LUCEM
Chapter L

Moonflower stepped into the room where Marbella was. Greeting James with a nod as he passed by then walked to the side of the bed where Mars lay.

"Me or you're gonna bribe him?" Moonflower.

" Amm, what is that? Marbella looked into the ceramic pan in Moonflower's grasp. "Well, did you make for cauda?"

(Bagna cauda is read as banya cowda, a dish consisting of garlic, olive oil, and anchovies served in a ceramic pan.)

"Yes, I think this will help restore Mars' condition, you can bribe it now. It has been seasoned with magic," Moonflower said, handing a spoon to Marbella's hand.

He put the pot on a wooden tray on the table. Then sat next to Marbella holding a tray, staring at Mars who was seen sleeping with a calm look.

"How do I swallow?" Marbella was worried.

"Give me the spoon. I'm going to start with the oil, and I really hope he can eat the rest after waking up" Moonflower said.

Marbella handed the spoon in her hand to Moonflower. "It's hard to think well if you don't get your share of sleep in three days."

"Four days" Moonflower said.

"Yes, maybe four days," Marbella got up and moved the joints in her body that felt frozen. Wiggling and then he stepped out of the room for a moment to breathe in the fresh air outside. His legs felt floating as he stepped and his head felt heavy. Pulsating. He even lost interest in asking James when his sense of smell caught the sweet scent of biscuits emanating from James. Marbella just passed by the white mouse holding her breath and dragged her steps towards the courtyard. James breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fortunately good rat," he murmured. His little hand held his chest.

*******

Something touched my lips gently. Cold, no, it's a little warm. The touch that led me opened my lips slowly. "Oh, something slid in."

I tried to hold it in but it flowed quickly through the esophagus and....

"Mars!"

My ears caught a call and my eyelids opened quickly, my eyeballs hurt when they met a light that felt so dazzling. I narrowed my eyes and tried to raise my arm, but a palm preceded it.

"Marya?"

My lips mentioned the girl's name but my voice was stuck in my throat. I blinked my eyes to adjust the incoming light and slowly found Moonflower's mottled face smiling at me. I'm trying to get back at him. He slowly pulled his palm.

There was a residual salty and sticky taste lingering in the esophagus, I gulped and felt pain there. Moonflower turned to bring a glass of water from her hand. I grabbed it and my hand trembled helplessly as I touched the glass making small ripples at the water in the glass.

"Excuse me," said Moonflower, slipping her hand between my pillow and my nape.

He helped me sit up and drink water from a glass. Water is so hard to swallow. I had to close my eyes to force him inside.

"I'll feed you a little more, you need it" Moonflower said.

I stared at the spoon and what was inside moved towards my mouth. It took twice as much effort as the water to swallow. My throat was like swiping a rough wall as the oil from the spoon passed through it. I blinked my eyes slowly at Moonflower, begging her to stop the bribe.

"Some more," she understood.

"I didn't expect you to be so helpless without a good meal for a few days, look at this..," Moonflower touched my lips with her finger. Unable to be surprised, a sharp pain took over as he pressed the passage.

"Oouughh..," I groaned.

Moonflower's index finger stayed at the center of the pain for a while, and miraculously, the warmth spread there and relieved the pain.

"Here it is" he pulled his hand.

I blinked in disbelief, touched my teeth on my lips and rubbed them a few times. "Not sick." My voice sounds heavy.

Moonflower smiled happily. He was ready for the next feed. I put on a face but it didn't work to fend off the next mouthfuls. Slowly the pain in the throat subsided until I almost forgot the taste. A large bribe at the end as Marbella is seen entering the room. He's stunned. Smile approaching.

"You're great, thank you," Marbella hugged Moonflower.

I grabbed a glass at the table and drank it out.

"Remove, I'm so sleepy." Marbella grabbed the edge of my bed. He lay by my side and closed his eyes. It didn't take long, the fine snoring from the sleeping Marbella bending her body against the wall.

I pulled out the blanket wrapped around my feet and covered it.

"Do you want a restroom or something?" ask Moonflower slowly.

I shook my head. "I'm going to sleep."

"Not again!" Moonflower exclaimed with a pull of my arm as I prepared to lay down. Feels tired.

"You've been sleeping too much" Moonflower continued to prevent me.

I looked at him for a moment. "Alright, I'll just lie down and accompany Marbi."

I lay down, wrapped my hands around Marbella's belly and leaned against her back. His regular heartbeat made me feel the calmness that flowed through my body fast. So serene.

Moonflower touched my shoulder and whispered. " Don't sleep, I'll go back to check on you."

Moonflower's footsteps sounded away and stopped before reaching the door. "Follow me!"

I turned to look, there was James there, standing on a wooden chair and nervously shaking hands all over his body to his feet, as well as a stupid smile on his face. He went down the chair carefully and stood up straight. The old rat looked different in a relaxed moment, I thought. He's funny, funny mouse. I let go of the gazes as the two disappeared behind the door, re-hugging Marbella, inhaling the gentle scent of her brown hair. Trying to take all the calm I can get. Something that was lost.

Marbella breathes slowly and regularly. I propped my body up, looking at my brother's face. Very calm, but the fatigue was etched clearly under his dark eye line. "I'm making you tired again, aren't I?"

"Marbi, I promise..I will—I will have to take the helm of my own life among the living, and even if we find a storm or tranquility on the way, I will,  we still have to arrive at a good port in the end."

I left a kiss on Marbella's brown hair and let her continue to sleep. I walked towards the other room, walking slowly as if this was the first time I found this house and entered room by room.

My steps stopped in front of Mary's half-opened door. Moonflower was there, talking to Maria who was lying on the bed. Is Maria sick?

I was stunned for a long time there, not yet deciding whether to enter or not. When Sam's rat interjected to enter, I decided to go with him.