Fallen Máni: Lordship

Bil was sitting atop Mount Gros Morne. Before her were deep, almost barren valleys and canyons with just a slight amount of greenery near the bottom, its desolate lands laid out before her during the harsh light of midday. 

Every spring she'd come to that same spot for sightseeing and reflection. And for all that time isolation never ceased to have the same effect on her.  Even as a god, she felt small when she was alone, much more so than when she was human nine centuries before.

Only a god could understand how small she was compared the vastness of the cosmos.

Nonetheless, she was once successful in warding off introspection. The antics of her brother, their work with their adoptive father and the overall pettiness of the interaction between the gods had distracted her, made her feel like she was in a "normal" environment and in a convenient routine. 

Just a new family, just a new drama and just new joys. 

But now, there was only silence. 

Her father’s disappearance heralded a period of quiet amidst the gods, of mourning, of worry, of uncertainty. For once, fate took a turn no one saw coming, and this deeply disturbed the powers that be, especially her. 

Her brother fell silent, as did her aunt, their once festive lives now submerged in a sort of continuous Autumn. She and Hjúki tended Máni’s fallen domains the best he could, and occasionally watched Manuel from afar. 

Most of the other gods distanced themselves, afraid of the consequences and preparing for future disasters. No one knew how to deal with that twist of fate, how the prophecies of how things should be suddenly got overturned.

No more festivities, no more distractions for her pondering mind. Bil now was left to understand the vastness of her state of being, and it was terrifying. 

It reminded her of when she was human, a little girl in the midst of the night. It was the exact same sort of feeling, of insignificance in the immensity of the void, and of lack of agency, of hopelessness to stop it or even so much as act. 

Just stillness, uncertainty, and the fact that she had to watch nine worlds decay.

“Bil?” asked the same worried voice that had been with her through all her life.

Bil froze for a second, before sighing a small prayer: thanks.

“I’m fine, just thinking about... thinking.”

“Same ‘daymare’?” Hjúki asked.

“Yeah, same ‘daymare’.”

For a moment, a light flared in Bil's mind, and she shivered.

Bil turned around to see her brother’s face. He bore a slightly morose expression, which didn't help her in the least. He too had to bear the same thoughts as her, and she hated herself all the more for it.

“Sól told the kid that he's the Moon. It's our turn to meet him.”

Bil felt like clawing her arms off. This was the day, this was the day that she had been looking forward to for 15 years, and dreading about just as much.

“Just like that?” Bil said.

“He probably always knew deep down. It’s a bit hard to argue against his own power.”

“Guess so. It's just, well...”

Hjúki hugged her. Bil wanted to be comforted, but for some reason it just asphyxiated her.

“I know" he started, "At least this will finally be over.”

“Yeah, now everything will go back to normal.”

No, it won't. Balance would be restored, to all nine worlds. But their family would have to start from scratch, and she didn't know if she could take that. She held back tears, trying to be strong for when she'd meet her father again.

Hjúki only held her tighter, and she couldn't help but let go.

The air around her swirled, and she took the form of a large whooping crane. She disentangled herself from Hjúki and throwing herself off the mountaintop, spreading her wings and rising on the thermals.

"Wait!" Hjúki shouted, and a cloud of feathers and dust covered him, turning him into a trumpeter swan.

Flapping incessantly, he quickly catch up to her, keeping her company in the air. They flew in circles for a while, before she turned to the east. She nodded to her brother, and he nodded back, as self-assured as a swan should be.

A birds, neither could move their lips or eyes. As twins, neither needed to.

As they left the Gros Morne National Park the bird-gods then shouted, long trumpeting calls echoing across the lands, across towns and lakes and boreal forest alike. 

The Moon god would return, and they were his heralds.

***

As the calls echoed through the entire island, Sköll looked overhead, staring at the northeast. He stood several miles away from them, yet he could hear them as clearly as if they were nearby. 

"Damn them birds" said the captain, "It's Steve Coogan's bachelor party all over again, all over again."

"Weird times, uh?" Sköll mused, sharing a glance with Hati.

His brother, disguised as a Labrador, only gnawed on his purple rubber bone hard. It broke, and Sköll waved his hand, willing it to repair itself. Hati grunted, and gnawed again.

"Yeah, weird times" the captain concurred, not questioning the repairing.

"Well, can't be as weird as escorting a weirdo and his dog to the middle of nowhere, right?" Sköll said.

He checked his phone. There was a discount helicopter tour ad, and that only made him clench his fist harder. Damn Hati.

