts whirled in his mind. And tried to figure out how he was to clean the boat. It was large but not as large as the ship for him to use a mop stick. He had already made up his mind and tossed the mop at the far end of the boat, the mop stick which entered half way into a control room.

"There we have it--" Newton said in a soft tone as he stared at a small cloth which he rushed for and grabbed. "This can do."

The sun was still ahead, and Newton wasn't going to overcome the heat. He lifted up his head and glanced at the sun with a fading glance which he held for a couple of seconds, and quickly dropped.

It's hot. Newton's thoughts snapped. He begun to remove his shirt--his skin was red with the heat he had to endure until then.

Without a shirt on-- Newton rushed towards the bucket of water with a cloth in his hand. He pressed the cloth in the bucket, soaked it, washed and gently squeezed. He bent down and begun to mop, planting both his knees on the wooden floor of the boat as he crawled towards every corner of the boat.

Time was ticking, and still, Newton had not yet finished cleaning the boat, he stood up and glanced at the sun above--which had seemed to be fading. Newton took at the end of the floor a piece of dry cloth and walked towards the control room of the boat. His motive; dusting the internal of the room.

But to his surprise, he saw a fishing stick at the corner of the control room.

"That's Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick," his mouth twisted into a smile and he decided to walk forward towards the fishing stick, he lifted the fishing stick up--and stared at it at a count of dozen seconds until he made up his mind to give it a shot.

"Maybe this could be my lucky day." Newton said to himself as he rubbed the handle of the fishing stick. Newton was aware of the dangers he was to put himself into. That was Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick, and if caught by Lordwell King, definitely Newton could be fired this time, and no lies of having children will this time around buy him freedom from being fired.

But Newton's ego was way much stronger than the fear of Lordwell King. Newton's thoughts continuously surged in his mind considering the fact that Lordwell King would get upset if found him holding it.

Newton stood silent, and thought about the lucky fishing stick which until then he had gripped on, and considered the fact that he was already in trouble.

Oh! Get a hold of yourself Newton. Newton's thoughts continued to surge in his mind as he stared at the hook which hang at the end of the fishing line attached to the fishing stick. I just can't resist its charms.

Newton shook his head as mixed feelings surged in his mind. I will quickly taste it and see if this thing really is lucky, he had made up his mind...and then walked towards the exit of the room, carrying with him the fishing stick.

It was in the afternoons, and Newton was certain that he could have a catch. He walked towards the drawer at the end of the control room, and opened a bowl were Lordwell King keeps the worms he uses to catch fish. And he walked out of the room. He glanced at the water surrounding and shaking the boat.

At the end of the boat's floor, right at the edges--Newton sat down and prepared for a catch. He took a deep breath before he could throw the line into the water, and released his breath slowly.

His legs were hanging and nearly brushing the waters as he sat at the edge of the boat. For seconds--he waited to have a catch with Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick, but all his effort didn't bring him good. Patience was fading and Newton had a lot of boats to attend to, he concluded that the lucky fishing stick, it being of luck was nothing but a myth--something which Newton had never saw its wonders, but only heard of it luckiness from his workmates. What truth could that hold? This is simply useless. Let me get back to work.

He stood on his two feet, and decided to pull the line back up, but found that the hook got stuck.

"Damn!" Newton exclaimed.

He placed the fishing stick on the boat's floor, and then tried to figure out what it was that he had to do. Newton swung his glance around and tried to see if there was by chance that Lordwell King saw any of his doings. Newton's glance returned with an immediate snap when he heard something hit the water. In his glance, he saw the fishing stick beginning to sink slowly into the water.

Newton could feel fear crawl in his veins, which made him pulse pound even more, and shiver to the view of something awful, disturbing, and job risking. He clamped his mouth tight and swung his glance at the control room. Quickly, he ran for the room and begun to prepare himself for a dive into the water--he dressed himself in a tight black sea divers costume. Newton knew that if he tried to go down without the suit, he wasn't going to make it down the sea's floor. It was quite deep, and he was certain that the fishing stick was only going to stop sinking when it met the bed of the sea. And the fishing stick; it being designed of metal.

Newton wore a mask and placed behind his back an oxygen tank. And in a count of a couple of minutes, he dived in the sea and begun to follow down the hook.

Although his vision was quite faint-- He could glance through the transparent plastic glasses. He saw the fishing stick sink. Newton followed it until the fishing stick met its landing, right at the bottom of the sea. Newton glanced up and could see shadows of the floating boats. He rushed towards the fishing stick. He picked the fishing stick first, until he met something worth glancing at again...meters apart.

Bubbles came out of his mouth as he pushed himself forward. It's a treasure chest!

CHAPTER 4

I can't believe it...is this truly happening. Or is it just an illusion? Newton stood on the sea's ground, he blinked his eyes behind his goggles numerous of times as he caught again a glimpse of the chest, he swallowed through his throat and glanced steadily at the chest. Could this be happening? He took a sharp small breath through the pipes connecting to the oxygen tank on his back, he lifted a leg and followed the sea's underwater current and both his legs stood up. He pushed himself forward to something which he felt to be his start of success. And in his mind, considered old fairly pirate stories of treasure hunts, Newton was certain that the chest contained gold. And if melted, will make him rich and wealthy to the point he would no longer find the need to scrub boats.

Newton pushed himself forward. And he was a foot away from the treasure chest which seemed to had been planted on the ground. And inches buried in the sea's dust. He stretched his hand and rested his hand on the upper surface of the chest. A half cylinder figure that shaped the top of the chest. his mouth forced to twist into a smile which shook the mask on his face. Gently, he begun to slide his hand on the top surface of the chest.

Just to be certain, let me get this thing open before taking it up...his thoughts snapped as he begun to pull the half cylinder-shaped cover of the chest's top. It's stack. Newton yet thought again and decided that the best way to open the chest was above the waters, he walked a few steps back and grabbed Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick, and forward again Newton grabbed the chest. He swum to the top and kept the fishing stick in his hand, and the chest he locked between his arm and rib cage--he glanced above and saw shadows of floating boats.

A silent swim until he met the boat which he had been commanded to clean by Lordwell King. Newton glanced up and saw it clear through his transparent goggles. And upon getting his head above the water, he quickly lifted his hand which had the fishing stick, and made the fishing stick swing up--he tossed the fishing stick to the floor of the boat.

And lifted the chest and slid it on the boat's floor. He still floated on water, he took off his mask and tossed it too on the boat's floor. He glanced clearly at the chest and smiled. He had convinced himself that the finding of the chest was a beginning of something big and great, but what he did not know was of the dangers he was soon to face the moment he decided to take the chest along with him.

To Newton, that was a treasure chest. A luck which he had concluded to had been waiting for him since the time he had begun working for Lordwell King. In his glance he saw a treasure chest which had small plants that grew on it, and the chest which looked to had stayed in the water way too long. Carbon dating? Longer than time itself.

Newton pushed himself up on the boat and slid away the fishing stick with a single kick. His interest then was that he got the chest open and get to see what luck it had for him. And Lordwell King was the least he could think of then. Newton walked to the control room, zipped open the sea diver's costume--and the oxygen tank which he had carried on his back, he placed it back on the boat's floor. He got dressed again in his attire, and walked back towards the chest.

Newton puffed between his teeth as he glanced at the chest, he gently bent and held it by its top surface as he rubbed the small plants on it and slowly smiled to the convincing fact that the day was a blessing to him. He sat on the floor and started to force open the chest. Futile.

He glanced around him. And all he could see then were bare bars of metal attached to the boat. His eyes narrowed when again he glanced at Lordwell King's fishing stick.

He shook his head and glanced away. "No--Lordwell King will kill me if I try to temper with the hook." Newton said the moment he realized that his thoughts had begun to drive him into doing something shabby--opening the chest with the hook of Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick, was a silly thought.

After minutes of trying to figure out how, what it was that he had to do in order to get the chest open, he stood up from the floor and walked towards the control room. He scanned the room, the floor and its roof. But all that did not pay off. And Newton realized that there was no way he was getting the chest open. This can't be opened, at least not now. Not here. He thought and lifted the chest from the floor and begun to walk towards the control room.

This was the only option he had--hiding the chest until he was sure that Lordwell King wasn't around the harbour areas. Only then would Newton be able to leave the harbour with the chest. Only then-- Newton stood firm, right in the middle of the boat and stared at the five boats at his side, which he was to clean by Lordwell King's orders. Newton clamped his mouth tight and tried to sort through his thoughts-- As he tried to decide what he had to do. Stop working? Or work only for that single day? These thoughts and more kept exchanging in his mind as he tried to figure out what he had to do.

The fact that I have a treasure chest doesn't mean that I have the treasure yet. Newton reasoned as he stood firm on the boat. Him, although much dumbfounded by the sense of him discovering the chest, he wasn't ready to risk his job just for the sake of a treasure chest, which he had not opened yet. He swung his glance towards the control room where he had hid the chest. His eyebrows begun to ache mischievously as he tried to figure out the right thing to do.

And after a minute of nothing but glancing only at the control room, he swung back his glance and begun to stare at the waters ahead. And decided that it was pointless working anytime more.

"I have already wasted enough time on this boat, and in the sea...there is no way I will be able to clean the remaining five boats and two ships...there is no way I can...it's much better if I don't tire myself in cleaning a less number of boats if I will get fired at the end of the day. It's a share waste of time." Newton continued after he had shifted his glance and stared at the fishing stick he had tossed on the other side. And fastened his glance on it. "I just have to clean this up...after all...it's my fault that it's in this way. Let me do one single deed before I leave."

The afternoon sun, dried his curled wet hair as he stood to decide what it was that he had to do. He lifted his hands and placed them on his face. He pressed tight the mask skin covering his face and nearly gripped it off when he felt mixed feelings surge through him. He slid his hands down to a glimpse again of Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick which sat in length on the boat's floor.

Newton took a deep breath and walked towards the fishing stick...he bent his back slightly and grabbed the stick from the floor. He glanced at the fishing stick with a blunt of thought. He stared at how dirty it's black coloured handle had become. And a sharp glance he narrowed which awakened the need to fix the stick quick. When he saw that the line of the fishing stick had twisted itself and formed a series of knots, he walked at the far end of the boat with the fishing stick in his hand. Newton begun to remove small plants that had got stuck on the hook--and tossed the light green plants back into the sea. And he gently tilted his head to face his behind where he could see the control room which stood in his glance.

And then only figured out that the room could be a perfect spot to sit and try to untie a series of knots on the line. Step by step he begun to walk towards the control room.

He held tight the fishing stick, he ducked his head...not to a sign of exhaustion but to glance properly on the line of the fishing stick.

He leaned to the metal wall of the control room as he begun to do everything he thought could help him fix a mess he had done on the fishing stick. He had been certain that if Lordwell King had to find the fishing stick; Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick, in a bizarre state-- Newton was likely to be destined for doom.

Newton puffed between his teeth and griped on the edges of the line, his eyebrows shook as he got a glimpse of another knot, right in between the line. He forced his fingers on it; though his fingers being not that thin--Newton tried hard as to make the knot loosen up. He bit on the knot as he felt the need to and that he thought to had been a perfect plan to getting rid of the knot. He glanced outside of he control room and got a partial glimpse of just how time had ticked. Newton had still not done half of the work he was commanded to do by Lordwell King. But rather, Newton decided that it would be the best of him if he doesn't do any of the remaining work, after all; he was certain that even if he had stressed himself, he was never going to get the job done in only a couple days. Cleaning six boats and three large ships was no joke...and Newton had confirmed that when he witnessed how stressful it was only getting work done on one boat, and a partial dirty ship. His heart had raced upon cleaning the ship...and worse when he had decided to work on the boat. His body had been weighing him down, and only did he regain his normal temperature when he had dived into the waters. Newton had a way of working, cooperativeness, effective plans to clean and fix boat and ship engines, and to attend to guests as well; but he did all that with help from dozens of his workmates. But now that he found himself working alone, with no one to assist. Not only on one ship, but required to attend to all three ships and boats which Lordwell King owned. When Newton could hardly get the job done on the ship. He stood silent and kept his hands on the fishing stick as he thought on how much work Lordwell King had made him do, and what he was expected to do the other day as well. Newton formed his chin into a square as thoughts scampered in his mind. He bit on his teeth hard and tried to figure out a way he had to get out of the stress. Newton was at that moment not thinking of the chest he had found on the sea's bed, but rather kept on having tormenting thoughts on how ill he had been punished by Lordwell King. This was quite an important step that for once he chose to forget all about the chest. At least then he had thoughts that rambled in his mind. Thoughts that reminded him how Raymond had betrayed his trust.

Why? Newton gnashed his on teeth and turned around to face the metal wall behind him. He hit the metal wall twice as mixed feelings surged in his heart. He paused and dropped the fishing stick on the boat's floor. He gnashed hard his teeth, a sounding clench from the teeth at the back of his mouth; nearly forcing his bare gums at the end of each jaw to meet when he hit again the metal wall with his head.

Newton was not sure who it was he had to blame. He ducked his head, He slid it gently on the wall as he thought. Not being able to connect his thoughts as to find some solution and a course to what had happened to him and a verge of collapse of what he had thought to happen to his job.

It certainly was his fault but Newton was that time not ready to accept that fact. At first, he knew that if it wasn't for his rising rage which forced him to speak back at Lordwell King--nothing could have gone wrong by now. He he not screamed 'Damn!' at Lordwell King's face, Newton deserved all that came to him.

This is all Raymond's fault! If he had not told Lordwell of my disappearance, I wouldn't have been here doing all this dirty work. Alone. This is no one's but Raymond's fault...I hate it that my best friend could have done something so shameless as this. Newton lifted his head as thoughts exchanged in his mind, his eyes had become wide as he glanced at the wall at his front. Thoughts which continued to exchange, and a glance which he fastened at the white painted wall at his front--if he made a mistake by telling on me, he should be here, helping out. But no--he just had to leave, he has better things to do than assist his own friend. What does he find in clubs anyway?

Newton lifted both his hands and placed them on his face and rubbed sweat off which had come out of tension. He lifted his hands again and rested them on his face--his fingers touched half of his forehead, while his thumbs brushed his ears, his mouth shut tight by his palm. For a couple of minutes he stood silent and remembered of the way...just how humiliated he was when Lordwell King announced to everyone that Newton was to work on the ships and boats alone. And Newton remembered just how less his colleagues cared when they heard that the work was to be done by Newton and Newton alone and give the rest a couple of days off, something which Lordwell King had failed to grant Newton. Newton swallowed in his throat as thoughts surged in his mind--him being denied a single day off, and Lordwell King felt not bothered that all the workers were to stay home for a couple of days. Why did Lordwell do such? I have always served him with respect. Only a single mistake and he wants me to work stress-out in cleaning and fixing his possessions? Damn! What does Lordwell think of me? Newton's face was heavy with anger--his eyes had become wide and his mouth tight until "Ah!" Newton screamed as thoughts snapped yet again in his mind. Lordwell King wants me to fix all his possessions right? Then it's fixing I shall grant this too!

"Let me fix this as well--" Newton spoke in an angry tone and stepped hard on the fishing stick. The fishing stick which broke in the control room; right at the corner of the control room where it had landed with a harsh kick that Newton gave afterwards. And in the dark surrounding were Newton partially got a glimpse of it. He gnashed his teeth as mixed feelings rose in his throat, he looked at the roof of the control room.

And faced his surrounding and realized that he had no more reason to stay on the boat any moment longer. Nor even stay on the harbour of Transtevator. He shifted his glance as he faced his surrounding and then got a partial glimpse of the fishing stick he had smashed seconds ago. Newton took a deep steady breath which he released slowly on a count of four seconds. His glance slowly faded to the glimpse. He rubbed his face as he got a far more bitter glimpse when he decided to narrow it. The fishing stick was broken, and it was all Newton's fault. And something that he felt good about. Newton twisted his mouth into a tiny smile as he stared at the fishing stick and just how badly he had damaged it.

Who's lucky now! Newton's thoughts mocked as he stood still and glanced at the fishing stick which Lordwell King said to had been his prized possession; the lucky fishing stick, and Newton destroyed it in a second lifting of his leg, and and a drop on the fishing stick, and a single kick to get the work done. And surely not to fix it-- Newton kept his mouth twisted into a tiny smile as he glanced at the fishing stick one last time.

