Volume 3 - Panorama 1992

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Thanks for taking the time to pass by, mazdaman. 👍

I'm currently busy when it comes to writing, but I like to take the little time I have to write. I still have to get some things related to the story done (namely re-uploading every image to Imageshack, some have disappeared) until I can post a new chapter. 👍
 
Thanks for taking the time to pass by, mazdaman. 👍

I'm currently busy when it comes to writing, but I like to take the little time I have to write. I still have to get some things related to the story done (namely re-uploading every image to Imageshack, some have disappeared) until I can post a new chapter. 👍

Hey can you do a Las Vegas strip story with your corvette the classic one that'll be hot.
 
Hey can you do a Las Vegas strip story with your corvette the classic one that'll be hot.

I don't think Codename L does requests for chapters.
 
I don't think Codename L does requests for chapters.

He doesn't do that. Dot. :)

You guys are right.
Except from advices about my narration style and such, I don't take any kind of advice whatsoever in my story. That includes, ideas for chapters.
If you were talking about making a story about the Corvette, that would be even more unlikely. One story is enough. 👍
 
You guys are right.
Except from advices about my narration style and such, I don't take any kind of advice whatsoever in my story. That includes, ideas for chapters.
If you were talking about making a story about the Corvette, that would be even more unlikely. One story is enough. 👍
Oh sorry,thanks for encouraging me to do my own story.
 
Great work Codename!

I laughed when i read: "Great Success... " LOL in the second chapter..

reminds me of Sasha Cohen's character... at that moment, i thought he was the one racing... LMAO.
 
Thanks for the reply, CTznOfTime. I'm glad you took the time to leave it. :)

On another note, my time for playing GT4 and writing this story has shortened significantly enough for me not to bother with it for the time being. That doesn't mean that I don't think things for it while I play GT4 (or while I'm at school), or that I will stop writing this story. The story is almost one week short from its first birthday, and I would have rather waited those days before posting this message. However, given the fact that I may be absent around that date, I wanted to post this now that I have time.

Thanks to all of those who showed support and interest for this story. 👍 Until we meet again! :cheers:

Note: Please don't post any comments in here. I don't like when people post comments in other stories when they have nothing to say, or if it spans useless chat, so I want to be fair and ask people not to do so here. 👍 A simple profile message will do if you want to say something to me.


EDIT:

Back again, fellas. 👍 Currently fixing some things in the story before I upload a new chapter, so keep and eye on this.

EDIT2: Over 10.000 views! :cheers: Thanks a lot for those who have supported this story so far, I'm doing my best to accelerate the process of production to start writing a new chapter. 👍
 
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Volume 2​
Chapter 18 – Joshua​



November 3rd, 2005.


Unlike before, I don't feel it's necessary to explain who I am, but for those that have little memory, I will do it again to avoid confusion. I am Charles Richard Williams, son of Benjamin Williams and brother of Chester Williams, born the 24th of July of 1986 in Monterey, California to Janine Wilford, and I'm being your narrator for these chapters which describe my experiences and those of Manuel Eric Cañas in the italian island of Capri. The events currently narrated date back to November of 2005, myself being nineteen years old at the time. Without any further relevant information, let me continue.


Just a couple of meters from the coast of Capri, on a beautiful day of November, I was waiting for Ethan to return after inspecting the Holden Commodore, which was parked on one side of the road, where cars aren't supposed to be at in Costa di Amalfi's port. The moment he left the car, I had no doubt he would look at it, turn around, and come back to the Mustang. However, as he was looking at it, two men walked out from a nearby building and approached him from behind, caughting him entirely by surprise. One of those men was tall, slender, and relatively young, probably on his thirties. Judging from his clothes, or lack thereof, since he was wearing only sandals and shorts, along with a pair of sunglasses, I deduced he suffered from heat much more than the man walking next to him, who was his exact opposite in terms of physique: very old, so much that I could barely believe he was walking without help, other than his cane, and humpbacked, which made him look shorter than he actually was. Mentally, I
imagined how would he look like if he hadn´t that hump; I was surprised when I discovered he would be as tall if not taller than the younger man at his side. Both were caucasian; the old man had little hair left on his head, of grey color, whilst the younger one had dark gold blond colored hair, along with a tan I envied at the moment I saw him. Sofocating to death inside of the car due to the abscence of air conditioning while waiting for Ethan to return, I was unable to hear their conversation, but it wouldn't be long until Ethan told me everything about it... After being told by the old man who he was, Ethan asked confused:


Ethan: Excuse me. Come again?
Joshua: I am Joshua Sheperd, Aaron's brother. I asume you are Ethan Norton, right? If I made a mistake, please excuse me, sir, but you look a lot like an acquaintance of mine.
Ethan: No... you didn't make a mistake. I am Ethan Norton, but...

Ethan scratched his head, because he didn't know what to do at the moment. That's what Ethan told me, at least, along with every other little detail he remembered. Before he could finish his sentence, the old man interrupted him.

Joshua: He was wrong, it wasn't that hard after all.
Daniel: Yup, not hard at all. We didn't even have to move, father. You must be glad.
Ethan: Who is this "he" you are talking about?
Joshua: Who else than my brother?

I remember that instant very well. Suddenly, Joshua didn't looked at Ethan anymore, and nailed his eyes on the Mustang. Judging by the angle of his head, and his eyes, I supposed he was looking at the horse logo in the grille. I didn't move a finger to avoid catching his attention.

Joshua: Sometimes, I think the Earth orbitates around Aaron, instead of the Sun.
Ethan: It's an interesting theory you have there.
Joshua: But as you say, it's only a theory. I'm glad to be talking with you, Ethan. I haven't seen you in a while. How long has it been?
Ethan: Thirty-seven years, if my memory serves me right.
Joshua: That long, huh? Oh, right. If I'm not mistaken, after Aaron left for Vietnam.
Ethan: Precisely.

Joshua examined Ethan carefully, before smiling at him.

