“Alex, let me take you home” a coworker asks from the shock of feelings running through his head…
The next few days pass in a blur of people coming and going. Colleagues of his father’s, friends and family. Alex refuses to see any of them. Whiskey becomes his friend and he drinks his pain away. Through it all, Seth his best friend refuses to leave him. He drinks with him and makes sure he gets home safely from the pubs they frequent. When his grief turns to great rage, he rages with him. After four weeks Seth is beginning to worry about his friend.
“Alright, what is the plan for today?” He asks ripping open the curtains in his friend’s bedroom, flooding it with sunshine. Alex groans and rolls over.
“Are you trying to kill me?” He moans.
“No, you’re doing a bloody fine job of that yourself.” He sits heavily on the bed and snaps at his friend. “Alex your bills are piled up and your boss is calling. When was the last time you had a good meal and a bath? You’re rank! It’s time to get back to the business of living my friend.”
“Right. Let me get right to it.” He rolls out of bed and proceeds to vomit in the closest waste can. Leaning against the wall he waits for the room to stop spinning.
“You are shaming your family, Alex! I've had enough of this bullshit. Your father would kick your arse if he saw you!” Seth yells.
“Don’t speak to me of my father!” He roars with spittle flying, only to grab his head in his hand, trying to stall the pain.
“If not me, then who?” Seth demands. “They loved you and it’s time to grieve for them the way they deserve, not like this! I'm off to make coffee. Take a bath for God’s sake, you smell like sewage!”
He stomps from the room being sure to slam the door as hard as possible and laughs when Alex yells at him.
Alex watches him go and knows he is right. Father would be pissed and his Mother, she would shame him to death. Summer would have boxed his ears. He smiles for the first time in weeks, remembering all of them. “I will try, for you.” A hot bath and shave later he gingerly enters the kitchen and Seth hands him some coffee.
“Thank you, for being here, Seth. You are the best chap a man could have.” His bloodshot eyes are swollen, and he is pale, but making sense for the first time in weeks.
Seth sighs in relief. “No problem, I would expect the same from you. Let’s go through your bills and get your house in order.”
The two enjoy toast and coffee while sorting the bills from letters of condolences.
Alex lifts a letter from the pile and his hand begins to shake. “Summer!”
Seth look up in surprise from across the desk and Alex begins to read. Too choked up to speak, he can’t continue. He gives it to his best friend and looks at him with hope.
“She’s alive! It’s dated over a month ago! What a fool I’ve been!”
“Alex the mail from the colonies has been stalled due to the epidemic. Boston harbor has been closed, so all correspondence is coming out of New York.” Seth reaches putting a hand on his shoulder and reads.
September 7, 1869
Dearest Alex,
There is no way to soften the blow, so I will not try. Father, Mother and the twins are gone. Smallpox struck our ship in the midst of our journey and none were spared. They fought valiantly, but to no avail. I need you to know I stayed with them Alex, and I never left their side. I’m sorry for my failure. I hope you can forgive me.
At the moment I’m alive, but I fear it may not be so by the time you read this letter. Father’s last words were of you, he made me promise to contact you. I’m in terrible distress Alex and I’m going into hiding. Please find me. I am leaving the home Father rented this morning. They let the lease go on it and I am running out of money. I will look for work and pray this letter reaches you. Check with the main post office in Boston, I will leave an address for you, if I can.
The tale I have to tell you will be unbelievable, but I assure you it is genuine. There was a monster lurking on our ship and all of us were deceived. He confessed to murdering our family in order to steal Father’s journals. His name is Alberto Hast, he fronted on the ship as Dr. Jung Rudolph.
I did not trust him Alex and so I snuck into his room one night and discovered his true identity…
Seth reads the rest of the four-page letter and by the time he is done Alex is shaking with uncontrollable rage. He rushes to his room and begins to pack a bag. Seth follows closely and he knows what his friend is going to say even before he says it.
“I’m going to Boston.”
“Of course you are. I’m going with you.” Seth states firmly. “I will go pack. You contact your boss and find out what kind of legal action can be taken against this monster. I will return to take you to get our tickets.”
Alex says nothing as his friend leaves. His hazel eyes are filled with the promise of retribution. “He will not need any legal action. Alberto or whoever he is will never hurt another human being again.”
Chapter 12
“First, you will dust all the wood with a dry rag,” she explains handing a soft rag to her. “Then use this