I have no business here...my job here is done. Lordwell felt good to had punished me...cleaning that ship and this boat is far more tiring enough to make an old man drop dead. And he wants me to fix and clean six boats? Two more ships? No way am I doing such. Newton loosened his mouth as he thought. After a second he had received bewilderment thoughts, he stood upright and stared at the chest; the chest which he had concluded to had held something valuable. And convinced himself that gold had been locked inside the chest.

He twisted his mouth into a smile again and walked towards the chest. Slowly, he begun to squat in order to reach for the chest which sat motionless on the boat's floor. And yet again Newton convinced himself that the chest contained something way valuable than working at the harbour. He had his mouth twisted as he stared at the dusk and eagerly waited for the moment he was going to leave for home and put an end to the mode of curiosity he felt. He convinced himself that the chest had gold which he had already concluded considering the size of the chest and the chest's weight he had felt when he had carried it up on the boat. I'm rich! Newton thought. And we will see what Lordwell will do about it. He fixed a smile on his face-- His thoughts snapped yet again; and then remembered what Lordwell King said a moment ago. The same threatening words that had forced Newton to work to that extreme--forcing himself to clean a bulk tone ship and a boat, and was about to clean more. Thanking the Lord then that he had found the chest. Soon. And Newton concluded that moment to had been a blessing. For many seconds, Newton squat still on the boat's floor and fantasized what he was yet to find and then cursing the day that he had gone to New York City. What did that women think? She wanted me to quit my job as a ship attendant, after her getting to know that I will soon be getting big. What a fortune teller...you can't trust nobody these days. I'm on my own. If I did as the fortune teller said...where could I have been now? Jobless? Hell no! I will go back home and prove to Jessie just how wrong that fortune teller lady was when she mentioned something about me being in danger...actually, I wouldn't have found the chest if I wasn't working for the old man...and thanks to him, I will rub gold to his face, and buy two of his ships. I will--and until that day I shall not step a foot here.

Newton took a deep breath as he sorted through his thoughts, his mouth was sealed tight, and still had kept ownership of that smile he had employed seconds ago. But tiny then that he had remembered just how Lordwell King humiliated him in front of his workmates--a day that Newton shall never forget. And then setting his goal to melt the gold he had not seen yet, but was confident enough to find inside the chest. Confident enough that the chest was held a lot of it. I will build my mansion right at the start of the harbour, so that every time Lordwell comes here, he will just have no other option than to stare at my mansion. Newton tilted to stare at Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick...he fastened his glance upon it and chuckled and stood up from the boat's floor.

Newton walked out of the control room. He slipped both his hands into his pockets and begun to stare at the surrounding. He lifted up his chin and a glance which he could at times flushed above his shoulders.

Afternoon was slowly passing its farewell. And a gentle welcome of the evening begun to show up. Newton's glance was swung at all positions until he fastened it on the ship were he had left Lordwell King. Newton lifted one hand from his pocket and slapped it on his face. And a gentle rub which made him think the impossible considering his soon to be net-worth. I will buy all your ships and boats, Lordwell. And we shall see who is the nobody when that time comes. Quite impossible, considering the fact that Newton was a nobody. And an empty chest could not change that fact.

He slid his hand to touch only his chin as thoughts whirled in his mind. Bewilderment thoughts that sure awakened his ego for revenge for all the humiliation Lordwell King had rubbed on him.

The boats around Newton, gently shook by a smooth current...Newton stared at the boats which had paraded in front of his eyes. He stroked his chin and forced a smile on his lips. And imaged of how much he will be worth when he melts the gold that he thought to find in the chest. Billions I guess.

And we will see who will be able to stop me then. Newton sorted through his ugly thoughts which until then surged in his mind.

After a short thought of just how rich he was to get, he puffed out loud and focused on to carry the chest home.

Newton turned around and begun to walk back into the control room, he sent a penetrating glance through the transparent glass ahead and gently dropping it to stare at the broken fishing stick which sure guaranteed him no return to the harbour any time soon until he was certain that he was worth billions like he imagined.

Newton shifted his glance towards the chest which sat on the boat's floor. He grabbed it--placing it below his armpit and made certain it didn't slip to fall. He walked prudently out of the control room. An maintained a tiny smile, he walked to the other side of the boat. Right next to the wooden path, away from the harbour.

A gentle smell of the morning evening blew right in Newton's nostrils, and lifted some of his top curled hairs above his head.

On the wooden path he trod on, he paused to take a deep breath--which he released slowly to a count of seconds when he swung his eyes back open and stared at the floating ships at his side. He opened his eyes wide and directed a glance at the large ships.

A gentle puff and he again begun to walk--but this time only wished that he met his drive soon, which was meters away.

He kept the chest pinned tight under his armpit. His mouth was clamped tight, thoughts had whirled in his mind. And his head ducked as he stared at the smooth sides of the chest which he could glance upon while he had kept it still and below his armpit. He held the chest and soon dropped his hand to brash his jeans.

Newton had a way with money...he was greedy...but when he got a hold of it, a week was quite a long period of time to keep the money circulating. But upon getting married to Jessica Holland, things did change. Jessica managed all the moneys of the house made certain that Newton stops with the unnecessarily squandering of his paycheck--and a lot that both saved. But Jessica wasn't being aware that Newton's old talent was rather hidden and not destroyed. He will always be the greedy Newton he was before.

Newton walked slowly, the weight of the chest added up to the stress he had already endured.

He knew well that if it wasn't for the fishing stick dropping in the sea, he could have not met his destiny...and he could have not found the chest. And without the chest, he would still be working...scrubbing floors and doing all the dirty work.

The chest was heavy, Newton held it tight. And squeezed it below his armpit and nearly broke his rib cage, but a pain he felt when the metal edges of the chest pinned to his side bars. And pulled his skin, nearly ripping his skin off his body.

Steps closer to meet his car, Newton puffed out gently. He puffed a warm air which he could feel hit gently the down surface of his nose. Newton's step was sabotaged by the heavy load he had carried from the boat--meters away. And the stress he had after working on a ship and boat which added a lot to his staggered step towards the car.

Newton staggered, he slid his feet on the wooden path and had his head lifted up--and a faint glance he stretched towards his car. He glanced at his ride and counted how much more staggered steps he was from the car.

Enduring all the stress and the exhaustion of a whole day work, Newton glanced at the car and a snap of thought which guaranteed him that he was a couple of meters close to the car.

He lifted his hand and held the chest and helped his other hand which nearly broke from the hard pinning--the pin of the chest under his armpit and made certain that the chest didn't fall from his holding. Newton wrapped another arm around the chest and gave his other arm a bit of help room for it not break due to the hard pinning. The pain was intense, but Newton had faith that all his efforts weren't going to go in vain. And considering that he had dragged a chest full of gold; it sure was worth the pain.

He staggered his way towards the car and took steady breaths which he had released slowly, he glanced again at the car ahead. He tilted to face his behind, but couldn't. Only faced his sides. And facing his behind was only going to force him to turn around. But he was not ready to delay any second in reaching the car.

Newton's heart raced, rampant beats on the bars of his chest--but that and more just couldn't stop him from moving any closer to the car. Then in aloof of only a couple of steps-- He stopped to take a deep breath, and a gentle release of warm air as he stood still and formed a hero stance. He turned around and glanced at the boats that stood floating afar, his mouth twisted into an exhausted smile. His chest burnt with exhaustion; he quickly turned around and lifted the last two staggered steps to meet his ride home.

"Finally!" Newton battered. He puffed between his lips and gently let go of one hand from the chest. He slid his hand into his pocket and got a hold of a bunch of keys. And opened the door. He fixed his mouth with a smile and walked first the chest into the car as he placed it on another seat. And walked in second.

Newton was still within, as he gnashed his teeth, he gripped on the steering wheel with one hand and glanced at the road ahead as he took quick breaths and released each slowly--he increased the car speed as he drove off the harbour neighborhood. Destination? Home.

An hour of driving, Newton was a few yards close to his house, he griped tight on the steering wheel with both hands and sent a sharp penetrating glance through the front glass of the car. And at times shifted it to face the side mirror. His eyes were thin and his mouth clamped tight as thoughts surged in his mind and only looked forward to open the chest. Newton had already concluded of what he was to find in the chest. And it wasn't a mystery chest to him anymore. Gold was all that he was looking forward to melt; bars of gold. Just like in most action films; money was all that could be gained from such an exquisite raw material. And Newton was only ready to tell a story of just how lucky he had become--as to get rich overnight. Making that day as the luckiest day of his life; 20th August of 2009--and he sure will be remembering this day.

Newton tilted to glance at the chest which he had rested on the other seat next to his. He slowly twisted his mouth into a smile and returned his glance towards the road ahead. He kept his hands gripped on the steering wheel and kept his mouth twisted even more.

He gently let go of one hand from the steering wheel and stretched it to touch the upper surface of the chest. He kept his glance fastened at the road ahead--his other hand on the steering wheel and another resting on the chest when he chuckled to a sound of victory. Victory over what? Newton sat that way until he begun to rub the chest to nearly stroke the metal side parts of the chest.

And in front of his drive, he could see his house afar. He lifted his hand and as well rested it on the steering wheel. Right at the small plank fence, he could as well see Jessica waiting for him who stood afar with both her hands resting on her curved hips. Newton chuckled as he got a clear glimpse of her. And pulled-over right next the small fence.

He got out of the car with a smile on his face as he strode towards Jessica and wrapping his arms around her. He screamed.

"Baby, am rich!" His mouth widened with excitement.

Jessica was surprised, but rather smiled along. She looked straight into Newton's eyes and waited so that Newton explains the reason to his excitement. She stared at Newton with a smile which she as well formed on hers, Jessica waited for seconds so that Newton would explain.

Newton stared into Jessica's eyes; his mouth, ear-to-ear with joy, he held Jessica by her waist and gently slid his hands to touch Jessica's hips. "We are rich, baby, what do you want me to get you?" Newton asked as he still kept his hands on Jessica's hips; and a smile which grew ear-to-ear each moment he reminded himself of the chest which he thought to had held treasure. And lots of gold in it.

"What do you mean, Newt?" Jessica asked, she rose both her eyebrows as she stared at Newton, she stood firm and wore a wry smile, not knowing what it was that had made Newton dance to a tune of money.

"Just mention anything, anything and I will be glad to get it for you."

"Huh--" She rose both her eyebrows even further.

"Yes, Jessie, first thing tomorrow morning." Newton confirmed.

"Let's hope you're not planning on emptying our bank account. Tell me it's not that, Newt, we have spent months raising that money for our child. And now that it is confirmed that we're expecting a baby..." Jessica said, but was cut off by Newton who shook her with excitement.

"What did you just say!? A baby?" Newton screamed with excitement as he wrapped his arms yet again around Jessica. He pinned her tight and in a minute time, unwrapped his arms. And opened his mouth once more. "When, darling? When?"

Jessica glanced at Newton and cleared her throat into a smooth voice. "Early this morning when you had left for work. I wasn't feeling OK. I was about to reach you, but I chose not to, considering that you had missed work yesterday, and it would be inappropriate of you to miss work today as well." Jessica paused and looked straight into Newton's eyes. And begun when she saw a 'come on tell me,' grin which Newton stretched towards her. "So I decided to go to the clinic...I could have taken some aspring or panadol pills, but I thought and remembered what the fortune teller said...that we will be expecting a baby. I wanted to see if she was really telling the truth...so...I..."

"That lady--" Newton said. He dropped his smile and ducked his head as thoughts reminded him more of Mama Lina.

Jessica lifted her hand, she pressed her finger on Newton's lips. "Wait a minute, Newt, don't say another word," Jessica continued and injected a smile in her voice. "And the doctor confirmed that what the fortune teller said was true. I'm pregnant. A month pregnant."

Newton held Jessica by her waist and lifted her up, his mouth twisted again into a smile as he swung Jessica round, and excitingly glad that he was soon going to be a daddy. "I will be a dad! Am gonna be a dad!"

After a complete turn, Jessica dropped to her feet and looked straight in Newton's eyes. "The doctor said that it was too early to state whether it is a boy or girl."

"It's gonna be a junior; Newton Shetani, my first child."

"Huh--aren't you forgetting someone?" Jessica lifted her eyebrows.

Newton chuckled, and pulled Jessica close, he locked her in his arms--"Our first child."

"The fortune teller mentioned that it's going to be a girl."

"Oh--the fortune teller. That black lady--" Newton said in a low faint tone.

"Yes, Newt, what's up with you and black people? Is it because they contain more melanin than you and I do? Great swagg? Or you envy them for something different...huh...tell me, Newt." Jessica bumped on Newton's shoulder.

"Let us not ruin the moment, Jessie, we are expecting a baby. And that calls for cerebration." Newton continued. "And I need the whole world to Know about this wonderful news."

"What do you want to do, Newton?" Jessica asked the moment she saw Newton walk away from the car and pushed his way toward the open road and stood right in the middle of the wide neighbouring road.

It was in the evening and everybody was having family moments in the comfort of their homes, and some who had already slept. The streets of Transtevator were quiet and Newton had noticed that too. He could notice that every day the clock turned to a five in the afternoon, the whole city of Transtevator ought to be silent. Newton came to know of this when he and Jessica moved to this neighborhood.

Newton stood right in the middle of the road. He lifted his hands up and made them cup his mouth as he gently begun to form his hands into a bowl. He opened his mouth and took a deep breath and shouted to the awake of everybody who had slept in their houses along the road. "Am gonna be a father!"

Mr Boxer swung his window open and glanced at the road as he met Newton's glance. "Shut up thou ass hole!" He shouted and swung the window panes back closed.

Jessica walked towards Newton and rested her hand on Newton's shoulder and asked. "Newt, what was that all about?"

"I did actually expect that from the old man." Newton fixed a smile on his face and held Jessica's hand "come on, let us get back to the car." He said.

He and Jessica walked towards the car. He glanced around and wondered why he had not gotten an insult too from Mrs Boxer. I'm sure she should still be upset with what happened. And worse, what I did to her yester-morning. Newton lifted his shoulders and swung his glance ahead.

Jessica stopped by the car and glanced back at Newton.

"What?" Newton snapped upon getting a hold of Jessica's fastened glance.

"Don't tell me you have been following me around, Newt, I wouldn't want to hear that." Jessica said, she folded her arms below her bosom and tightly pressed her breasts cupped inside with the top she had wore.

"What do you mean, Jessie, why should I follow you? I was at work the whole day."

"You were more than excited than I was and before I could even inform you about the test results of I being pregnant."

"What are you saying, dear?"

"That you were excited that I was pregnant, even before I told the news to you, about me visiting the local clinic."

"Yes, I'm."

"You did follow me right?" Jessica lifted her eyebrows and kept her arms still folded below her breasts, and a wry smile she had wore at the time of the questioning.

"Nope--you think that...no! I was talking about something else, darling."

"Something like?"

"Something big, Jessie!" Newton injected a smile in his voice.

"Did you win lotto?"

"No, baby, something way big." Newton still wore a smile as he walked close to Jessica and held her by her waist and pulled her towards the car. "Come on...come and take a look."

Next to the car, Newton gently let go of Jessica. He took a deep steady breath, and before he could open the car doors--he glanced at Jessica and fixed a smile yet again on his lips. Slowly, he begun to open the door of the car--and made Jessica get a clear glance of the chest.

"A box!?" Jessica lifted both her eyebrows in mute supplication.

Newton was dumbfounded, he sent his glance back at Jessica as thoughts whirled in his mind. Did Jessica just call a treasure chest, a box? A thought snapped real hard in his mind-- He shifted his glance--a quick swung and glanced at the chest which was still on the seat; just as he had placed it before, he swallowed in his throat and turned around slowly to look at Jessica with a glance of complete certainty that it wasn't a box like she pictured it.

For a second, Newton kept Jessica in his glance as he got a glimpse of just how dumbfounded Jessica was at that moment. Jessica had seemed to had been lost in her thoughts and as well needed an explanation to what Newton had just showed her. A box she said yet again.

Newton took a deep steady breath as he received Jessica's startled glance. He gently lifted his hands and rested them on top of Jessica's shoulders. He stared at Jessica up-close and waited for a perfect opportunity to explain that it wasn't a box Jessica had been staring at. And now at least wished that Jessica could as well rejoice to the fact that he had found a chest which he had believed to had held lots of gold pieces.