Joshua: If I still recognize you after thirty-seven years, it means you haven't changed at all. Judging by your expression after you knew who I was, I believe I can't say the same about me.
Ethan: You will always be the same Joshua to me.
Joshua: I'm glad.

The young man took advantage of the situation to speak.

Daniel: I'm really sorry for what I said before.
Ethan: I guess I had it coming, right? I would have done the same, had I been in your position. You have a very nice Commodore.
Daniel: Heh, thank you.
Ethan: You are welcome. By the way, what brings you two to Capri?
Joshua: We are paying a visit to you three, of course. I haven't seen you since ages ago. It was time for Daniel to meet his uncle, also.
?????: It was about time.

Everyone turned around after hearing a familiar voice. Not surprisingly, it was Aaron, and he was coming out of the same building Joshua and Daniel came from before. Aaron approached Daniel, while keeping his eyes on Ethan. “Out of a building came Aaron, the same building that Joshua and his son had came from not long ago. I noticed he had been looking at my since the instant he stepped out of the building, for I know he was still mad at me for the fight a few minutes ago. Never in the entire scene he took his eyes off me, and I recall very well that it made me nervous, so nervous that I had to think twice whatever I wanted to say”, is what Ethan would tell me two years later, today.

Aaron: It was about time you two paid us a visit.

Aaron proceeded to speak to Joshua. As always, he kept his eyes on Ethan.

Aaron: I see you have found him. Was it too hard?
Joshua: Not at all. We did not even have to move, right Daniel?
Daniel: Right.

Then he pointed at Ethan's chin with his left index finger, “since he cannot fully extend his right index finger, due to a weightlifting accident he had when he was younger”, according to Ethan.

Aaron: Does it hurt?
Ethan: Barely, not as much as before.
Aaron: Wait until tomorrow, though.

I remember clearly that Aaron laughed a bit and turned around, which clearly contradicts Ethan's testimony that Aaron never took his eyes off him, but he did laughed. However, Aaron himself told me that indeed he was always looking at Ethan, so there's the chance my mind may be playing tricks on me. However, he said he never laughed. After Aaron pointed at Ethan's chin, the old man reacted.

Joshua: I had been looking at it most of the time.

"If he was telling the truth, then he must be a master in the art of slyness", Ethan's textual words.

Joshua: So that's what happened. In the end, I was right. You did this to him, Aaron. Can't say I'm surprised, but I am disappointed. I won't even bother to ask why, as I'm sure you won't have an aswer.

"Aaron parents were long dead, and the most similar person alive to a father was his older brother. Joshua knew this, and so used his authority against Aaron". Aaron looked at Joshua, but didn't say a word. He knew that arguing with his older brother was pointless, especially when he was likely to lose.

Joshua: Don't look at me, look at him. Will you apologize or not?

Aaron nodded his head, and slowly approached Ethan, with good intentions.

Aaron: I am... I am sorry for that, Ethan. I shouldn't have done that.
Ethan: It's not your fault. I should be the one apologizing, I didn't mean to say that to you.
Aaron: Thanks.

After staring at each other for a while, Aaron hug Ethan, and to be honest, the scene resulted quite uncomfortable to me. After they stopped hugging, Aaron spoke to Joshua.

Aaron: What happened was---
Joshua: Don't tell me. I don't want to know. You two solved it, then we are alright.
Aaron: Alright.
Joshua: But don't let it happen again, okay? You two are too old for these kind of things, especially you, Aaron.
Aaron: It won't happen again, I promise.

After Aaron apologized, I saw Daniel look at the Mustang, like his father before him.

Daniel: By the way... there seems to be a kid trapped in the car. Who is he?
Aaron: What are you talking about?
Ethan: He means Charles. I brought him with me.

Ethan looked at me, and signaled me to get out of the car. While I unlocked my seatbelt and walked towards them, Aaron and Ethan continued speaking.

Aaron: Why did you bring him with you?
Ethan: He wanted to come, I told him I was going to look for you.
Aaron: What for?
Ethan: He wants the keys of his Elise back. Eric decided to stay at home. By the way, you do have his keys, right?

As Aaron was about to answer, I was standing in front of the four men: Ethan, Aaron, Joshua, Daniel, all of them forming a "C", pointing to me. I didn't know what to say, and for good reason. Two of them were strangers, and there was a good chance one of the other two wanted to see me dead. I stood in silence for a while. The scene before with Aaron and Ethan hugging was nothing compared to this moment. After a few seconds, Aaron spoke.

Aaron: Say something.
Charles: What...?
Ethan: Say something.
Charles: I don't...

The old man seemed to know I wouldn't introduce myself anytime soon, so he decided to take the initiative.

Joshua: My name is Joshua Sheperd, and this man at my side is my son Daniel.
Daniel: Nice to meet you.
Joshua: Now, would you tell us who you are?

I admit that Joshua presenting himself and his son was of great relief to me, so I felt confident enough to introduce myself to them.

Charles: My name is Charles Richard Williams. You can call me Charles if you want to, sir.
Joshua: Sir?

Surprised, the old man looked at his son.

Joshua: Did you see that? Learn a thing or two about manners from this kid and maybe you will avoid future fights.
Daniel: But I never...

He looked back at me, but this time Aaron was the one who spoke.

Aaron: Charles? That's a new one.
Joshua: Huh?

Joshua obviously had no idea what was going, but it wasn't his fault.

Joshua: What do you mean?
Aaron: When he first arrived, he almost scolded me for calling him Charles. What happened after I left that I missed, Ethan?
Ethan: I don't...
Charles: Nothing. You can call me Charles if you want to. It doesn't bother me anymore.
Aaron: I sure will. Let us see how long can you take it, Charles.
Joshua: Anyways. I couldn't help to notice your surname is Williams.
Charles: Yes.

It was predictable what was going to happen. The old man was about to sparkle a conversation about my father. Before doing so, however, he salivated.

