(Author's Note - Narrator)
- 27 Oct, Orpheum Theater, Baltimore.
A black Cadillac stopped in front of the theater where Mr. Azounian was changing the marquee. A man in suit with a tiny hat got down from a car with a thick manila envelope.
"Greeting, Sir. I'm Federico." he introduced himself, "I've read Giles work from my friend's publisher, and I have few question."
Mr. Azounian sulked his face as he barely remember Giles's work beside painting. But last week before he left he went to a post office with a thick envelope in his hands. It must be that book!
"Oh, Giles's fan!" he said, and took a sigarette out from his mouth, "Nice to meet you, but I'm sorry, he already move out, sir."
"But he mention his neighbor" he said, and looked down on his sticky note, "Ms. Esposito,is she here?" He asked.
"No, sir, she moved out with Giles after she married?" Mr. Azounian sound hesitated at the last word, "But not to Giles, though. She said she and Giles will be move into her husband house?"
"Hmm" The man took a deep breath, trying to come up with at least one excuse, "Can I see the apartment?"
Mr. Azounian looked at him skeptically. He's redoing the room, why does this man need to see Giles apartment?
"Giles mention his apartment in his book", The man said quickly, "I want to see what it really look like"
(Author's Note - Giles's Point Of View)
Dimitri repainted the van, and changed the licence plate as all the stuff that the fishguy need spreaded wild on the ground. Elisa have already put few supplement the fishboy need in the back at the van as he was dragging the cooler inside the cabin.
"Are you sure we can fit everything in there?" Zelda asked as she's holding a large algae box.
I placed the painting bucket on the ground, and check the cabin. There are few spaces left for sitting if we squeeze in, but after looking at all the stuff we'll need to add in...we might need a new van
"These are definitely essentials." Dimitri replied as he's pointing at bucket of licence plates.
"What if we throw out all the clothes?" Elisa signed, and pointed at everyone's luggages.
(Author's Note - Zelda's Point Of View)
Goodbye, my dear hat. Goodbye, my lovely shoes...I thought as we threw away our luggage. But at least we manage to fit everything the fishguy needed inside, and have few spaces for us to sit. From now on all we needed is luck for us to drive from DC to Panamá without police stopping us.
Dimitri, and Giles took the front seat, as Elisa, and I sat in the cabin with the fishguy who was sitting in the cooler. He looked at the view in amusement as a boy in the van next to us waving at him. But all excitement ended right after the boy tapped his parent's shouldders.
"Mommy! fishman!" I read his mouth.
Elisa quickly covered the Asset as I made funny face at the window to make the parents think it's me. We got bored along the way, and decide to "Never have I ever" by letting everyone write the question. I handed the fishguy the paper too, but he might have no idea how to write...right? I know he can understand english, but can his webbed hand write? I thought as I put his paper in the jar, and hand it to Giles
"Never have I ever Broken something at a friend's house and then not told them." Giles read.
"I did", I replied quickly since it's not anyone's house in the van, "I broke a tiny statue in Yolanda's house last year."
"Woah" Giles chuckled, "Easier than I thought" he added as he read another one, "Never have I ever get laid in a bathroom in my friend's house.".
"Interesting" Dimitri laughed.
"WHO WROTE THIS!?" Giles flushed as he look at the paper.
"You did?" Elisa signed shakily as she laughed.
"I was 18th, and drunk!" Giles protested.
We don't know who wrote that but we can't wait until it's ours! / There are so many things we want to know about Elisa and some question in there are dirty too! / It would be fun!
"Let me read" Zelda took the jar from Giles, and read the next paper, "Never have I ever stole a book to pleasure myself while reading" / BINGO! FINALLY!
That one is ours! Elisa's cheeks flushed adorably before she cover her face / Zelda nodded with smirk, "I think I know where magazines in the locker room go now" / We guested our woman must be very intesrest in this stuff / Zelda looked at the next paper we guess this game is all about mating /
"Never have I ever stay virgin over 30s and have to masturbate with a fruit because people think I'm a weirdo."
"ME!" Dimitri shouted excitedly as we raised our hand / WE DID!
"God you guys are weirdos" Zelda sighed.