"Listen to me, Jessie," after a second to study Jessica's face, Newton opened his mouth and tried to high-lightened Jessica's curiosity and ignorance.

Jessica, for seconds stood silent and only fastened her glance at Newton as she tried to get what it was that Newton talked, she dropped her hand to brush her curved hips to every swung her hands did to every word she heard from Newton. Her eyes lit up with a more liking of the subject and a wanting to know more of the box she was again staring at. And what value did it have for it to had found its place in Newton's heart.

"It's a treasure chest--" Newton snapped.

Jessica cleared her throat and fastened her glance at Newton; intense bewilderment thoughts sure scampered in her mind as she again got a glimpse of the chest which sat motionless in the car.

"What is a chest doing here?" Jessica asked, she rose both her eyebrows as she got yet again the same glimpse.

"By that you mean?" Newton asked.

"This is the 21st century, Newton, remember? who goes around carrying a chest?" Jessica continued, speaking to every little bit of curiosity to know what it was that was locked inside the chest. "And by the way--who could have given you a chest?"

Newton paused--he glanced upon Jessica as thoughts exchanged in his mind, his mouth was clamped tight; the thin line of his mouth which had slowly begun to disappear to the dislike of what Jessica was saying.

Who made fun of what he felt to had been a stepping stone out of Transtevator. Newton glanced at Jessica who at that moment continued to insist to know who could have given him such a gift. "An old fashioned witch?" As she asked in an irritating manner. And made a mockery of Newton's interest for the chest to be opened. Jessica made fun of the chest and asked if Newton was to keep the chest as souvenir. "Not in this house, Newt," she said. One arm brushing her hip while her other hand rested on top of her curved hip. And Jessica's gesture which proved to Newton that the chest was never getting inside the house if he had delayed to justify himself and the chest's far fictious importance to him as well to Jessica and their unborn baby.

After a minute of nothing but silence and only staring at Jessica, Newton tilted his neck, and glanced at all corners of the bare street surrounding them. It was getting dark afar; and them only being in the middle of lamp posts-- Newton stared back at Jessica. Still not willing to just let go of a perfect moment of his life like he had picture that moment upon accomplishing his last wish of getting the chest opened. And all Newton could see were dollar signs--and some pieces of gold he planed to keep as souvenir to help him remember of the great time he had when he first had a glimpse of a chest in the sea.

Newton fastened his glance at Jessica as he tried to sort through his thoughts.

"I found this chest where I work." Newton finally sounded after minutes of silence.

"Did you steal this thing? Is it your boss'? It's your boss' right?"

"No--none of that you said is true, " Newton continued. "I found the chest in the sea. On the sea's floor."

Jessica rose one eyebrow as she stared at Newton. "How did you get in the sea in the first place?"

"Will you at least let me explain" Newton continued. "I found it deep in the sea--the chest was actually on the sea's bed, I got the first glimpse of it when I dived in the waters to get Lordwell's fishing stick."

"Oh! So what..." Jessica begun to speak, but was cut off by Newton who lifted his hand and pressed a finger on her lips.

Newton turned around and glanced back at the chest; he rested his arm on the car's open door and glanced back at Jessica, flushing a smile right at the edge of his shoulder.

"This you see here, Jessie, is a treasure chest." Newton snapped and glanced again at the chest in the car.

Jessica chuckled-- "Don't tell me that thing has treasure."

Newton slowly twisted his mouth when he glanced at Jessica and injected a smiled in his voice "Not just any form of treasure, Jessie, gold. And lots and lots of it."

Jessica chuckled yet more. She paused and swallowed through her throat-- And Sent inside the car her glance of disbelief which she swung back at Newton in a minute time. For seconds she stood silent and recalled what Newton had said a minute ago-- She tried to find some sense in what Newton had said, the thin line on her eyebrows deepened as she sorted through her thoughts. Her eyes slowly became dark to the fact that she was not finding it easy to judge if what Newton said was false or maybe there was some truth behind every sentence Newton had said in order to convince her into believing each word he said. She looked straight into Newton's eyes and tried to reason with what Newton said.

"You're not joking right?" Jessica asked, she dropped her hand which had been resting on the open door and rested it on hip.

"If I was joking, how will you explain this?"

"What?"

"Lift it from the car seat, and you will surely believe that what I say is the truth. Lift the treasure chest."

"OK--" Jessica snapped. "Step aside, Newt."

Newton shrugged and shifted behind after he had opened the car door wide to allow Jessica to walk in the car. He stepped aside and watched as Jessica struggled to lift the chest up from the seat. Newton chuckled every moment he could see Jessica drop the chest back on the seat.

After minutes of trying to carry the chest out of the car, Jessica walked out; she wore a wry smile when she glanced at Newton. She puffed out loud and stared at Newton who at that moment laughed to her struggle to carry the chest out of the car. Jessica took a deep steady breath before she could open her mouth.

"Newton, what have you been feeding this thing?" Jessica asked.

"We're yet to find out."

"Are you telling me you haven't yet seen what is in the chest?"

"Ya--" Newton continued right after he walked half way into the car and lifted the chest. He exerted himself and made certain to show no least sign that him too was finding it difficult to lift the chest from the car seat...and that he was gnashing on his teeth. At least not in front of Jessica "I'm yet to find out as soon as I get this thing open."

Jessica shrugged.

"Lock the car, will you." Newton said and begun to walk towards the small fence.

Newton gnashed his teeth as he felt the harsh sliding of the chest which he had placed right between his lower armpit, and the chest he pinned between his arm and the bars of his ribs. The chest which slid and pulled his skin. Newton glanced behind and saw Jessica beginning to follow him from behind with her hands again resting on her hips.

He shifted his glance and faced at the door of the house. He puffed gently between his teeth and fastened his glance at the door ahead.

And a thought which made him chuckle.

Money, money, money...Hey! Money, money. Hey!

It's a rich man's world.

And formed it into a rhythm as he giggled in his chest. His mouth softened to outer the words he had been thinking, but decided not to until he had opened the chest.

Only giggling to a rhythm Jessica could hardly hear.

Jessica rushed towards the door when she had noticed Newton stop, she opened the door and walked in first. After seconds of waiting until Newton had walked in too inside the house; Jessica shot her last glance through the open door and got a glimpse of the car which Newton did park right at the entrance of their small gate.

And Jessica slowly locked the door behind her before she could proceed towards Newton--she dropped both her hands and begun to walk majestically in the large living room; towards Newton who sat on the couch and only stared at the chest he had placed right in front of him on the center wooden table.

Jessica glanced at Newton-- Seeing past how much exhausted Newton had become. She strode and stopped right in front of him.

"Newt, don't you think you should take a shower first?"

"No--"

"I will keep you company, I did not take mine, I was hoping to take a shower with you--what do you say?"

Newton stiffened on the couch, he shifted his glance, a slight lift to get a clear glimpse of Jessica's fine body. Even in her clothes, Jessica looked stunning--shaped and quite tempting enough to make Newton loose focus. But not this guy. Newton quickly loosened his glance and shifted it away from Jessica.

"We will, as soon as I get the treasure chest open." Newton responded.

"OK." Jessica snapped. And begun to tread away, towards a couch which sat opposite to the couch Newton had sat on.

Newton loosened his stiff and glanced again at Jessica. He wanted to get over the curiosity which kept burning inside him. "Jessica, get me something to get this thing open." he said, his voice muffled with stress; having to had not eaten since yester-night...and worked at the harbour of Transtevator. He sat and stared at Jessica, and expected a quick response of grabbing him something just like he had asked.

"What--" Jessica rose both his eyebrows as she stared at him.

"Anything--just find me something which can break this chest open." Newton continued in a silky tone. "A knife for example."

And shortly after he had said, he watched Jessica stand up from her couch and walked out of the living room into the kitchen. He kept Jessica in his glance and stared at her buttocks as they swung up and down to her stride out of the room. He escorted Jessica with his glance and waited eagerly for her to return from the kitchen. And a minute was all that took Jessica to assemble every tool she thought could assist Newton open the chest. Newton got a glimpse of her again; he watched Jessica walk back towards him; carrying a tray of sharp tools in her hands.

Jessica who walked slowly towards Newton with her eyes fastened at the chest and Newton who sat on the couch at her front. Her mouth had clamped tight and not willing to outer a word; her mind still recollected her thought of what was happening. She walked close and broke every aloof between her and Newton, she stretched her arms and handed to Newton the tray which seconds later Newton close to rest on the table; right next to the chest.

"I sense something wrong." Jessica confirmed with a suspense sensation which rose in her upon staring again at the chest.

"What is wrong, Jessie?"

"Everything to talk of the chest. Everything." Jessica snapped. And kept in her glance still the chest on the table.

"It's only a sensation like you mentioned." Newton continued, "what could be wrong with the chest anyway?"

"I don't know--" Jessica continued in a silky tone. "Maybe the chest doesn't contain what you expect it to have."

"There is always a solution to that, Jessie, if the chest doesn't contain treasure, I will put away with it...what could be difficult with that?"

"No, Newt, I was just saying...I feel kind of strange about all this." Jessica continued in a faint voice and tried to state a point from what she felt "try to think of it, Newt, the fortune teller mentioned something of us, that we will be expecting a baby. And soon after we had returned home--not even days have passed by, and the doctor confirmed that true this morning; that I'm a month pregnant. And the fortune teller as well mentioned..."

"Demons?" Newton chuckled. "There is no such thing as demons. If that myth was true... Why would demons hide inside a chest anyway? Be real, Jessie."

"Not that I'm trying to make it hard on you, Newt, the fortune teller said that you will find torment if you choose to go back to work; and you did go back to work this morning. And you brought home this chest."

"I already got my torment at work. But demons?" Newton chuckled once more. "You are just being superstitious, dear."

Newton beamed forward and pulled both the chest and the tray of tools close to him. He glanced at Jessica and chuckled yet again when he reminded himself of Jessica's procrastination. Demons? Newton glanced back at the chest and slowly he grabbed from the tray, a pair of scissors and then begun to try to force the sharp edges of the pair of scissors to stub through the thin line on the chest, but the scissors slid away and proved to Newton just how difficult it was going to be in order to get the chest open. He stretched his hands and grabbed a chisel, he beat on the thin line between the lower case and the upper half cylinder-shaped cover of the chest. Still not worth it. He lifted his glance and looked at Jessica who stood right in front of him, and gently Newton dropped his glance back on the chest.

After minutes of trying-- He decided to pull the chest even closer and the tray which he pushed away. He exerted himself and lifted the chest and rested it on his laps, he sharpened his glance to figure out a way he was to open the chest. Then, that he had tried almost each tool on the tray. And found no benefiting result.

He gripped on the metal part of the chest as he tried to force open the chest by pulling both ends of the chest's half cylinder-shaped cover and the down part.

Suddenly, the chest slipped off his arm and laps and landed on the floor. "Damn!" a sudden shout when he had watched the chest fall on the floor. To his and Jessica's surprise, the chest divided open.

And a harsh wind blew in the living room. Which hit them both. And Jessica more who had most part of her thighs stripped. Jessica stood still as the wind blew pass her, she lifted both her arms and wrapped them around herself, just below her bosom as she wanted to feel a little warmth after being slapped by harsh winds.

"What was that?" Jessica asked seconds after the wind rushed away.

Newton stood up from the couch and lifted the chest from the floor.

"There is nothing!" Newton snapped and could feel that the chest's weight had dropped. It was heavy a minute ago. Anyway, I shouldn't have put my hopes high.

Jessica walked close and grabbed the chest from Newton's hands "this thing has lost its weight. It wasn't like this seconds ago. I couldn't lift it. What exactly happened?"

"Science has answers to that, Jessie." Newton snapped.

"But what can you explain about the sudden wind which occupied the room seconds ago?" Jessica asked, dumbfounded, and still held on to the empty chest.

"I'm pretty sure science has an explanation to that too." Newton continued, "take it to the basement, I will find time to throw the damn thing. I shouldn't have put my hopes high thinking that the chest had gold in it. Anyway...shit happens."

Newton gnashed his teeth and walked away.

But both not knowing that the chest had demons rooming inside--and Newton just freed them from the chest which they had been locked in for more than a century. And the demons were set free. And only looked forward to torment and oppress the young couple-- The demons stayed in the house and waited for a perfect moment to strike, not in favor of both Jessica and Newton. Jessica and Newton who had no idea that their house had just been abducted by five angry demons.

### CHAPTER 5

Newton opened his eyes to an introduction of an early morning; 04:00 A.M. Unable to sleep, he swung his glance in the dark room; close to him and he could feel Jessica presence. He lifted both his hands and pressed them on his face tight in attempt to overcome the remnant stress of yesterday. He yawned out loud and woke pass a tiny percent of the sleep which had waited for him right behind his eyes.

Damn! His thoughts snapped, he puffed between the spaces his fingers had formed in front of his mouth. He gently slid his hands down until he had touched the sheet on top of him. His mouth was clamped tight, he bit on his lips tight and tried hard to overcome the stress he had been feeling and an awakened anxiety from the fact that he had put his hopes high in an empty chest. But his tries to overcome any weren't paying off even a bit; he tried every trick in the book to forget all that had happened, but it seemed like he reminded himself even more of what had happened hours ago. He bit on his teeth as painful thoughts rose in his chest. And burnt each and every comforting sensation which he had tried to employ. The thin line on his eyebrows deepened when his thoughts rose yet again with sarcasm. An inward sensation which cringed each moment he remembered of the empty chest. Little did he know that the chest wasn't empty at all, but had five angry demons. Little did he know then. And less did he care of just how the chest's weight dropped over a sudden upon divided open. And more did he care; considering the fact that he had made lifetime plans of luxury and wealth.

Newton dropped his arms and searched for comforting thoughts, thoughts that which could comfort him and help him overcome and surpass that hard episode. He gently lifted one arm, he stretched it and reached for the lamp that sat on a table, on the other side of the bed. His arm, passed above Jessica's head, he stretched it even further towards the other side until he met the lamp, he slid his hand desperately until he touched the switch. He switched the lamp on and pushed himself back to the way he had been ling until then.

The lamp lit, its light which shown right above Jessica's forehead, and forced Jessica to open her eyes. She did, and glanced at Newton who looked depressed.

"Newt--" Jessica said in a low recovering voice.

Newton gently swung his glance and received Jessica's glance. He couldn't even form a fake smile. His mouth was stiff and his eyes had become dark. He at least softened his mouth to a response which proved to Jessica just how stressed he had been-- "What?"

Jessica fixed properly her head on the pillow beneath and flushed a smile which amused Newton no bit. She shifted her glance to stare at Newton and hoped that him too would return the cordial look.

"What--" Newton snapped yet again and slowly shifted his glance to face the dark parts of the room.

"Why don't you cheer up?" Jessica suggested.

"Why should I?"

"Why shouldn't you?" Jessica continued "that is the question you should be asking yourself right now, Newt, we have plenty of reasons to be happy, to rejoice...to get all excited. But I just can't seem to understand why you got annoyed over a sudden...is it because of the chest?"

"Please don't mention it."

"Then why do you trouble yourself with such thoughts?"

For seconds, Newton sat silent, considering that he had until then reminded himself of the fact that he did not find as he had expected from the chest.

Newton glanced at Jessica with his mouth clamped tight, his lips which had become stiff and unable to part even into a single wry smile. Why? I know I should have not got all excited before I opened the chest. But I was certain that it did contain gold. Its weight being an addition to the thoughts I had over that chest. Newton thought. Thoughts that whirled in his mind as he stared at Jessica. He opened his mouth to give a sharp response but held it back and slid his unripe words back through his throat and waited until he had thought of a better response. After all, it wasn't Jessica's fault that he had found nothing in the chest. But whose? It's neither my fault. Newton shifted his glance around the room-- He faced at the far ends which were dark 'cause because of the golden light which the lamp had produced barely touched the far ends. He sharpened his glance and hoped to escape Jessica's interrogation.

Newton knew that Jessica was only trying to calm him down, but little did Jessica know that Newton was not only worried about the issue of the empty chest, but his work as well.

Newton slept silent in an addition of seconds. He tried to sort out his thoughts which were at that time troubled him, he swallowed through his throat the minute his glance had swung back at Jessica.