Joshua: You probably can image what am I going to say, right? No, you know what I'm going to say. Am I right?
Charles: Are you going to ask me about my father?

Joshua smiled, and spoke to his son quietly. I didn't heard what he say, but I know it was something along the lines of "I'm liking this kid already".

Joshua: Yes. Yes, you are right. I believe I don't need to ask you what's your father's name, don't I?
Charles: If you are looking for Benjamin Williams... no, you don't.

He smiled at me, and for some reason, that smile told me a lot about my father.

Joshua: I'm willing to bet you don't know much about him, right? No, wait, don't even answer. I'm willing to bet you know almost nothing about him.
Charles: You are right, I don't.

He shook his head before I answered, he already knew what I was going to say.

Joshua: I thought so. Tell me, how old are you, Charles?
Charles: I turned 19 on July.
Joshua: And your father, rest in peace, died in 1991... I'm terribly sorry for what happened to him, Charles. I can't even begin to imagine how hard must have been to you growing up without a father.
Charles: It was hard... But to be honest, I was four when it happened, so I actually never got the chance to make a strong bond with him as to be terribly saddened with his death. My brother and my mother, however, weren't as "lucky" as me.
Joshua: Your brother. You mean Chester, don't you?
Charles: Yeah, but how did you...?
Joshua: I thought I made clear that I met your father personally. And before you say it, no, I'm not related to you in any way.

The old man turned his head towards Aaron, who was looking at me with a sad expression in his face.

Joshua: If you don't mind, I think it would be better for us and my back to go to your house and continue this conversation there, don't you think? It would make things easier for me.
Aaron: Sure, not a problem.
Joshua: Thanks a lot, Aaron. I really can't take this pain anymore. Daniel, let's get back inside.
Daniel: Yes, father.

Daniel grabbed his father's arm and helped him walk across the road into the building they came out from minutes earlier. Meanwhile, I stood with Aaron and Ethan next to the Commodore. They talked for a while, but I honestly didn't care. What I wanted was to talk to that man again at Aaron's house.

Ethan: Were you faking?

Ethan directed his words at Aaron, while watching the building.

Aaron: No.
Ethan: Good.

Aaron, who was also watching the building, asked the same to Ethan.

Aaron: Were YOU faking?
Ethan: No.
Aaron: Good.
Ethan: What will we do about it?
Aaron: We will forget it. We will do the same as Joshua, we will act as it never happened.
Ethan: Good idea. What do we do now, then?
Aaron: You two should head back home in the Mustang.
Ethan: And you?
Aaron: I will walk home, as always.
Ethan: Are you sure you don't want to drive home with Charles? You must be tired.
Aaron: No, you go with him. Besides, walking will do me good. I don't want to end like Joshua. You need to put a bandage on that cut, also. Some ice will also help.
Ethan: Alright.

Then Ethan grabbed my shoulder, and talked to me.

Ethan: Did you hear that? We are going back home now.
Charles: Where's Conan?
Ethan: Huh?

I took my eyes off the building for a second, and looked at Ethan. I was still thinking about Joshua by the time Ethan grabbed my shoulder, but for some reason, the thought that I hadn't seen Conan since I woke up crossed my mind at that moment.

Charles: I ask because I have not seen Conan since... well, this morning. You?
Ethan: I haven't seen him since... Now that I think about it, I haven't seen him at all today.

Ethan then looked at Aaron, hoping for a different answer.

Ethan: What about you, Aaron?
Aaron: What?
Ethan: When was the last time you saw Conan?
Aaron: Last time? Yesterday at night, after he came to the house, of course.
Ethan: True. What did he do after yesterday's race?
Aaron: When the race was finished, that is, after Eric won it, I called Conan to tell him that Eric was the one driving the Charger. Afterwards... I don't know. From the time he left the house for the race to the time he got back while Charles was in the bed, I don't know, to be honest.
Ethan: Don't you find that strange?

Aaron started thinking. It was unusual that Conan did something like that, and I can tell it right now because, having lived here two years, I familiarized with each one of them and their habits.

Aaron: I don't know.
Charles: Why don't you call him to his cell phone?
Aaron: What?
Charles: His cell phone. When I first got here, I scrolled through Ethan's contacts in his cell phone, only to find Conan's. Then I talked with him. You said it yourself that you called Conan after the race, so I suppose you called him to his cell phone, right?
Aaron: I didn't mean that, I meant that it's something so obvious that I completely missed it. Do you have your cell phone here, Ethan?
Ethan: It's in the car, I will look for it.

Ethan then ran to the Mustang. Something wrong was going on, and I could see it in Aaron's eyes. Ethan told me today, "You know I don't cut my fingernails often, so I am careful when opening the doors of my cars to not scratch the handles. This time, however, I wasn't careful". When he got back from the car, with his cell phone in his hand, he started dialing Conan's number while walking towards us.

Aaron: And...?
Ethan: Wait.

The three of us waited to see if Conan answered the call.

Ethan: He isn't answering. I'm calling again.

Once again, dialed the numbers, while me and Aaron waited for an answer. Finally, it happened.

Ethan: Conan?
(On the phone) Conan: Ethan?
Ethan: Conan, where are you?
Conan: Capri, where else?
Ethan: Where? Which part?

Aaron grabbed the cell phone from Ethan's hand.

Aaron: Let me talk with him.
Ethan: Put it on speaker phone. That button.

Aaron pressed the button. We were all more relaxed now that we are speaking with Conan. You could see it on Aaron's face.

Conan: Hello? Are you there, Ethan?
Aaron: Conan.
Conan: Who's this?
Aaron: It's Aaron. Listen, where the hell are you?
Conan: I'm in the parking lot, but why?
Ethan: What are you doing there?
Conan: I'm working on the Shelby, why are you asking me this? What's wrong?

Aaron waits a couple of seconds before answering him.

Aaron: Nothing. Come back to the house once you are done, we have visits.

Finally, he hung up. Then he looked at us.

