Chapter 6

The church clock was chiming six by the time Nathan arrived at the front door of his building. He glanced up at the sky as he heard the familiar sound. The sun was trying to pierce through the grey skies. He sighed and shook his head. He had long given up on seeing the sun win that daily battle. He glanced at the doorman still sleeping and sighed heavily as he made his way to the elevators. Soon enough, he was at his apartment door. He entered his home cautiously, wondering if anyone would be there this time.

The strong aroma of coffee struck him immediately. Sophe sat at the small tea table, sipping from a china cup. He was dressed smartly in a crisp white shirt and chocolate colored suit with creamy trim. A checked necktie sat in a neat Windsor knot about his throat and his hair was tucked back under a matching cap. “Good morning Nathan,” he said over the rim of his cup.

Nathan stared at him for a second before shaking his head with a small sigh. “Good morning to you, Sophe.” he answered as he hung his coat. He walked over the table and took out the buns. “I went to see your friend earlier and got these delicious buns.” He offered one to the boy. “Eat up while they’re still hot.”

Sophe finished his sip and looked up apologetically as he replaced the cup on its saucer. He pushed a folded newspaper across the tablecloth toward Nathan. “You forgot to pick one up while you were out.”

Nathan looked at the paper and blinked in surprise. “Well what do you know, I did forget to get one. Thanks.” He took the paper and leaned back into a chair comfortably, a bun in his hand as he scanned the headlines. “Did you wait for me long?” he asked casually.

“I’ve been home long enough to make tea. I thought it would go well with the buns.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow at that comment. “So you knew where I went, and that I had forgotten my paper? What else do you know, Sophe?”

“That you are a lighter sleeper than I expected.” A ghost of mirth could almost be detected in the comment but was gone in an instant. “I worried you... You didn’t need to...”

Nathan smiled at the boy in front of him. “I’ll try to remember that then.” He stood up and tossed the paper on top of all the others with a sigh before turning to look out the window. The city was slowly waking up around them.

The boy stood up, hat hiding his eyes as he cleared the table. “I still have some things I need to do today...”

“Do I have time to take a shower before we go?”

Sophe looked up, cups and saucers teetering in each hand, and stammered slightly, “Nathan...”

“Yes?” Nathan walked over to the boy and helped him finish clearing the table. “Please don’t break those cups by the way; they were a gift.”

Wide red eyes regained their dark composure and the boy walked purposefully into the kitchen. He placed the cups in the sink and turned on the faucet, eyes fixed on the stream as he rolled up his sleeves. “I’ll tidy up while you get ready.”

Nathan smiled brightly. “Thank you. I won’t be long; don’t worry.” As he made his way past the kitchen, Nathan paused in the doorframe and looked at Sophe, his dark eyes abruptly serious. “Please, don’t disappear on me this time.” With those words he made his way towards the bathroom. Within a few minutes, the sound of falling water could be heard, accompanied by a light humming.

Sophe wiped his hands as he placed the last of the breakfast dishes in the cupboard. He made his way into the living room, past the crowded sky-scene of the main window, and stopped in front of another window at the end of the room. It was no less impressive in size, partially hidden by heavy beige drapes. Sophe pulled the large desk chair over to the glass and sat down. The leather creaked under him, issuing a sound like a small groan. He watched the grey clouds for some time, catching snatches of Nathan’s deep tenor voice. Eventually his fingers dipped into his breast pocket, fishing for a moment before emerging with a small knob between them. He shoved it into his ear without taking his eyes off the sky, while his other hand busied itself in his lower coat pocket. Clicks and pops interrupted the long whine that pulsed through the earpiece. Occasional human voices broke through as he played with the dial in his pocket, and he stopped to listen to morning reports that bled through the noise. He adjusted the miniscule antenna that curled outward from his ear and mumbled over the static buzzing against his eardrum, “I must have made him angry...”

Nathan sighed as he turned the hot water off, already missing the warmth on his body. As he stepped out the shower, he glanced at the fading bruise on his shoulder and shook his head. “Well at least it won’t leave a scar...” His mind was busy replaying all the recent events as he finished dressing. He stepped out of the bathroom still humming and toweling his hair dry, and glanced about for Sophe. He spotted the boy sitting near his desk and slowly walked up behind him. “What so interesting out there?”

Sophe swiveled the chair to face Nathan. “Nothing special. Are you ready?”

“Yep, all good to go.” Nathan tossed the towel onto the couch and smiled. “So where are we off to?”

The boy slid off the chair and moved past Nathan toward the door. “Home.”

“Home?” Nathan looked at the boy curiously before opening one of the drawers of the desk. He pulled out a gun from under a stack of old papers and tucked it in the back of his pants. With a smile he joined Sophe by the door. “Lead the way then, Sophe.”

The twenty-five-floor elevator ride was silent and uneventful. The gated doors clattered open and Sophe tugged on Nathan’s coat as he automatically turned toward the front door. “This way,” he nearly whispered as he headed the opposite direction down a long corridor. The pair emerged through a fire exit into a narrow alley behind the apartment building.

“Oh?” Nathan followed the boy silently, keeping his questions to himself. As they found themselves outside, he glanced around carefully, mindful of anything that might be amiss. “What’s wrong with my front door?” he finally asked, restricting his voice to a lower tone.