"So long as the benches are clean, I don't care" the captain replied, "Unless you're named Martin, then it's shark-feeding time."

"Rest assured, I'm not" Sköll said heartily, though thoroughly confused.

The boat entered a fjord. There were no houses in sight, just two mountainsides worth of dense conifer forests.

“You can drop us here” Sköll said, motioning to the beach.

There, the banks still showed their fine white sand, but brown silt had began to form in the shoreline. The beach gave way to the forest, slowly expanding into the banks, making it look as if it was being choked on either ends by soil and vegetation.

An unwelcome remainder of what the sea once was.

"That'd be $500" the captain said.

Sköll snapped his fingers, and her flesh was cold before it even hit the ground. He then walked up to her corpse, took her wallet from her flannel shirt, took two 20 dollar bills and threw the rest to the waters.

“Quite the nice chap, wasn't she?” he said, a hint of a song in his voice, "Though, you know I couldn't let her live after she wondered why you were so heavy. You know how I am, no one makes fun of my brother's weight but me, right?"

Hati snarled. His body twisted and grew, his shallow Labrador coat replaced by a shaggier one and his ears rising up with a violent spasm.

"As much of a witless maggot as she was, at least she wasn't as treacherous as you" he said, before walking up to the captain's corpse and tearing it apart.

“You shouldn’t be complaining, you know"  Sköll said indignantly, "I got you free food. And a nice flannel for you to chew on!”

"Stop wearing that disguise" Hati said in between mouthfuls.

“So eager to see me nude, aren’t you?”

Hati snarled, blood and chunks of flesh dripping from his snout. As he heard his brother's flesh twisting, he felt an urge to vomit, but kept eating anyway. The sounds of his own chewing distracted him from the transformation.

“Better now?” Sköll teased, slapping his brother’s snout with his white tail.

Sköll immediately regretted it, however, as blood tinged his tail tip. He shook it away in disgust, hitting Hati's nose.

In a fit of rage, Hati jumped off the boat, and swam towards the shore.  Sköll looked at the water, measuring the distance between the boat and the shoreline.

"Aw crap, I knew I shouldn't have killed her" bemoaned  Sköll, before jumping at the water himself.

Hati emerged from the waters as violently as he had thrown himself, shaking his coat frantically.

"Hey, look when you shake it!" Sköll said as he joined his brother, receiving most of the thrown water.

Hati didn't dignify his brother with a response. Instead, his nostrils flared, and took in as much air as possible. Gusts blew in and out with each inhalation, ripping small trees from the banks.

“Máni is here!” he exclaimed, his voice echoing through the woods, “That coward has really been hiding here all along! Oh, how foolish I was, to wander this forsaken realm and not notice him right under my nose!”

“Well yes, that's why we came here"  Sköll said, rolling his eyes.

Without further delay, Hati sprinted, galloping at full speed into the wilderness. All of the undergrowth was trampled under his bulk, and the trees themselves seemingly bent away from his path. 

All wildlife gave in to an hysterical panic, birds taking off in all directions, squirrels and pine martens climbing up the trees, reindeer and elk herds evading on foot. Even bears didn’t dare to stand between Hati and his prey. 

Sköll sprinted after his brother, quickly lagging far behind as he tormented the escapees. Smaller animals were ripped to shreds, while the larger ones fell dead, the sounds of their falling bodies filling the air.

In a few minutes, Hati had managed to cover four miles, quickly leaving the forest and covering open, mountainous terrain. He crossed several roads, trampled a car and crushed a hiker’s leg, but otherwise managed to steer clear of civilization. 

Eventually, though, a small inland town came into his path. Just as it came into his eye view a blinding flash of searing white light stopped him in his tracks, paralyzing him.

You cannot just barge into man’s domain hastily. The eyes of the gods are on this island. I can only direct their gazes away for so long if you destroy everything. And Sól herself is already here.

Hati grimaced, twisting violently in that stilling grasp. Small spasms ripped through his limbs, but the light held his flesh still.

“And what do you suggest, son of Dawn!?” he spoke, the stillness filtering the strength of his rage.

Fear not. I am trusted by all powers among the Æsir and the Vanir, and just enough by Sól. My words are silver and gold to them, they will not suspect me aiding your travels through this land.

“See, brother dearest, trickery is important” gloated Sköll his mouth muffled.

As long as you keep yourselves disguised, the gods will not notice.

Hati growled.  He hated him so much.