Aaron: I'm too old for this 🤬. I will tell him this later, but I'm telling you two before. If you ever, ever decide to go somewhere here, tell me beforehand, so that we don't have to go through this 🤬 again, understood?

Both me and Ethan nodded our heads.

Aaron: And with anticipation, nothing like "Oh, Aaron, I'm leaving now, see you later". I have to know, I may have so plans in which I need you to be with me. Understood?

We nodded again. He then gave Ethan his cell phone back.

Aaron: Alright... 🤬, sometimes it seems he thinks with his 🤬 instead of his brain.

I couldn't avoid to smile slightly when he said that. Ethan told me it's an expression one of his friends used to say.

Aaron: Now... are you two going home, or what? Where's is Eric? He stayed at home, right. What for, though?
Ethan: He decided to wait for Conan.
Aaron: You better go back now. We don't know how long will he work on that car.
Ethan: Work? He doesn't have any tools, what could he be doing?
Aaron: Maybe fixing some things.
Ethan: It's the same case, he doesn't have any tools.
Aaron: That's what we think, it doesn't mean it's the case. Still, we don't know. Eric must be bored as an oyster already, you should go and make him company.
Ethan: If you say so... By the way, tell your brother to move that car from the road.
Aaron: It isn't bothering anyone.
Ethan: Still. It shouldn't be there.
Aaron: Nobody is driving a car at the moment. And they can easily avoid it. I bet you are complaining because you almost crashed against it, probably because you were driving too fast.
Ethan: Whatever...

Ethan looked at me, pointing with his head at the Mustang.

Ethan: Shall we go?
Charles: Yeah, he must be bored.

Before I walked to the Mustang, however, Aaron grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to turn around.

Aaron: Oh, yeah..

He drew something from his pants, which I quickly recognized: my Elise's keys, which I grabbed instantly as soon as I saw them.

Charles: Thanks.
Aaron: Ethan told me you were looking for these. I was going to give them back to you after I got back. Still... if you want to make any progress in your driving skills here, you shouldn't drive that car for a while.
Charles: You could have told me that you had them, instead of Eric.
Aaron: So it was him, after all... can't keep a secret, I guess. See you at the house, I will be walking from here. That apologize of before goes to you too, in case you didn't know.
Charles: Thanks... Alright, see you later.

With my keys back and the fight from before already over, I walked towards Ethan and entered the Mustang after him. Once inside, we buckled up our seatbelts, and after Ethan checked everything was alright, drove off to Aaron's house, quickly accelerating to the 50km/h limit that Aaron had imposed over the inhabitants of Capri. On our way there, we had a conversation again, one of the many we would have for the next two years.

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Charles: So we are cool with him, right?
Ethan: Yeah. I expected this to last longer, but problems involving Aaron get solved quickly with Joshua around.

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The Mustang approached the first corner, Ethan holding the wheel with his left hand and the shift knob with his right hand.

Charles: By the way, where do you know that man from?
Ethan: From the States, obviously. But if you want me to get accurate-

He braked slightly, and downshifted from fifth to fourth, then to third, and cleared the corner.

Ethan: -I met him in Seattle, Washington. You have been there before, haven't you?

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He upshifted from third to fourth, and stopped there to allow the car to drive uphill.

Charles: Yeah... I have.
Ethan: And you beat Conan there... amazing.

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Once again, he braked and downshifted to third, clearing the second corner of the road, afterwards shifting back to fourth.

Ethan: Still... that race means nothing. Had he wanted to, the outcome would have been the opposite.
Charles: I know. I heard your conversation yesteray.

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Ethan: And?
Charles: And now that I think about it, seeing yesterday's race it was only obvious that he lost on purpose back then.

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For the third time already, he braked and downshifted to third, clearing the third corner on the track, shifting again to fourth.

Ethan: Then you didn't hear well.
Charles: What?

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Ethan: What Conan said was that he handicaps himself in the races he has outside of Capri, whenever he sees fit.
Charles: But why? With what purpose?
Ethan: To see what the rest of the drivers can do, of course. Hadn't been for that in the first place-

As he spoke, we approached the fourth corner, he started braking and this time he downshifted to second gear, using heel and toe downshifting.

Ethan: -you wouldn't be here, Charles.
Charles: I guess you are right.

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Ethan: Of course I am.

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Ethan: I'm going to speed things up a bit.

Ethan thus downshifted to second gear, and took the right handed sweeper at full throttle, using the gas pedal along with the steering wheel to steer the car into the corner, as I tried to remain inside the car using whatever means I had at my disposition.

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Charles: Wow, you are a damn good driver, Ethan.
Ethan: Thank you.

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Ethan: I never respect the limits at this part of the road, there's just no reason to.

He then proceeded to clear the left-right-left corners combination while keeping the car in third gear, using the entire width of the track to maximize the speed of the Mustang out of the last corner.

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Ethan: Besides, Aaron's not here with us, so it's not like he is going to find out, right?
Charles: S-Sure.

He braked and downshifted to second gear, and steered to the right to clear the last corner before the downhill leading to Aaron's house.

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Ethan: Oh, well.

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Ethan: You can stop grabbing your seatbelt, I will slow down.

At that point, I realized Ethan was right: his car was a mess, there just wasn't enough work done to the car to drive it at the speeds it is supposed to be driven at.

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Shortly after Ethan cleared the last corner, he started braking before stopping next to Aaron's house.

Ethan: Alright, here we are. Get out and wait for me before entering the house.
Charles: I would like to get out, but it's impossible for me, in case you haven't noticed.
Ethan: What do you-

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Ethan: -mean...? Dammit.
Charles: I can't open the door.
Ethan: Wait a second.

Ethan pressed the brake pedal and put the car into reverse while still braking. Then he placed his right hand on my seat's headrest and turned his body with his head facing the rear window. He pressed the gas pedal, and lifted his foot off the brake pedal slightly.

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Ethan: Alright...

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Ethan: There.

