When the Sun Disappears

By Mivi Sf

I was born in Cuba and currently live in the United States. Since I was a girl I've been into art, I studied ballet and acting, and also learnt photography; now I'm in the fashion world. as you can see I've always liked art in general.

I finally realized that the characters that lived with me had to come to light, so I decided to share thi

• Language: English
• Publisher: ibukku, LLC
• Release date: Jun 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781640865792

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When the sun disappears

MIVISF

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the copyright holders. The infringement of such rights may constitute an intellectual property offense.

The content of this work is the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.

Published by Ibukku.

www.Ibukku.com

Graphic design: Índigo Estudio Gráfico

Copyright © 2020 MIVISF

All rights reserved.

ISBN Paperback: 978-1-64086-578-5

ISBN eBook: 978-1-64086-579-2

Content

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1

Red Planet

Chapter 2

Earth

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Exit

Chapter 5

To Fly

Chapter 6

A great mystery is discovered

Chapter 7

White Sheets

Chapter 8

At 6 o’clock sharp

Chapter 9

Can you love and hate at the same time?

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Among black wings

Sofia’s Thoughts

First memory

Acknowledgments

This book is dedicated to all romantics. Those who have fallen madly in love with an impossible love, or perhaps, with love itself.

To my grandfather Pipo, my Ciriaco. To my husband, for always being with me and supporting me in everything; to my family and friends. Thanks to life for reminding me of the little girl who lives inside me, the one who always wanted to write books about love, about the characters who lived in my mind and always wanted to fly…

The world is composed of pure magic, we just have to give ourselves the opportunity to believe in the wonderful things, in the moments we have kept in our hearts; those are the ones that, in the end, when nothing makes sense, will help us survive on Earth. Take care of your memories…

Introduction

When the sun disappears, the clouds change and form different figures in the sky, while the palms turn from one side to the other, the air complicit in their movements. The moon, on the other hand, is putting on her favorite dress, she knows she is going to meet him tonight.

We were lovers of speed, also of the freedom that had already been stolen from us, making us believe destiny was the same for everyone. Everyone on earth was looking for a place to call home, we, instead, just wanted to be immortal…

When one door opens, so do all the others. The magic begins with a smile and a moment. The feathers cross from one side to the other and become wings that come to rest on an electric cable, while I ask myself: What are they doing there? All the birds, entertained as if in a hookah party, watching the sun set among the trees, have you seen them?

Have you ever fallen in love with a wandering memory or a fugitive gaze? Have you searched through the shadows for moments that have gone by with the ticking of the clock? To close your eyes and look beyond the things that force us to assume, to think that in every corner there is a reason to believe in magic, maybe trust was the first word we should have learned, even before love; love is a big word, but if you don’t believe, nothing will happen.

I had met him without meeting him. Even before we were born, they said that everything was written, but we were never one of those who conformed to their destiny; perhaps we were rebels looking for a different path, or perhaps a different ending.

Chapter 1

Red Planet

Not remembering is like not living, or maybe feeling that we are in a borrowed body, playing a game that is not ours. My mother looked at me from the kitchen and I couldn’t recognize her, even though I tried, we didn’t have any pictures with family photos, or albums, nothing that would help us to have an identity.

–Don’t forget to take your potion, –said my mother.

–I won’t forget, I promise, –I answered as she walked out the door.

And they say a promise should never be broken.

On the red planet we met every Friday and they made us take a potion, that’s what they called it, we didn’t have much information about it, we just knew that if we didn’t take it, we would die. Supposedly that helped us to develop our minds further. No one remembered their past and that always alarmed us. One afternoon at Betty’s house, we were playing, and my wrist didn’t look like it usually did; a compass appeared out of nowhere at the top, near my veins and it was something very strange. Betty started touching my arm and we were scared. From then on, since we didn’t have any information or access to the meeting room where all the files were kept, we decided to keep it a secret. Betty was my best friend, and we didn’t know why at the time, but we had a lot in common: Betty’s hair was as red as blood, her cheeks freckled, and her lips were naturally pink; her eyes were the color of the sky. Betty is the kind of girl who brings out the good in every situation, she was always happy and telling her a secret was like not telling anyone, she was good at keeping them.

On the red planet everything was very advanced, we had spaceships, but we did not understand why, since we never went out in them. We could not wear any other color than red and everything we wore arrived in a gray ship and was distributed in the meeting room; families lined up to wait their turn.

