Amirhan, Part 8 - Gloves

- Do we know anyone else in this village except Khorixas, Enembe asked. - What about the owner of the grocery store?

- No, it does not help. Although he knows us, I have no idea where he lives. And we just cannot call him, I said.

- Damn Amirhan. Someone should figure out why cell phones do not work here. We can't even call Svetlana and tell her the situation. And it's too late to go back. We must find a place to stay overnight. We'd freeze to death outside.

Enembe was right, the situation did not look good. We walked the street up and down for a while but all houses were dark and there were no footprints on any doors. The whole village seemed abandoned.

- We need to find a place to sleep. I suggest that we break into Khorixas' place and explain him later when we see him, I finally said. Enembe nodded, so we walked back to his house. It was a two-storey house, and he had two guest rooms upstrairs. The house had a nice wooden veranda and a door with a mosquito net. Of course, the buildings were much better equipped against threats of hot environment than frost. We walked around the house but all windows and doors were locked. Finally I climbed to a balcony above the veranda, and luckily its door was unlocked. I turned the handle and the door opened softly. I walked into the guest room and closed the door behind me. Then I went downstairs and opened the front door for Enembe.

The house was very quiet and dark but I found a light switch and turned lights on. They worked just normally. The house looked as if someone had left for vacation. There were no dirty dishes in the kitchen, just a pair of oven gloves on the table. The fridge was empty. The heating was on but set to a lower temperature than normally. I was not sure what this meant, because Khorixas knew that we would be coming to buy supply and he had promised to be at home. Of course, the planned date was only next week, so he might be away only for a few days, it wasn't that strange. But again, why hadn't he mentioned any trip? And where were all his neighbours?

We would not learn much tonight, so we just went to the guestrooms. Enembe took the one facing the street, I took the one facing the back yard. It was usually more peaceful of the two, but now it was eerily quiet everywhere in the house. The bedsheets  smelled familiar, just like last time. Maybe they were the same, I don't think he had a lot of visitors. We said good night, turned off the lights and went to bed.

~x~

When I woke up in the morning, the sun was already shining. I thought I heard some noise from downstairs, as someone was putting plates and forks to the kitchen table. I sat up in the bed and brushed my hear with my fingers. Then I realised that there was a smell of fresh bread rolls in the air. Enembe was really doing his best. I jumped out of the bed to the floor and noticed that it was warmer than last night, so he had also turned the heat up as well. I walked to the stairs and went downstairs.

- Well good morning, there you are. Did you sleep well?, I heard from the kitchen. I was stunned by surprise. Then I heard some noise from upstairs. I turned around and saw Enembe walk down the stairs, yawning and scratching his two-day old stubble on his chin. He saw me and stopped, and looked toward the kitchen where an oven door was opened and closed.

- And Enembe, please come for breakfast, I just got everything set down here, Khorixas appeared from the kitchen and cheered. He was wearing the oven gloves I saw last night, and he had a baking tray with warm rolls in his hands.

Enembe looked at him for three long seconds, and then me, frowning, and then him again. I don't know what expression I had on my face but it did not clear Enembes thoughts. We walked to the kitchen and sat down warily. Khorixas put the rolls into a small basket on the table, whistling happily.

- It's good to see you here again. But you look a bit worried. Is there something wrong at the hub?

- Khorixas, are you not surprised to see us? I finally asked. - And where were you last night?

- No, of course I am not, I am happy to see you. And I didn't go anywhere, I just stayed up for a while after I let you in and you went to bed. You looked really tired.

It took a few seconds to understand what he just said. Enembe was quicker.

- You did not let us in! The house was abandoned, and we broke in through the balcony door, Enembe yelped.

- Why do you say that? Of course I let you in, Khorixas replied. - Why wouldn't I have let you in?
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Your topic for tomorrow is Parallel.