He lifted his foot off the gas pedal, and looked at me.

Ethan: Can you get out now?
Charles: Yeah, no problem.
Ethan: Good. Do as I said before.
Charles: Alright.
Ethan: Watch the door, Charles.





To be continued...
 
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The new chapter is amazing work, Lucas. You kept your writing style and used further options to make your text more flowing and even easier to read. No typos as far as I see: Very good. 👍 (Time to print the story, isn't it? :lol:) Anyways, who are those people in picture #7? :odd:
 
Thanks to all of you guys, I'm glad to be back writing this. :cheers: As for who those persons are... well, it's up to everyone's imagination. :lol:
 
A few things Lucas.

Instead of having characters ask "What did you say?", simply use "What?"; the full "What did you say?" in most English speaking areas indicates the speaker is slightly angered or outraged by something someone just said and is being used as a challenge to see if they'll repeat it and if so a fistfight occasionally ensues.

Now then, that's not something needing immediate attention but the use of "get off" at the end of the chapter leads to quite a bit of innuendo... Such as:

Charles: I would like to get off, but it's impossible for me, in case you haven't noticed.

and

Ethan: Can you get off now?
Charles: Yeah, no problem.

Using "get out" would remove this issue and make more sense seeing as you're rarely "on" a car. 👍
 
Thanks for the tips, just changed that. 👍 It's strange, since before I used "get out" on a sentence. Seems like sometimes I forget words.
 
Short Story Nº8
Ethan Norton & Charles Williams​



November 26th, 2005.



[After Aaron gets out of the house, leaving Ethan and Charles alone in the living room, the latter asks who was the person that visited his residence minutes earlier.]

Ethan: Why do you ask?

[Charles seats in one of the couches, encouraging Ethan to do the same.]

Charles: Because I want to know, that's all. I have been here for almost a month already, and this is the first time I ever hear his name. So, you weren't planning to tell me who he was, or you were, but not anytime soon.
Ethan: Had we know you would react like this, we would have told you from day one. But you were a stranger to me and Aaron.

[Charles leans forward to Ethan, sitting on the couch in front of him.]

Charles: Well, I'm not a stranger anymore, or am I?
Ethan: Nope, you are not.
Charles: This would be a good time to tell me who he is, then.

[Ethan smiles, and nods his head.]

Ethan: You are correct. But first, I would like a glass of water. Would you mind?

[Before Ethan starts with his narration, Charlie leaves the living room, and heads for the kitchen. Once there, he opens the fridge, and draws a bottle of cold water. He grabs a glass from a nearby table, fills it, puts the bottle back in the fridge again, and returns to the living room, giving it to Ethan. Afterwards, he sits again on the couch. Ethan drinks the glass slowly, before starting.]

Ethan: Well, where would you like me to begin?
Charles: First of all, who is he?
Ethan: Alright. A little background never hurts anyone. If you paid attention to his words, you would know his name is Johann Ferdinand Möller. His mother named him following her family's tradition to name boys and girls after german composers. His grandmother's pick was Johanna, naming his mother after Johann Sebastian Bach. His mother's pick was similar, naming him after Johann Pachelbel. That explains his love for music, which I will go into detail later. His father named him after no one else but Ferdinand Porsche, which in a similar way as before, explains his other interest: automobiles.
Charles: What else?
Ethan: Have patience, I have just begun. He was born in the Ahrweiler district, in the Rhineland-Palatinate state, Germany. As of today, he continues to live there. He was born to Johanna Elise-

[Charlie reacts briefly after hearing the name.]

Ethan: Heh. Johanna Elise Wagner and Markus Felix Möller, the 14th of June of 1966, if I recall correctly.

[Ethan stops there, thinking for a while.]

Ethan: ...Or was it the 13th. No, I was right, the 14th of June of 1966.
Charles: One day doesn't make a difference. Basically, you are telling me he is almost forty years old?
Ethan: Yes. He will turn forty next year. Knowing him, there will be no party.
Charles: He doesn't look thirty-nine to me.
Ethan: Everybody says the same.

[Ethan goes back to a more serious tone.]

Ethan: At an early age, around eight years old, he demonstrated to excel in piano by playing the first minute of Johann Pachelbel's Canon on his uncle's piano, after hearing it just once from him. Johann himself told us that he enjoyed playing it so much, that as he approached the end of his performance he decided to improvise, playing for five minutes after he ended with the original piece.
Charles: Do you expect me to believe that?
Ethan: No. But there have been famous cases of people doing similar things, sometimes in a greater scale, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. As Johann tolds us, when Mozart was a kid, he heard Gregorio Allegri's Miserere once in performance in the Sistine Chapel, in Rome. He wrote it out in its entirety from memory, albeit with a few minor errors. If you don't want to believe me, fine. But that does ot mean I'm lying. With that already said, don't be surprised when you find out he is not what he appears to be.

[He looks down to the floor, before continuing.]

Ethan: Yeah...

[He looks at Charles once again, and proceeds.]

Ethan: His family was nothing short of being poor, however, his parents knew how to take advantage of his son's seemingly endless potential, and a week later after Johann's Canon incident, they organized his first open air concert, with nothing more than a simple scenario, a chair for Johann to sit on, and his uncle's piano. The concert was an overnight sensation: by the next day, the number of people went from around twenty to well over a hundred. By the end of the week, numbers ranged from seven hundred to as much as two thousand people, going to see the Wunderkind Johann Ferdinand Möller play Canon in D major, along Air on the G String, a song his mother encouraged him to learn.
Charles: Unbelievable.
Ethan: By the end, he had mastered Beethoven's fifth and ninth symphonies, along with Sebastian Bach's Prelude from the Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, which he learned to play by himself on piano. For his mother's birthday, he learned to play Beethoven's Für Elise. By the age of thirteen, with most known pieces already mastered, not to mention a proportional amount of money under his name, he decided to try luck with art. But...
Charles: What?
Ethan: ...Nothing.
Charles: Come on, what happened?