“I don’t like anyone to know where I live,” the boy stated simply. He motioned for Nathan to follow him as he started down the alleyway. He led them through a network of connecting alleys and small streets. The landscape was at first grey and unkempt, the bare backsides of numerous high-rises. But eventually the space began to loosen and diversify, catwalks and metal fire-escapes dipping lower to the ground. Wind chimes and sometimes even a few potted plants appeared amidst lines of laundry. Before Nathan knew it they had certainly stumbled into the Theater District again. Flags, strings of colored lights, pinwheels, and any other unusual item one could imagine seemed to crowd the terraces. There was a shocking number of cats and an equally shocking network of ropes and boards connecting houses, as if the backstage had followed the actors home.

Nathan took in the sights silently, smiling to himself as he saw the felines. A small furry cat came up to him and Nathan squatted down to pet him. “How far from your friend’s are we Sophe?” he asked absently, playing with the cat. As he looked up he realized Sophe was continuing on his way. Nathan quickly bid farewell to the animal and caught up with the boy. He started humming again as he walked alongside the boy. “You don’t like cats, Sophe?”

The boy’s grim eyes barely seemed to take in his surroundings, yet his feet moved with seemingly practiced ease. “I like them.”

“Yet you’ve passed all of them without as much of a glance.”

Sophe made no reply to the comment, steering them eastward toward the tip of the district. “Did you want to stop and visit?” he asked.

Nathan sighed and shook his head. “No that’s fine. They’re not going anywhere. Tell me Sophe, do you know why cats make such good pets?”

Sophe turned up a cracked little street, sand-colored bricks peeking through the pavement. As he walked a small bird suddenly flittered down and landed lightly on his shoulder. He slowed after a few steps and turned to look up at his companion. “Why?” he asked, the bird dancing on his coat, pecking delicately at his ear.

Nathan looked at the bird with amazed eyes before remembering to answer the question. “Cats love attention and live off the love and care we give them. Yet when we need to leave for the day, they can figure things out themselves. So if you die, your cat will most probably survive after you. Granted they will miss you, but they’ll get over it. It’s the only animal that truly knows how to use us, yet how can we resist those little furballs?” Nathan smiled at the boy and the bird, finding the picture almost unreal. “You will have to teach me that trick with the bird by the way,” he added cheerfully.

“He’s just doing his job,” Sophe replied. He held out a finger and the bird hopped obediently onto it, puffing its little body out. Sophe closed his ruby eyes and rubbed his cheek gently against the bird’s speckled chest. The flat tone of the boy’s voice faded in stark contrast to the touching gesture.

Nathan smiled to himself as he watched the boy and his bird, truly amazed at this unseen side of Sophe. He resisted the urge to pat the boy’s head, fearing his reaction. “Does he have a name?” he asked gently.

Thick eyelashes opened halfway over red eyes that chose to focus on nothing at the moment. “He does. They all do. But I don’t know what they are... so I call him Niner.”

Nathan leaned closer to the bird, mindful not to startle it. “Niner, eh? Can I pet him?” he asked, sounding like a big child.

“Wait.” Sophe dug in this pocket as Nathan leaned down. “Put out your hand.” He pulled out a crumbly biscuit and broke some of it over Nathan’s palm. The bird’s head snapped back and forth as it regarded Nathan, bright black eyes blinking. Sophe nudged it toward the food with a finger. The bird hopped onto Nathan’s outstretched fingers, beating its brown wings and sending crumbs flying. It quickly settled and hopped to the center of the man’s palm, pecking at the treat.

Nathan smiled brightly as the bird started eating the crumbs and gently caressed its back with his fingers. He looked at Sophe, his dark eyes alive with joy. “You know, I’ve never held a bird before.” He looked back down at the bird as it continued eating. “He really is adorable. Cuter than any cat I’ve ever seen.” He grinned at that. If Nathan had chosen that moment to look at the boy he may have caught the smile that spread over his face as he watched. The bird quickly finished the biscuit and Nathan guided him back towards Sophe. The bird did not hesitate to hop back onto the boy’s shoulder. “He really does seem to prefer you though,” Nathan laughed.

Sophe coaxed the bird down to his elbow with a few kissing sounds and pressed a slender object to the side of its head. The instrument was no longer than a thermometer, round and flat at one end. Sophe depressed a button on its handle with his thumb and the bird seemed to cock its head as if it were listening. After a moment Sophe removed the device and jerked his arm upward, sending the bird on its way. The boy stood gazing upward, a wistful expression on his perfect face. His voice was soft, “He’s a good bird...”

Nathan raised an eyebrow as he watched the boy and the bird, the previous sense of happiness now gone. He sighed as the bird flew away. “You know, you were a kid there for a second... Where does Niner go home to sleep?”

Sophe’s head fell back down toward the pavement, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Why do you have to say things like that?...”

“Like what? I just tell things as I see them.” Nathan patted the boy’s head before quickly pulling his hand away.

The boy’s eyes were steady as he turned them on him, flashing red. “I don’t need anyone to feel pity for me.” He slipped his hands in his pockets and strode down the street. “We should hurry. The morning is escaping us.”

Nathan sighed heavily and shook his head. “It wasn’t pity...” he said to himself as Sophe went on ahead. He quickened his pace and walked along side the boy, his dark eyes becoming more and more unreadable as they went on.