13 Mink Street

Chapter 67: Night Run

The sky had only just cleared for a few days when the rain, irritatingly persistent, returned.

Rain in the depths of winter could be considered a form of punishment. If you went outdoors, the droplets would find every possible opening and worm their way through the seams of your clothes. If you were indoors, the damp chill seeping created the illusion that you had already moved into a coffin ahead of schedule.

Karon sat near the entrance to the parlor, holding a book he was flipping through. It was a gift from Eunice, titled Diary of Delirium. The author was named Robert, and the protagonist was also named Robert.

The Robert in the book was an exhibitionist who enjoyed going on night runs completely naked. Completely, as in nothing at all. The author mentioned more than once that as the protagonist ran, the swinging between his thighs made him feel as though he were enduring a kind of “whipping.”

The story was divided into dated diary entries, recording the absurd and bizarre experiences the protagonist encountered during his nocturnal runs across many nights.

For example, one night he ran past a night market stall and saw an elderly couple boiling their own heads in a pot. Bubbles rose from the pot as the old couple’s voices drifted out, inviting him to try their stall’s newest flavor.

On another night, he ran across a small bridge. To the west of the bridge flowed molten lava, while to the east lay a river that had frozen solid.

On yet another night, he ran past a post office and saw a group of postal workers, crazed and stuffing piles of letters into their own mouths until their bellies bulged like small hills. Then, with the combined effort of the other post office staff, the overstuffed mail carriers were forcibly crammed into mailboxes.

...

The final diary entry in the book described Robert encountering many pedestrians along the side of the road during his night run. When those passersby saw his naked body, they screamed and, feeling embarrassed, hurriedly stripped off their own clothes, as though wearing clothes outdoors were some truly immoral and uncivilized act and that being clothed was something that required furtive hiding, unfit to be seen in by others.

After this entry came the book’s closing words:

After that day, I suddenly found it dull. I do not know whether night running had become dull, or whether being naked outdoors had lost its appeal.

When Karon first finished reading the book, it struck him as somewhat similar to Dante’s Divine Comedy.[1]

Many of the scenes described did not feel like anything belonging to the human world, but there were clearly many metaphors embedded within them. Whether they were deliberate allegories created by the author or merely the readers’ forced interpretations, it was impossible to say.

That was because just a year after the book’s publication, right when sales had started to take off, the author Robert chose to hang himself. That act added yet another layer of mystery to the work, and even gave rise to many books dedicated to analyzing Diary of Delirium.

At that moment, Mina, Lent, and Clarice returned, all three of them holding their own umbrellas. They had finished their final exams yesterday and had gone to school at noon today to collect their report cards. It had to be said, their teachers completed the grading remarkably fast.

As for their expressions, Mina looked as calm as ever. Her grades had always been excellent, and the final exams had been little more than a formality for her.

Clarice wore a smile, suggesting her results were also good.

Lent, however, looked somewhat... dejected.

In the latest generation of Immers children, the girls generally outperformed the boys academically. The original “Karon” had also only earned average grades.

However, Karon no longer needed to attend school, so Lent had lost a comrade from the trenches. He would have to face the concentrated fire alone.

“Did you do badly?” Karon asked Lent.

Lent nodded.

“Then hurry and tell your mom your grades, and promise her you’ll work harder next semester. Take advantage of the fact that she’s been in a very good mood these days.”

Hearing his brother’s advice, Lent’s eyes lit up. He immediately ran towards the basement to find Aunt Mary. Not long after, he returned with a smile. Clearly, the hurdle of the results of his final exams had been cleared. His mother had not scolded him, hit him, nor confiscated his card collection. Just as his cousin had said, she had simply told him to work harder next semester.

“Hehe, Karon.” Having survived the ordeal, Lent finally entered the blissful state of winter vacation.

“Lent, come mop the floor!” Mina called down from the second floor.

“Coming, sis!” Lent jogged upstairs.

Karon knew that Aunt Mary had been in an excellent mood recently. The day before yesterday had been her birthday, and Karon had prepared a lavish birthday dinner for her. Of course, that was not the most important part.

The most important moment had come during the meal, when Tiz had personally raised his glass to Aunt Mary. “You’ve worked hard for the family business, for Mason, for the children.”

After receiving such affirmation directly from her father-in-law, Aunt Mary had drained her glass of red wine in one go, only to then lower her head and cry for a long time.

She had actually wanted to laugh, but there can be times when happiness that is too intense expresses itself as tears.

Tiz held a completely different status in the hearts of the family, so his direct, face-to-face acknowledgment carried extraordinary significance for Aunt Mary.

For the two days following her birthday dinner, Aunt Mary seemed to walk with the wind at her back, humming the cheerful tunes she enjoyed. This morning, when Mrs. Mark had stopped by for her usual complaint that her flowers had once again been picked by mourners, Aunt Mary had actually taken the initiative to apologize and even offer a bit of compensation.