[Doubtful, Ethan reconsiders if he should or should not tell Charles the rest of Johann's childhood.]

Charles: Ethan.
Ethan: Okay... Johann could easily reproduce anything that existed, ranging from music to, case in point, paintings. His first paintings consisted on rooms of his house, Ahrweiler, and members of his family, including himself. He would paint during his free time, that is, when he was not doing a concert, or preparing for one. With time, however, his ambition for perfection grew. However, transfering to a painting what already exists isn't as easy as copying a song that already exists too. You have to be careful with what you do, otherwise, you will spoil the whole picture. As I said, his ambition grew, and knowing he would never reach perfection by himself, he decided to steal perfection from somebody else, pass it as his own, in a manner of speaking, and mass produce it with no external help.

[After he finishes speaking, Charles look at him, puzzled.]

Charles: Sounds fascinating. The little I could understand, that is.
Ethan: See? I knew you would understand little or nothing, that's why I didn't want to talk about it in the first place.
Charles: You don't know how to explain yourself, that's the problem.
Ethan: Thanks for your concern, but my explaining skills are doing just fine.
Charles: Then explain it in simple words.
Ethan: Simple words, huh? Alright, here are your simple words. Wait, I have an ever better idea. They say a picture is worth more than a thousand words, right?
Charles: Yeah.

[Ethan then proceeds to draw something brown from his left pocket: his wallet.]

Ethan: Let's see.

[He searches for something in it, and after a while, founds it, and hands it over to Charles.]

Ethan: Here. Here are your thousand words.

[Charles grabs it, and stares at it amazed. He then looks at Ethan, more confused than before.]

Charles: This is... this is...
Ethan: Incredible, isn't it?
Charles: No, rather...

[He takes a good look at it before replying.]

Charles: ...impossible.

[On his hands, a half-length portrait depicting a woman with an enigmatic facial expression.]




------
 
A half-length portrait of a woman with an enigmatic facial expression? Is that the Mona Lisa he's talking about?
 
Amazing work, Lucas! :bowdown: And no, I'm not just saying this... I mean, people, or anyone who hasn't started reading this story, do so, because it's definately worth it. Every time I see a refreshed thread title, saying that a new chapter or short story is up, I get a weird feeling and can't wait to read that chapter / short story. Lucas, you are improving from chapter to chapter and your writing skills, as they are now, are just great! 👍
 
Volume 2​
Chapter 19 – A part of me​



November 3rd, 2005.


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Ethan: Alright...

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Ethan: There.

[Ethan lifted his foot off the gas pedal, and looked at me.]

Ethan: Can you get out now?
Charles: Yeah, no problem.
Ethan: Good. Do as I said before.
Charles: Alright.
Ethan: Watch the door, Charles.
Charles: Don't worry.

[I closed the door carefully as soon as I was outside, while Ethan steered the wheel towards the wall, pulled the handbrake, and after selecting reverse gear, turned off the engine.]

Ethan: Alright...

[Ethan unbuckled his seat belt, and got out of the car. Before closing his door, however, he looked at the scratch he made to the handle before.]

Ethan: It's not so bad... would have been better not to have one, though.

[He looked at me, and asked for my "proffesional" opinion.]

Ethan: What do you think, Charles?
Charles: If you say it's just a scratch, then that's what it is.
Ethan: I guess so... Anyways, are we entering the house or what?

[Both of us walked towards the door and yes, we entered the house, first walking through the gallery until we reached the living room. Once there, we found it to be empty, with Eric nowhere to be seen. As always, I said something stupid.]

Charles: Where is he?
Ethan: How am I supposed to know? I have to enter the bathroom, though.

[Ethan walked towards the bathroom's door, located on the living room, turned the doorknob, and slightly opened the door. However, as he is about to enter, Eric shouts some words in spanish from inside the bathroom, making Ethan close the door as soon as he hears his voice.]

Ethan: Dammit, why didn't you turn the lights on?!
Eric (inside): Why didn't you knock on the first place?!
Ethan: The lights were off, that's why! And if the lights are off, that means nobody's inside!
Eric (inside): Well, now you know I'm here, so let me crap in peace.

[I chuckled during the conversation. The look on Ethan's face when he discovered Eric was inside was priceless. Wish I had a camera on my hands at the moment... A couple of minutes later, Eric flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and got out of the bathroom.]

Eric: Wanted to go? There you have it.
Ethan: I think I will pass.
Eric: And you are how many years old...? Where's Conan? I've been waiting for him, and he hasn't shown up yet.
Ethan: We called him to his cellphone around twenty minutes ago. He said he was at the parking lot, working on one of his Shelby's.
Eric: So that's why he hasn't arrived yet.
Ethan: He should be on his way here, though. We have visitors.

[Ethan sat on one of the couches, while Eric looked at him confused.]

Eric: Visitors, you say?
Ethan: Yes. Aaron's brother, and his nephew.
Eric: Brother? You mean Joshua?
Ethan: Exactly.

[Eric and I sat on the couch directly across Ethan, waiting for one of them to arrive.]

Eric: Any luck with Aaron?
Ethan: Yes, he was on the port with the two of them.
Eric: Great. Did you got your keys back, Charles?
Charles: Yeah.

[I drew my keys from my pants, and showed them to Eric.]

Charles: Here they are.
Eric: Good to see he still had them.

Afterwards, none of us said a word. I played with my keys for a few seconds, happy that I got them back. However, I couldn't stand sitting on the couch for too long and do nothing but play, so I got up and walked towards the table that is on the living room. I grabbed one of the portraits that I found on it. It was a painting, not a photography, of Aaron. It pictured him outside the bar where we had been to before. The old man always had muscles. The painting was signed "J.F.M". I wondered who was that... Behind me, Eric and Ethan began talking.]