Suddenly, the light's grasp ended, and Hati fell on the ground. It was too short a fall to have hurt, but as he landed face first on the ground he felt humiliated, more so when  Sköll giggled triumphantly.

He felt more like a dog than he was under the glamor, and for once he couldn't muster hatred. Only a sense of defeat that hollowed him on the inside, almost as much as when the light violated his senses.

Máni is on the exact opposite side of this island. I trust you are savvy enough to figure a way there. I suggest that you move along what the locals call the ‘Trans-Canada Highway’.

“Aw, you won’t offer a ride for us?” Sköll said, disappointment poisoning his voice, "All the cool gods have a ride. Especially Thor, he gets some prize ribs out of his."

I cannot do much more than what I am doing right now. I will see to it that Sól and the others have sand grains in their eyes, so that you can finish this as quickly as possible.

Hati could see Sköll’s features preparing for another snark, but before he could materialize it as words, the light vanished, prompting a frustrated grunt out of the white wolf.

"Damn it, I had a really good one"  Sköll said, "Something about his spare horse."

At once, Hati's emotions erupted. His freedom from the light, as well as his satisfaction at Sköll’s disappointment, prompted him to laugh hysterically, so abrupt and intense that his flanks hurt. 

His whole rib-cage, throat felt dry and sandpapered and tears welled in his eyes. The pain only increased as he rolled around in joy, but it didn't matter.

“My, you sure must depressed, if that made you laugh” Sköll snarked.

Hati ignored him.

He rolled himself back up with a jump, shaking his pelt as he rid himself of dirt. He sniffed the air, and pointed to the northwest.

"There are humans there" Hati said, his voice less angry than usual.

"Well yes, there's humans everywhere" Sköll retorted.

Suddenly, the white wolf's flesh began to twist, bisecting itself bloodily once again. Hati closed his eyes, trying to cancel out the sounds with his own breaths.

When Hati opened his eyes again, he saw his brother laying on the ground naked, drenched in blood. He stared at him with his golden eyes, wolf parts in a human face, which unnerved Hati greatly. His knowing, murderous grin only exacerbated the dissonance.

 The blood surrounding  Sköll shifted around his body. White hair from his wolf form was picked up, and slowly the ichor glued the fur together, weaving his white suit. 

Blood darkened and coagulated around his eyes, forming his sunglasses.

"Now that we're all set" Sköll rose from the ground, shaking off the dirt from his suit, "Let's pick a ride. Oh, you totally should be a rottweiler this time."

***

Manuel moved the straw, creating a small whirlpool in the cup. Ice blocks floated in the coke and vanished suddenly, only to reappear again, now brown in color. He then sculpted them, one into a spiraling drill and another into a pyramid.

Not many people hanged around the café that day. 

To his left laid the ever calm bay waters, of a black-green color. Only occasionally did they sparkle with reflected sunlight when a breeze cast small ripples on the surface, minuscule parodies of waves. 

He heard footsteps, followed by the sound of the chair next to his right being pulled in and a cup laid down. Manuel looked at his right, and saw Sól, a glass of absinthe in front of her.

She now wore an orange business suit, with a white fedora. Manuel himself was wearing a black shirt with a white tiger picture and ripped jeans. They couldn't possibly look any more different, but Manuel recognized the same theatricality.

"You have to teach me that Jedi mind trick" he said, "I don't think I even saw you come in."

"No, you were just that distracted" Sól replied, sipping from the cup.

"Oh."

Sól chuckled, stirring her cup.

“Been a while since I've been in this world" she said, "Some three decades ago in Finland. Kind of makes me nostalgic, even if the drinks aren't as great as in Asgard."

"I can only guess, since I'm underage and stuff" Manuel said.

"I've seen you sip a beer with Jonathan once" Sól said, taking another sip, "Good thing you didn't like it, couldn't bear see you go down that path."

"I hope you haven't been watching me all the time" Manuel said, melting the ice cubes in his coke.

"No, you know how blinders work" Sól said, "Number one sunlight deterrent."

"Good" Manuel said, sipping from his cup.

"Of course, then I have the elves watch you for me."

Manuel spat his drink. Being no stranger to those situations he instinctively pulled the liquid towards himself, making less of a mess, but the sound was enough to draw in a few stares.

"You knew that was coming" Sól said with an amused lilt, before taking another sip.

"Aw hell, I guess I did" Manuel concurred, pooling the wasted liquid unto napkins.

A moment of silence ensured.

"So, besides watching me, do you do anything else?" Manuel oferred.

Sól nodded.

