“Next time I’ll travel on my own,” complains a tall, lanky boy unfolding himself from the passenger seat. “At least you don’t get sick ubilocating. You’re there almost before you left.”
Laughing, Cassius turns to the other passenger. ”Will, what about you? Any complaints?”
The blonde boy scrambles from the back seat and shakes his head, “Not at all.”
Natalie squeals and embraces her brother. “Don’t be such a spoilsport, Rupert. Driving a car is so much more fun than ubilocating.”
Slowly Ruth joins the group. ”Fast cars, fast horses, fast flings, that’s our Cassius.” Her nearly black eyes stare into the boy’s green ones. Cassius runs his fingers through his black hair distractedly and shoots Ruth a bored look.
“And what exactly is that to you?” The teasing smile freezes on Ruth’s face and she turns away.
“Why are you always so mean to her?” whispers Rupert. “We’re supposed to like each other as a family.”
Cassius scowls. “True, she can be nice when she wants to be, but why does she taunt me all the time?”
Rupert shrugs. “No idea, funnily enough she only does it with you.” Will turns away to hide his smile. To him it’s totally clear why Ruth behaves this way with Cassius: she’s been in love with him for ages. Everybody knows it but each of them handles it differently: Cassius ignores it, Rupert denies it, and the rest of them just don’t talk about it.
Having witnessed the scene, Randolph shakes his head. In moments like these he has serious doubts about his choice of family members. This bunch isn’t a harmonious unity at all. But he can’t change that any more, it’s a lifetime commitment, and in their case that means infinity. Anyway, he wouldn’t do anything differently even if he could, because he loves each and every one of these impossible children. His thoughts start to drift. Would it be the same with the new candidate? He runs his fingers through his short, dark grey hair as if to get rid of thoughts which it’s still much too early to contemplate. Who knows when they would agree on a new candidate? After all, the selection process is difficult and time-consuming.
Randolph straightens his broad shoulders and takes a deep breath. “Welcome everybody! Follow me into the kitchen, I was just offering the girls some refreshments.” They cross the huge hall and enter the large airy kitchen whose windows give a beautiful view of the Scottish sea. “Champagne’s in the fridge, pour it please!” Will looks up questioningly. Champagne at lunch? It has to be a special occasion. “Meanwhile I’m going to call Augustus,” Randolph explains and leaves the room hurriedly.
“A complete family meeting,” mutters Cassius, opening the fridge. He takes out a magnum of pink Gosset champagne and rips off the foil with practiced fingers. “Anybody know what it's all about?” He pops the cork and Ruth hands him the first glasses, but everybody is clueless.
Randolph presses his fingers against his temples and visualises Augustus. As soon as the picture of the short, stocky man appears before his mental eye, he murmurs: “Augustus, come to the castle, it’s important. Everyone is here.” He knows that the other man will ubilocate immediately. They’re all able to contact each other in this way, but if they respond to the call it’s of their own free will. Obviously Randolph as head of the family expects everyone to show up immediately. And immediately means by sheer mental power and concentration, without the help of slow human transport, like cars or planes. That’s what ubilocation is about, an immediate change of location. But over the last hundred years his patience has often been tested by the younger family members like Cassius, Ruth and Natalie. He is, however, prepared to adapt as this is the least of his problems with the difficult personalities of his family members. He can’t complain anyway, as his vote is always the final and decisive one in the selection process. This time it will be no different.
As soon as Randolph rejoins the others and raises his glass, Augustus enters the room. Randolph smiles, knowing he can always count on Augustus. “Thanks for appearing so quickly!”
“Hi Dad!” chirps Natalie, kissing the bearded man on the cheek. She hands him a glass of champagne which he eyes disapprovingly. He’s the family ascetic, not seeing the point in them eating and drinking like humans. But around Randolph he usually keeps quiet about his misgivings.
Randolph raises his glass again. “Now that we’re all finally here I want to tell you the reason for this urgent and rather formal gathering.” Cassius smiles. That’s one of the features he appreciates in his godfather so much, he always gets straight to the point. He considers his time too precious to waste with long speeches. “We’re facing an enormous task: after nineteen years a new shadow has appeared in the camera obscura.” Nobody dares to breathe and the silence in the room is heavy and daunting. Will’s glass stops moving halfway to his mouth. Rupert bites his lower lip. Ruth’s fingers tighten around the stem of her glass till she fears it might break. Augustus’ face is deathly pale. Cassius’ gaze shifts from one to the other, fascinated by the different reactions he is witnessing.
Natalie’s chocolate brown eyes shine excitedly as she breaks the silence. “Do you already know if it’s a man or a woman?” Randolph smiles at her impatience. As the youngest family member Natalie has never yet seen a selection process apart from her own.
“Of course not!” Ruth exclaims, her voice high and shrill. “At first it’s only a blurred shadow. It takes time to develop its form.” Randolph agrees.
“Right. Now, will you all participate in the search for the new family member?” Will and Rupert nod their heads, Natalie jumps up and down, quite unable to contain her excitement. How thrilling if she could find the new one! Ruth stares into her glass before draining it. She never thought there would be another ‘shadow hunt’, as they called it jokingly, so soon after Natalie had joined the family. It’s like a bad dream. She has to take control of the situation by forcing the choice. Augustus puts his untouched glass down on the kitchen table with shaking hands. With Natalie’s selection everything had gone well although he wanted to die each day of it, because what happened to the candidate beforehand had nearly destroyed him. As it had destroyed the candidate herself. He resolves not to join the shadow hunt as he had done when Natalie was selected. Someone else should find the new one. He is not ready for this challenge.
Chapter 2
September 2009
The night air is warm, not as sticky and hot as in summer, but fresh and soothing. A soft breeze stirs the leaves of the trees. All of a sudden dark clouds cover the moon and the stars. Ralph stands behind me, very close, as I search for my keys. It’s a good sign that he came to the door with me, maybe he wants to come up to my apartment. I do so hope he will. The moment I turn around to ask him he takes me into his arms and kisses me so hard that it nearly hurts. All the same, relief overcomes me, I’m so grateful for that kiss. All evening Ralph has ignored me and I kept thinking that he just wanted to get rid of me. I felt horrible. Now I lean against him and breathe in his familiar scent. Everything is all right again, nobody kisses this passionately if they want to end a relationship, do they? He’s surely only been moody as he so often is.
“Will you stay the night?” I whisper, holding my breath. Ralph takes a step back as if something has bitten him and shakes his head.
“No, I’ve got things to do,” he murmurs cryptically. What? I must have dreamt that kiss.
“Now?” I can’t resist asking although I know that will make him angry. But what can he possibly have to do at two in the morning?