Eric: It's funny, isn't it?
Ethan: Excuse me?
Eric: I came here becase I wanted to talk with you. It has been almost a week since I first heard your name, and now you are here, sitting in front of me. And what do I do? Nothing.
Ethan: I don't find anything funny in that.
Eric: You would if I told you that in the last week I have been looking for answers about questions I do not have in the first place. And all of that because of the man I have been waiting for to arrive.
Ethan: I'm really sorry that Conan lied to you, Eric.
Eric: How do you know he lied to me?
Ethan: Because he told me what he said to you before coming to Capri.

["Eric looked down to the floor, and smiled. The scariest smile that I have ever seen. The smile of a mad man". Ethan's textual words.]

Eric: The only connection we have is that Aaron is a friend of ours. And you can't even call that a connection.

["After hearing Eric's words, I remembered what Joshua had said earlier that day. That the Earth orbitates around Aaron". And after hearing Ethan tell me that, I'm starting to believe it too.]

Eric: So yeah... I came here in vain.
Ethan: You couldn't have possibly know that he was lying to you.
Eric: I couldn't have, right?

[Eric looked at Ethan once again.]

Ethan: Right. What I don't understand, however, is why don't you leave. What's keeping you from leaving?
Eric: Nothing. But for some reason, I believe I will find some of my answers here.
Ethan: Is that so?

[Like before, Eric stared at the wooden floor, but quickly directed his eyes back at Ethan.]

Eric: Probably not. But if not here, where else will I find them?

[Eric started laughing quietly, with his laugh being followed by Ethan's. But Eric's laugh was the last thing I wanted to hear from him in a situation like the one of that day, since I knew he was laughing not to cry... We waited patiently for Aaron or Conan's arrival. Minutes later, they began to talk again.]

Ethan: I don't know why would have Conan lied to you about me.
Eric: We will have to wait until he arrives.

[I hadn't take a part in the conversation since... well, since it started, to be honest. So I thought it would be a good idea to give it a try.]

Charles: I think that the correct question would be why did he wanted us here.

[I will admit I felt disappointed back then when, after saying what I said, Conan didn't enter through the door and said something like "I can explain that".]

Ethan: I don't know why did he wanted you to be here. I'm sure there's a very good explanation as to why did he lied you in order to bring you two to Capri.
Eric: Great...
Charles: I thought you guys wanted to "train" me, or something.

[Ethan laughed slightly. I knew I had said something erroneous.]

Ethan: I doubt you will stay here for too long. I know I wouldn't stay anywhere where people lied to me on a daily basis.
Charles: So you mean that, the training, it won't happen?
Ethan: I'm afraid it won't. But as Eric said before, we will have to wait for Conan to arrive here, so there may be a glimpse of hope. I'm really looking forward to what you can do with one of our cars. They will certainly test your skills.

[We returned back to silence. I watched the clock on the living room: almost 2:00 p.m. I couldn't believe I had done so many things in almost three hours, some things my friends wouldn't believe even if I told them about it. If I had friends, that is... I decide I want to take a drink, and so I go to the kitchen. Before opening the refrigerator, somebody rings the bell. I can clearly hear Ethan speaking on the living room, since I'm just meters away from him.]

Ethan: Joshua before Aaron...?

[I heard him say those words, and I wondered "how". I saw Ethan stand up and walk towards the door, disappearing from my eyes as soon as he entered the gallery. Instead of getting a drink as I was planning to, I walked back to the living room and sat in the couch with Eric, who was waiting patiently for Joshua to enter through the door. As we both hear steps coming from the gallery, Eric stands up. Seconds later, the door is opened. However, it's not Joshua.]

Ethan: Here.
?????: Hello, everyone.

[I quickly recognized the man that entered the room after Ethan: it was Daniel, Joshua's son. This time, however, he was wearing a t-shirt. Shortly after him, Conan entered the room.]

Conan: Nice to see you guys again.

[Conan was wearing his googles, and proceeded to take them off. Daniel approached us, and shook hands with Eric. Meanwhile, Conan walked towards me and scratched my head. I was very happy to see him after all that I endured that day.]

Daniel: My name is Daniel Sheperd, nice to meet you.
Eric: Eric Cañas, my pleasure.
Conan: How's it going, Charlie? Or should I say Charles, now?
Charles: You are free to call me Charlie if you want to.

[Conan smiled at me and I see, along with Eric, Joshua entering the living room, with Aaron carrying some plastic bags behind him. Joshua quickly spotted Eric, and directed his words at him. A smile of happiness drew in Joshua's face: the smile of someone who sees an old friend after decades.]

Joshua: I hope you lost that big appetite of yours. Otherwise, someone's not eating today.

[Both laugh at the same time, and Eric approaches Joshua, giving him a hug.]

Joshua: How's it going, man?
Eric: As good as one can be.

[I'm almost sure I haven't described to you what does Eric look like, right? He is around 170 to 175 centimeters tall, and weights almost 85 kilograms (around 187 pounds). He is fat, if that's what you are asking yourself, but not fat enough to have some trouble when moving. Overall, he is chubby. Hair... he has brown-colored hair, combed in a quiff hairstyle, along with black-colored irises. One of these days I will describe the rest of them to you, or maybe I will make a draw of them, since I have a picture of all of us together. After the hug, Joshua stared at me for a couple of seconds, until he finally spoke.]

Joshua: You have your mother's eyes. Has anyone ever told you that, my boy?

[I don't think Joshua expected me to answer, so I didn't. The old man sat in one of the couches with the help of his son, and looked at me. I hadn't move since I saw him entering the room.]

Joshua: I am a man of word. And if I remember clearly, I told you that once we got here, I would talk all that you wanted me to about your father. So I recommend you to sit down, kid, because you are about to learn who your father really was.

[At that moment, the clock striked 2:00 p.m.]





End of Volume 2​
 
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END?! DAMN! You and your cliff hangers :lol: But at least there's sweet, sweet exposition in the next volume. Right? Right?!

Kidding, but it's an interesting way to end the 2nd Volume.

