This is the chapter I'm least happy with…
Chapter three: Yellow
"Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot; others transform a yellow spot into the sun." - Pablo Picasso
Sebastian watched from the kitchen window in exasperation as Finny ran around the garden waving what seemed to be a garden rake in his hand. Obviously he'd not realised that the herbicide sprinkler was still broken because where ever he ran, a trail of death followed. Sebastian winced in sympathy for the grass and hoped that his cat was nowhere near.
It continued for some time until the entire lawn looked like a field of recently cropped corn. Finny stood horrified in the middle of the yellow abomination which for a second before bursting into tears and running inside, dropping his beloved straw hat along the way.
Sebastian braced himself for the impact which was to follow.
"Uwah… Mr Sebastian! Mr Sebastian, I accidently…"
"Killed the garden."
They turned to see Ciel standing in the doorway watching them with what almost seemed to be an amused expression on his face. In his left hand he held Finny's hat and a bag full of money.
"Go and buy some new plants."
"Yes sir."
Finny sniffled before hurrying out.
"You stopped me berating him."
Ciel shrugged nonchalantly.
"It's autumn. The plants are almost dying anyway."
They both watched the trees shedding their leaves in thick cascades of yellow for a while.
"It is a dying world," Ciel added.
"To give a servant money to spend and not deduct it from their wages is…"
Sebastian smiled as his master glared angrily at him.
"I know… Not kindness, but you merely have no more need for the money."
"I want a chocolate gateaux for tea. Bring it up to me in my study."
"Yes, my lord."
The colour yellow reminded Ciel of gold. Ciel was not overly fond of money; he would have no need for it in the afterlife; for now, it was merely something which could enable him to live in comfort. The thought of his death did not worry him, he felt peace as he realised that it was almost over.
All this mulled over as he ascended the marble staircase and entered his study.
Upon reaching his desk, he found a parcel on his desk from Lau which he had been too lazy to open the previous night. Even without opening it, he knew what was inside: crisp banknotes as payment for a favour which he had completed recently.
He threw the parcel aside in frustration; he really did not want more money and by chance it fell into the unlit hearth. It looked right there, nestled amongst the ashes of the morning. Ciel struck a match and threw it in and watched as the yellow flames curled around the paper, greedily consuming it as quickly as a man in need.
He continued to watch the hearth, mesmerised even when the fire had all gone out, watching to glowing embers in the ashes. Sebastian found him there, kneeling on the floor, watching the cold ashes.
"Young master? What were you doing?"
"I was cold," he said.
More soon.