Jessica lifted her hand and rested it on Newton's cheek, she stared at him and received his troubled glance before she could open her mouth into something comforting or all the same; a question to why Newton acted cold.

"Why, Newt?" Jessica asked.

She kept her hand rested on Newton's cheek and pushed herself even closer towards Newton who sat silent and tried to reason with what Jessica did say a while ago. And just how he was to respond to Jessica's pending questions. His cheeks had begun to burn, and Newton knew that by then, Jessica too felt the warmness; Jessica had rested her hand on Newton's cheek.

"I'm trying, Jessie." Newton said after seconds of silence.

Finally he had opened his mouth after seconds of muteness. He paused and glance at Jessica. Jessica's warm breath which kept hitting his face, Newton liked it, but cared more about the current breakdown which he had begun to face at the moment and other problems he was sure to face.

"What are you trying?" Jessica lifted her eyebrows in mute supplication.

"I'm really." Newton's voice muffled with a sound of sincerity.

"What?" Jessica snapped.

"To get over this suspense thought of having lost quite a lot."

Jessica gently slid her hand and touched Newton's lower chin. "What is it that you lost, Newt? I remember you saying to me...just before you had opened the chest...you had said to me that it was a fifty-fifty game, either you find treasure or not, and the fact still remains; and that nothing will change, where has the life coaching gone to?"

Newton chuckled a little.

"Where, Newt?" Jessica lifted one eyebrow.

"Listen, Jessie--"

"No...no more lecturing if you can't conquer your own woe. You should be coaching yourself right now, not me." Jessica said.

"It's not a lecture, Jessie," Newton finally placed a smile on his face as he glanced at Jessica.

"OK. Then, come on, talk to me, Newt, I'm pretty sure you have a better way out of the depressed zone I saw you mingling a couple of seconds ago." Jessica said. She said, half teasing and hoped that Newton had to snap out of the current grief he was passing through. She slid away her hand from Newton's chin, he pulled her hand back under the sheet; and formed an expression which showed Newton as it proved to him just how eager she was to listen to how he was going to overcome the stress which until then seemed to had consumed him.

"Jessie, both you and I know that I love money."

"More than I?"

"NO!"

"More than you care about the baby?"

"No way!"

"OK. Then try to get over the silly sad episode. The baby wouldn't want to see papa sad over some mystery money."

"And the baby wouldn't want to come in a world were poverty has found its stay either. How will we afford to manage the expense for three people if I hardly manage to cover only for your expenses, Jessie?"

"But we have been stocking money in the account."

"That money will finish-- And where will we get more of it to support a growing family, huh, where?"

Jessica slept still and silent, she stretched her legs, but again considered Newton's question.

"What do you suppose we do then, Newt, now that we have little money?"

"That is why I'm silent and trying to think, finding a solution out of this mess. I know that it's difficult, and it will be. And that my health is on the line, blah, blah, blah, but I would do more than just kill myself to insure and see my child brought up in a world of luxury." Newton said.

He paused and lifted his hand, he rested it on Jessica's hip which had rose the sheet up. He sent his glance and stared into her eyes. Newton became silent and waited for Jessica's query or better; a way out of the mess he been facing. His mouth was shut sealed, and Jessica could barely see the thin line on Newton's mouth. Newton made certain to close his mouth and only speak after Jessica did so.

He dropped his arm slid his hand on top of Jessica's hip, as he shaped her body and headed to touch her cheek. On her cheek, Newton rested his hand and shot a glance which told Jessica that he waited for her to speak. A glance which Jessica had spotted could not ignore, she opened her mouth slowly to a gentle response.

"There is always a solution to that, right?" Jessica said.

"Yes, there is" Newton continued. "And that very solution is what I need right now."

Jessica fastened her glance at Newton, her mouth had clamped tight, and obviously she sorted through her thoughts. Her eyes had slowly fade to a view of Newton who had slept in length. And in anguish too-- In anguish to had expected more than the chest could offer. In which to him, the chest had brought him nothing. The chest which had later turned to be a mock of his interest, and a share waste of time and stress to had brought it home.

Newton slept still and did not even shake a muscle. He slowly lifted his glance and fastened it on the sealing of the roof which he could barely see properly having to depended on the faint light the lamp had produced-- Which sat on the table at the other side of the bed, right next to Jessica. He placed his hands on his face, and again tried to sort through bizarre thoughts. Little did Jessica know of what had happened at Newton's place of work. And Newton was not willing to start the topic then that he was mourning over something he thought could have shaped his and Jessica's future. He closed his eyes behind his hands which had rested on his face and tried to figure out what it was that came over him.

Why did I even think that the chest had treasure. I think I'm just too much contained with the idea of making money. His thoughts continued to surge in his mind. And blamed nobody but himself to had lifted the chest out of the water; from the sea's floor; and worse, to had believed that it contained gold. He slowly gripped on the sides of his face with anger. Rage crawled in him like he had been cheated. Yet again. And first being that Raymond had told on him to Lordwell King to had dodged from work.

But Jessica didn't stop thinking about what was happening, she pulled herself up and rested her back on a wall behind--the wall that stood behind the bed. She sorted through her thoughts until she felt she had come up with something that could help cheer up Newton.

"Newt," Jessica said.

"What?" Newton snapped, and slowly slid his hands off his face. He tilted to glance at Jessica whom in his glance, he could see that she had then leaned to the wall behind her.

"I think I have come up with something great."

"Something like?" Newton lifted one eyebrow as he looked entirely at Jessica.

"Something that I believe you would like." Jessica twisted her mouth into a smile and hoped that her facial expression would employ calmness on Newton's face too; which was until then masked with anguish.

"I'm waiting." Newton said.

"I'll be glad to limit my demands from you. No more going for shopping--and our diet will meet up with a quarter percent of what you will be earning from your work." Jessica continued. "At least then, you can work and stop worrying about me, I can survive eating only twice a day. And I'm sure that the baby will too."

"Great--" Newton snapped.

"What do you mean by great? Newton, do you like my suggestion? Or you have something better as to guarantee us saving a large sum of money before the baby is born?"

"Your suggestion is perfect." Newton added.

"Now cheer up...take a sleep...I wouldn't want you to go to work exhausted. This is the time to prove to your boss that you really deserve a raise." Jessica continued. "What do you think?"

Newton lifted his hands and placed them back on his face after he had puffed out loud. He quickly tilted and faced the other side of the room, and gave Jessica his back.

"What does that suppose to mean, Newt?" Jessica asked.

Newton was silent as he recollected his thoughts. What should I tell her? She doesn't know yet that the chest had put my hopes high and my job on risk. His thoughts surged in his mind--not entirely able to find a way to respond to Jessica. I just can't tell her I had put my hopes high in a chest I did not open, and put my job on the line. This will only prove one thing; and that is I'm just as clumsy as Raymond. And she sees Raymond to be psychic. I just can't speak out the truth.

His mouth was clamped tight, and his hands had then pressed had on his face. He puffed softly to the warmth of his mouth and nose. Still not being able to speak to Jessica of what did happen at the harbour of Transtevator. He took a desperate breath.

"Don't tell me you messed up with your boss--" Jessica said.

She kept her glance at Newton and hoped that he could tilt to face her with an explanation to why he had gave her his back when she asked him a question.

Newton tried to find a way to escape the conversation. He lowered his hands from his face and took a deep steady breath and hoped that it could calm his temper and a rising tense he felt burning inside him. He swallowed through his throat and slept in length and continued to wait for a perfect moment to glance back at Jessica, but before he had ignored Jessica's queries no minute further--he felt her touch on his shoulder which griped gently and begun to pull him back in his before position. Newton couldn't resist, he rather let himself roll back to the way he had slep seconds ago; he rested properly, his back on the bed and his head which he had planted between the soft parts of the pillow. His eyes had become dark like before as he opened them and caught Jessica's glance up-close, and until then expected some explanation for his cold behavior. Newton's dry throat bobbed the moment again he swallowed to the fear of a scolding from Jessica. He received Jessica's glance and searched her face and could see that she wasn't happy at all about all that had happened a few seconds ago. A single blink and he heard Jessica speak again. And this time expected an explanation to why he did not liked the fact that she had mentioned his boss. And him going back to his place of work.

Jessica tempered her voice as she begun to speak. "I'm waiting, Newton, for an explanation. Why do you hide stuff from me anyway? Why?"

"Jessie--" Newton said.

"Don't Jessie me, what I want right now is an explanation. Anything apart from that, better keep it to yourself." Jessica's voice sounded with anger.

"Fine!" Newton continued, "I got into a fight with Lordwell King! Are you satisfied!?"

"I'm now--but why did you?" Jessica asked.

Newton too pushed himself up and met the wall behind the bed. He leaned his back there and swallowed through his throat before he had begun to speak.

"I was asked...no...commanded by Lordwell King that I clean three ships, and six of his boats." Newton said.

"But why?" Jessica asked.

Newton tilted and met Jessica's glance, "because I dodged from work the day I escorted you to New York City."

"Didn't you make sure that your boss wouldn't notice you missing?"

"I did," Newton confirmed. "I asked Raymond, remember?"

"What happened, did you two fight?"

"No--" Newton continued. "By the time Lordwell explained why he was making me do all the work, Raymond and the rest had already left. I managed to clean one ship and one boat. It was a tiring punishment and I don't think I can manage to do the rest two ships and five boats."

"Wait a minute, Newt--" Jessica continued. "Then what makes you think you got into a fight with your boss? You did not quarrel with him, right? You did as told, right? Then what gives you that thought that you might loose your job?"

Newton leaned on the wall behind him and silently thought. Should I tell her? His thoughts surged in his mind as he glanced at Jessica. She will understand. I had reasons in doing that. I was angry. I did all that out of rage. Newton fastened his glance at Jessica as he searched for words in his mind that could respond to Jessica's questions, at least not form a misunderstanding of any sort between him and Jessica. He rubbed his face with his hand and met again her glance. He puffed between his teeth and took a deep breath before he could begin to speak.

"I kind of broke Lordwell King's fishing stick." Newton snapped.

"Fishing stick? How can a stick tense you up, Newt?" Jessica chuckled and beamed forward to catch a clear glimpse of Newton "I thought it was something valuable. And I felt your cheeks burn at the time when we begun this conversation. Is that why you are having a sleepless night?"

"His lucky fishing stick--" Newton's voice muffled to the hearing of Jessica who sat silent and now considered the words that Newton had said to her.

"What do you suppose you do?" Jessica continued in a silky tone. "I hear that Lordwell King is quite an influential person in these parts of Transtevator, and he wouldn't just let you go so easily. What is on your mind right now, Newt, don't put our baby in danger. As far as I heard of Lordwell King, People say that he gets mad over trivial things, and can make his enemy pay dearly..."

"Jessie, you are not helping." Newton snapped after he had cut off Jessica. He sat silent and gnashed his teeth.

Both sat silent, Jessica sent to Newton a surreptitious glance which Newton noticed at the corner of her eyes. He sat quiet and reminded himself of the words that Lordwell King gave him as souvenir; right after Lordwell King had learned of him dodging from work the day before he had realized just much danger he was in, having to had disrespect Lordwell King's prized possession. Which just brought me problems. If it wasn't for the fishing stick, I wouldn't have found the chest, and I wouldn't have got so excited as to destroy the fishing stick. Newton thought. The thin line on his mouth disappeared with whirling thoughts that kept spinning in his mind. And a rising exasperation due to an anger he felt to had put himself between rocks-- Which he knew that there was no way out of it. He glanced at Jessica with his mouth still closed, and his arms now dropped to touch the sheet on top of his legs. He received Jessica's surreptitious glance and hoped that she too could think of a better way out of the mess he had just put the whole family into.

And if not sorted the issue now, Newton knew of the outcomes, he knew that Lordwell King was going to make his life hell, and the life of Jessica and their unborn baby as well. Newton shot a glance at Jessica which spoke just how blunt he was right then, and how shallow he thought at the moment.

"I hear Lordwell King deals with guns." Jessica said. "Is it true?"

"That isn't helping either, Jessie, yes he does--what did you gain by knowing that?" Newton said.

"It isn't my fault that you have put yourself and I in this mess."

"Whose fault is it?"

"Yours, Newt--" Jessica snapped.

Newton shook his head as mixed feeling surged through him, he glanced back at Jessica and said: "Yes it is my fault, I won't deny that fact."

"What's your best way to sort out this dilemma?"

"I have an idea." Newton continued. "I will pretend that this never happened."

"What?" Jessica lifted her eyebrows in mute supplication. Probably surprised.

"I will go to work first thing this morning. And I will toss the fishing stick in the water were it should be...and pretend like I never saw the fishing stick, simple as that. What could be difficult than this...I will get rid of the evidence. Easy."

Newton twisted his mouth into a smile and gently he begun to slid himself on the bed until lain in length.

"Take a sleep, Jessie, the problem is solved." Newton said.

"Do you think it will work?"

"Yes--"

"Really?"

"This will be the simplest task I will ever do while still working for Lordwell. I will toss his lucky fishing stick into the waters, and there will not be such thing as a lucky fishing stick to tense me up."

Jessica lifted her shoulders and preferred not to talk, and not to stop Newton from doing what his heart said to be correct.

But so far, Newton's thoughts had not brought anything good to their family. Newton was equally aware of that but did not want to show that to Jessica; hence only proved that he had bright ideas. First, bringing a 'useless' chest; as pictured by Jessica, and now confessing to had done something ridiculous at his work place.

Still, until then; Jessica was to abide to Newton's ideas. Ideas that which before never brought them both anything good but torment. She just hoped that Newton's plans would work this time around, he, pushed herself in the sheet and stretched. She switched off the lamp beside her and gently closed her eyes.

Newton too closed his right after he puffed between his teeth and took another mouth full of the room's remnant air which roomed about.

\--------------------------------------------------

In the morning, mid morning around 06:00 A.M. Bright light had shown in the City of Transtevator, which penetrated through the curtains of Newton's and Jessica's bedroom window. Entering halfway inside the room and touched half of the room's floor and resting furniture.

Newton had already woken and came from the bathroom. He stretched his glance towards Jessica who was right then struggling to catch a proper glance pass the light which had touched her face. She opened her eyes wide and got a glance of Newton who zipped closed his trousers and jumped into his shoes and glanced back at Jessica. Newton received Jessica's glance and smiled to a morning greeting.

She pushed herself up and jumped on her feet. In her white silky night gown, she walked towards Newton and wrapped her arms around him as she tried to convince him not to pursue his plans.

"Please!" Jessica pleaded.

Newton unwrapped Jessica's arms and walked towards the closet.

"I have to get to work, Jessica, I have too."

"I need you with me, Newt," Jessica insisted.

"We will have the whole night to ourselves," Newton walked towards Jessica and kissed her. "I will be fine I promise...I know Lordwell well than you could imagine. There is nothing that old man can do to me."

Newton begun to walk away; and towards the door. He flushed a smile right at the corner of his mouth before he was stopped by Jessica, again. She ran towards him and held his hands to inform him of her schedule.

"I will be out, and will only return in the evening--I feel bored staying in this big house all by myself." Jessica snapped.

"Where will you go?" Newton asked.

"Norah's place." Jessica continued. "You know, your sister is the only friend I have in these parts of Transtevator."

"I don't mind you visiting my sister."

"Thank you, darling--"

"But make sure you don't do martial arts when you get there. Don't forget, you're pregnant." Newton said. Half teasing.

Jessica chuckled.

And slowly, Newton walked out of the house, he had his glance fixed at his car; his ride, and a thought rushed in his mind, reminding himself of how he had to destroy Lordwell King's fishing stick once and for all.

\--------------------------------------------------

Newton rested a hand into his pocket and glanced at the boats at his left while he stood on the path made with joined planks (wood) at the harbour of Transtevator. He sent a sharp glance which he narrowed to a clear view of the boat which he had worked on; on the day of punishment. And still rested his hand in his pocket--and as well employed bizarre, evil thoughts as to get rid of Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick.

07:00 A.M. And the morning was carrying a breeze, cooler than that away from the harbour. Still waters had beautified the place and the boats that floated on the water. A breeze rushed towards Newton and slapped gently his face. He inhaled quarter of the air and swung his glance at the other side of the path where he met in his glance, Lordwell King's favorite ship. The one ship among the three--where Lordwell King would love to spend his valuable and leisure time. And where he did most of his slumber.