“Yes, as the soul of the Sun I have many duties to all nine worlds. So did you. We’ve existed long before most of the other gods, and as such we have something of a ‘senior status’ when it comes to cosmic relevance, if not hierarchy.”

She paused, taking another sip, before continuing.

“You see, I’m not just a huge lamp throwing up UV radiation and solar winds, and your body isn’t just some rock that moves the tides from afar. As gods and forces of nature, we are powers that influence life itself, how it evolved and came to be. When I first appeared, light already existed, but it was kind of like a mist, white as death. With my birth, light got a ‘heart’, so to speak, and became life giving and nourishing.”

Sól took another sip.

“While I’m not the greatest of stars in this realm, my form transcends it, it shines on all nine worlds. I’m the fruit of the World Tree, the wheel from which life and order spring forth, the cosmic principle of harmony as I draw forth the orbits of entire worlds like an harp makes a song out of the cacophony of sound.”

"That sounds very poetic" Manuel said.

"It should, given what you govern."

"Oh?"

She laid down the cup, touched it, and the green absinthe began to glow with a rich golden tone, like molten metal. She looked at it wistfully; to Manuel, it seemed as if she was briefly reliving an unpleasant memory. 

Before he could comfort her, however, she poured it down to the sea. Large northern pikes - as if the ocean didn’t look enough like a lake already, Manuel thought - rose to the surface, their scales glistening small rainbows as they porpoised about lively.

"Did you get those fish drunk"? he asked, both in concern and amusement.

"No, I took out the alcohol and replaced with vital energy" Sól explained bemusedly, "That's why it glowed. C'mon, it should be obvious."

Manuel shrugged.

"Chi?" he asked.

"You can call it that, sure. Personally, I call it 'visible radiation in red and green waves', otherwise known as yellow light."

"Well, shoot" Manuel laughed.

"You really wanted to swear, don't you?" Sól asked, more mischievous than Manuel had seen until that point.

"Whatever, you're not the boss of me" Manuel retorted, pulling his tongue out.

Sól chuckled. Manuel loved seeing how she could go from "nice mom" to jovial aunt in two seconds. Hanging out with her was so much fun, and it only added to the resentment that she was never in his life until earlier that day.

“Of course, balance is needed" Sól continued, "Light, like all things, can harm in excess. If not for my shield, my trusty Svalinn."

He reached for her pocket, and took out a much smaller version of the shield she had shown to Manuel. 

"That's awesome!" Manuel said, touching it, "Do I get one to?"

"Sure. Anyways, everything in this world would burn away into oblivion if not for my shield. And even then, in your absence I can feel it crumbling away. One of the many reasons why I’m pressing for your return.”

“What did I do? When I was the Moon, I mean.”

“If I’m the World Tree’s fruit, you are its flower, much younger than me but far more dear to the hearts of men and of the gods, even if they don’t show it. Often, at least.”

She tapped her forehead with her index finger.

“The Moon shapes the tides, both in the sea and in the mind, and as you reflect the light, mine or otherwise, you charge it with creativity. If I’m life, you’re the reason why people value life, as you govern over emotions and thought, the two extremes of the mind. Under your reflected light, men find passion and madness, as well as inspiration and introspection. The first calendars were built around your phases, the first poems written underneath your gaze, the first philosophers pondered about your nature. You preside over the darkness, but your duties are very close to what humans call ‘enlightenment’.”

“So basically I make people feel and think?”

“Well, not exactly, emotions and thoughts can’t really be created from nothingness. You, however, enhance and shape the slivers of the unconscious, you make stray thoughts into full cognition or passion. Or both."

She laid her hand on his.

"You bring that lies in the darkness and make it bright.”

Manuel simply nodded.

“I think I know what you mean”, he said, staring at the cup as if it was a crystal ball, “It happened once.”

“I heard about it" Sól said, "I didn't see it."

Manuel winced slightly. Sól regretted it.

"Hey, you don't need to talk ab-"

Manuel slid his hand, and brought both of them to his own shoulders.

“I was so scared. Just when they were about to beat me up I saw something in their eyes, and they began to step back. They were terrified, as if they just saw a ghost or something. I didn’t take any chances, I just bolted out of there. I remember other moments like that, though I don’t think they were ever as strong.”

Sól laid her hand on Manuel's shoulder. He calmed down, and picked his glass, stirring it.

"Sometimes I wonder if everyone I know is just feeling emotions I made them feel on accident."

Sól shook her head.

"No. Like I said, you can't create emotions and feelings. They have to be there."

