Remember - ONC 2023

Chapter 1 - Strange Happenings

One month after Charles Abbott dropped out of college, the rain was pouring heavily from the grey clouds through which not a single ray of the sun shone. He had gotten quite used to the weather in London, but given that he was supposed to return to his not-so-dear home that day, he let out a deep sigh at the cruel coincidence. His mind was bursting with thoughts as he checked his watch constantly, wondering when the train to Hollow Trunk was going to arrive at last. He was already imagining exactly what every one of his relatives was going to do and say at amazing speeds. He had always thought that way. It seemed that it was never going to change.

In a few minutes' time, the downpour was beginning to slow down, so Charles finally had an excuse to put his black umbrella back in the bag. Even the umbrella was bothering him, for he looked like he was at someone's funeral while holding it. It resembled a funeral in quite a few ways, but it didn't mean that he wanted to think of it that way. He was supposed to be strong, and he proceeded to clench his hand into a fist to remind himself of that.

Charles was going to be stuck in that monologue, which he was fully aware was an exercise in futility, for much longer, if he hadn't noticed the train coming towards him at full speed. The overpowering aroma of the smoke, the rhythm of the wheels that were riding over the railroad tracks, the ear-piercing sound the train made while stopping right before him - they were all Heaven's gifts if it meant that he was free from his thoughts. He wasn't too familiar with those things, but he'd travelled by train a couple of times beforehand in his adolescence, so it was like welcoming an old friend back into his life.

Firmly stepping over the dead leaves and grass, Charles entered the train without any hesitation. He spent most of the time there staring out the window mindlessly, which he always loved to do while on a train, and for those few hours that the ride lasted, it was a rather nice distraction. However, when the train made that ear-piercing sound again, he had to return himself to reality. His residence was a mere fifteen minutes away, and he didn't at all want to seem selfish by taking his time to get there.

The town of Hollow Trunk was about as miserable as London, only less crowded and far more misty than rainy. However, the differences didn't matter much. What mattered was that bad luck seemed to follow him wherever he went as of late. At least with the lack of people, there weren't very many heads to suddenly turn in his direction and sneer at and ridicule him for dropping out of college. He felt that the choice was justified, but if someone said a word about it to him, that feeling would vanish instantly.

His heart weighing like a boulder, he stood right before the front door of his home. All he had to do now was knock, and he was already getting exhausted from doing nothing but pitying himself, so he did it immediately, painful as it was.

"Come in, Charles. I know it's you because no one else we know knocks this timidly," his father said gravely from right behind the door.

He let out a deep sigh. He already knew that the experience was going to be terrible, just as he'd expected. "Thank you, father. I shall do so now."

Before his father could reprimand him for his lack of speed, he was already in there. As soon as he entered, he noticed that his father looked like someone'd killed half his family. The disapproval in his eyes could pierce right through steel, and his lips were curled into a frown whose energy, if channelled in its entirety, could destroy the most beautiful of gardens. He was clad black from head to toe, and with his funeral mood, Charles wished he was actually dead for a moment. Life may not have ended because of the choice he'd made, but at the time, it seemed to have been that way.

"Why are you staring at me like that, Charles?" his father barked. "The rest of the family is waiting for you in the dining room."

Charles swallowed. He'd forgotten about them being there. "Yes, Father. We would not want to leave them waiting."