Newton shifted his glance again and convinced himself success on his mission. He lifted his leg and begun to tread on the wooden path. His mouth which he had slightly closed, and his cheeks which had been burning out of fear to what he was about to do. He was nervous and did not want anybody, any of his colleagues to spot him. And much worse, Lordwell King whom at the moment Newton convinced himself to had not been present at the harbour.

He strode and spotted the boats at his left, right at the start of the now paraded and floating boats on the harbour--that's the one. He sorted in his thoughts and made a gentle walk towards the boat. He stopped right at the edges of the wooden path and shifted his glance behind and could only spot people who were at a far other end of the path. Far away, who as well headed towards the harbour, and probably had business on other boats; two ladies who scuttled in their tight miniskirts and a man who walked right behind the ladies and walked prudently along the wooden path; at least buying Newton enough time to get rid of the fishing stick without them noticing his act.

Shortly after studying the environment, Newton lifted a leg to reach for the floating boat. He jumped on it and glanced again his behind.

The harbour of Transtevator; were silence imprisoned the place, and only a cool silent breeze which kept hitting Newton's face to an introduction of a cordial morning; at least to those people who are sensible enough as to not hurt others--and cordial wouldn't be the right word for Newton to embrace at that morning.

The two ladies and the man had vanished from behind. Newton shrugged and walked prudently on the floating unsteady boat. He fixed his glance ahead--and only kept the control room of the boat in his glance. He moved forward. And slowly he lifted his hand which he had just warmed way too long in his pocket from the time he had reached the harbour. The thin line on his mouth faded immediately had he got a glimpse of the smashed fishing stick.

He walked forward and reached for the fishing stick with his hand. He stretched his hand down until he got a hold of the stick which until then stayed motionless on the floor from the time he had kicked it at the corner of the boat's small control room.

A gentle last glance which studied the stick, he tilted his neck the minute he felt the boat shake to a current which he had mistaken to had been someone jumping on the boat, he swung back his glance and swallowed through his throat; clearing every little bit of the remnant stress from yesterday's work.

He slowly begun to walk out of the control room with his hand wrapped around the mid of the fishing stick as he gripped on it. He saw nothing at his front. Only waters that surrounded his boat and other boats when he walked out of the control room.

He swung his glance around the place and caught no one's glance; only then did Newton kiss the fishing stick goodbye.

And tossed it into the waters.

Newton stood and watched as the fishing stick slowly sank and waited patiently until he had no glimpse of it.

Goodbye lucky fishing stick. Newton's thoughts snapped as he got no more glimpse of the stick which had now disappeared to its landing on the sea's bed. Newton had nothing to worry about then that he had destroyed the evidence; something which had made him have a sleepless night. And which had made him tense up until then. And saying his goodbye was far the best part he felt to had ever enjoyed on his work at the harbour.

It wasn't long, and Newton decided to resume the pending work which he had not completed. The work which Lordwell King had told him to do. At his left stood the mop and an empty bucket.

He fastened his glance on the bucket as thoughts whirled in his mind. He tried to make up his mind whether he had to continue working. The remaining, pending work was quite a lot to imagine himself completing all the work in a single day.

He stood silent as he sorted in his thoughts. I can't finish the work today. I just can't; with two ships that which I need to clean, and five more boat. Not even a team of pirates would do such work in a week. He thought and tried to reason with the current situation right then. He glanced at the mop and bucket, until a thought came in his mind. A thought which he had decided to follow and pursue. Let me go and talk to Lordwell, I'm sure he will be generous as to reduce the punishment. Newton puffed between his teeth. After a second, he gnashed his teeth and hoped that his plans to convince Lordwell King to adjust the punishment worked. Just as his plans, which he had made at home worked; of destroying Lordwell King's lucky fishing stick. And putting an end to the tension he felt.

Newton shaped his jaw into a square and bit on his teeth the minute he felt that his brains had made up a sudden snap from the stress he was sure to endure after cleaning the remaining boats and ships.

He jumped out of the boat and begun to walk to the other side of the path and kept in his glance the ship where he was sure to find Lordwell King. He climbed aboard and headed for the upper deck of the ship. With his hands both hanging and brushing his jeans as they swung back and forth following his stride up the ship's stairs. His mouth was clamped tight until then, and only hoping to meet Lordwell King on the ship. He lifted his legs one at a time as he pushed forward--his head floating in the cool breeze of the morning, and only inhaled through his nostrils.

The morning was still and silent. Newton climbed up the ship's stairs. His brains had shut down to a thought which he wasn't able to interpret. And moving forward was the only remaining thing he had planned minutes ago. He glanced around and behind and got a glimpse of boats and ships at his side. He swung back his glance and walked forward. He took a deep breath, and released it slowly immediately he was sure that Lordwell King was actually on the ship. This was when he found the doors open. And this couldn't be anyone but Lordwell King himself, all his workmates had been asked not to come to work. It's definitely Lordwell. Newton's eyes grew wide the minute he got a glimpse of Lordwell King who stood at the far end of the ship--having his face glancing the other side and and only gave Newton his back.

"What?" Newton continued in a faint tone. "This is new."

He narrowed his glance as he glanced ahead.

In his glance, he saw two huge buffoon men who stood right next to Lordwell King and dressed in black with their muscles appearing right at the edges of their short sleeves. Their t-shirts found it difficult to be shaken by the wind. Their chests were huge; and one chest of the buffoon matching the size Newton's head. Their fist spotted right in front of his eyes, Newton was tensed having the buffoons glancing right at him. Both bald and with faces that looked angry the moment Newton walked front.

The two buffoons stood right behind Lordwell King, and Lordwell King who was in between them and had faced the other side. Newton was not yet certain it was Lordwell who stood behind the two buffoons. Because having bodyguards wasn't Lordwell King's style; it being the reason why Newton felt not secure, and everything being strange the moment he got both glances from the buffoons.

Newton took a deep steady breath before he could bob in his dry and closing throat. He glanced at the buffoons, his eyebrow had begun to aching mischievously. And felt his stomach act strange to a thought he had after minutes he had stared at the buffoons and the man who had faced the other side, who Newton had then doubted to had been Lordwell King.

"Sir--" Newton's voice tattered.

He sent his penetrating glance; ignoring the two buffoons that stood in his glance too. And slowly the man behind the two buffoons begun to turn around and to see who it was that reached out to him. To Newton's liking, it was Lordwell King. Lordwell King who had a pair of binoculars in his hand.

This is strange. Newton thought, he shrugged and walked forward.

"Sir--I'm here to see you--I need to talk to you right away." Newton said.

He begun to tread forward towards Lordwell King, but was blocked by the buffoons who looked two feet taller than him. Newton lifted his glance and faced at the two buffoons. His glance which stopped at the buffoons' chests. He bobbed in his throat again and hoped that the shaking in his feet stops before noticed.

"Let him pass..." Lordwell king ordered.

Newton twisted his mouth into a smile as he glanced at the buffoons. He slowly walked forward and fastened his glance at Lordwell King who until then wore the same attire as the one he had wore yesterday.

"Morning, sir--" Newton said.

Lordwell king shook his head to a shocking and painful morning, which Lordwell King was sure never should have happened. At least not to a person with power and wealth like him.

"What bring you here, Newton?" Lordwell King asked.

"Sir, it's the work."

"And what about the work?" Lordwell King continued. "Did you you manage to cover half of what I had assigned you to do?"

"That is the reason I'm here, sir," Newton received Lordwell King's narrowed glance.

"Yes...come on, talk to me." Lordwell King continued, still holding on to the binoculars. "My ears are all yours, Newton, what excuse do you have to not want to finish the work which I gave you yesterday?"

"Sir, I have tried my very best, as to impress you since day one when I begun working for you. Until now, I can stand to say that I'm far the best employee you've ever had, sir, I deserve some understanding, sir, I know you would," Newton continued. "But you are not trying to understand my ways."

"Really?"

"Yes, sir..." Newton snapped.

"Alright then, make me." Lordwell King lifted his eyebrows as he faced Newton.

"I will start this from day one, the day I had asked you for for a day leave. I told you, sir, that I have a wife to please. And a single day without one of your employees wouldn't change a thing. Already, you have given my colleagues two days off; and you believe that the work won't be jeopardized. Why couldn't you give a single one of your workers a day off." Newton said, he paused and reminded himself of what could happen if he took things in his own liking. He swung his glance to face the buffoon at his left. He bobbed in his throat and continued in a silky tone. "I don't mean to brag, sir, and I'm not judging your actions. No am not. I'm only a man who has harsh slides of life--and depend on the salary that you pay me."

"Alright--" Lordwell King snapped. As he tried to act all cordial in Newton's presence when on the contrary felt irritated to had stood being lectured by his employee. He griped on the binoculars hard which he had in his hand and fastened his glance at newton.

"I worked on this ship yesterday, and a boat at the other side. I worked tirelessly yesterday and I did not manage to cover half of what you had assigned me to do."

"So--"

"Reduce the punishment, sir." Newton continued "please, sir, I have learnt my lesson."

Lordwell King shifted his glance and faced the surrounding waters; gently, he returned his glance and fastened it back at Newton.

"And what explains you destroying my fishing stick?" Lordwell King asked after a minute of gnashing his teeth. And a clench of his fingers.

"What--" Newton's voice muffled as fear rose in his chest. And his glance had then slowly begun to fade as he glanced at Lordwell King. How did he find out?

Lordwell King rested his hand on Newton's shoulder. He covered his glance with rage and despise as he glance into Newton's eyes.

Newton's glance which slowly faded upon realizing that he was in a wrong place at a wrong time. His cheeks had begun to burn with fear, considering that he was in Lordwell King's territory. He ducked his head as thoughts begun to scamper frantically in his mind. He swallowed through his throat; a single blink of his eyes as he thought that maybe perhaps he had been dreaming. The worst dream there is. And by the time he swung open his eyes; he had Lordwell King in his glance.

"You thought I wouldn't get to know of what you had been doing to my lucky fishing stick, huh?" Lordwell King continued "that fishing stick isn't lucky at all...do you know why I call it lucky? Because it was passed to me by my late grandfather; Lucky King. The stick was the only thing I got as inheritance when he had passed away. He was quite a rich man, but since I was the youngest in a family of twenty-two of his grandchildren...all my grandfather's wealth was shared among my fourteen brothers and my seven sisters. I managed to steal that stick, and I cherished it until you came along..."

Lordwell king walked away from Newton and shook his head as mixed feelings surged inside him.

"I will fix it, sir," Newton's voice tattered.

Lordwell King turned around and walked back at Newton. He rested his hand again on Newton's shoulder--his eyes had become wet when he glanced at Newton. "You don't get, do you-- The damage is done. See this?" Lordwell King handed to Newton the binoculars he had been holding in his hand. "Here, take a look. And try to glance through if you can get a clear glimpse of the boats ling over there, especially the one you had worked on yesterday."

Newton held the binoculars and pressed it tight on his face and glanced at the boats. He had a 3-D view of the boat and everything that stood on the boat's floor. He could get a clear glimpse of the mop and bucket he had placed on the boat's floor.

Gently, Newton lowered the binoculars from his face and glanced at Lordwell King who had his face covered with grief and his eyes wet to a painful reality. A tear nearly dropping. Lordwell King turned around and rubbed his face with his hack before he could glance again at Newton. And slowly he returned his glance to face Newton.

"Do you realize now that there is no fixing; I watched you destroy the fishing stick yesterday. And I'm right now from watching you throw my lucky fishing stick in the sea." Lordwell King's voice deepened. Inwardly the old man cringed as he glanced at Newton.

"Please, sir, forgive me," Newton continued "I should not have done all those things. I really don't know what came over me."

Lordwell King beckoned at one of the buffoons that stood behind Newton. The buffoon walked forward and handed to Lordwell King a silenced pistol. Lordwell King checked for bullets and found that it had been loaded.

I'm doomed. Newton's thoughts snapped.

Newton dropped on his knees and ducked his head and begun to beg out loud, for forgiveness. He lifted his hands and placed them behind his head. Tears had begun to stream down his cheeks the moment he heard Lordwell King slide his feet backwards and prepare the pistol for a shooting.

"Please!" Newton bellowed. Soaked in tears and hoped that Lordwell King doesn't pull the trigger.

"I forgive you, get up--" Lordwell King said and walked away to a chair at the far end on deck.

Newton stood up and cleaned his face and rushed towards Lordwell King who had himself flopped onto a chair. Newton thanked him, excited that he wasn't going to die. He knelt in front of Lordwell King's feet and hugged Lordwell King's legs to a joy of survival.

"Don't thank me, Newton, not now." Lordwell King continued, "you can do that when we meet again...in hell."

Newton stood up and tried to connect what Lordwell King had said, in his thoughts. What does he mean by saying that...? I don't get it. Newton thought as he glanced at Lordwell King.

"I did not want to get my hands dirty." Lordwell King continued, "what's the use of having bodyguards?"

Now clear in Newton's thoughts and glance when he turned around and saw the two buffoons who stood close to him, and scowling at him. Shock shifted from his heart until touching the tips of his toes when the two buffoons griped on his arms.

"What do we do with him, boss?" One of the buffoon's voice thundered. His voice which shook Newton's heart with a fear of death.

"Please!" Newton screamed. "Somebody help!"

"Kill the bastard..." Lordwell King continued "make it quick--no gunshots, I don't want to get involved with the police again."

"Sir--" Newton paused upon chocked by one of the buffoon's muscly hand.

"Goodbye, Newton, tell Satan I pass my greeting...hope we meet one day," Lordwell King swung his glance to face one of his buffoon bodyguards, and spoke in a harsh commanding tone. "Make it quick!"

Newton found it hard to breath through his throat which had at that moment begun to crack to the hard pin from the buffoon's hand. Newton's head became pale as he tried hard to inhale a little of the surrounding oxygen to guarantee him life. His glance faded. And lifted by one of the buffoon, he could then get partial glances of the buffoons' faces, which looked angry. The buffoon bit on his teeth as he strangled Newton. A single bone on Newton's neck sounded to the sudden awake of Newton's thoughts, reminding him that he was soon to die. Newton received the buffoon's glance. His eyes had slowly begun to close, he bit on his teeth and gnashed hard while kept his mouth open to the pain he had got from his soon to crack neck. A sudden sound of another bone on his neck and Newton swung his eyes back open. He lifted his hands and tried to make the buffoon's hand lets go of his neck. He gripped on it had. Newton was up from the floor, his legs which had been dangling back and forth with a hope to meet the floor. Veins had started to appear on his forehead like huge green worms that go stuck on a traffic jam. He kicked back and forth until hit the mid of the buffoon.

He dropped on the floor and reached his neck with his hands and gently stroked it as he felt the pains of a tight pin that he got from the buffoon. He opened his mouth wide and gasped for air while still on the floor. He tried to catch a breath, he shifted his glance and faced the buffoon who he had just hit at his mid. The buffoon had still gripped on his mid and tried hard to get over the pain. But Newton had seemed to forget that he was still on the ship, and with one healthy and fresh buffoon coming up.

He received a kick in his stomach. The buffoon hit him again, while Lordwell King just sat silent and stiffened on the chair; and enjoyed the show.

Newton received hits from the buffoon, and worse, torture when the other came to him. Both kicked him hard as they possibly could. Newton slept helplessly on the floor; his lips had begun to bleed to hard unnoticed kicks. He placed his hands on the floor. He could lift his glance gently as he ignored the kicks he got from the two buffoons, and slowly lifted his head to glance at Lordwell King who had his lips parting into a mocking smile.

Newton stood up from the floor but again kicked back to length on the floor by the angry buffoons, he slept helplessly and hoped that the beating stopped. But he was wrong, Lordwell King only wanted to see him dead. Is it about the fishing stick? Or Lordwell holds some grudge against me? Newton thought as he slept in length. And shortly after he thought that his hopes had faded, he heard Lordwell King call up to one of his bodyguards and asked them to finish up with what they had started, and not waste any more of his time. Lordwell King tossed the silenced pistol to one of the buffoons and asked them to complete the task.

In Newton's glance as Lordwell King shouted to one of the buffoons, he saw the gun drop to the floor and the buffoon reach out to it. Newton stood up and gnashed on his teeth each moment he felt pains from his upper ribs. And worse when he heard a gun shot which went and sunk on his hip.

