The end of a new beginning — Last Chapter (English Version)
It was getting dark. I was alone in my room, studying with the door open. Despite the cold, the idea of crossing my eyes with a waterfall seemed palatable to me. After a moment, I see that the lights in the room went on, it seemed, the hosts had arrived. I had no way or where to go that night, I just knew that I needed dinner this time.
In spite of everything, I still came in shyly, saw the menu, and ordered the same thing as last night. Only this time, there was a certainty that Luciana would not forget. Here comes a character not described before, dear Suzanna Schneider, daughter of Lucas’ first marriage. She was an 11-year-old girl, with brown hair and light eyes, she was a real little princess, very sociable and intelligent, and she gave me the honor of playing UNO with her.
While waiting for my pizza, I had fun playing with it. However, I decided that I wouldn’t let her win in any way, not that night. Between card games, I got to know our little friend’s routine and vice versa. Apparently, she could afford to have the childhood that all children deserve, to be able to walk their paths, explore this world and not need to suppress their instincts due to the brutalities of the adult world.
The pizza had arrived, it was pepperoni, medium size, and I devoured it. After that, I started playing again while talking to Lucas and Luciana. Until Suzanna asked me why my girlfriend had broken up with me. I replied that life is complex and that she had her reasons and I had mine. She looked at me, and as if she were a younger sister I never had, she replied:
— You are a very nice boy, she must be crazy, and surely another girl will like you.
The universe of children is so simple, they observe, question, ask, and then give their verdict. However, I was not expecting that blow, words so docile and pure, especially from someone who was beaten at UNO. It was getting late, it was time for everyone to go to sleep. Lucas gave me a bottle of water to have in my room. Without any explanation, she no longer saw him as the manager there, but as almost a relative. It was funny because, in such a short time, I knew countless stories about each one of them, and the most interesting thing was to notice how they intertwined.
The lights went out, but I didn’t want to enter the cottage, it was 12C and the sky was starry, as clean and perfect as if it had been painted. I confess that I stayed a few more minutes, just to admire and see some shooting stars. While that sky was something new to me, I also felt a nostalgic feeling, as if our relationship was already intimate. That night, I slept peacefully under the cherry tree that was painted on the wall above the bed.
The next day, a Sunday, was my last in that place. Just as it would be theirs since they would no longer run that hotel. I had nothing less than the best coffee of my life and went to play UNO with Suzanna. This time, after so many defeats, it was time for her to win. I manipulated the game so I lost, and when she won, it was an explosion of joy, and she jumped and sang, as if she had won in the Mega-Sena. Maybe she needed to lose in order to give value when she won, because that single victory had made her happier than if I let her win countless times, likewise, losing made me happier than any of the victories I had.
I helped the Schneiders to pack their luggage, the other guests were already gone. Until when everything was ready, I asked for one last favor, that they take some pictures of me and send me later. I had even managed to get some of the scenery out before my cell phone crashed. However, there was no picture of me. They gladly took it off.
Then they offered me a ride to a part of the city, and as Lucas always told me, and then it would be up to me. Luciana informed me that she would later send the photos. Before leaving, I said goodbye to them, for each and from every person, a sentence. One of them was Lucas, who gave me a hug and said:
— You are not a guest, you have become a friend and part of the family.
That adventure, with a huge loss, has undoubtedly been worth it.
Well, I went on my way to Rio de Janeiro, passing by several buses. I took the first bus. As I didn’t have a cell phone, I guided myself through signs and talked in stops with anyone who discussed matters with me, I lived like a person from another century, and in a way, I can say that it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. When I arrived in Rio, there was no money to take a taxi. I took the VLT, then the subway, and then a van.
When I got home, it was almost 8 pm. I told my parents that after that experience I was able to survive anywhere in the world and under any circumstances. Then I took a shower, changed clothes, and went to see how my social networks were doing.
“Matheus, how are you? We would like to inform you that Tom passed away”.
Written by Cristina (Marcos’ girlfriend).
At that moment, the halo of my head disappeared, I asked my mother to read the message to confirm that I had read it correctly. In fact, Tom had passed away, I went to talk to those who detested me and those who did not detest so much, including Marcos. Apparently, Tom had died on Saturday and had been feeling bad for a few days, his friend Rebeca would visit him to keep him company, however, and he left in the afternoon of that day, being buried on Sunday morning.
Tom, he was four years older than me at the time, black, obese, tall, with a giant heart, a boy who came from below, born in the fifths of hell, had managed to become a student of Political Science at the prestigious UFF. Intelligent, gentle, solicitous, his knowledge did not prevent him from being the living expression of the periphery, with each new knowledge obtained, he used it to understand reality and thus modify the environment in which he lived, his way of being a teacher was his own before even getting a degree you can never complete.
I called Esmeralda to see how she was doing. She was in pieces. I asked her why she hadn’t called my landline, so I could have warned my mom and I wouldn’t be caught with such a surprise. She cried, only replied that she did not remember and summarized me talking about her feelings, telling me that on the morning of the funeral she was woken by the alarm clock with the song: “I liked you so much, Tim Maia”, a song that even today reminds me of this moment. I continued to talk to her, at the same time that I comforted her, we discussed, but the conversation ended with the bilateral phrase: “You are special, never lower your head to someone”.
There was no anger between Esmeralda and me. However, Tom and I had finished our journey through this land with a fight. However, there was no longer any point in having war or resentment, everything became insignificant. On the first day, I didn’t cry, at the time I told myself that I was the type of person who cared about what we do in life and death doesn’t change that.
The next day, which was also the date of the first test when I needed a seven to pass, I cried and wrote a poem, it was not beautiful or depressing, it was sincere. Upon returning from the exam, I decided that I would write some more and then burn. On the third day, I did the fearsome economics test.
Therefore, I passed both tests with seven. After that war, I wrote a letter addressed to Esmeralda’s mother, who was very much my friend, for her to deliver to her daughter. My ex felt endless guilt about what happened, so I thought about taking that weight off her shoulders, it didn’t make sense that she hated herself for being human. However, I didn’t feel it. My feeling was worse, it was unfinished, my friend became almost an enemy, and now he was dead. Nothing made sense.
Finally, I took the barbecue and started the funeral of the poems. Everything went as expected in this ritual until the time came to incinerate the work that was written in honor of Tom. I put the lighter on, but for some reason, it didn’t burn. I threw more, and after many minutes that leaf started to catch fire.
After some time, the embers did not burn anymore, leaving a piece of the poem, in which the word: “final” was written. Inexplicably, this fragment was the only one that survived the fire, and I didn’t even remember writing it. I took that piece as if it were a message.
That same week, I received an email. It contained a job offer at the second largest company in the world, which I had not previously submitted my resume to. In fact, there is no way to know what the end indicated by the embers was. Nevertheless, after that day, wars stopped. One of the biggest pains I had was not being able to offer condolences to Tom’s family during the funeral. I felt as if I had abandoned them at the hardest moment, even though there was nothing to be done.
I remember that Tom was the first person I met in college, he gave me countless experiences and misfortunes, and he paved my way, even though he was sometimes on tortuous roads. Thanks to him I met a person who for a while made me the happiest man in the world. Words can be eternal so that even the glowing embers cannot extinguish them. I will never know where Tom is, nor if I will ever see him, however, if that little piece of paper in the middle of the fire was his answer, I am sure that one day we will see each other again, towards the end of a new beginning.
Romance based on real facts.
All characters and places had their name changed.
Author: Matheus B. S. Brandão
Reviewer: Gabriel A. Correia
