Oblivion 3 Chapter Twelve Mich’ael had just one loose end to tie up before he could lay the whole thing to rest and as soon as he were able to, he went Above and made his way to see the scientist James Burton. Lifting the brass knocker on the great oak door Mich’ael let it fall back into place with a loud thud and waited. After a few minutes, he heard the sound of many bolts sliding back, and then the door opened, to a plumpish fellow with red hair and glasses. “Yes, can I help you?” He asked looking down at Mich’ael who stood a couple of steps down from the doorway. “My name is Mich’ael Reidel, I wish to see Mr. Burton." The man’s face lit up, “I am he, come on in, Mr. Reidel, thank you for coming to see me. Tell me how are you? Your secretary told me about the terrible accident you sustained.” For a moment Mich’ael wondered about that, then remembered Catherine had taken his call back at Sonn Alp, “Yes, she told me, and it was good to get your letter for I was curious as to who you were.” “I did ask her not to say anything. Oh well, not to worry, so tell me have you been to see Fabian?” “Yes, we went there, my colleague and I, and my secretary, before we left for America. There wasn’t a lot he had to say.” “Really, but he told me it was urgent.” “To him maybe. Ignatz worked for years on that idea he had you know, and it seems Fabian tried it too. Neither of them had any success, but Fabian had an idea that he wanted to share with Ignatz that he thought might achieve something. He was reluctant to tell anyone but Ignatz, and as we have no forwarding address for him, I’m afraid Fabian wasn’t very forthcoming.” “So did Fabian and Ignatz ever have any of these creatures?” “For a while yes, but they are ferocious beings, and had to be destroyed. Han’s Kogler was killed by one. Really its a lifelong project with few results, a labour of love, time and expense, and really ungrounded. For if man cannot tell us what he thinks of the earth’s ruination, what more can an animal tell us, who lives purely by instinct? After all if you tell a creature that relies on the seasons that there isn’t going to be an autumn, do you think he will stop preparing for hibernation? Far from it, he will do what he has always done, despite the way the world is.” “I suppose there’s some logic in that somewhere. I always said, though, that it was a waste of time. I’m pleased I got out of it when I did. I work on cures for mankind now, and the only animals I have dealings with are mice and rats, the occasional rabbit, and a dog or two. They’re quite enough for me.” James Burton replied. “Well, I thought I would come to see you while I am in New York. I hope to be buying an institute in the Appalachian mountains, where I shall be studying climatology. Perhaps we can get together sometime, compare notes, and all that. Though of course we will be dealing with different subjects. Nonetheless, some corners might fit.” “Yes, I’d like that, when you have an address send it to me. Thank you for coming to see me Mr. Reidel, I’ll show you out.” Not many minutes after James Burton, closed the door behind Mich’ael, a young boy came out of the study, he was about nine or ten, and asked James Burton, “Who was that dad?” “It was Mich’ael Reidel, one of the scientists who worked on that experiment that you are so interested in.” “Really, what did he say?” The boy sounded excited. “Only that it was a waste of time, and had no real results.” James Burton looked deeply at his son, “So I hope that puts you off?” “No way. It makes me all the more determined to succeed where they failed. You wait and see dad, one day I’m going to create such a creature successfully. Dad, you'll see, I'm going to be the one to do it!” *** *** *** Once Catherine had spoken of the things that had happened, she did begin to feel better. It was only from time to time, while she and Vincent were together, either reading, playing with the children, listening to the concert, or walking hand in hand through the park at night, that she would think about Dominic. And then she would feel regret that someone, somewhere could have found the joy with him, that she had found with Vincent. No longer disguising her thoughts and feelings from him, Vincent was able to see straight through into her heart and mind through the connection, and know how she felt. It served to him as a reminder of what a special person she was, and made him love her all the deeper. One particular starry night, Devin and Gerry walked out with them, through the park to stand beside the waterfall and watch the water sparkle silver in the moonlight. Devin was walking alongside Gerry his arm through hers, as Catherine was alongside Vincent, when Devin surprised them all by saying, “I wonder what the stars look like from Dominic’s, Daniella’s and