Disappeared once or twice

28. Ew European habits

Nighttime was a time Bruno loved the most, the silence of the darkness and the darkblue blanket it laid over the sky. Randomly covered with yellowish dots, not entirely random of course. The stars had told people where to go many years ago. Clear and windless nights are the best to spend outside. The dew on Isabella's freshly grown plants felt cold at his feet. He hadn't bothered putting on flipflops. 

Bruno would like to call himself a very down to earth person. He knew it wasn't entirely true, he knew got stressed easily and freak out at every little thing. At the same time he tried to act cool, mostly failing. Bruno didn't exactly know how to view himself, does anyone really? Compliments from others are way easier to accept and remember. 

Only a few people can genuinely say about themselves that they are kind and funny. What defines funny, Bruno could make people laugh. With or without intention. Could he describe himself as funny, just because he occasionally lets people crack up?

Nightly thoughts are different than thoughts during the day. Day-thoughts are more efficient, I should do this, or I should just get that. Bruno liked night-thoughts more than daily. Those ideas reached further with no end and almost every night like these, Bruno discovered something new about himself. This time was no exception. 

A warm breeze stroke his hair as he headed towards the place in the woods. The place where the river is at its most beautiful. Leafs being carried away in the water, butterflies asleep on the plants and beaming colors of the flowers. The perfect place to organize the mind, to put all things in order. 

A lot had happened in the past couple of days, a lot. Not many people can say that they've suddenly acquired fatherhood, especially with a teenager already. How could he not have known he had a son? How could he forget about Adelaide?

Her name told him so much, he remembered many tender moments with the woman. If only he could remember her face, her last name and where she is now. Bruno let himself sink in the grass, not being bothered by the water. He put his hands next to his body and lifted his head to stare at the sky.

One of the yellow dots seemed to get closer, awfully close. It wasn't big at all, maybe the size of a large bug. Now that he took another look at it. It was a bug, a lovely yellow-shining butterfly. Magic practically emerged from the thing, a golden glow lighting up the dark night. It wasn't the fact that there was a magical butterfly that shook Bruno. After all, his family was blessed by one. He just hadn't expect for it to talk.

"Hello my friend, I'm Miracle. You worry too much, so I'll give you a hand. A prophecy of my own, a lovely play on words. Listen well." A voice emerged from the tiny bug, it ringed deep and rich throughout the entire area. "A Christmas story has done the same you have, however you have only covered one of the three." 

"Miracle, I don't understand. Please."
"You don't have to understand, understand comes to you."

He disappeared, not even a second later a tiny cocoon fell in Bruno's hand. It was glowing as well and a tiny high-pitched voice spoke: "Understanding will come when the three ghosts are complete." The little shell left too. Three ghosts, one of the three. 

What Christmas thing has three ghosts and three departments. Bruno hadn't celebrated jackshit in the last couple of years. However he had heard stories. This should be a piece of cake, he had locked himself up in a place where there were quite a lot of books. This one in particular should be called...

The Christmas Carol. "You figured it out." A third voice said, a tiny caterpillar landed on the palm of his hand. Just where the cocoon had been. Just like the other too, as fast as it came, it disappeared. 

He must have another vision, but this time it mustn't be about the future. But the past. 

All his life he had been so damn focused on the future that he forgot about the past. It still had a huge impact on him, sure. But he thought he couldn't change it anyway, so why worry about it. But he hadn't fully discovered his gift, not even at the age of 50. 

There is more to him than just a fortune teller-career. He supposed he could recall memories from people too, events that have occurred during ones lifetime. He, Bruno Madrigal, is worth more than he had initially thought and now is the time to put his ability to the test. 

This room should be big enough for this, he grabbed his bag. Bruno was lucky he carried sand with him, basically all of the time. He made a large circle, sat in the middle of it and focused really hard. He thought about Alberto and Adelaide, the two people who he wanted to filter in his brain. 

He had important memories of them, that was one thing that's certain. Now it's time to unravel his secrets.