A new Breath online chapter 0 - Out of breath
Thunderous rhythm resembling the pass of a storm, echoing through an old house filled with dust and oxide, trembling wood planks that fear steps of those who pass and a tired focused face that precedes determination and experience.
A man, named Basilis hammered a red piece of bended iron that looked like a scythe.
“Uh, finally ending my last work” said the man while plunging a red object into cold oil that whistled as they blended together. After doing the finishing touches, Basilis sighed at the sight of the plain old and just repaired scythe. “It is as people said… Passion is great and all, but they don't pay the bills if you are not lucky”. A doorbell was heard just as Basilis finished.
*Ding dong*
Surprise filled Basilis face as he thought “that old lady, just as I finished. Does she have some kind of clairvoyance? Oh well, she knows me for a long time, I guess she just knows.” “Oldie, are you a witch or something!?” He yelled.
“Your hammering can be heard in the whole town, you small minded idiot!” Replied the old grandma.
“Oh, right.” Thought Basilis as he opened the door for the old grandma.
*Whack!* A wood stick repeatedly hit Basilis right on his shoulders “Hey! Stop! Stop!”
*Whack*“That’s”*whack*”for”*whack*”calling me”*whack*”a witch!” Said the old grandma.
“Stop!” *Whack* “I am sorry!” With teary eyes as he tried to defend himself, rebuked Basilis.
“Humm! Good thing you know your place. Now gimme my thing!” Demanded the old grandma while holding her hand towards Basilis.
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“Give me some minutes, I just ended the piece. Need to pack it.” Replied Basilis as he left towards the counter.
“Ah, right… Boyo, is it true that you are stopping your work here?” Inquired the old gramma with a sad face.
“... Yes. Will start working in the supermarket. Nowadays a blacksmith is not needed with all the technology that we have.” He replied with a bitter smile as he packed the scythe in a wooden box.
Confusion filled the old grandma. “And what about Bask? I thought you were going to instruct him with your families forging techniques.”
Basilis replied with a flat tone. “I will be the last one, there’s no need for smith’s anymore, no need to curse my boy with such skills” He then gave the old grandma the box.
“But…” She tried to convince Basilis to keep on forging, she knew his family from old times. Smither from many generation ago, making any metal shine with lustre. The Chryso family. But when she saw his eyes, such lifeless ones, she knew he made his decision.
“Grandma, thanks for everything.” A true smile blossomed in his face, making her feel sad at the thought of the young boy who played by the river, stop his dreams of old.
“... good luck” Quietly said the grandma as she left the smith.
“Good luck, boyo”
*Later that night*
“Oh! Basilis!” Exclaimed a bulk man as he saw Basilis enter the town’s pub. With a cheery tone, Basilis replied as he sat down next to the man. “Hey there Alexander, how was business today?”
“Ha!” Laughed Alexander before gulping a big portion of his drink. “That hits the spot… Well, business is as always. Letonia says that at this pace we will have to sell the store and do the same as you.”
“Sancho! Give me your strongest ale! Two of them!” Shouted Basilis to the barkeep.
“Ohohohoho, what is wrong with you today? The cheapest fuck I know is giving me good ale!” Replied Alexander with a laugh and many other laughs were heard in the pub. A bit ashamed with the laughs, Basilis replied. “Ah, ended a delivery today, oldie gave me an extra.”
“Eh? An extra?” Cheerfulness disappeared from Alexander’s face. “That means… you done?” Whispered Alexander while moving closer to basilis, the smell of alcohol could be smelled from his mouth.
Basilis started to chug the big pint of ale that Sancho just gave him, stopped halfway the pint then said with a melancholic face. “Yes, no more, this old man has to change as time have changed. I've become like my old man in his days"
"A rusted hammer"