Dinah’s standpoint. I expect they are truly awesome from heaven. Though Mich’ael would only believe they were asleep in death.” “Do you think they ever saw a star in their life Devin?” Catherine asked him. “No, I guess not, nor the sunshine. But I bet they can see the whole world now. You know Cathy, perhaps they were right, that kind of freedom has no bars.” “Daniella told me that they were human beings trapped within a prison. That it would always remain that way, even if they were to be free, and Dinah, said to me, ‘here beneath my heart an animal grows. Maybe with the mind or a human, maybe with the ability to speak as a human. Imagine, she said, having that kind of prison’, I’ve thought about that a lot, why do humans mess with nature like that? Vincent, Gerry, you are beautiful people, and you have your heartaches, your dreams and desires. But in many respects, you perhaps have more than those that have access to everyday things. But to think of someone actually being trapped inside an animal and then set free onto the African Savannah? Well the mind just cannot comprehend the despair that would bring.” “What were these people like, Catherine, “ Gerry wanted to know, “Did the women look like me?” Catherine turned to her, reaching out to touch her face, “Oh yes, they were as beautiful as you are, gorgeous faces, green eyes, golden fur upon their cheeks, and bridge of their noses, and a soft down of golden fur covering their bodies, they were perfect.” Turning to Vincent she stroked his cheek, and looked into his eyes, continuing, “And Vincent, if you want to know what it would be like to be yourself but to have a human face, I saw that in Dominic.” She smiled, “He had your hair, your hands, the hair over his body was the same, yet his face was just like Fabian’s really, you could tell he was Fabian’s son. That brings me to another question, how could you do that to your own son?” “I don’t think these scientists see such experiments as their own offspring, Cath, to them its just advancement, with their own imprint. I just hope no-one else ever tries to do it.” Together they walked away from the waterfall, across the park, and back again towards the tunnel entrance, the stars were gorgeous, and they craned their necks backwards in an effort to take in the whole sky as they walked along. “You know everyone, the stars are wonderful, but with all the lights of the city, we don’t really get to see them at their best. What do you say we all go to my home in the mountains for a few days? I can tell you from up on the peak, the whole sky opens up into infinity. Believe me until you have seen the night sky from the top of a mountain you have never lived.” “Do you mean that?” Gerry cried happily, “Could we really?” “Well I don’t see why not, we could go at night in a van, even my father said it may be possible to take the two of you, will you come Vincent?” “I should like to see your home Devin, yes I would like to go, and it would be good for you and Catherine to have this break away. Perhaps Mich’ael and Mama could go too?” Devin grimaced, “Alas there won’t be enough room in the cabin for more, we will be a squeeze as it is, besides, Mich’ael will soon be working in the mountains, and hopes to take your mother with him. While we were on Sonn Alp I had the idea of taking our next holiday in the mountains rather than the island, but now I don’t see why we shouldn’t do both. However, we could take Marie and Mich’ael with us, when we next go to our island.” “That would be great.” Gerry told him, “Mama would love to share that time with us. And Timmy must come too.” Devin hugged her, glad of her acceptance to his son, pleased at the friendship that had so quickly developed between the two of them. Timmy adored her. “Yes” he replied, “Timmy must come too.” In the meantime there is something that I want to ask the three of you,” he paused looking sheepish, “How are you all at singing?” “Singing” They all cried in unison. Devin laughed, “If you could only hear yourselves.” “What do you have in mind, yodelling from the mountain tops?” Catherine asked him, laughing her head off. “No. I don’t mean singing in the mountains. I was thinking rather of singing a double duet at Father and Mary’s wedding.” “You are joking, tell me this is one of your not so better jokes” Catherine asked. “Actually I am deadly serious. Think of it, the four of us singing together, I thought it would be a nice gesture, something to make it that bit more special. That is if you all can sing.” “Well providing you leave the catawailing to Vincent and I, it should go down okay”, Gerry told him, slipping her arm through his, “But don’t expect us to reach the low notes.” Vincent chuckled, “What song did you have in mind?” “A love song. One of Diana Ross’s. She sang it in duet