The Waterfall - 5

The waterfall was the bridge, the only way between the lives of everyone I knew and the facility where I was left like a stray cat.
_{The Waterfall - 1 by @wakeupkitty}

Aku hanya punya 100$ hasil kerja paksa selama tinggal di sanatorium, itupun setelah dipotong pajak.
Bagaimana caranya uang tersebut bisa menjadi 10.000$ dalam sekejap.
_{The Waterfall - 2 by @fadthalib}

Fraud was the only way to make 10 thousand or more out of those pathetic 100$. I knew the old man was a gambler, a gambler and a drunk. I would make him join the lottery, the one I set up for him.
_{The Waterfall -3 by @wakeupkitty}

Why is this stone so valuable to you?
It's a snake gemstone, who ever wear.it will be immune to snake venom. I got it from my grandfather, Wongsodikromo, a Javanese man.
I just smiled a little while saying, how lucky the person who found it.
_{The Waterfall - 4 by @fadthalib}

I crawled into my hut with a full stomach.

Gouda, known for its cheese how I missed that treat but the town wasn't nearby. Edam also had cheese, just like Leerdam, but I didn't know exactly where it was. With my eyes closed I thought about the map of the Netherlands. For Gouda, I had to travel in the direction of the port of Rotterdam. Hadn't grandfather had a trading company? If I could hide on a ship, but a lot of people are in a harbor and father might be there too. I didn't set my trap for him yet. It was too early. Grandfather his house in Giethoorn would it still be there?

This is the Venice of the North, he always said, simple houses embraced by nature. Look, Katty, how beautiful it is here. Nobody will bother you.
Giethoorn was to the north and so was the island of Texel. I vaguely remembered the ferry crossing and how I walked onto the island, holding my grandfather's hand. I don't remember what happened next. Would ships still leave for Java?
Two more nights and I leave, I decided before I closed my eyes. I'm going to Giethoorn. I need to know if grandfather's house is still there. 7Mother had disappeared, how long had it been?

I woke up with a shock.
What was that walking around my hut? I hurriedly grabbed the little food left and listened to the scratching. Was it an animal? I heard sniffing and suddenly a small spotted dog stood in front of me.

Where did you come from, I whispered, kshhht get away before you betray me.

The animal happily jumped up and gave me a lick in the face.

As long as you are quiet you can stay, don't betray me.

The little dog curled up and fell asleep close to me. For the first time, I was no longer alone.

_source

Freckle, come.
My new friend cheerfully followed me as I made my way through the Loenen forest. We had to go north. The gemstone in my stomach felt like it was pulling me in that direction. Had Grandfather known I had swallowed it?

It took almost a week until I arrived in Giethoorn since the safest and most inconspicuous way to travel was at night. Freckle's eyes and ears turned out to be better than mine and that came in handy. The animal was silent and had not barked once during our journey.

I sat at the water's edge, tired.

My feet dangled in the water. Had Giethoorn changed or had I forgotten what it looked like? It was beautiful, green and more water than I had seen in a long time. I had to find a boat and then I would row to grandfather's house at dusk. Giethoorn, I closed my eyes and saw the map of the water that I knew better than the back of my hand from digging peat from the age of 4 years old on.

The only boat I found had an engine I had never seen before. There were no oars. It was as if the stone in my stomach was glowing and Freckle seemed restless.
On board, I whispered as I pushed buttons and pulled levers to get the engine going. How hard could it be? I wish I had a skill generator, I mumbled, damn it.
The engine started with a bang. Frightened, I lay down on the bottom of the boat, holding Freckle close to me, counting to 100. No one came. It remained quiet and I carefully steered the boat into the canal. No one was on his way, the water was abandoned by those living there. Most houses had their Shutters closed and only a few homes still had a light on.

Grandfather's house...
I had hoped it was still there. I stood on the jetty in amazement and watched. How could it not have changed a bit? There was no light on and suddenly fatigue struck.

Come on Freckle, I know we can't, but we have to go inside.

Before I could put my hand on the door handle, it swung open.

Katty, I've been waiting for you, are you here to pick up the receipt? Come in, it's on the table along with the other things left for you. Girl you must be hungry.

With an exhausted Freckle on my lap, I sat at the old familiar table on which two old cards lay covered by a glass plate. I studied them. What did they mean?

It's against the dust, she said as she placed a steaming plate of rice pudding in front of me. You love this, right? When you go you can take the maps with you in a special envelope. She hesitated... Unless you already know them by heart.

_{Two old maps of Weltevreden - Batavia 1897 and 1681 source}

The Waterfall is a joined story/freewrite of different writers.

Header/Photogrid: Canva
Picture: AI-generated by me - bing.com/create 
Promts: freckle - skill generator - receipt
16-5-2024
I am a mobile phone user only

I upvote comments and (good) entertaining stories. @hive-169911 is my hive (community). I will grow its SP to upvote stories only. Please, do NOT post in it!
If you wrote something good you can tag me, original (no AI-written) stories/tales only. You do not need to join a club to be read and upvoted and you can post wherever you like. I suggest the freewriters or @hive-107855 the Dream Steem. Use the tag # story
Happy Writing @wakeupkitty

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