My father had acquired a Robot for his work, he was the second in command, he was under a gentleman who was called Marcus. Mr. Marcus always looked very suspicious, he would disappear for months and then come back with new things; we never knew where he was going until one day everything changed, I don’t know if for better or for worse. What we thought our world was, was only an illusion or maybe we were about to discover other mysteries.

Bug was a Robot that made breakfast, cleaned the house and of course collected all the things from my room; he took care of everything. My name is Sofia T... I almost forgot.

Once I was coming down the stairs –I don’t remember the time, or the day, because clocks were forbidden on the red planet, we didn’t have telephones to communicate either, or televisions –and I saw that they were building something outside the city that looked very strange, it was like a big ship. Marcus’ wife had come to do some tests on people.

Step by step I stopped just before reaching the kitchen, where Bug was moving and making strange sounds; the voice of David, my father’s brother, could be heard from there:

–You have to get away and find out once and for all where Marcus is going.

–Are you crazy? David, you’re losing your mind.

–It’s the only alternative. –Are you sure no one’s listening?

His voice for the first time terrified me, what’s going on here? –I said to myself, not knowing if I was close to discovering anything. My mother had always told me not to listen behind closed doors, but perhaps behind them I could discover who I was and fear, as always, would come over me.

–I’m sure. –Sophia is in her room and Susan is out with Marcus’ wife. –said my father, convinced that I would not listen to a word.

–This is crazy. –My father, as always, was a little more rational.

–Yes, I’m crazy, I haven’t taken the potion and I’m still alive. –David repeated, who by this time had lost his mind.

–I knew it, those dreams I’d been having were more than that. –Said my father, which surprised me.

–They’re not dreams, Taylor, they’re memories. –David was trying to convince him however he could.

Meanwhile, I sat down on the step and my skin didn’t feel like it did before, I couldn’t listen anymore because my father started to go up the stairs, and I went back to my room so that no one could see me. Going from one side of my room to the other, my head was spinning through a thousand questions, "Where are my memories? –I couldn’t cope with my head anymore, it wasn’t easy to contain myself, so I went downstairs and made a sound with my throat, interrupting my father.

–Sofia, I’m a little busy. –he said, excited and nervous.

–Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll get my mother. –I said trying to get out of it.

–Of course, I’ m sure you’re going to go see Betty. –My father was very good at knowing when I was lying, it came naturally to him.

–It’ll just be a little while.

–Okay, but don’t be long, aren’t you going to say hello to your uncle? –he said as my Uncle David fixed his red shirt.

I walked quickly and got to Betty’s house faster than usual. I put my eye on the detector on the door, because on the red planet all the houses were the same and had the same design; to get in anywhere on the planet we had to put our eye on the detectors.

Hands ready in a jar where she kept what saved her life every afternoon. –Betty, can we talk?

–Don’t scare me, that face doesn’t bring good news.

We went up to her bedroom closing the glass door and trying not to be heard, I took a white board she had and then I wrote:

–I heard my father and David talking about something very crazy and far-fetched. There’s another planet as you and I suspected, remember the dreams I’ve had about the boy and the skateboard?

Betty took another smaller board she had next to her bed.

–Yes, I remember.

–Well, now I’m beginning to believe that they weren’t dreams, but memories.

–Memories? –wrote Betty in terror.

–Yes

–That’s impossible, –she wrote again.

–David has stopped taking the potion.

–He can’t do it, he’ll die.

–My father will go to another strange place.

–Your father would never leave you. –Betty’s eyes expressed pain.

–That’s why I’m sure I’ll leave, I wanted to come and tell you this secret, because if another planet exists and I discover my memories, I’ll come for you.

–This is all very strange, Sofia.

We talked for a long time until our brains were exhausted, and I finally came home. From my mother’s room we could hear words breaking through glass walls and I couldn’t hear them, but from the sound of them it seemed like a fight. My parents never fought, but I guess the new planet thing was the reason.

Later I was asleep, and my father touched me slowly:

–Sofia, –he said in a very soft voice, –we have to go.

–What’s wrong, Dad? –Where to? –I said as I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn’t dreaming again.

–Get dressed, we don’t have much time, –repeated my father.

I went out the window shortly after my father closed the door, I ran as hard as I could until I touched the glass window in Betty’s room.

–Are you crazy, Sofia? –My mother could hear.

–I told you, Betty, it was true, I’m leaving. My father woke me up in the middle of the night.

–Wait –she said as I turned my back on her.

–I don’t like goodbyes, Betty.

