Dore

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Chapter 31

 

Dore quickly made his way back to society and out of the dark trenches of Maja’s neighborhood. Once he was surrounded by tall pristine buildings again his pace slowed. He couldn’t believe he followed her all the way here just to listen to that madness. 

 

He chuckled pathetically. He really was that desperate. Shops with large windows and signs painted in gold and silver teased him in his hopeless wander through the city. Bright memories of the past flashed in front of him. A tailor shop with a light blue sign read: Bluejay Boutique. Inside were colorful scarves and hats. He stopped in front of the familiar logo.

 

Through the window he could see his mother, years younger and more jovial with two small boys: himself and a little Vince. They ran to the hats, and Vince picked one up and put it on his head, it tilted down far too big. They laughed in innocent joy. Vince took it off his head and reached up on his tippy toes to put it on Dore’s head. It’s slightly less big on him. Dore joyfully turned and said something to his mother, begging to buy the hat most likely but the memory wasn’t that clear. They vanish leaving the store dark and closed.

Dore kept walking.

 

His memories pulled him to the castlesque buildings of Hadzat Industrial University. Tall red stone wrapped around the large gardens and tall clock tower. The design was sleek and showed off their prowess in tech. He spent a decent few years there as a student.

Two years ago he sat alone in the center of a bustling classroom. Students enjoyed their break chattering amongst themselves, but to Dore the noise was a barely audible thrum. A blueprint with street lights on it laid in front of him. His first justification of his skills. He wrote calculations in a small notebook trying to properly understand how to distribute the electrical currents across the city. A letter sticks out of the notebook. One he read a hundred times and knew by heart. The last line read, “Come home soon. Sincerely, Vince Von Girdwood.”

A group of giggling girls glanced at Dore but he kept his focus on his project knowing he wouldn’t be allowed to return home unless he made some sort of grand contribution. His scribbles became fiercer.

 

The girls ushered one of their friends to go up to him, but once she neared Dore he shot out of his desk eyes still glued to the notes in his hand. He ran to the door without acknowledging the young girl. His notes and a ruffled blueprint were in hand. In his excitement the envelope had fallen out of his notebook, but he stopped immediately to pick it up and shoved it into a safe page of his notes.

That giddy excitement was still so clear to him. The joy of finally figuring out how to light the city, especially knowing he’d be rewarded.

Dore watched his past self run out of the building and across the gardens he stood in. His shadow image of himself ran straight through him still in a rush to see his little brother. Looking after Vince had been the one thing that had kept him together and pushing him forward. 

Only the dim glow from the street light of his own creation illuminated that dark night.

 

A young lady walked out of the building wearing the same green waistcoat his past self had worn. It matched the colors of the banners along the buildings. Her slender figure walked past Dore, but she stopped in her path. Her bright green eyes, just like his own, widened with surprise.

 

“You’re…” she said in complete shock. Her back straightened and she did a little bow. “Mr. Von Girdwood, it’s an honor to meet you. You’re legendary around campus. Top marks in all of your classes and the design of self-starting street lamps was inspired,” she said, fast speeding through his accomplishments before catching herself. She looked down avoiding his eyes. “Um… I saw you the other week talking with the dean."

 

Dore knew he likely looked desolate in his despair and it seemed word had already spread. His clothes were disheveled and dirty from his journey at sea and his bright red hair stuck out at all angles.

 

A sprinkle of blush spread across her cheeks. “I’m sorry about your brother,” she continued. “Word on the drawing board says he was supposed to be going here this year.” She looked up at him with wide innocent eyes. “I would have loved to have class with him.”

Her words cut deep into his heart. He also would have loved for Vince to be enjoying classes at his alma mater. Maybe he could have finally been happy away from home unlike Dore. He looked at the young girl, brimming with admiration. He chuckled to himself. He used to love when Vince looked up at him in the same way, but now Dore’s eyes were dead and lined with red from a sleepless night.

 

“Thank you, umm…” he said, not knowing how to address the girl.

 

“Giselle. Giselle Mayer.” Giselle Mayer, was a name he likely wouldn’t hear again after this night.

 

He put on his noble smile, as he realized something was a little fishy about her words. Knowing about his disappearance he could understand. It’d be hard to hide and prominent noble vanishing, but word of his attendance shouldn’t have spread seeing as he hadn’t even been enrolled. “Thank you, Giselle. But, if you don’t mind me asking how did you know about my brother?”

 

She brushed a strand of loose light brown hair out of her face shyly. “Oh. The dean received a letter from your family.” She said, assuming he already knew. She smiled at him proudly. “Your father, he insisted that we hold a candlelight vigil for him. Half the campus showed up…” She trailed off, likely realizing Dore had been in town but hadn’t appeared at the event. Her smile wavered. “It was last week.”

 

Dore laughed like a madman, allowing his composer to vanish. “Of course he did. I’m sure this is exactly what he wanted,” he said more to himself than to Giselle. His father got the publicity and sympathy he wanted from people. He would likely announce his running for council within the month, before the compassion ran out. Dore shook his head with a maniac smile. “I should be getting on my way,” Dore said and began walking away. Giselle tugged his leave to stop him, but she couldn’t meet his eyes.

 

“Mr. Von Girdwood. If you’d like… my dorm room isn’t too far… and you seem tired…” She said sheepishly. 

 

He wasn’t unfamiliar with these types of offers, it came with admiration for his work or more likely his status. He gently removed her hand from his sleeve, with a gentlemanly smile.

 

“Thank you, Lady Giselle, but I’m afraid I am engaged. And it wouldn’t be proper for the two of us to spend time alone,” he said, grateful for the easy excuse. He knew the rumor mill would go crazy if he accepted such a frivolous encounter. Though it was tempting to accept comfort on a night like this one, he’d have to be aware of his image. He kissed her hand before letting it go. 

 

She held it close to her heart, blushing profusely. “I-I’m not a Lady. I’m sorry, I should be getting back as well.”

 

“Yes, of course. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Giselle,” he said with an amused smile.

 

“You too, Mr. Von Girdwood. I really must be going.” She scurried off, clutching her hand tightly to her chest as Dore smiled sweetly at the naivety. It was amazing that such a girl could even make that kind of offer. She was more ambitious than she likely got credit for. It was a nice distraction for a moment.

 

Dore let out a deep sigh as he remembered the reality of his situation. He gazed up at the smoke filled sky, looking for an answer. “I suppose the whole world knows you’re gone now, Vince,” Dore said. He didn’t get a reply.