The Dreamer: List 1

The twos and threes lifted from the page and waved for the others to join them. The fives and sevens sprang upward, and finally, after much prodding, the fours, ones, and sixes came along.

But the nines and zeros would not budge, so the others left them. They held hands in a long procession of tiny figures, flew across the room, and escaped through the window crack.

He certainly could not be expected to finish his homework with only the lazy zeros and nines lolling on the page.

He knew that he should rest in order to recuperate from his illness.

Outside, the winter world was gray and sodden. The earth turned to mud, and a small stream flowed through a hole in the ramshackle fence.

Outside, the winter world was gray and sodden. The earth turned to mud, and a small stream flowed through a hole in the ramshackle fence.

At the moment, no one lived next door. Still, Neftalí always imagined a friend on the other side, waiting for him—someone who might enjoy watching flotsam drift downriver, who collected twisted sticks, liked to read, and was not good at mathematics, either.

Raindrops strummed across the zinc roof. Water mysteriously trilled above him, worming its way indoors.

He looked out at the river Cautín, pattering through the forest.

A carpet of rain swept in and carried Neftalí to the distant ocean he had only seen in books. There, he was the captain of a ship, its prow slicing through the blue.

“Stop that incessant daydreaming!” The white tip of Father’s yellow beard quivered as he clenched and unclenched his narrow jaw. “And why are you out of bed?”

Neftalí averted his eyes.

“N-n-n-no, Father,” stammered Neftalí.

His mind wandered:
To the monster storm raging outside, which startled the roof. To the distant rumble of the dragon volcano, Mount Llaima, which made the floors hiccup. To the makeshift walls of his timid house, trembling and cowering from the roar of passing trains. To the haphazard design of the room with incomplete stairs, which might have led to a castle on another floor, but had long been deserted in the middle of construction.

His mind wandered:
To the monster storm raging outside, which startled the roof. To the distant rumble of the dragon volcano, Mount Llaima, which made the floors hiccup. To the makeshift walls of his timid house, trembling and cowering from the roar of passing trains. To the haphazard design of the room with incomplete stairs, which might have led to a castle on another floor, but had long been deserted in the middle of construction.

His mind wandered:
To the monster storm raging outside, which startled the roof. To the distant rumble of the dragon volcano, Mount Llaima, which made the floors hiccup. To the makeshift walls of his timid house, trembling and cowering from the roar of passing trains. To the haphazard design of the room with incomplete stairs, which might have led to a castle on another floor, but had long been deserted in the middle of construction.

His big brother stood in front of the dresser, his dark hair disheveled, hands clasped at his chest, and his short muscular body standing as tall as he could make it.

Neftalí pulled out his chair and quietly sat down. Maybe there would not be a confrontation.

“My teacher and the headmaster say...that if I study music, I might be able to get a scholarship to the conservatory.”

“He is fifteen years old. In a few years he will be on his own. This diversion will serve him no purpose nor assure him a job.”

Reluctantly, Neftalí held out his hands while Rodolfo shoved the wool over his fingers.

“Keep up with me!” called Rodolfo.
But Neftalí had already stopped to examine a clump of knotted roots protruding from the base of a beech tree.

Rodolfo caught up to him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him up. “You are dim-witted. Why must we stop at every brainless thing? Can you not walk like other boys?”

Neftalí thought he heard the wind roar, until he realized it was Rodolfo and a group of boys laughing and pointing at his feeble attempts.

When Neftalí finally turned toward the ridicule, he tried to puff up his chest and walk taller.