Beyond the Station Lies the Sea by Jutta Richter Read Free Book Online Page B

here, and there’s definitely no Queen.”
    â€œThe money,” pants Niner. “She wants the money!”
    Cosmos puts his hand on Niner’s forehead.
    â€œYou’re burning up, man! You’ve got a fever!”
    Niner is shaking. His teeth are chattering.
    â€œI’m freezing,” he moans.
    Cosmos grows frightened. I knew it, he thinks. Now he’s sick, on top of everything. Pure bad luck, the balance artist! What am I supposed to do with him now?
    He feels around in the dark for the water bottle.
    â€œHere, drink.”
    Then Cosmos looks for the candle and the matches.
    The faint light paints flickering shadows on the walls.
    But the feathers are gone, and the feather Queen too, and nothing else streams forth from the corners.
    Cosmos sits down on Niner’s bed, wipes his brow, holds
Niner’s hot hand in his, and at some point the two fall asleep again as the candle slowly burns down.
    Â 
    MORNING COMES AND THE fever is gone, along with the moon, the stars, and all the shadows and darkness.
    Niner is worn out and he still has a cough, but his fever seems to have subsided.
    â€œMan, little buddy,” says Cosmos, “you really gave me a scare there.”
    Niner attempts a grin.
    He’s so pale, thinks Cosmos. So pale and small and sick.
    â€œHey man, today’s the day,” says Niner. “Today we get on the road!”
    â€œBut if you’re sick. . . . D’you think you can do it?”
    â€œIf you want something bad enough, you just go for it,” says Niner, coughing.
    And Cosmos responds, “Man, Niner, think about it. The sea’s not going anywhere!”
    â€œThe sea isn’t,” Niner answers. “But you just might!”
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    AND THEN THE BIG trip really does begin, although Cosmos is against it because Niner keeps coughing. So they go slowly and stop to rest often.
    The big trip to the sea really does begin. Down the gravel
path and past the slaughterhouse, where the animals squeal and it stinks of blood and piss. Through the old city toward the new, along the street lined with the guardian angel posters, and past the neon signs. Through the quiet streets of the suburbs, past the high hedgerows, past the wrought-iron gates, behind which lie the white mansions with the red-eyed alarm systems above the terraces.
    Although they have to walk slowly and take many long rests, Cosmos and Niner make progress.
    Cosmos walks in front because he knows the way. Or at least he says he does.
    â€œAll rivers flow into the sea,” says Cosmos. “You just have to follow them long enough. You remember that,” says Cosmos.
    Niner trots after him, stopping only to cough. Then he resumes the journey only to stop and cough again.
    The coughing is far more strenuous than the walking.
    When Niner coughs, little red fireworks explode in his head and make him dizzy.
    But he doesn’t tell Cosmos about it. He doesn’t say much at all. He tries to think of the sea, of the big blue sea. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t really see it, not like he did the day before yesterday, by the river. A shadow has come
between him and the sea, and Niner can tell that this day isn’t going to be a good one.
    He can’t stop thinking about Mama. He wonders how she’s doing and where she might be.
    Perhaps she’s well again.
    Perhaps the window is open again at night.
    Perhaps Mama’s waiting at home for Niner.
    Perhaps the new guy has left at last, gone away for good.
    No, this isn’t going to be one of the good days. Niner can tell for sure.
    No Mama. No guardian angel. No blue sea. The only thing he sees are the little red explosions in his head when he coughs.
    Cosmos climbs down the embankment.
    Near the retaining wall lies the blackened remains of the driftwood fire.
    Niner can barely keep up. His brow is covered with sweat and his knees seem to be made of jello.
    â€œYou all right?” asks