"I hope so", said Manuel wistfully.

"Of course", Sól continued, "the mind isn’t the only thing you lord over. I can see you’ve already discovered your affinity to water.”

“Yup" Manuel nodded, "My favorite of the ‘power pack’. I like to use it as my clay, you know, to shape it into whatever I want. I like to make the water move, to just make it feel alive. Just a couple of drops is enough to do a lot with it, you know.”

He touched the glass with his left index finger, and the condensation gathered up into a single large drop. 

He lift his digit and moved it in circles as if it was a wand. The drop followed, thinning and elongating, quickly becoming a fast spinning ring. It then froze, the ripples and currents instantly paralyzed and embellishing the ice in ways no carving could accomplish. 

“Quite the fine control you have there” Sól congratulated, “When did you first discover that talent?”

“As long as I can remember" Manuel answered, "Always felt drawn to water, always knew how to shape it. It’s really like breathing to me, since I do it all the time without thinking. Hell, I need to restrain myself from doing that, as if I holding my breath.”

“Just like the Máni I always knew, ever the slave to dramatics and exaggeration” Sól said playfully.

“You don’t seem like a ‘down-to-earth’ type either, sistah” Manuel retorted playfully.

“Exactly. You’re creativity and imagination and passion, I’m ideology and morality and pride. Being higher-minded and theatrical is practically mandatory.”

“I guess so” Manuel said, drinking from his cup, “But I don’t really think that personality is-”

Just then, loud cries were heard from the sky above the bay. On the sky to the west, specs of white gradually grew to be recognizable as birds, a crane and a swan. 

The former ceased its rapid flight and began soaring in circles above, while the latter dove quickly and landed in the water with a massive splash, breaking the calm waters in transparent curtains and foam. 

The swan preened his feathers, flapped his wings and bathed himself. The crane meanwhile slowly descended, before hovering just above Sól and Manuel. The boy shielded himself with his arms, but the bird's flapping somehow missed him.

Not before long, talons made contact with wood, and the air around the crane swirled suddenly in small tornado, obscured by the released white feathers and by some sort of silvery dust-like material. 

Just as quickly as the gust appeared, it dissipated, revealing a young blonde woman with green eyes, that reminded Manuel of grassy hills. The feathers and dust weaving themselves into rather bland, casual white clothes, that reminded him of morning mist.

“Manuel, this is Bil” introduced Sól, “One of the two gods who kept you company in your journeys.”

“Uh, nice to meet you?” Manuel said, extending his hand to shake Bil’s.

She nodded, and shook his hand back. She was as unsure as he was, which made Manuel more comfortable.

Bil looked at her brother, who was still behaving like a normal bird. She really didn’t know what to say, and could use his help. She turned back to the table, anxiety gnawing at her nerves.

“Uh, anything wrong?” Manuel asked.

“No, don’t worry, it’s just something in my mind” she responded hastily. Her voice lacked Sól's lilt, which Manuel found interesting.

On the water, the swan swam towards their direction, seemingly agitated. 

He opened his wings once again, and began to run on the water surface, taking flight. He hovered with the same unnatural precision above Manuel, Sól and Bil. He landed in the opposite seat, and the air once again was obscured by feathers and ‘dust’. 

Once the smoke dissipated, a boy about as old as Manuel stood in the place of the bird. He shared the same hair and eyes as Bil, but he manifested a somewhat less bland outfit: dark brown wool trousers, a beige shirt, black combat boots.

“And this is the other of your companions, Hjúki” Sól said, casually gesturing her hand in his direction.

“I'm glad I can finally talk to you” Hjúki said, extending his hand, "It's been over fifteen years. Fifteen years, imagine that!"

“I guess?” Manuel said, shaking Hjúki's hand back. 

It was a rather intense handshake, which ended rather awkwardly.

“Uh, I see Sól already told you who we are” Hjúki started.

“Sort of” Manuel responded, “She just said you were my ‘companions’, whatever that means.”

“Just to be sure, I did clarify the implications of that” Sól said, grinning playfully.

“Good, we wouldn’t want any misunderstandings” Hjúki smiled.

Hjúki, Manuel and Bil looked around awkwardly. Sól took a sip.

“Basically, we’re your children" Hjúki said, a hand on his neck, "You saved us from our blood... father, and adopted us. You turned us into gods.”

“I need some time to process this” Manuel said, more exhausted than anything.

“Sure” Hjúki said, defeated, “Do you want to go home?”