Newton glanced behind, he saw it in the buffoon's eyes that he only shot to kill, another gunshot on Newton's thigh, and Newton jumped into the waters to escape from the wrath of Lordwell King. Newton was bleeding at the time when he pushed himself beneath the planks of the path leading away from the harbour--meters away from the ship--and Newton heard the buffoon shoot six times into the water and shout to confirm to Lordwell King of Newton's death.

Blood diluting off his body; he begun to crawl away from the boats and then headed towards the start of the harbour of Transtevator. His heart bet rampant as he felt the bullet on his thigh move even deep when he pulled forward towards his car.

Right next to his car, he paused and gnashed his teeth and slowly tilted his neck to face his behind to check if the buffoons and Lordwell King weren't following him. He placed his hand beneath his thigh and lifted up his leg until he met the ground with his feet. He glanced around. An afternoon sun had hit his forehead. Unable to get a clear glimpse of what it was that he saw cover his glance, he blinked thrice to get a hold of his glance, but got a sudden blackout to his fall on the ground. He landed head first on the ground which made him snap unconscious.

Hours had passed by when he woke up in Raymond's apartment. Newton lifted his head from a sofa he had been ling on--he swung his glance until it met Raymond who walked forward towards him. Newton felt a sharp stab of pain on his thigh and hip the second he decided to get up. And he could see by the bandages that his wounds had been treated.

"The Doc said you should take a week off--" Raymond bellowed from the kitchen.

"Like you care," Newton pushed himself on the sofa and narrowed his glance to face Raymond. "This is all because of you, Ray, I wouldn't have been in this mess if you hadn't told on me."

"Ya, ya, you're trying to find someone to blame right?" Raymond chuckled "you go on a gun fight with Lordwell, and you're here blaming me?"

"Why am I even here?"

"You had died and I brought you back to life." Raymond continued, "you owe me."

"I don't have time for shit." Newton continued, "bring me my car keys."

"Here--" Raymond snapped.

"Good-day--" Newton said upon dropping on his feet from the sofa. And he could gnash hard on his teeth when he glanced again at Raymond. "traitor..."

"Whatever."

\--------------------------------------------------

Six in the evening, Newton limped on his feet, he placed his hand beneath his thigh as he walked away from the car and then in his fence--his head slightly ducked and a glance he narrowed to face his house.

He puffed between his teeth and flushed a surreptitious glance behind and got a glimpse of the lighted neighborhood. The lamp posts which lit the entire neighborhood. He shifted his glance and faced the door ahead. And gently dropped his leg to a smooth land on the floor as he reached for the keys in his pocket. He inserted a key into the padlock-- His glance had begun to fade until then--his mouth was until then clamped tight. And behind his lips he could bite hard on his teeth.

He opened the door and slid his feet into the house. And the door shut slum behind him without him closing it. That's odd. Newton's thoughts snapped as he glanced again at the door behind him. He shrugged and walked forward until he had met the center of the living room. The house was still, silence had occupied most of the house's space.

"I'm sure Jessica must have returned home from Norah's house by now..." Newton said.

He took a deep steady breath. He shifted his glance towards the stairs where he found his and Jessica's clothes strewn about on the stairs in a trail-- Until up.

And found the bedroom too in a mess, their bed-sheets, strew in the room, his clothes torn to a force grip at the far ends, only the closet seemed closed and in perfect shape. At first, Newton thought that the chaos in his room was all Lordwell King's doing.

Newton had some of his clothes in his hands when he decided to walk forward; he slid his feet on the floor until he met the closet. He hanged the clothes on his arm and opened the closet with both his hands.

And a rich harsh wind rushed out with the opening of the doors of the closet. He sent his glance inside the closet and could see an ugly lady demon, and in flesh too-- Which glanced briefly at him.

A glance which both had to share-- Newton swallowed in his throat as fear toed in his legs, and crawled in his chest.

A tremble to the glimpse; a sudden thump of his heart and Newton dropped the clothes down on the floor. He could still keep his glance fastened at the demon as he slid his feet two steps backward. But the demon wasn't just ready to let go of its prey--it jumped on Newton and made him fall on his back. It wrapped its hands around Newton's already swollen neck. And planted both its knees on Newton's stomach. And watched as Newton perished to catch a breath.

### CHAPTER 6

He tried to twist himself in attempt to get the demon off his stomach but just couldn't. The demon kept its knees planted on Newton's stomach, and its hands that had wrapped around Newton's neck.

Newton got enormous pains as he struggled to get the demon of his stomach. His eyes had slowly begun to close, he bit on his teeth and hoped that a miracle happened to his safety. Unable to breath due to a sudden stuffy in the room, his body begun weigh down; his struggle slowly got minimal. And Newton had begun to give up, he dropped his hands on the floor. Unable to fight back and overcome the pains he felt--having to had lain on the floor in length; on his bandaged bullet wounds. He dropped both his arms on the floor. His eyes slowly begun to close and he stopped his struggle to inhale air. This is over. Newton's thoughts snapped. The demon still had its knees planted on Newton's stomach and continued to chock him real tight.

A sudden miracle and Newton swung his eyes back open.

A good thing that Jessica had arrived in time before Newton had died. She came with a stick from the kitchen, with a thought that there was a burglar. When entered the room, she hit the demon on its head until the demon (which was in flesh) dropped on the floor. Meters away from Newton; a hard blow and Jessica thought that it had died. She rushed towards Newton and lifted his head up from the floor, she begun to stroke his cheeks and made him regain his sight back to a wide glance which Newton had a while ago.

"Newton--" Jessica said, she placed Newton's head on her laps and massaged his swollen neck.

"Jessie..." Newton's voice muffled upon getting a glimpse of her.

"Don't worry, Newt, I will find you treatment, you're bleeding badly." Jessica continued after seeing the now soaked bandages, "Who is that woman you were fighting with?"

"I have no idea..." Newton said in response. And paused when pains interfered in his speech.

After a second, Newton tilted to glance at the demon which had then laid on the floor. Shaggy hair had covered its face, its hands had rested flat on the floor. And dead in Newton and Jessica's eyes. They both fastened their glances at the demon, until a sudden snap which made fear crawl deep in both their hearts--when the demon vanished suddenly, and then proved to Newton and Jessica that they were not easily going to get rid of the lady whom they thought to had been dead having to had hit its head with a stick. A harsh hit but then, the demon was no where to be seen.

"What was that?" Jessica asked. She shifted her glance to face the strewn surrounding, "it's not human."

Newton pushed himself up and lain properly his head on Jessica's laps; he glanced up and could see in her eyes that she was terrified by what happened, more than he was. And Newton could feel Jessica's shiver in her thighs which nearly shook the floor. Newton, slowly slid his hand to touch the beneath of his thigh before he cold voice out his emotions.

"Jessica, let us get out of here--" Newton said in a low faint tone.

Jessica rubbed her face with her hand, after being certain that it had become stained with sweat, knowing that she and Newton were doomed. She received Newton's glance and agreed to how Newton had reasoned; although running wasn't such a great idea. Running away from their house.

A house which had then been abducted by demons.

"Come on, Jessie, help me up." Newton said.

Newton threw his arm around Jessica's shoulder. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Took another as he tried to temper his heart which had raced rampantly to the view he got seconds ago, and to what he just experienced. He staggered slowly out of the room. Jessica held him tight and hoped that he doesn't stumble to fall. Newton staggered, now heading towards the living room. He climbed down the stairs. Newton gnashed his teeth each minute he felt pains from his bandaged hip and thigh--not certain whether the bullet had been removed or only bandaged to stop the bleeding. He ducked his head as he got an irritating spin of his mind as thoughts whirled, his thoughts made to turn 360degrees, a continuous spin for a couple of minutes. And the felt as though he was about to pass out. His glance had begun fade. He opened his eyes each time he felt that his eyes were an inch to close. He lifted his glance up and glanced forward while had painful dropping of his feet on the stairs. He puffed out loud and glanced at Jessica who had until then held him with her hand which she pressed on his chest.

For a couple of minutes, both climbed down the stairs. Newton staggered even more when the wound, the one on his thigh and the other on his upper hip got the best of him. He gnashed his teeth and hoped that the treacherous torment ends. And in Newton's mind only tried to answer himself the pending questions; the questions which he thought had no answers. Who was that woman? And how did she disappear? Was she human? It can't be a ghost; ghosts can't make physical contact with the living, but who? His thoughts surged each step he slid on the floor, staggering and then being directed by Jessica who had at the time walked him towards the door. Which was locked.

Newton kept his arm resting on Jessica's shoulder, while the other he placed beneath his thigh, and helped him lift up his leg to move forward to the door; which they knew to had been their only hope of getting out of the house. The outside which had been lightened by lamp posts on the road sides. Newton and Jessica both knew that it was late although them seeing light shine through the curtains of their living room.

Both paused at the door, and Jessica stretched her hand to touch the door's metal handle--she wrapped her hands on it and gently gripped to pull. The door was locked and her glance faded to the realization of that.

"Newton, the door is locked." Jessica continued, "I don't have keys with me."

"Get the duplicate ones in my back pocket." Newton said with a force of words through his throat. Which at the moment grieved with pain due to the strangle he got twice that day; first at the harbour of Transtevator and from an angry demon he battled with in the evening.

Jessica pulled from Newton's back pocket, a set of keys. And then stretched her hand to hold the handle of the door as she inserted the keys into the padlock. She got a click, which assured them both that the door was open, she pulled the door, but that was futile, the demons were at work and the door wasn't opening.

"It's locked." Jessica snapped.

"What do you mean, Jessie?" Newton asked.

"We have been locked, Newt--" Jessica continued in an impatient tone. "I have opened the door, but it can't open--it's like I didn't even open it!"

"stay behind me." Newton said.

Newton staggered forward towards the door, he took a deep breath and gently begun to lift his head as well getting pains from his swollen neck. He lifted his glance and changed to as well stretch his back which he had curved due to stress. He stood and sent a clear glance through the padlock. He stretched his hands and held the door handle to pull but him too failed to open the door.

Newton tilted his neck with pain and glanced at Jessica. Before he could confirm on just how doomed both were--Newton swallowed through his throat.

"I have tried." Newton said.

"Have we been locked in!?"

"Yes--"

And for seconds, Jessica kept her glance fastened at Newton as she saw just how tense Newton had become. And how he gently lifted his legs so that he could walk back at her.

Newton stood close to Jessica as he received her glance.

"What do you suppose we do?" Jessica asked.

Newton shrugged.

And suddenly, the lights went off. The house became in pitch black and made it difficult for both Newton and Jessica to penetrate their glances through the dark surrounding. Fear lifted up in Newton's chest. His feet shook on the floor. Having to had been locked in the house in company with, only God knows what that thing was.

Noises started. People who screamed to ghostly laughs across the living room. And the sounds which Newton and Jessica's ears. Newton stood upright and staggered a little--to walk close towards Jessica. He rested his hand on Jessica's shoulder. And a tremble from Jessica, who was not sure whether it was Newton or something else that had touched her.

"It's me, Jessie." Newton whispered.

"Newt--" Jessica jumped into a hug with Newton. She wrapped her arms around him and cried as sounds rushed in her ears. A sound of three to six people laughing in the house, and then both realizing that they did not have to be scared of only a single demon they met in their bedroom but a lot more by the sound of the voices that sounded-- "I'm scared, Newt."

Jessica rested her head on Newton's shoulder. Newton placed his chin on her upper head and wrapped his arms around her.

"Take it easy, Jessie." Newton continued, "we will get over this."

"But--" pausing to a hiccup, and unable to get a good clear breath, Jessica paused.

"Let us just stick together." Newton continued. "Let us do it for our unborn baby--let us be strong and make sure that we get over this tough episode."

"What do we do, Newt?" Jessica asked.

Newton's thoughts surged in his mind and hoped that he could come up with a better and tangeable thought. He swallowed through his throat and glanced around the dark surrounding. Ahead, he could see light penetrate through the tiniest hole on the door (the tiny padlock space)-- Light which jostled from the outside light by the neighborhood lamp posts into the living room.

"Let us hide behind the couch that is that side." Newton whispered.

"Hide?"

"Yes, until we come up with a better idea to get out of the house. For now, we can't let whatever is in the house get the best of us, they can't see us standing and waiting for what? We better hide, no idea is better that this one." Newton continued, "come on, let us get away from the door."

"But--"

"Don't ague, Jessie, do you have any bright ideas apart from hiding for safety?"

"No--but hiding isn't a bright idea either."

"It will buy us enough time. You have seen just how powerful that thing is, I really don't know if it's a demon or a ghost." Newton continued in a silky tone, "but what I know is that it vanished right in front of our eyes. It could appear any moment now. Do you prefer we find a way out?"

"Yes--"

"We will after we figure something up." Newton emphasized.

Jessica held Newton's hand. "Newt, what if..."

"No, Jessie--" Newton continued. "Not until we find some bright thought, for now, we get away from the open. At least hiding will buy both you and I time to figure something up and a hope of survival could be analyzed from that."

"OK."

Newton held Jessica's hand and begun to stagger away from the center of the living room to the end; right behind a couple of couches.

"Ah!" Newton screamed upon landed on the floor on his wounded hip. He closed his mouth quick, and hoped that his scream didn't signal the demons in the house; the least that which both Newton and Jessica would want then.

Jessica landed smoothly and kept her hand wrapped on Newton's hand. And waited patiently until Newton finished gnashing his teeth to the sound of pain.

Newton puffed out loud as he landed on his other hip. Which made it his thought to only land and sit on one hip. Newton opened his mouth, he breathed continuous, a sounding breath, and a certainty to Jessica that he was going through hell at the moment. Jessica begun to stroke Newton's hand--gently and tried to cool him from the temper and tense which rose inside Newton-- She sat right in front of Newton who at the time sat on one hip and rested on the wall behind him. Jessica had a couch behind her. And surrounding darkness that made it difficult for both to clearly glances of each other. Only Newton's sounding breath proved to Jessica how grieved her husband was. She stretched her other hand and held Newton by his chest, she slid it up to meet his face.

"Talk to me, Newt." Jessica said.

Newton puffed out loud again and glanced at the partial figure of Jessica in front of him. Slowly he ducked his head to a sharp stab of pain from both his hip and thigh. And voiced out his agony. He sat on one buttock as he puffed yet again.

"Don't tell me you were hurt on the thigh and hip by that demon." Jessica continued, "you thought I wouldn't notice the bandages, did you? Although enclosed in your trousers, I could feel them when I held you up in the bedroom. And when you had begun to bleed. What happened?"

"Lordwell--" Newton said in response. And paused to gnash yet again on his teeth.

"Great, so now we have to deal with your boss as well. How did that happen?"

"He knows that I'm the one who destroyed his fishing stick." Newton continued in a silky tone "and this morning, he saw me throw the fishing stick into the sea."

"And?"

"When I walked to the ship; I found him with two bodyguards whom he assigned to kill me." Newton continued after a second break to take a deep breath, "I was shot twice before I could jump off the ship into the waters surrounding the ship. I was shot on my thigh and upper hip."

Jessica stretched her hand to touch Newton.

"Where?" Jessica asked.

"Stop it, Jessie." Newton puffed out between his teeth-- "it hurts."

"Sorry--"

For minutes, both sat silent upon noticing that the sounding laughs had stopped, laughs from the demons that came from rooms up-stairs. And now silence being all that occupied the entire rooms of the house. Only noisy sounding breaths which came from Newton who had at the time received irritating pains from the bullet wounds.

Jessica stretched her hand in the surrounding darkness until he met Newton who sat on one buttock with his head ducked down to the pain which until then had conflicted on him. Newton's mouth stood open, and only closed when he heard Jessica speak.

"So will Lordwell come and finish what he started? And kill me too?" Jessica continued in a faint tone "I have heard of him and how he deals with enemies. I'm pretty sure he will be back for you."

"No he won't..." Newton spoke with difficulty.

"What do you mean?" Jessica continued, "are you telling me he will just let you go? That's not the Lordwell I have heard of."

"Yes--that's not how Lordwell deals with his enemies." Newton added to Lordwell King's description. "I have worked with him for years. I know him."

"We should be afraid of Lordwell King too?"

"He believes I'm dead." Newton snapped.

