New Breath. A. M. Wyman

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СКАЧАТЬ closed the laptop, removed the headphones and picked up the first book in his hands. His stepbrother entered the room.

      – Hi, – he said quietly, averting his eyes.

      – Already greeted, – answered August, hiding a yawn. He could not remember when he and his brother became estranged. Probably, when Sebastian sent him to a boarding school, showing whom in this house he wants to see more often. Lack of collaborative tricks and games did not add to their relationship heats too. When Philip was very young, Sebastian kept a sharp eye to the contacts between the boys, making them as small as possible.

      – Look, seems you’re going to spend the whole summer here…

      – Is it so? – the boy could not help smiling, raising an eyebrow. – A few weeks later, my father would come, and we’re going to Berlin for baseball! It’s a tradition of Von Geltsman!

      – No, I heard Mom and Dad talked about it, – the brother looked down. – Mom was okay about your plans, but dad secretly made a call and on your behalf; he canceled your appointment.

      August’s eyes went blank. Sebastian is against his meeting with his dad?! But why has his mother acted like this? After all, she knows how important the rare meetings with his father are! But anyways, now she won’t be able to influence the situation, being so far away… The boy jumped up, breathing hard. One of the features he would like to get rid of was his impulsiveness. It hampered him in the classes of fencing, when it was necessary to preserve the ultimate concentration and tranquility, but in rare cases, playing in his favor.

      – Wait, – stopped him Philip. – Now you can commit follies, and he will punish you yet…

      – Does not matter! – Shouted August. Philip instinctively shrank his shoulders. – How can Sebastian do this to me?! The worst punishment you can imagine!

      August saw how cautiously Philip was looking at him. It seemed there’s a reason he gave his secret. Noticing this, August made himself to calm down.

      – Well, what do you want? – A little rougher than expected, he said.

      – I need a favor. I was saving money and I would like you to buy me something, while I and dad are out of the city…

      August’s eyes narrowed with interest.

      – And what is it? You have intrigued me.

      – I noticed that in the last year Ralph threw away your stuff, and asked him to leave me some things… – Philip blushed. – Honestly speaking, I left your toys… You know, from that old store…

      August’s jaw dropped. Turned out this papa’s son has a rebellious heart, wow!

      – Are you serious?

      – Yes, if you want to see them…

      – Of course I do, let’s go!

      Philip visibly relieved. He put a finger to his lips and went out on the prowl. August hurried after him, turning off the lights.

      Having entered the Philip’s room August was a little surprised. He’s never been here before. The time when they lived in an apartment on the solar Berlin’s street has passed. They used to have lots of colors and patterns that the boy loved to look at so much. In this house, a Gothic style prevailed, the building was quite old and gloomy with pointed bay windows and columns, outwardly resembling if not the middle-aged castle then fortress.

      A similar design was in the Philip’s room. The August’s one was much more modern – it had plastic windows and wallpaper on the walls. Sebastian allowed to leave everything like this because these windows looked out on the eastern part, invisible to bystanders, as well as the cabinet’s window, and servants’ one located on the floor above and below respectively. In other parts of the house there were mostly the stained glass windows and wall tapestries.

      – And you live here? – With a little grimace said August.

      – His father’s room in style is more high-flown, – Philip sighed. He shut the door, came closer to bed and pushed the drawer out of it. After a moment he reverently, like in front of him it was a box with treasure, opened the lid.

      August gasped – there were his lovable things: old comics with Mickey Mouse, some pages of which still had his doodles, recorded songs from the cartoons (once they had a player, but the needle was broken, and Sebastian immediately sent it to the scrap) and, of course, his favorite figures and dolls.

      Of the fullness of feelings August hugged his brother and ran to the toys. He took them, breathed the preserved peculiar smell, moved their cloth, rubber and plastic arms and legs.

      About three minutes later, Philip shyly touched his shoulder. August regained consciousness.

      – So will you help my request?

      – You have not said what it is yet.

      Philip pulled off the shelf tin can and shook from it a decent handful of coins and bills. August whistled.

      – I have been collecting them for a while, – said the brother, – and I want you to buy me some toys, missing from the series. You see, despite the fact that I study at a private school… Well, all the guys collect them too. However, they all go to the new and prestigious stores, but I like this style of toys.

      – Oh, why can you not go there yourself? Oh, Sebastian?…

      Philip nodded sadly.

      – Dad says that toys spoil the man, forcing him to dive into a fantasy world, and we must live in the present, so he forbids me to play with them or watch cartoons.

      – But this is outrageous! You’re still a child how can he do that to you?

      – Keep your voice down, please. I do not want him to know…

      – How about mom? Does she agree to this?

      – Mom does not contradict him, he knows how to rule people… Or make them feel guilty and act the way he wants it. In addition, she has many trips always, and we rarely talk.

      August again resisted the urge to hit Sebastian’s face when they meet again. He counted to five, tried to smile, and turned back to his brother.

      – So what toys do you lack?

      Chapter 2 The New Berlin

      In the morning August did not get up for a long time and he just stayed in bed. He had the right to do so, because at that moment there was no one in the house except him. The butler Ralph drove Sebastian and Philip fishing and most likely, they had not yet returned, and Griette their old maid, was visiting her family in Berlin as August told her to do the night before.

      Thank God, the cortege departed early, because August did not really want to face the man once again, the man who was shamelessly spoiling the life of his family, assuming that he is absolutely right.

      August made the bed (school habit), СКАЧАТЬ