“We're just going to go through this again, aren't we?” Manuel said, the water in his cup striating with threads of ice.

"We don't have much time" Bil said.

Manuel threw her a disbelieving stare. She looked away, ashamed.

"What she means" Hjúki blurted, "is that we can talk again later."

He reached awkwardly over the table, touching Manuel's shoulder.

"We'll give you all the space you need, alright?" Hjúki said reassuringly.

"It's just" Manuel began, leaning against Hjúki's arm, "so sudden, you know? Just four days before my life changes, forever."

"I know" Hjúki continued, "We wanted to take our time, but as it turns out we couldn't. We can't apologize enough for that."

Manuel nodded.

“Well, you know where to find me” Sól said, pointing towards the Sun, now nearing the mountainous horizon.

“I know, it’s rather obvious” Manuel lightened up.

“We’ll be around” said Hjúki, “If you want to talk, just ask.”

“You’re omniscient or something?”

“No, but we know when we're wanted” said Bil bitterly.

Hjúki sighed.

"Just, well, pray" he concluded, "We're gods, after all."

***

Sól paid for their beverages, so Manuel simply left quietly.

As he left the café, he saw that the streets weren’t particularly busy, just three people around. 

No sign of Jonathan, anywhere. Worried, Manuel texted him. Predictably, he didn't answer. He considered calling his parents, but quickly discarded that idea. Knowing him, involving them wouldn't do any of them any favors.

I should look for him.

Manuel looked around one last time. As the Sun set, most of the street was now cast in huge shadows, so all he had to do was to focus. 

He willed forth the darkness, feeling it creeping around his body and envelop him like a cloak. Shadows surrounded him like a mist, not making him outright invisible, but unnoticeable by everyone else, as if he didn’t exist. 

It was very useful to sneak around at night. The two of them had many adventures in the dark, exploring the town and its outskirts without ever having to worry about "stranger danger". Or rabid dogs. Or bears. If there were any in Newfoundland anymore.

But now that Jonathan was on his own, Manuel felt anxiety rushing in. A million different scenarios began running through his head, from a barking labrador to a van.

Okay, he took a deep breath, first let's start with his home. If he's not there, then I can start praying.

He headed north. Jonathan's apartment was at least an hour away by walking, so Manuel decided to go his own first. 

Make sure mom doesn't worry.

***

After half an hour running up the slopes, Manuel came across the small bundle of houses up the hill, his own included. 

Most of them were rather simplistic, just white with black or brown roofs, the “rank and file houses” in the region. Mrs Yolanda’s house was probably the most divergent, with aboriginal designs painted on the white walls, a purple roof and a garden full of bonsai, but most of the other’s were only told apart by a few nuances in shape. 

Manuel’s had a black roof and a rectangular shape, with an external garage. A derelict wooden tool shed was placed between the house and the garage, now mostly left to crumble to the elements. 

He circumvented the house, aiming for the window leading directly to his bedroom, in the part of the house facing the town and the bay. There was no one in sight, so he opened a plastic bottle and forced the water through the gaps between the sashes and the casement. 

Once inside the room, it arched. The water made contact with the lock and rotated it downwards, allowing the sashes to be opened. Manuel then jumped inside, closing the sashes immediately.

His room was still somewhat messy.  His bed sheets were undone, and books - novels and comics alike - laid around in his desk and bed.

Judging by the open drawers, he figured that his sister raided his room at some point during the day, but justice would have to wait. Silvia, at least, was considerate enough to not steal anything important, besides emptying the drawers worth of snacks Manuel had stockpiled.

He tied things up - If I'm going after that jerk, might as well give mom one less thing to stress about -, and slowly opened the door, checking the corridor if anyone else was home. 

It was dark aside from the distant blue glow of the TV and there were some dim sounds in the living room. Silvia was probably there. 

Manuel closed the door as slowly as possible, allowing only the small click of the closing lock, and grabbed what he figured would be useful for his nightly excursion: two ten dollar bills, and eight water bottles.

Grabbing a small green and purple backpack from the closet, he packed his essentials and opened the window, when he heard footsteps.

“Mom will be back tomorrow. Just so that you know.”

“Thanks. Also, stay away from my drawers. Seriously, even raccoons are less messy."

"Alright alright" Silvia grunted, and Manuel heard fading footsteps.

He jumped out the window. He took one of the bottles out and opened it, moving the water through the now much wider gaps, and did the inverse, locking them from the inside.

Manuel brought the water back to the bottle, and began his trek to find Jonathan, unto the moonless night.