Oh, and that bathroom scene is so true to life :D
 
Sweet, another chapter of a great story. :cheers: 👍
However, I'm growing somewhat impatient for the next race in this story. It seems like an eternity since Charlie last had a race.
 
Volume 3​
Panorama 1992​



It's been thirteen years since Leonard Chase moved from his home in Australia. He still remembers the day when he woke up at 2:31 p.m., thought "what a nice day" and headed for the window in his bedroom completely naked (and completely drunk). He had attended a friend's party earlier that day, where he drank a couple dozens of Fosters, played basketball with the "mates", told jokes that nobody would have understood if they hadn't all been drunk, and more. Overall, a nice way to spend the morning. Leonard looked out the window: the grass was green, the birds were singing. It had just rained. But Leonard loved rainy days, so it was a nice day indeed. Old Hamilton sitting on a bench outside his house waved at him after Leonard babbled his name aloud, completely unaware that Leonard was, in fact, naked. After stretching, naked, in front of the window he grabbed his clothes and put them on. As he walked down the stairs, he heard his mother's voice calling his name: "Leonard, you are awake. Mr. Hamilton called a while ago. He says he wants to speak with you, so once you finish your lunch you are going there." Leonard approached the dining room. His father wasn't at the table, like he used to. "Where's dad?" "Turn on the TV and watch the news" replied his mother with soft, sad voice. Leonard did as his mother told him to. "...bloody disgraceful. I'll keep racing but I tell you what, this is gonna remain with me for a long time, you're a pack of arseholes." Leonard couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What the hell did I miss?" he said."Richards and Skaife won. Hulme died during the race. After that, I didn't bother watching anymore." "Where's dad?", asked Leonard again. "He left for Bathurst" was the answer he received from his mother.

Leonard: Then I'm going too.
Mrs. Chase: No.

Before he got up, Mrs. Chase grabbed his arm. The act awoke Leonard from his current state. He realized how different that day was from the previous days.

Mrs. Chase: You are having lunch with me, and then you will go to Mr. Hamilton's house.
Leonard: Mom.
Mrs. Chase: Leonard... please.

Unwillingly, Leonard stayed at home. There he ate his lunch slowly. He had bacon that day. Mrs. Chase bacon was one of the best in the neighbourhood. This day, however, tasted terrible. Some bites seemed impossible to swallow. The smell was terrible. The reds and pinks turned browns and grays. "I'm not very hungry" he said, and pushed the plate away from him towards the center of the table. "Can I go now?" Mrs. Chase nodded. Leo (as his friends called him) went to the bathroom. The looks on his face were terrible. It was painfully obvious he had barely sleep that day. But putting things into perspective that wasn't the worse thing he had seen that day. The face of the man on TV. What was going on in that man's head, he wondered? Leo washed the worries from his face away, and headed for Mr. Hamilton's home. He lived right next to him. Mr. Hamilton was sitting where Leo had previously seen him: on a bench in front of his house.

Leo: Mr. Hamilton, good day.
Hamilton: You of all people should know this is not a good day. Didn't you watch the news?
Leo: Yes, my mother told me to do so.
Hamilton: For a moment I thought she forgot about it.
Leo: I'm sorry?
Hamilton: I called your mother to tell you to come here. I asked her if she watched the race. She said no, and so I told her about all that happened before and after the end. She didn't forgot to tell you, then.
Leo: What did you want to talk to me about?
Hamilton: Right...

Hamilton closed his eyes for a few seconds. Then he looked at Leonard.

Hamilton: I'm losing it, kid.
Leo: I'm sorry?
Hamilton: These past weeks I've been feeling strange. Surely you must have noticed. I don't walk for as long as I use to. Nor I drive as much as I'd like to. I have vomited every day since last week, usually when I wake up. I started having double vision. But I thought "since my annual checkup is just a few weeks away, why bother going to the doctor now?" And so I waited for that day. That day came yesterday, and so I went to the doctor. Once there, I told the doc about my problems. He asked me to describe my symptoms while he examined me. With each symptom I described, which are more than those I talked to you about, his face turned paler and paler. "Larry", he said after a long pause, "I believe you may have a brain tumor." I asked if he was sure. "We must run some tests, but... I'm pretty sure you do. I'm so sorry." Leonard Chase started crying on that same bench that still remains to this day next to the Chases' house in New South Wales. "It's not confirmed yet, Leo. Trust me, everything's going to be okay. I know your dad left for Bathurst. I suppose you wanted to go, but your mother wouldn't let you until you spoke with me, right? If that's the case, you can take my GTS-R." Chase wiped the tears off his eyes. "Really?" Lawrence nodded. "It may not be as fast as Godzilla, but it will help you get there quicker than if you drive your mother's Bluebird. Just promise not to scratch it, okay?" "Okay. I promise that once I'm done there, I will return as fast as I can." Larry shook hands with Leo, and gave him the GTS-R's keys. Then, they both walked to the back of the house. Mr. Hamilton opened the white door of the garage, and the shiny blue black 1987 Skyline GTS-R resting therein saw the light for the first time in weeks. "Take care of her, Leo."





It's been thirteen years since Leonard Chase moved from his home in Australia. He still remembers that 4th of October when he woke up at 2:31 p.m., thought "what a nice day" and headed for the window in his bedroom completely naked (and completely drunk). The day Leonard looked out the window and saw the green grass, the singing birds, old Hamilton sitting on a bench outside of his house. But the day that he remembers the most is the one that followed the 4th of October of 1992. The day when he woke up at 10:37 a.m. and his father told him minutes afterwards that earlier that day Lawrence Hamilton had pointed a shotgun to his chest and pulled the trigger.
 
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Yay! It's back! I lol'd at the "pack of arseholes" comment. :lol:
 
Finally back, right? :lol: I thought I had to write something before I lost complete interest in the story, so I decided I would write this instead of continuing where Chapter 19 ended, since that requires much more work.

By the way, you may want to google that comment and see where it takes you. ;)
 
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