"And what if..." Jessica begun to speak, but was eventually cut off by Newton.

"We better bury that subject, Jessie, Lordwell King knows that I'm dead. His men confirmed that to him. I'm right now injured, but this doesn't bother me much, and there is really no need reporting him to the authorities when I know that he will bribe himself out of prison, and come back to hunt me down." Newton continued, "it's better we forget about that now. We have a lot to worry about--like the things happening right now. Now that we don't even know if we could still survive the torment or..."

"We will--" Jessica snapped.

The house was still dark, but Jessica and Newton had managed to convey. Upon realizing again that they had no way out of the house, Newton and Jessica sat silent and concentrated on the silence in the house. A scary quietness which at times made Jessica shiver with to a cold creepy sensation. And got more tensed when touched herself. And to avoid anymore scary sensations, she pushed herself closer towards Newton and wrapped her arms around him and just hoped that the torment was soon to be over.

Newton's mouth was clamped tight, and he could only bite on his teeth, and puff out loud every time he felt a remnant thump of his heart. He rested both his hands on Jessica's back while she slept on his chest and wrapped her arms around him.

Jessica lifted her head and a glance she swung in the darkness as she waited to rest her glance upon Newton. Again.

"I think I have an idea--" Jessica said in a low tone after controlling the tense in her.

"What could that be?" Newton asked.

"Let us break the door open." Jessica continued, "we can spend our night in Mr and Mrs Boxer's house. They are the only neighbors we seem to talk to...I'm sure they won't refuse us."

"I don't have trouble with spending a night at Mrs Boxer's, but breaking the door?" Newton lifted his eyebrows in mute supplication.

"Do you have any bright ideas?"

"No--"

"Then we are left with no other option than to break the door open. It being the only option we have to get out of the house. The door is locked, and we can't stay in here all night. And waiting for what? Let us try the one thought I have...it may not be bright, but it will definitely guarantee both you and I freedom away from the house." Jessica continued, "what do you say?"

Newton sat silent as he sorted through his thoughts--considering that he had to break a door which opens from inside. That was just against some 'law of physics.' And forcing it to break open from the outside? How will I do that? Newton's eyes had become wide as thoughts scampered in his mind until he had made up him decision to the liking of Jessica.

"Come, Jessie, help me up." Newton said in a breathless tone as he tried to control the pains he felt on his thigh and upper hip. He wrapped his arm around Jessica's shoulder and begun to stagger again in order to move towards the direction where both knew they were to find the door.

For seconds, Newton slid his feet on the floor, and kept his head ducked down--his mouth clamped tight as a rising warming of the heart begun to hit up his temper once more. Newton had his arm on top of Jessica's shoulder. And was sure now that he wasn't going to fall. Jessica had held him and staggered like he did. And then only up to Newton whether he could overcome the pains he felt. Sharp stabs of pain on his thigh and upper hip. The bandages were had gotten wet as the wounds ripped open again. Newton felt that his leg was wet--he paused and placed his hand beneath his thigh, and his hand too became wet to the warm blood he had touched. Only then did Newton realize that he wasn't in a state to run. But I have to do this for Jessica, I can't let her perish because of my foolishness. It's better if she doesn't notice me bleeding--I don't want to worry her. Newton thought.

"Why did you stop?" Jessica asked.

"It's nothing."

And he begun to walk, and staggered forward until met the huge entrance door. He touched it and begun to figure a way he was to break the door. I can't. Newton thought, but at least let me try. He knew that was Jessica's only hope of redemption out of the house, and that he wasn't just going to conclude failure before showing some strive and efforts to open the door. He lifted his hand from Jessica's shoulder. And swallowed through his thought and pushed Jessica back with his hand.

"Stand back--" He snapped.

Newton gently begun to walk back and made sure that he had inhaled enough air. He jumped on the door--and hit it with his shoulder. But pounced back on his feet and again awakened his wounds. He took a deep steady breath and released it slowly before he could throw himself again at the door. The door was still locked, not shaken by any of the hitting, and there was simply no way both were getting the door open.

"Let me try." Jessica said.

She threw herself too at the door and found that her idea wasn't bright at all. She walked back and asked Newton who at the moment kept gnashing on his teeth to the pain to had awakened his wounds. Until--

Newton and Jessica were both staring at the huge door the time the lights went back on to the liking of both, not until they turned around to face their behind.

Slowly, both turned around and glanced their behind which was bare. Newton puffed between his teeth thinking that the torment had ended. But Jessica whose heart had begun to race to a view of five demons floating in thin air, she pulled Newton by his hand and pointed up to show him that the demons weren't yet done. Tense shot again in Newton's chest as he got a glimpse of the five angry demons above. A quick snap in his mind, he turned around and begun to hit the huge door again. His mouth wide, his teeth clearly seen as he continuously hit the door and hoped that it could swing or break open; which was never going to happen. And then felt a sudden change of gravity. As he kicked back and forth, Newton begun to ascend by the demons' tricky tormenting acts. Jessica stood helpless as Newton was two feet above her head. Newton's kicking begun to stop the moment he realized that it wasn't helping-- He glanced forward as he was taken by the demons that drew Newton closer towards them while Jessica stood down on the floor and only stared up at what was to happen to Newton.

"Newt!" Jessica screamed to a glimpse of Newton now being lifted even closer towards the demons that floated in thin air, and two feet close to a chandelier that stood above their heads.

After seconds of lifting Newton stood in between the five demons, all who had fastened their glances at Newton-- Angry glances, but Newton focused more on the lady demon which had strangled him a while ago. He gnashed his teeth as bewilderment thoughts flooded his mind, he tilted his neck and glanced at the demons that stood around him. He took a deep breath and puffed gently as his heart raced to the view he had got. All the demons opened their mouths and produced a harsh loud sound that forced Newton to lift his hands and cup them around his ears. He screamed as fear tored through him. A loud scream that forced him to close shut his eyes, and when he opened them again; all the five demons had vanished, leaving him still floating in thin air--right beneath a huge chandelier of the living room.

"Newton, get down!" Jessica shouted.

"I can't!" Newton shot back as he again kicked back and forth. And realized that it was futile, he floated and ducked his head to a view of Jessica down on the floor. Tears had begun to stream down his cheeks, tears that dropped on the floor as all hopes faded.

Suddenly whatever was holding him did let go. And in a second, Newton was down on the floor and had landed on his buttocks which by the way had a flesh ripped open wound of a bullet shot right on his upper hip. He screamed hard as pain surged in his heart. His head was on the floor, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Jessica shouting out to him.

"Newton! Get up from there! Get up!" Jessica shouted and pointed up at the chandelier which had been shaking and right above; ready to drop on Newton.

Newton got on his feet, and begun to stride away from the center. He ran towards Jessica with a hand placed beneath his equally bullet wounded thigh.

And the chandelier was down to pieces, smashing to the now darkness of the living room. Newton reached Jessica--he wrapped his arms around her; weeping dearly while placed his chin on Jessica's shoulder. His heart bet rampant to reality. He pinned Jessica into a tight hug.

"Newton, I'm scared." Jessica said in a low tone as tears equally streamed down her cheeks.

Newton unwrapped his arms and held Jessica by her hand. And begun to pull her away from the open--and walked back to the couch where they had found a perfect hiding spot a while ago. Newton staggered away and tried as hard as he possibly could to just overcome the pains. He bit on his teeth and lifted his head, and stretched his glance through the darkness. He swung it around the room and noticed that the lights were back in the house. And only darkness in the living room because they had lost a chandelier. Afar, at the rooms above the stairs, both got a glimpse of shiny light coming from there. But they did not want to risk a life by going up-stairs instead. Newton staggered until he had met the couch where both again found refuge. They walked behind and gently ducked down until meeting the floor with their buttocks. Newton clenched hard on the pain his hip made him endure. Please, can't this day get any better? I now get it, the fortune teller was right. But this is just too much for me and Jessica to bear. Is there any room for second chances? Newton's thoughts whirled in his mind as he held Jessica's hand. His eyes had become wet; a residue to the weeping he had done minutes ago.

After minutes of silence, Newton sent his glance in thin air to glance around, and afar he could see light touch half the stairs that led to the rooms up. Bright light. Golden light which sure was good to stay in, but Newton thought otherwise considering of the fact that the demons were still rooming around. And the house, it being abducted by five demons. Newton was still recovering from both the view he had of the angry demons and as well recovering from the pain he had to endure when he had fallen dozen feet above the floor, until meeting the floor where he had landed on his injured hip. Until then he gnashed his teeth, he placed his hand beneath his thigh and sat on one buttock. His lips parted, he bit on his teeth as he tried to get over the pains. And at least for seconds ignored the flush-backs of just how ugly the demons are. He took a steady breath and tried to cool his then racing heart.

Jessica was equally tensed-up with all the drama that which happened that night. She sat behind the couch and rested her back on it and as she wrapped her arms around her knees. Tears slid down her cheeks as she rested her chin on her knees and cried softly as she recalled what had happened a while ago.

"Newton--" Jessica's voice sounding with ripples. And faint.

Newton by then had managed to calm himself and was then looking forward to find a way out of the house, and he heard Jessica call out to him. He gently tilted to look at her.

"Yes."

"I'm scared, Newton, I don't want to die."

"Don't worry, Jessie, we will find a plan in no time and we will be out of the house." Newton continued, "this I promise you..."

"Are we going to run away from the house?" Jessica asked in a low tone.

"We have to--your life and the baby's is far more important than this."

"But--"

"I know." Newton stretched his hand and gently swung it in the darkness to touch Jessica's face. And continued to speak when he touched her, he gently stroked her cheeks... "this is our house. I know that, but you can see that the demons are cunning as to not leave the house. Our house has been abducted by demons, Jessie, and there is nothing both of us can do. We are left with no other option than to run for freedom. From the demons. Or we both will be possessed by the demons or worse. Those creature out there could hurt our baby. And you know I wouldn't want any of that to happen. Nor will I bear the feeling to have lost my life nor yours. This is just a house. I know that I love money and all...but I love my family more than anything in the world. We will both survive with the little we have saved in bank." "Please, Jessie, try to reason with my way of thinking. I know that I'm not literate and all, but even dummies at times talk sense."

Jessica chuckled a little.

"That's what I want, Jessie, to see you happy and at least ignore all that has happened today. I know it's scary, but I need your courage and focus."

"Newton, now that we know that we can't get out of the house, why don't we call for help. Anyone. So that they can free us from the house." Jessica suggested.

"Who would?"

"Norah--" Jessica snapped.

"We will be putting her life in danger too. I wouldn't want my sister perish because of me. The demons will hurt her."

"What of Mama Lina?"

"Don't even bother, please!"

"Why not, Newt? Why not bother, huh? Tell me." Jessica said upon holding Newton's hand and shifting her glance through the dark surrounding until she had been sure that it had rested at a position Newton was.

"Don't forget that I acted harsh on her the other day...what makes you so sure she would come to help us, much less help me."

"For some reason I think you acted that way because of her colour. I never knew you are a racist, Newt."

"I'm not, and I wish not to be such." Newton continued, "we can't seek help from the fortune teller 'cause the last time we visited her--things turned up as not expected. I said a number of harsh words...and I do regret ever saying those things to her. We can't call her just because we are facing difficulty. I'm sure she despises me by now. Why bother if she won't come. And if she agrees, how long will it take her this time of the night to reach Transtevator? We are on our own, Jessie."

"But we have no other way out of the house--" Jessica said, but was eventually cut off by Newton.

"Wait a second, Jessie, I think I heard something." Newton whispered.

"I hear nothing."

"Hush, keep it down."

Both could hear sounds of someone's feet outside the house. Could it be part of the demons' tricks? But who could it be at this time of the night. No--I'm sure that it's a demon wishing to pull a plunk on us. Hell no am I getting up from here. He sorted out through his thoughts and sat silent, he placed his fingers on Jessica's lips, and hoped that she doesn't make a sound.

A hit at the entrance door which both Newton and Jessica heard. The door which both did fail to open. Another, which made them both shiver and wrap their arms around each other as fear tored through them. Newton swallowed hard through his throat when he felt it had become dry once more. He wrapped his arms around Jessica's waist. His mouth had clamped tight. He slowly begun to remove himself from the hug him and Jessica had formed, he swung his glance through the dark surrounding.

The last hit and the door swung open.

Newton slowly lifted his head above the couch and tried to see if he could catch a clear glimpse of who had just opened the door. Or is it a trick from the demons? Newton thought.

He still had his head lifted up, slightly above the couch, with his glance fastened afar as he tried to get a clear glimpse as to who had come and walked into the house. He could only see a shadow which stretched to the middle of the living room. And afar, the person who was in his or Jessica's faded glance, having the outside light hit the behind of the person. And outside being not that dark. And immediately that the door was opened, light from outside; that produced from the bright moon and the shinning lamp posts on the neighboring road. The light which touched half of the living room. And stretching more the stranger's shadow.

Jessica was silent, only an irritating shake which Newton wasn't able to control, she had her head ducked down; her hands again wrapped around her knees, and her chin placed above when she heard again the door clench. Having to had sat on the floor--Jessica kept moving back and forth with fear which crawled in her chest as to an already conclusion of death which brushed her heart.

For seconds, the strange person; in Newton's glance stood silent with both hands dropped down, one which had gripped on to a satchel, wrapped with a long leather strap. Newton until then had his glance stretched forward and hoped that he could know who it was that stood in front of his glance. He had a lot to worry about, already, he and Jessica had been hiding away from demons. Among them, Newton had a strong testimony to how dangerous and wicked the demons could get; him, having to had been strangled as welcome to torment, and lifted up by the five demons until let down from above to hit the stiff floor. And again had Lordwell King as his enemy--Newton was concluded dead by Lordwell King, but Jessica wasn't. And a strange person walking in the house? It could be anyone, one of the two, or a simple burglar.

"Jessica!" The stranger called out. And kept still aloof.

Jessica wanted to stand up from the floor upon getting her name and concluding already that the strange person who had come meant no harm. But Newton; he held her back on the floor and pressed his hand on Jessica's mouth to shut it and not want Jessica to speak a word. Newton sat silent, and again, he slowly lifted his head to check if the stranger had left or still at the door side.

"Jessica, I know you're in there," the strange person continued "I have come to help. At least show yourselves. I can sense Newton too being with you. I'm your only way out of this mess. I know how I can help you guys."

After seconds of listening to the lady, Jessica lifted her hand and removed Newton's hand which had cupped her mouth "darling, there is nothing to be scared of."

"Wait a second, Jessie, let me try to talk to her--" Newton insisted.

"What is there to talk about?" Jessica continued in a faint low tone "we were trying to find someone willing to get us out of the house, right? And help is right in front of us--why question it--let's get out of the house--better that way."

Newton lifted his head again and glanced afar, but still couldn't get a clear view of who was at the far end close to the open door and stood between the light which touched the floor."

"Who are you?" Newton asked.

"Mama Lina," she responded broadly.

"How do we know that you are telling the truth?"

"Come out and take a look." Mama Lina continued. "Why do you think I came all the way here in the first place? I sensed a bad omen, that's the reason I came, will you let me in or are you preferring I leave the house?"

Newton and Jessica stood up from their hiding spot. Newton threw his hand on top of Jessica's shoulder. And begun to stagger forward towards the spot where Mama Lina had stood. Newton had his head ducked down at numerous times due to sever pains he felt on both his thigh and upper hip, his upper hip especially; and his thigh where at the moment he had his other hand placed beneath it. He staggered, gently he slid his feet--and a few feet away, he lifted his head and glanced forward. He puffed between his teeth, and slowly dropped his glance to face the floor. And for seconds he had his mouth shut. His eyes darkening to the sharp stab of pains he had felt.

A foot closer towards Mama Lina, Newton removed his arm from Jessica's shoulder and then both got a clear glance that it sure was Mama Lina. Jessica jumped to her, she wrapped her arms around Mama Lina and exclaimed to Mama Lina's sudden arrival.

How did she...all the way from New York City, to come and protect me? Jessica? But how did she come to know of our crisis, I didn't phone, and Jessica confirmed not calling her too. Newton stood quiet, he fastened his glance at Mama Lina as bewilderment thoughts whirled in his mind. He stood slightly upright--his hand still held on to the beneath of his thigh, but couldn't get off Mama Lina in his sight.

"Welcome--" Jessica said.