with Lionel Ritchie. Its called Endless Love. I thought the words would be perfect, not only for Father and Mary but also for us.” He laughed heartily, “and I don’t just mean you and I, Vincent, when I say us.” Gerry’s tinkling laughter echoed around the four, as Devin continued, “I thought we could practice in the apartment, what do you say Cath?” She smiled, “It could be good fun, and there are some neighbours I wanted to get shot of, also it will certainly afford us the opportunity to get to know some things about one another that we never knew.” She nodded, “It might work out well in the finish.” “Well the wedding is in ten days, so we have to get it right by then, and remember its to be a complete surprise. Just after they are married, we’ll sing it. What do you say?” Slowly each in turn nodded agreement and Devin cried, “Okay let's do it.” Vincent having the last word made them all laugh, “And let’s just hope that everyone at the wedding brings some ear-plugs!” *** *** *** The following evening the four went along to Catherine’s apartment to begin. Devin had been able to obtain a copy of the song with words on the A side, and instrumental on the B side. Playing the A side through, while Catherine wrote out the words, the four listened carefully, and then they started to practice. Devin asked Vincent, “I think you should start off, Vincent”. “What alone!” Vincent exclaimed, “You mean me, alone?” Devin laughed, “Why not, look its only, one, two, three, four,” he counted on, “thirteen little words Vincent, surely you can manage that?” “You mean singing thirteen words in front of all those people, alone!” Vincent asked once again, hoping Devin was joking. “Come on Vincent, you can do it. You’re a special person Below, its only right that you should start off.” “But it was your idea, surely that right belongs to you?” Vincent argued. “No, I want you to start it off, then Cathy can answer you with the next line.” “Me” squeaked Catherine, blushing, “You mean by myself?” “What is it with you two?” Devin asked them, “ can’t you sing?” “Not well” Vincent replied. “It's not a singing contest Vincent. Its a nice gesture that’s all.” “Yes, but I don’t want to be the one to turn the guests away too soon Devin”. “So when Vincent and I have started it off, when do Devin and Gerry propose coming in?” Catherine wondered aloud. “In the next verse. I just think it will be perfect, if the two of you stand looking at one another all gooey eyed, as if you are the only two in the room, and sing those lines to one another. Oh come on, lets try it, I’m sure it will sound perfect.” “You know what I think would make it perfect Devin.” Gerry said starry eyed as she imagined it all. “What?” “Instead of playing this record on a tape recorder, to have the children playing it with their instruments.” “Now that would be good.” Vincent agreed. “What a wonderful idea," Catherine exclaimed, “Do you think we could do that Devin?” Devin pondered on the idea for a few moments then replied, “It won’t be easy, we haven’t a lot of time, and we couldn’t do it here, there isn’t the room.” “Then it would be better surely? We could do it Below somewhere, and then we could use the days as well as the nights, giving us more practice time. Come on Devin what do you say, the children would love to be included in this?” Vincent told him, and Catherine backed him up, “Yes for just imagine how they will feel if they weren’t asked.” Devin nodded, “Okay, but only if you and Catherine take the leads.” Catherine laughed out loud, flinging a cushion at him playfully, “You’ll stoop to anything won’t you?” “How well you know me Cathy.” Vincent and Catherine looked at one another, and then re-reading the words, imagined singing them to one another. The words were beautiful, matching their own love perfectly. Vincent nodded, and Catherine replied for them both, “Okay we’ll do it." “That’s great. Vincent you won’t regret it.” Devin told him happily. “No, but you may, you haven’t heard me sing yet.” Devin laughed, “You’ll be great. Your voice is wonderful. Up Above women would swoon over a voice like that.” “I’ll second that Devin. When Vincent took me Below for the first time, I could not see him for my eyes were bandaged, I could only hear him. From the first moment he spoke, I fell in love with that voice.” She blushed softly. “I never knew that” Vincent told her, “did you really?” “You have the most captivating voice Vincent I have ever heard. And I think that putting that voice into song would be enchanting.” Catherine told him sincerely. “Well let's get started then shall we, and hope that we don’t embarrass one another.” Devin told them, as he put the tape back on again. The A side had the lyrics, the B side just the instrumental. “We’ll all sing along to the words first and go it