I came home and went downstairs as if nothing was happening.

–Give me some potions, –said my father with a worried face. You could tell he wasn’t sure what we were doing.

–Honey, this is crazy and just some of David’s irrational thoughts , I’ m sure. Not taking the potion made him crazy –my mother as always, eloquent and rational.

–If you want to abandon me, I understand, but I have to go.

There was no way to control my father and we had always been very close, so it was the right time to show that we were still a family, even though we knew nothing about each other.

–Taylor, we don’t even know if that planet exists.

–Susan, we have to try.

–Yes, Mom, I agree with my father. –We have to try.

–So, you know? –said my father staring at me through those eyes that accused me.

–I’m sorry dad, yesterday I accidentally heard a little bit of what you and my uncle were talking about and the truth is I’ve always wondered: who am I and why don’t I remember anything? Every day I wake up blank and I want to remember, I want to know who I am.

–I can’t go against two, –said my mother without being able to hold the words in her mouth. We’ll go.

We ran like fugitives. I don’t think I ever felt this connection with my parents; the idea that we had each other was what motivated us. We wanted to be free and freedom had a price. We finally managed to get inside the ship, Marcus couldn’t see us because we hid behind a shelf which I never really knew what it was. We heard a sudden noise in the back and my father moved a little bit carefully to find out where that noise was coming from; to our surprise Betty came out from that room and immediately frightened my father.

–Are you crazy? Have we all gone crazy? –What are you doing here, Betty? –asked my father angrily.

–I’m sorry Mr. Taylor, but I couldn’t leave Sofia, besides, I want to know more about my past too.

–What kind of mess have we gotten ourselves into? Come on, come this way and be quiet, –said my father in a whisper, while my mother and I could not say a word; I just opened my eyes with deep happiness because I would not be alone in the adventure.

It was too late to return to the red planet, we had already left the frequency, so Betty was on board. My father’s first words when he arrived on Earth were, I knew it. This was all he said when we managed to escape from the ship very cautiously so that no one could see us, although we were not so lucky, because running down one of the corridors my mother dropped the brown rucksack containing the potions; we couldn’t keep walking without it or we would die, so we had to pick up the rucksack and at that moment an old lady with white hair came and took my arm.

–What are you doing here? –she asked.

My wrist started to turn in my pulse, she couldn’t stop looking at us.

–Wait, –she said again, –you come from the red planet?

–How do you know about our planet? –said my father who was already terrified.

–Come this way, –she said without hesitation.

We had no choice but to follow this suspicious-looking mysterious lady. She led us into a room full of mirrors while we were in the center.

–How did they get to Earth?

–Earth? –said my mother, finally uttering a word.

–Yes, Earth, that’s what we call our planet.

–So, it’s true. –What’s Marcus doing here? –said my father as he touched his head, a gesture he only made when he was worried about something.

–You have made a mistake and I think I know who can help you, –she said as she stared at us.

–If you can explain it to us, perhaps we could understand things better, –said my father, who was still a little confused.

–You cannot stay here; you will die if anyone finds you on Earth.

–We don’t understand, who are you? –asked my mother, approaching the lady and looking at her very closely.

–I would like to know, too, –said the lady, who had already made my father desperate by now.

–You have no memory, so you are one of us?

–Let us say that I pretended to be one of them, but I liked your courage and that of your family, and for that reason alone I am going to help you.

–This is very strange, we can’t trust you, –said my mother as she took my father by the arm.

–Do you have a choice? –said the confident lady.

–No, ma’am, –I said, stepping forward and looking at my mother.

–Then you’ve got to trust me, I’ll take you to Andrew, I’ll leave you at his door and no one will be informed that you’ve met me, no questions asked.

–Okay, that’ how it’ll be –said my father, making a rather strange pact with the first Earth woman we had ever met.

–This way, follow me…

Chapter 2

Earth

We got into a car, that’s what the white-haired lady who hadn’t said her name yet and apparently wouldn’t say it, called it. On the way behind a black, armored window I tried to see what they called Earth, it looked so beautiful and so colorful that it was impossible for me not to look.

–What’s that, Dad? –I said as I looked at some huge green things coming out of the ground.

–I don’t know daughter, Earth appears to be very different from what we know.

The car left us in front of a door, a two-story wooden house. I liked the mailbox. I learned this word from the driver of the car who did not hesitate to tell me what it was; he kept asking me questions, while my father said to wait right there. He walked a few steps, my mother was not at ease, so he insisted that the three of us go. Betty hadn’t said a word, her eyes couldn’t believe that there really was another world other than the red planet.