(Author's Note - Elisa's Point Of View)
We bought food at the gas station, and check-in a motel in New-Orleans. It looked old and dirty just like how cheap the price was. A worker said all water in every room are pumped from the sea because he want to avoid chlorine and chemicals, but honestly it look like more like they can't afford it.
I'm glad that at least we'll stay there only one night, not only because I'm worried about the Asset, but after everyone realized I'm pregnanted, they suddenly become more demanding. Started with Zelda told me to eat more specific food, and then Dimitri, and Giles demand me to sit on the bed as they prepare the tub for the Asset. I felt like all burdens were gone, but at the same time, I felt guilty for letting everyone worked while I sat and relaxed.
We changed the licence plate in the second night when we finally reach Mexico city. I'm glad that no one notice us, but I'm starting to worried that the stuffs that the Asset needed began to decreased more and more throughout the trip from Mexico City to Panamá.
(Author's Note - Narrator)
- Giles Old Room
The smell of new wallpapers clouded in the air while Federico looked around the room that has nothing but the morning sun, and few paintings that leaning on the floor against the wall. All of them are sketches delicately with coals into The Shape Of Water...behind a miracle lover.
"He gave me all his arts", Mr. Azounian said as Federico walked closer to the sketch of a woman holding a sea creature, "I've earn few bugs to redo my theater from them, and planing to keep these"
Federico looked at the sketch in front of him as if he was swimming in the meaning, and the story behind it.
"That's Elisa" Mr. Azounian pointed at the woman in the sketch, "Most of Giles work lately are waters stuff", he added, "She even flooded her bathroom for his inspiration" he laughed.
It was merely a grinned at the edge of his mouth while the memories of the past that will never come back reminded him that he've lost them both.
"How much does it cost?." Federico asked and pointed at the sketch in front of him.
"I'm sorry, sir. I'm not selling it, can you take that one instead?", Mr. Azounian asked, and pointed at another painting.
"$2000" Federico replied, "For only this painting...please" he begged.
We stopped at the new cave called "Motel Of Panamá" as Elisa selpt deeply after prepared the pond for us / We played with the lights on the tiny currents and stared up at the tiny hole at the top of the cave's wall / We sense something we've felt before it's not exactly the same but it's a lot stronger as if it's the emanation of the presense we felt long time ago /
We rose up from our tiny pond and looked at Elisa and Zelda as they were still sleeping / We signed "I'll be back" with a chirp before we left the door / It took a while for us to finally found the way out of this big cave and then head to the road / We sniffed the the cold air, and used our spirit as the guide /
We followed the path and keep our eyes at the where we came from to make sure we can go back / The road was emptier than we thought due to the moon that floating in the sky / Everything was fine until we notice 2 lights coming from far away! We quickly look around to find the place we were looking for...
(Author's Note - Elisa's Point Of View)
I opened my eyes and sighed. It's been a while since in put Asset in the tub, maybe it's time to feed him. I forced myself to get off from bed, and found the front door left open! I jumped off from bed, grabbed my red shoe, and I quickly shook Zelda who woke up drowsily.
"wha-what?" she asked and I pointed at the opened door, "FUCK!" She shouted after she finally know what I mean.
The next door opposite us opened, I'm glad there were no guess in this motel except our group. Giles, and Dimitri looked rushed to our room in confuse. We locked our room and rushed out from the motel.
I glad that the street was empty. We pointed our flashlights around as I tried not to panic. The last time he ran out it was still in Baltimore, and not far from my apartment, but now we're in a strange place, why did he go!? I hate stressing because it did no good to our baby but I can't lose him! after we get this far, I don't know what to do next as a mother of our child if I lose him forever.
We followed his wet foot print that started to fading before it stopped in front of a house where an old woman waiting for us. I don't know who is she, and I don't care, all I wanted to know is where his he! The old woman looked at everyone in our group, and then at me in surprise. She looked down on my red shoe with a wide eyes and big smile before she look back on my face.
"Jacqui?"
Guess who's Federico, based on real person in real life! I'm writting Christmas card to Sally, if you have anyword to tell her, leave it in the comment, I'll put in the card too:)