alone afterwards. Are you ready everyone?” As music filled the room, they sat each with a copy of the words on their laps and began, and to the pleasant surprise of each other, it sounded fantastic. *** *** *** The Great Hall overflowed with people, it had never been so full, not even when Catherine and Vincent were married, because the guests for Father and Mary’s big day went back generations, people they hadn’t seen for over thirty years wanted to come. Father dressed in his finest attire. White ruffled shirt and black suit, and Mary dressed in powder pink satin and lace from head to foot, with tiny little bows and pink pearls sewn in. Her hair pulled up away from her face, and held in place with little blossoms of white gypsaphillia and tiny pink rosebuds. She looked a vision of loveliness. Vincent dressed in a rich emerald velvet, with white ruffled shirt. Devin in complementary black like his father. Catherine and Gerry in deep cerise and Jacob and Timmy in blue and grey pageboy outfits with white shirts. And with the white gypsiphillia in Catherine and Gerry’s beautiful hair, the overall effect was stunning. It was a sight to behold and cherish. Father and Mary read out their written vows to one another, exchanged rings and Vincent conducting the ceremony in his finest voice, pronounced them man and wife. A huge cheer went up from the guests as Father bent his head to kiss Mary, thus sealing their marriage, and the children brought forth gifts. Standing by their side, Devin tapped his father on the shoulder, “Father, Mary, we have something we would like for you to listen to. Would you both like to sit down?” “Why?” Father questioned his son, “What have you done now Devin? Will it come as a shock?” Devin laughed, “It may do, but in the nicest possible way.” Then turning he said, “Children are you all ready?” From out of no-where, the children involved produced musical instruments, and formed a half-circle. Vincent took Catherine’s hand and led her into the centre just in front of the ‘orchestra’ and waited while Devin using the B side soundtrack on a very low setting, set everything up. As the music began, Vincent looked deep into Catherine’s eyes, his love shining for all to see, while Devin and Gerry stood, waiting either side a few feet away, for their turn to come in alongside them. And as the children started to play along with the background music Mary grasped Father’s hand tightly. Her eyes bright she told him, “Jacob what a treat are we in for. I believe this is going to be something overwhelming.” Father nodded, his eyes bright with happiness, “Surely, these four aren’t going to sing are they? I’ve never heard them sing before.” He whispered. As on cue the music started and was followed by Vincent’s beautiful voice with, “My love, there’s only you in my life, the only thing that’s right." Phew, thought Vincent, I’m glad that’s over, as he heard Catherine’s exquisite voice sing back to him, “My first love, your every breath that I take. Your every step I make.” And the two together went on; “And I, I want to share all my love with you, No-one else will do, And your eyes, your eyes, your eyes, they tell me how much you care, oh yes, you will always be, my endless love. Catherine and Vincent stepped back into the shadows, as Devin and Gerry sang through the following verse together; Two hearts, two hearts that beat as one, Our lives have just begun, Forever - (this word Gerry solo, her voice was gorgeous) I’ll hold you close in my arms I can’t resist your charms And love, oh love, I’ll be a fool for you, I’m sure You know I don’t mind (Gerry solo) You know I don’t mind (Devin solo) ‘Cos you, you mean the word to me, I know, I’ve found in you, My endless love. The children came forth with the music between verses, as Vincent, Catherine, Devin and Gerry hummed along. The last verse, the four sang together. And love, oh love, I’ll be that fool, for you I’m sure, you know I don’t mind you know I don’t mind (Gerry and Cathy) And yes, you’ll be the only one, ‘cos no one can deny this love I have inside, And I’ll give it all to you, My love, my love, my love, My endless love. As the children trailed away with the music and the song came to an end, Vincent and Devin bowed their heads to seal a kiss with their wives. For a long moment there was complete and utter silence. It was a beautiful choice for a song. Mary had taken every word to heart and a lump had formed in her throat that made it difficult to swallow. With tears in his eyes, Father stood, walked across to the four and enfolded them in his arms, as a rush of applause swept through the Great Hall, becoming thunderous in momentum and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. It was, as Devin had imagined, sheer perfection. To be continued in Chapter Thirteen.