Chapter 5: The Fifth

After Suni and Var part, the former decides to first stroll around before arriving home.

 

Admire the fancy garden; walk along the inner yard, observing the no-longer-in-use fountain; visit the empty barn and warehouse at the back of the mansion - anything to delay the inevitable meeting with the mother and her lover - so-called new family arrangement.

 

Suni sighs.

 

Finally, he is at the front door. What moved him - hunger, tiredness, cold weather, and the already setting sun.

 

Turns the door handle. Rusty door squeaks.

 

"I'm home," he says not so loud. An echo carries his greeting across the mansion.

 

He hears the mother's voice: "Hey-"

 

Suni, without hesitation, walks straight to the kitchen, trying to get away from whatever she wants to concern him with. Chances are - the mother won't try to chase him. She easily gives up, he knows it.

 

The maid welcomes him at the kitchen, preparing the food for tomorrow.

 

"Is there... anything left after dinner?" Suni asks.

 

She nods, pointing at the small fridge, which is plagued by the generator.

 

Forbidden. Such things are forbidden. Having a fridge can lead to administrative responsibility. But, here, in the province - it is easier to keep things under wrap. Especially, if you have some influence and monetary resources. Suni's family had both.

 

He finds inside dishes for many tastes, both exquisite and simple: Suni decides to go for the second one. He chooses porridge and some salad.

 

The maid is ready to help, picking the plates to serve the dish and opening the forbidden microwave, but Suni is of another mind:

 

"Thank you, I can do it myself."

 

She nods.

 

Suni couldn't tell if she were more relieved or annoyed by his decision, but the maid decides not to convince him any further. Leave it at that.

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In the middle of dining, the maid makes three knocks on the metallic frame of the radio, located on the kitchen cabinet. Looks at Suni with an interrogative expression.

 

"Yes, of course, you can turn it on."

 

She starts to turn the tuning knob, trying to find the right frequency. Noise and interruption, until the radio stumbles across the voices, although jumbled.

 

"To... the unfortunate circumstances... and to our listeners... we apologize... due to the recent rulings... we will be forced..."

 

"Well... not forced," another voice remarks. "You have... to choose the right words," the person laughs, nervously.

 

"Yeah, yeah... we will be commanded to close... our station... in the coming days."

 

"Right..."

 

"So... let's make these few days... great and entertaining... so we don't regret it."

 

"I agree... all our best programs... will be on air for twenty-four hours every day!"

 

"Yes! All... for you, dear listeners."

 

"So, next up... Travel Logs! An informational show about... the best places in the galaxy! After that-"

 

The maid clicks the switch on the radio. It is off.

 

"We can't have nice things, can we?" Suni says, looking down at his dish, as an answer to the incoming cancellation of even the radio station.

 

The maid nods.

 

That's the reason she turned it off - she had no wish of listening to the last moments of a dying radio station, commanded no longer to exist.

 

 

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