Such an unexpected reaction had left Mrs. Mark at a loss. She refused the compensation, and then turned around and angrily uprooted several flowers on her own. Perhaps she had simply wanted to pick a fight with someone all along.

Karon closed his book. On the cover was printed a single line: You believe your running is honest, yet it cannot purchase true visibility.

Karon silently counted the days on his fingers. Excluding today, there were just two remaining of the seven days Tiz had mentioned.

One night had been Aunt Mary’s birthday celebration, and yesterday, Karon had gone to Eunice’s home for afternoon tea.

He could clearly sense that Ms. Jenny was preparing to move back. She had even specifically asked him if he got seasick.

In short, the days were steadily drawing closer.

Ding-a-ling...

The telephone rang. Karon walked over and answered it, “Hello, Immers Funeral Home.”

“Hello, I’m looking for Karon Immers.” The gentle-sounding voice on the other end belonged to a man.

“May I ask what this is about?” Karon asked.

“Could you please let Karon take the call? I have a gift of life I’d like to give him.”

“Sorry, but Karon isn’t home right now.” Karon hung up. Telemarketing scams already exist?

At that moment, Mina walked over and handed Karon a letter. “Karon, I almost forgot this when we came back. It’s a letter for you.”

“From whom?” Karon took the envelope and noticed there was no recipient name written on it.

“It’s from a priest named Simon. He approached us on the tram and said that he’s good friends with Grandfather. He then asked which of us is the smartest, and said he’d give a gift to the smartest one.

“I didn’t want to answer because I thought he was strange, but Lent said that his cousin Karon at home is the smartest, and Clarice immediately nodded along. So the priest gave us this letter and told us to bring it back to you. Big Brother, he’s not a scammer, is he?”

“Possibly,” Karon warned. “Be more careful next time.”

“Mhmm, but he did get off right after giving us the letter.”

“Alright, I’ve got the letter. Oh, there’s some yogurt I made in the fridge. Go share it with Clarice and Lent.”

“Okay.” Mina hugged Karon, kissed him on the cheek, and then ran off laughing.

Normally quiet and well-behaved, Mina had suddenly become more expressive with her affection. It was not because her personality had changed, but likely because someone as perceptive as her had already noticed something.

Karon sat back down and opened the envelope.

Hello.

When you see this letter, congratulations. You are the fortunate one chosen by fate. I will lead you onto the true steps of this world and allow you to behold its real scenery.

If you are willing, tonight at eight, you may come to the entrance of Mink Street Church. I will be waiting for you there.

Your guide,

Simon.

“Heh.” After reading the letter, Karon laughed. The formatting immediately reminded him of the countless prize-winning scam emails that had once flooded his inbox in his previous life.

However, after the laughter faded, Karon’s expression grew serious.

He had received both a phone call and a letter, and given the location was the very church where Tiz worked. Joking about it was fine, but treating this as a simple scam would be self-deception.

Still, Karon tore the letter in half. “Hah. Only an idiot would go.”

He moved to go upstairs, but at just that moment, he saw Tiz coming down. As soon as their eyes met, Karon spoke, “Grandpa, a priest sent me a letter through Mina and the others. Earlier, there was also a call from someone looking for me. He says that I’m a lucky one chosen by fate and invited me to meet him at eight tonight at the entrance of Mink Street Church. The signature says Simon.”

Report complete.

Tiz nodded, indicating he understood.

Karon lightly stretched. It was about time for him to start preparing dinner.

“You don’t need to make dinner.”

“Hm?”

“Come out with me.”

“Alright, Grandpa. I’ll get the car key— Oh, wait. Grandpa, Uncle Mason already took the hearse out. There’s a job today.”

“Then we’ll walk.”

“Okay, Grandpa.” Karon followed Tiz to the first floor. There were several umbrellas placed just inside the parlor door, all of which were black. After all, brightly colored umbrellas were not suited to being in a funeral home.

Tiz opened an umbrella and stepped ahead, Karon following behind under his own. Grandfather and grandson entered the curtain of rain.

Karon did not ask where they were going. He simply followed, though they did not seem to bee heading in the direction of the church.

At an intersection, Tiz stopped, and Karon did the same.

A taxi passed by. Tiz raised his hand, and the car pulled over in front of them. Karon stepped forward, opening the rear door for his grandfather, and then climbing in the front passenger seat.

So when Grandpa said we would walk, he only meant walking to catch a cab.

Tiz gave their destination: West Street Cemetery.

Twenty minutes later, the taxi stopped at the cemetery entrance. It was a small one that had already reached capacity. It was not located in the city center, but also not out in the suburbs.

Unlike the aversion people in his previous life had to living near cemeteries, the citizens of Roja City did not mind having a cemetery close to their homes. To some extent, the houses closer to well-maintained cemeteries were even more desirable, provided the cemetery was properly cared for and not some disorderly mass grave.