Mama Lina had her glance fastened too at Newton "why, Newton, why didn't you take my advise serious? I'm certain that all I said that day was clear enough even to be heard by you. It didn't even take a single day, and you went out to look for trouble." Mama Lina continued, "didn't I make myself clear?"

"You did--" Newton confirmed.

"But why did you choose to go against the prophecy?"

"I never believed that demons were real, until today." Newton continued "so does it mean because I went to work, demons have abducted my house?"

"Each had a product, Newton, you went to work, and what did you get in return for your love for money?" Mama Lina continued, "two bullet wounds, one on your thigh and the other on your hip. Because of what?"

"But, Mama Lina, does that have to do with what is happening here? What explains the demons abducting my house?"

"You should know." Mama Lina said in response.

"But I do not know."

"Did you throw away the chest you had found in the sea?"

"No--"

"Good." Mama Lina snapped. "Let us go to your bedroom."

"You haven't answered my question." Newton continued "I have asked you something. How did the demons find their way into my house?"

"You brought them here yourself." Mama Lina continued "from the sea, and from that chest I asked you about earlier. Did you notice anything strange upon opening it?"

"Yes, the living room was all gusty for a couple of long seconds." Jessica said.

"Did you by any chance get to see any demon minutes after you had opened the chest?" Mama Lina asked.

"Not until today." Newton confirmed.

"Good--" Mama Lina continued "let us go up stairs, to your bedroom and begin the ritual."

After watching Mama Lina walk a foot towards them and wished to walk away from the light she had standing on-- and wanting to walk into darkness which at the time freaked Jessica and Newton more; Newton paused and glanced at Mama Lina, he sent a glance of disapproval to walk away from the living room. Much less then that him and Jessica could both penetrate their glances through the now open door-- A glance which Newton sent out of the living room and made it stop right at the empty liberated environment.

"But are we supposed to get out of the house?" Jessica continued, "isn't that the main purpose of you coming here? Helping us escape."

"No--" Mama Lina responded and walked further into the darkness. Her satchel hanging at the mid joint of her arm,and hit her waist as she walked away.

Newton shot a warning glance at Jessica, his mouth had clamped tight. His eyes had become wide as he tried hard to get all that had happened; why the fortune teller decided to walk into the house and not away? His warning glance receiving that of Jessica. And Jessica too who did not understand any of the fortune teller's ways, she shrugged and glanced into the darkness were Mama Lina had vanished into, and headed forth for the stairs that stood afar, and not in their glances. Jessica parted her mouth to speak, but sudden sounds begun again; sounds that produced by the demons. And made both Jessica and Newton shiver to the harsh sounds. Newton's glance shifted to face the outside and all he could see was nothing but bare environment, with lamp posts brightening the neighborhood. No torment of any kind outside. Why keep staying in the house if what both felt was their hearts jumping to every harsh sounds the demons made? Newton had his glance fastened at the outside. A concluding thought which came in his mind as he stood motionless. Freedom. He swallowed through his throat and swung back his glance to face Jessica who at the time had her glance penetrating into the darkness. And afar, right on the stairs, both Jessica and Newton got a shout from Mama Lina who called out to them.

"Are you coming or what!?" Mama Lina exclaimed. Her voice climbed down the stairs and reached by Jessica. And newton who bobbed in his throat the second or two.

Jessica walked towards Newton and held his hand and whispered in his ear silently "let us go."

Newton's glance had faded to a thought of death which had already reached in his mind, considering the fact that he better than anyone knew of the wrath of the demons.

Newton lifted his head and glanced at Jessica who stood upright and had a broad smile and hoped that Newton too agreed to what Mama Lina had planned for the safety of both them and her.

"But--" Newton opened his mouth to give a sharp response but stopped after a quick thought considering that the fortune teller had warned them of the dangers he and Jessica were to soon face, but he had decided to ignore that on account that the fortune teller only needed a couple of bucks which Newton did not even pay after the prophecy which he at that moment found to had been false--at least not about their past and a new born baby Mama Lina had told him and Jessica.

Refusing now will just speak to Jessica that I'm nothing less that a hypocrite. Newton stood for seconds as he sorted through his thoughts. "You're right, Jessie, we need to be with her right away."

And gently, Newton begun to stagger away from the light which had come through the open entrance door. He placed his hand beneath his thigh and walked slowly; sliding his feet while again stressing Jessica when he landed his arm on top of her shoulder. Close to the stairs, Newton paused for seconds. And took deep breaths that were to guarantee him a normal heart beat. He puffed between his teeth and glanced through the darkness. Not really being able to see Jessica but all the same, being sure and certain that she was close to him--and carrying his arm, he lifted it from Jessica's shoulder and begun to walk up the stairs after a confirmation that he was fine and could hold himself up the stairs. His eyes were wide and did not wish to find any of the five demons along the way up. He paused to check if he could hear any sounds that which could channel his ears to know if the demons were heading down stairs again, and Newton stood scared to be tormented again by the demons.

"Wait for me, Newt," Jessica said.

She lifted her legs and met a stair at a time so that she could meet Newton who was a couple or more stairs above her. She walked up and held him by his hand.

"Jessie--" Newton's voice tattered upon getting her touch.

"Come on! I'm waiting...Newton...Jessica. Come in the bedroom, I have found a perfect spot to perform the ritual."

Newton and Jessica slowly walked up the stairs. Newton's glance then clear upon meeting the floor that had bright golden light touching it. He paused and glanced at the bedroom door which was closed. Newton shifted his glance around the corridor, and afar, he met in his glance the bedroom door again, which was closed.

After a second of walking away from the last stair. Jessica begun to shiver until then, she gripped on Newton's shirt. Newton who stretched his arm, and with his hand met the door handle; and slowly he pushed to the silent opening of the bedroom door. What is that? What is all this? He glanced around the room and met Mama Lina right in front of his glance; with a table in the middle. And the satchel she had a while ago. After walking in, a couple of feet away from the door, Newton could see the satchel on the floor, right next to the table. And all that was in the satchel-- Emptied and all that the satchel had placed on top of the table. And the ball which both had seen on their visit at Mama Lina's house stood between the table.

Newton Walked much closer, he swung his glance around the room and could see on the floor, piles of clothes that had been strewn by the demons before he came home. A flush back of what had happened in the room; Newton trembled to a clear visual thought, a 3-D thought which reminded him how wicked the demons mocked him, and Newton nearly ding to the hard pinning of the demon's hands which it did wrap around his neck. Newton swallowed through his throat and managed to calm his thoughts. He shifted his glance and met Jessica's--he held her hand and asked her to follow forward towards Mama Lina who at that time kept her focus on the unlit ball which sat on the table. Mama Lina closed her eyes and after seconds opened them--and the very first thing that came in her mind--the first two words. And Mama Lina opened her mouth to a smooth beating of her lips.

"Newton. Jessica." Mama Lina beckoned at both, and slowly she begun to circle the table. Upon stopping, she glanced back at Newton and Jessica who stood afar with bewilderment thoughts that flooded their minds "switch off the light and close the door behind you before approaching the table."

Mama Lina's words were clear, but Newton having to had felt the original presence of the demons stood silent as thoughts surged in his mind.

Switch off the lights? Close the door? Not willing to do any of that, Newton's eyebrows lifted as thoughts continued to scamper in his mind. But before he could show to both Jessica and Mama Lina, any of those signs of disapproval, Jessica walked back at the door and closed it. And seconds later, the light bulb was off to the pitch darkness of the room. And Newton felt a touch of Jessica again. And her voice which softened in his ears as she asked him to walk closer towards Mama Lina and break every aloof between them. At least not the table in between.

Newton and Jessica quietly slid their feet and met the table which stood on the middle of the room. The ball on the table begun to glow on a touch of Mama Lina...it glowed to a way Newton and Jessica expected it to, having once seen it glow back in New York City. In Mama Lina's scary house. Quite a memorable and shaking experience. The bright light reflected in Newton's eyes after he had fastened his glance at the ball. Newton had his mouth clamped tight and hoped for whatever the fortune teller wanted, to complete the ritual once and for all. And at least guarantee him, Jessica and their unborn baby peace and a certainty of never to be haunted by demons ever again.

"I need you both to pay attention to what I'm about to tell you. Pay attention." Mama Lina continued after she had fastened again her glance at Newton and Jessica-- She laid her hands on the table and her back which she had slightly curved. "Before we begin with this ritual, I wish to inform you that the practice I'm about to do is going to be dangerous--it is a life risking practice. One amongst us may be lost. Today. The demons only become less powerful when they walk out of a body the possess. When the demons possess any of us we will be forced to kill that person, until then, the demons will remain powerful. But when they become weak, all the demons will sink into this ball glowing in front of you and I. This ball will later be placed into the chest the demons were first found, and it will be thrown back into the sea where you had found it. And this chain in my hand will be circling around the glowing ball throughout the ritual--until we are certain that the demons sink into the ball."

Jessica held Newton by his hand. As she shook when she heard the sound of "demon possessing" and not knowing who was going to be possessed by the demons.

"But--we don't have to loose a life." Newton continued, "we are willing to leave the house for the demons."

Mama Lina lifted her glance and fastened it again at Newton "the five demons you have let loose from the chest will gain enormous power that of all man living on earth. Combined. On the 14th of July next year. With such powers, they will, for sure they will...many lives will be lost, lots of demons will be set free, and a lot will be discovered...those from Africa, India, India, India and India...what you see here is just a surface of what demons are capable of. On that day. The world wouldn't be safe to live in...it shall be worse than the first world war's debris. And you will be found and killed then. Me too. Why loose many if we could just sacrifice a single one of us today?"

Newton tilted his neck and glanced at Jessica, he placed his hands on her cheek and slowly slid them to meet her ears--he pulled her head closer and kissed her. Anything could happen today, Jessica, I need you to be strong. He sighed and gently tilted back to face Mama Lina who had her hand lifted up to a preparation for the ritual.

"We can go ahead with the ritual--"

And Mama Lina lifted up her head--her hands stretched above the glowing ball and said languid words that sounded strange in both Newton's and Jessica's ears. "Eeeh vunami neomatich piohhh..."

"Voodoo?" Newton inquired.

A quick halt, and Mama Lina nodded silently in response and proceeded with the ritual. Her eyes were closed and her hands too, one which gripped on a golden chain continuously circled around the glowing ball. Her voice which tattered. Newton was sure by the sound of Mama Lina's voice that her too was freaked out by all that was happening. Jessica stood silent and griped tight on Newton's trousers when she noticed the five demons drop from the roof. The table shook to their landing, Jessica first had a glimpse of them-- She wrapped her arms around Newton as fear crawled to a glimpse at something horrible, horrifying. Newton glared at the five demons and urged Jessica to keep calm and not show any least signs that she was scared by any of their tormenting acts. The demons slid their feet on the floor and moved even closer towards the table with their heads ducked down but horrifying sounds of heavy breaths that sure scared both Mama Lina and Jessica more. But Mama Lina still had her eyes closed when she heard the thunderous noise of the demons' land, her being sure that all the demons had landed; only being certain of their arrival when she heard Jessica sound a gentle scream which was stopped eventually by Newton. And the demons' sliding feet sounds and their heavy breaths that proved to Mama Lina just how close the demons had got towards the table.

Mama Lina; it being her fourth time performing the ritual, and knowing just how dangerous the act was--she stopped praying loud and then begun to sound an inward prayer in her heart. She shivered even more when the demons walked closer...she puffed between her teeth and begun again to pray aloud. Loud words that tattered no more. But the fear which kept crawling inside her chest was eventually spotted by the demons. Mama Lina continuously circled the golden chain around the glowing ball but the chain accidentally dropped to her shivering, she dropped it on the table right next to the glowing ball, and that potted by the demons...to the lifting of the demons' heads. And the demons vanished.

Newton's eyes widened, he stared at the room's corners until his glance rested at Mama Lina who for seconds stood silent and breathless. Mama Lina opened her eyes and blood begun to stream out of her now green pale eyes. And when she opened her mouth--both Newton and Jessica could conclude that the fortune teller had been possessed by demons. Harsh squeal sounds came out of Mama Lina's mouth. Sounds same to that of the demons.

"Newton!" Jessica screamed to the view of Mama Lina's now ugly face.

"Take it easy, Jessie,, stay calm." Newton emphasized.

Jessica and Newton held each other's hands and begun to slid their feet back as Mama Lina walked towards them with her mouth wide open, equally streamed blood at the corners of her lips. Her arms which had stretched forward, her hands looking forward to grip on Jessica who continuously gave a sounding scream.

"Newton, do something!" Jessica screamed the minute she met the wall behind her. Newton had to let go of Jessica and ran towards the closet. His eyes grew wide as he desperately searched for something. Until he met a gun at the far end of the closet's upper shelf. He turned around saw Mama Lina four feet close to meet Jessica. He aimed for Mama Lina's head. And placed a finger right at the surface of the trigger. His mouth clamped tight as bewilderment thoughts scampered in his mind. Jessica leaned behind and left her hands as a set of ghost feelings raised inside her. She pressed her hands tightly on her ears as she screamed as fear tored through her, she glanced at Mama Lina who had been possessed by the five demons. Jessica's eyes were wet, her hopes had begun to fade until she heard a loud 'pop,' sound in her ears to the dropping of Mama Lina on the floor. Jessica slid her hand and touched her nose being certain that it had been stained with blood. And afar she saw Newton hold on to a gun and shaken too to had killed the fortune teller.

### EPILOGUE

Jessica dropped her hands upon realizing that Mama Lina had died, she strode towards Newton and jumped into a tight hug as she felt an evil sensation brush her heart.

"Newton, am scared." Jessica said in a low tone.

"Come on, let us complete the ritual..." Newton said and pulled Jessica by her arm back towards the table. He lifted the golden chain from the table and begun to imitate and spoke the phrases he had heard Mama Lina speak a while ago, he circled the chain around the glowing ball until he and Jessica saw green thick air lift up from Mama Lina's mouth, which slowly rose and begun to sink into the glowing ball on the table. And the ball slowly darkened into a dark green colour. We did it! Newton's thoughts snapped the minute again he glanced at Jessica who had her mouth twisting into a tiny smile.

\--------------------------------------------------

The following day; Newton and Jessica walked out of the house, and carried with them, The haunted chest. On the other side of the harbour of Transtevator. The far ends of the harbour where Newton was certain to not be spotted by Lordwell King-- He dropped the chest back into the sea and walked back at Jessica the moment he heard Jessica's voice waft.

"What now?" Jessica asked.

"We head back home." Newton continued, "What else?"

"What of we say goodbye to Transtevator, and travel elsewhere where we will start a perfect reputation, not the one I carry. I mean a descent life, innocent life, and live our life free and not run always from Lordwell King."

Newton held Jessica's hands cupped in his. He stared into Jessica's blue wide beautiful eyes. "That sounds like a great idea, but I know you are only doing all that amuse me, and about what I said to you days ago--please don't get any of what I had said serious. I will be fine staying in Transtevator, just as so long it makes you happy, Jessie."

"I'm not doing this for you...it's for our child am doing it for, Newton." Jessica continued, "against Lordwell."

"What do you suppose we do?"

"We travel elsewhere, away from Transtevator..."

"To where?"

"You choose." Jessica snapped after parting her mouth into a broad smile.

Newton turned around, he slid his feet slowly to four feet away from where he and Jessica had stood. He lifted his hand and begun to stroke his chin as he searched through his thoughts. He turned around upon decided with his face fixed with a broad smile too.

"Las Vegas?" Newton injected a smile in his voice.

"Then Las Vegas it is." Jessica said in response.

Newton turned around again and lifted both his feet from the ground, ignoring the pains on both his thigh and upper hip. He jumped and shouted to a sound of excitement "Las Vegas!" "Here I come!"

### ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Henry Prince Chilonga has lived most of his life in Zambia, deep in the heart of Zambia's capital city, Lusaka. His earliest passions were art--especially landscape drawings--and writing. He rather neglected his art dream after a vast love for writing. When he was thirteen, he wrote a romance intertwine paranoid story about an Indian couple whose fight to overcome a plague in their life brought to Mumbai's grief for a complete year, "Year Of Destruction" waking demons, revenants...the story was almost four hundred pages long. Today, he lives with his parents and five siblings in Makeni, Lusaka, at quiet still areas.
