Bold Captive

Chapter 5

Later that year, when Youri got a strong shock that almost caused his heart to stop working (and he knew his heart could stop working in any moment, so he tried to be very careful with everything), the doctor told him to have a rest in a town located in the northwest of Belgium. I won't tell you the name of this town because I'm sure hardly anybody will remember it, but let's move on with the story whatsoever.

At first, Youri didn't want to go anywhere. He felt too old to leave home for long, and he was afraid that something way worse might happen to him. But when the doctor told him that many years before, his grandmother, who was now gone, also went there on vacation after an argument, Youri accepted.

And in fact, everything felt better than at home. He could even enjoy nature (he could do that in Brussels as well, but he didn't quite feel like) and also listen to silence, broken only by some birds.

He couldn't imagine that there could be something better than that... until a moment.

He received a call from someone he had even forgotten existed. Yes, he wanted to put his phone on silent mode so that no one could bother him at all, but then he realized that would have been too selfish of him.

This man was an old friend of him, whom he had been knowing from school. He told Youri:

"Will you come tomorrow? I'd like to have a chat with you, and I'm sure you'll have just as much fun as me".

At first, Youri want to take down the invitation, but then he feared it would have been just as selfish of him. So he just ended the call, pretending he didn't hear anything.

But what would his friend think now? Youri didn't really care about that. All he wanted was to get his nerves back, although he knew they were now doomed.

He only didn't believe in God because he didn't feel like anything depended on the forces of the universe. But does that really matter? Let's just move on with the story.

Youri enjoyed the sound of the birds, the light breeze. All of this made him feel alive, more than ever. He felt like he had become a teenager again.

But soon, he started missing home. He wanted to go and see his wife again, before she thought she had become or was about to become a widow (let's add that he was afraid of becoming a widower as well, but this was less probable, as his wife was still stronger than him). But he didn't want to risk his health, and so he stayed.

He wanted to do something so that his days spent there wouldn't be lost, but he didn't want to work too much. He knew that would give him stress. So he decided to have a walk around the neighborhood and see if he would meet anyone who was in need. He always thought that helping other people was the best thing to do.

It wasn't raining, and that made him glad... At least for now. But it looked like it might start raining any minute soon, and Youri hoped to finish his walk on time.

After five minutes or there about, he found a lake. The lake was so neat that he wanted to take a picture of it. But unfortunately, he hadn't taken his camera with him, so he just tried to remember what it looked like.

Now let's switch to Klaas, who was Youri's eldest son. Klaas was doing his things at home when Martin Thyberghein came to visit him. Klaas was very glad to see him, both because they had always been good friends and because Martin was married to Klaas's sister (the one who worked as a DJ).

"Do you have any news for me?" Klaas asked.

"Not really. But if you want, I can tell you something".

"Okay, tell me whatever you want".

"Yesterday, a family wanted a new carpet".

"Well, what's so weird about it? Everyone wants a new carpet sooner or later".

"Yes, but they wanted a very peculiar one, very different from all the carpets I have ever seen or laid in all my life".

"Did you tell them about it?"

"No, do they need to know all the details? But I told them it will take a while to get this carpet".

"And what did they say?"

"I don't remember. What have you been doing in these days?" Martin decided to change the topic.

Klaas wanted to answer, but a sudden thunder almost broke through the window. When the sound was gone, Klaas said:

"Is it going to rain?"

"I don't know, I hope not".

"But it looks like it is going to rain".

"In that case, I don't know. I really hate rain".

"Yes, me too".

After coughing two or three times, Martin asked Klaas again:

"So what have you been up to lately?"

"Many things. You're not talking about work now, are you?"

"No, I'm talking about your personal time".

"Last week, I went outside Brussels".

"Really? And how did it go?"

"It went much better than I thought. I got to know many nice people".

"What did they tell you?"

"Many things. They told me about themselves, their lives, and also their family".

The day before, Martin had also met Klaas's grandson, Antoine. He had a small chat with him and then wished him a good time. Antoine was very glad, because he didn't always get to talk to people like Martin, even though he was family. But he enjoyed much more the company of his friends, who were the same age as him.

"You should visit me more often", Klaas said to Martin.

"If I could, I promise I would visit you more often. Why don't you come to my house as well? Tomorrow, for example".

"I'm sorry, but tomorrow I have many things to do, it would be too much if I delayed, and it also wouldn't be fair. But as soon as I can, I will visit you, I promise".

"Okay, I'm very glad to hear that! But now, I have to go. My train is coming in fifteen minutes".

"Fifteen minutes? But that's enough time. You can stay if you want".

"I'd like to, but I'm very sorry. I have to get prepared as before. I always do that".

"Okay, good luck then. But will you come back to visit me?"

"Yes, of course".

"Be careful".

"I'm always careful", Martin said, reassuring him.

"Call me when you get home".

"Okay, of course I will".