At last we knocked on the door and a young man opened it as the black, armored car drove off and left us helpless in a place we did not know.

–Hello, can I help you? –said the young man, his hair standing up in the air and his eyes expressing great loneliness, it seems that he needed us or was waiting for us. Two words I learned from this boy.

–Yes, I’m looking for Andrew, –said my father as he approached him and imitated his movements.

–It’s me, and you are...?

–Are you sure? You look very young, –said Dad.

My father was impressed with Andrew because, as David had said, we had to find Andrew, a gray-haired, wrinkled gentleman.

–I see. –You’re here to find my father. I am so sorry; he has passed away.

–I think you should let me in, I have something to tell you.

Andrew looked at my father as if he recognized him from somewhere and didn’t hesitate to let us in and start talking to us.

–You will think I am mad, but I have come from another planet and all I have is this, –said my father, holding up a chain.

–It can’t be, –said Andrew as he put on some glasses that looked dirty.

While my father was talking to Andrew, I was amusing myself by looking at the house and the furniture. Everything was very different.

–So, you’ll help us?

–I have my father’s house, who died recently. It’s dusty, since no one’s been in it since he died, it’s just a few blocks from here; you can stay there while you sort it out. I think if things are as you tell me, Taylor, you should be careful, those people are sure dangerous. My father died doing research and I always saw him on the computer researching about other planets, –said Andrew trying to help.-I’ll be grateful, –said my father, trying to look like him, imitating the hand gesture. Earthlings shake hands when they make a promise.

–Who are they? Andrew did not hesitate to ask.

–My daughters Sophia T and Betty. –My father had decided to call Betty his daughter on Earth, so we would avoid further explanation.

–Well, I suppose they have to find a job, studying can’t be possible for now, although I’ll try to get them some papers so they can be normal on earth.

–Normal on Earth? –said Betty with a mischievous smile which showed that she found this young Andrew attractive.

–Let’s start at the beginning, I see this seems harder than I thought, –said Andrew as he brought us a jug of water and something he called tea, and invited us to sit down. We all settled down on the beige couch that was right next to something the earthlings call a fireplace.

–Well, they have to look as Earth-like as possible, which means that... –Susan is her name, right? –said Andrew looking at my mother.

–Yes, that’s right ––At last my mother had said a word.

–Well, Susan, you’ll have to find a job, it’s not compulsory, but it will be best for you to help your husband and look like an earthling.

Andrew was full of doubts and my father tried to explain, although apparently there were many differences between the two planets.

–Andrew, on the red planet we all followed some rules and our language seems to be very different; we would like you to explain this to us in more detail, if possible, –said my father trying to look friendly, although in reality his look said that he was very worried about what awaited us. This was totally unknown to us; we had always been guided by Marcus.

–I see. The girls must study, and they can also work if they wish. In the university cafeteria I have a friend who could help them with that, he is divorced and needs a hand. Thomas is a wreck, poor thing.

–And you think this will work? We don’t know anything about the planet, –said my father, putting his hands to his face. These gestures were of extreme concern.

–It’s a pity my father is dead, he could certainly be of more help to you, but let me get the keys, we have to start somewhere.

My father, being scared, didn’t hesitate to be clear with Andrew:

–I have another request.

–Sure, tell me.

–Please don’t talk about this to anyone, understand that my family’s life is in your hands.

–Don’t worry, Taylor, for the sake of my father’s memory. It’s funny, because I never believed him, –he said as his eyes grew sad, which filled my heart with a strange melancholy.

The first watch I ever saw marked 6 p.m., and it caught my eye because it looked so much like the compass that came out of my arm.

–What’s that? –I asked, pointing at the clock.

–That’s called a clock, –Andrew didn’t hesitate to answer as always, he was a very nice boy.

–I’d heard about the clock, it’s like the king of time or something, –I said, looking for a better answer.

–Well, here on earth it has another meaning, –replied Andrew.

–So, what does the clock do? –I kept filling Andrew with questions.

–It helps you with the time and it helps you to know what day it is, when your birthday is... Well, Sophia, I don’t know what we would do on Earth without time.

–Oh, interesting. –And what time is it? –I kept asking questions and Andrew looked at me, apparently, he knew he was going to have a big task.

–I think I’ll have to prepare you a bit before you go to college, it’s six o’clock ––he said, as he took some keys in his hands and we walked out of his house to get into an old car he had outside,