Venice At Last
It was already mid-autumn when Bo & I reach Venice, the world full of wonders, that our mother talked so much about that it felt like home the minute we step out of the train onto the platform. As we walk out of the station, my little brother clutching my hand tightly, me carrying a backpack that contained a few necessities, I am scared beyond measure. What if Venice was not what my mother talked about? What if they don't exist at all? The lions with wings growling, the golden horses reaching for the starry sky, the high chapels with beautiful glass stained windows, the gondolas floating on the water enticing passersby, the nymphs coming out of the water to dance by twilight? What if they were just my mother's stories & nothing else? How will Bo feel then?
My brother must have doubts coursing through him too because the hand that holds mine suddenly tightened its grip & felt cold & clammy. "It's all right Bo. Nothing to worry about. We are in Venice finally. Uncle Max and Aunt Esther will never find us here." I tell him. "We are safe here?" Bo asks softly. "Of course, Bo. Trust me" I say & give him a smile. He grins happily in response & hugs me tight. I can't help but laugh & hug him back.
"Come on. Let's go." I pull him along, out of the railway station, onto the streets of Venice. Ah, Freedom at last. Bo & I look around, drinking in the beauty of Venice. The pigeons outnumber the people on the streets, flapping and cackling away to glory. There are lions on nearly every building, some peaceful, some angry, some standing, some lying down; but all are winged and graceful. I run my fingers along the wall of the nearest building. The stones feel different, very different from the ones at home. Old and strong and smooth. The gondolas are visible in the canal, black and gold colored, shining in the sunset. Bo will want to ride in them, but I hate water. Still, I'll go with him. Can't let him out of my sight.
Just as I think this, Bo pulls his hand away from mine and skips away from me to a fountain spewing arcs of clear water, glowing red in the sunset. I sigh, then run after him, shouting at him to wait for me. "Come on, Prop." he says, now at the edge of the fountain, waving and grinning at me. I hurry up to his side. "Stick together Bo", I warn him. "Sorry Prop." he says sheepishly. "But look lets make a wish. Please Prop please." I sigh and as his insistence persists I hand him a coin and take one myself. We both make a wish and drop the coins at the same time where they join the other glistening coins at the bottom. We watch it for awhile.
"Lets go." I say after a few minutes of silence. Bo holds my hand again and walk into the streets of Venice. Our new home. I hope that my wish, that Bo is never taken away from me and that I can give him a home, comes true.