From the entrance, it was possible to see a wooden cabin inside, which was likely the caretaker’s house. The door was closed, so the caretaker was probably away.

Tiz walked along the gravel path, leading Karon to a couple’s grave marker. It appeared to belong to a married couple, the Smiths.

“Today is the anniversary of your father’s and mother’s deaths.”

Karon remained silent. By all rights, he should have knelt down and called out with heartfelt emotion, “Father, Mother, your son has come to see you!” but such exaggerated displays of emotion were not something Karon could easily perform, especially in front of Tiz. The atmosphere simply would not allow it.

Nevertheless, still holding his umbrella, Karon took a step back and bowed to the gravestone.

After bowing, he asked, “Are their remains buried here?”

Tiz shook his head.

Oh, so it’s a cenotaph.

Karon remembered Pu’er had once mentioned that the bodies of clergy were reclaimed by their churches, as they were considered important materials. What Ms. Molly had originally requested was one such purified body.

The surname on the gravestone was Smith, not Immers. Was it to avoid attention and disturbance?

Out of the corner of his eye, Karon glanced at Tiz. “Karon’s” parents had been killed by Tiz himself. At the time, they had been severely contaminated and were no longer human, nor even truly conscious.

That meant that this anniversary was also the day of Tiz’s own grief; A man who valued family so deeply had personally killed two members of his own family.

Tiz stood there in silence for a long time. Karon stayed beside him, head bowed, watching the puddles in front of him being slowly struck by raindrops.

Finally, Tiz turned around, clearly intending to leave. Karon quickly followed.

“Grandpa, do you come here every year on this day?” he asked.

The original “Karon” had no memories of accompanying Tiz to pay respects to his parents.

“Yes,” Tiz replied. “Every year, I choose a gravestone, stop at it and stand there for a while.”

“Wait, what?” Karon’s eyes widened. “So the people under that gravestone just now were...?”

“The Smiths. It’s written on their stone, isn’t it?” Tiz countered.

So it wasn’t even a cenotaph. There was no alias to conceal anything. Beneath that grave really did lay a some unrelated Smith couple.

“Surprised?” Tiz asked.

Karon pursed his lips tightly and said, “A little, but I understand. If there is grief in one’s heart, even a photograph, a flower, a beam of sunlight can serve as a vessel for remembrance. You deliberately chose a cemetery and then selected a gravestone, Grandpa. In terms of form, it’s already quite a complete ceremony.”

“Form. Ceremony...” Tiz savored the words. “Yes. That’s right.”

“Then next...” Karon asked. “Choose another gravestone?”

Tiz shook his head. “The rain is getting heavier. Let’s go home. Too much ceremony isn’t good either.”

Karon and Tiz walked out of the cemetery. Fortunately, the driver who had brought them earlier seemed to be dealing with athlete’s foot and was still parked there... scratching.

Even though hailing a cab in the rain was inconvenient, Karon still opened the rear door for Tiz, then ran to the other side and sat beside him.

“13 Mink Street.”

“Alright, gentlemen.”

***

They returned home and stood at the front gate. Tiz reached out, patting his hand on Karon’s shoulder. “Go home.”

This scene had played out once before, only at that time, Tiz had been radiating killing intent. This time, he only seemed kind.

However, the moment Tiz pushed the gate open, Karon suddenly stopped. Something was wrong.

That scene from that day returned to Karon’s mind, when he had been holding the leash of a golden retriever with Tiz standing beside him.

At that moment, Tiz had placed a hand on Karon’s shoulder and asked a question: where are we right now?

At the time, Karon had assumed the question to be a test from Tiz. He had believed that only by answering “home” could he touch Tiz’s soft spot and preserve his own life.

But the incident with Hoffen had happened before that moment, which had led to Karon holding certain preconceived notions.

The truth was that, from the very beginning, Tiz had never intended to kill Karon.

The memory shifted. The image in Karon’s mind moved back, his perspective stretching out to encompass what was behind them.

He again saw the arrangement of that day, from left to right and from front to back. There had been the golden retriever, squatting at the foremost position, a leash attached to its collar. Behind the dog had stood Karon, holding the leash in his hand. Diagonally behind him had stood Tiz, one hand resting on Karon’s shoulder.

...

“Karon.”

“Gra... Grandpa...”

“Karon, where are we right now?”

“Home!!!”

The moment he had shouted the answer in a hoarse voice, the image clarified.

The hand resting on his shoulder had not been a threatening gesture, but a protective one that had drawn Karon within Tiz’s presence. At the same time, Tiz had turned his head to look behind them, his eyes filling with killing intent.

That killing intent had never been directed at Karon. It had been aimed at the indistinct black shadow standing behind them, across the street.

1. The Divine Comedy is a 14th-century epic poem by Dante Alighieri, depicting a journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, often referenced to evoke surreal, symbolic, otherworldly landscapes rather than literal reality. ☜