Humans are very special animals. They believe in something with no evidence backing its existence, like luck or fate, and these ideas have been a part of our everyday life for millennia. Some ignored them and didn’t care in the slightest about those ideas, and other waged war that cost millions their life, just because they believed it was their fate to rule over the Earth and to become God himself. What is more, this is not the only thing about humans that would make other species laugh at us. Some people have combined and mix those weird factless beliefs with others! Like the love that somebody was destined to, due to their fate. Isn’t that crazy? Fate is not something that could be observed, and it couldn’t bind together the lives of two people!
At least it was something that Nathaniel Maxwell “believed’’ in. He was now almost finished with his last project, and he did not want to waste his precious time on such foolish ideas. If he ended up in a relationship, his reputation
that he of course did not care for
would be tarnished.
But the time has now come. Nathaniel will be the first man to invent the new machine that will revolutionize the way we move from point A to point B. Now it would take mere hours to travel around the globe. His name will be known to every person, he will become recognizable all over the empire and not only in his hometown of Sleaford, and maybe... even the Queen would invite him for dinner? He wasn’t certain about that last bit, but his self-esteem was through the roof right now. He knew that this complicated solution that was now unusually boiling was the only obstacle to achieving greatness.
“Oh God, if you exist, just let this flask be, and not implode like the first five times…’’, repeated Maxwell with the passion of a preacher.
“So now you are praying? That’s so sweet of you! Our mother would be finally proud of you!” said cynically Alice, slamming the door behind her.
Nathaniel jumped and flinched when he heard the voice of his annoying younger sister. He hated her, and he had many great reasons to do that.
“Go away, you little rat! Learn some proper manners and knock before entering a room!”, replied her brother.
“Oh, but they did not teach that at the University, right? Oh, I have must forget that you dropped out because of your little experiments.’’ She said, now grabbing a chair and sitting just in front of her brother’s desk, which was full of papers, books, notes, and with oily stains all over it.
“I swear... I will commit a murder and I won’t be punished for it!’’ yelled the man.
Alice was now looking through the stash of notes under his desk. Her attention drew the small piece of half-burned piece of paper with a golden emblem at the bottom still intact.
“What do we have here? It looks like the invitation for the Christmas ball that I have received,’’ said the woman with a clear giggle in her voice.
“What so funny about it? I just didn’t want to come and for goodness gracious stop digging through my belongings right now! I am seconds away from escaping this hellhole called our family, so if you don’t mind, LEAVE MY OFFICE Immediately!’’ said irritated Nathan.
“It’s just funny how such a weirdo like you has received an invitation for the most important and prestigious event in the entire year. I know that our lovely mother probably persuaded them by giving them a small gift that costs more than our ship in the dockyards but does she believe that you will socialize with the greatest people of our country?” replied Alice curiously observing the now more and more bubbly substance in the flask standing near her brother.
“I hope she does not’’
The atmosphere in the room was now so dense that you could cut through it with a knife. Nathaniel was now filled with hatred towards his sister more than he is usually. Alice, after reminding him that he was a black sheep of his family and that he was seen as a failure, was now the thorn in his eye and the plague of inconveniences that he has to deal with. The man walked up towards his now looking through the window sister and said:
“Listen up, you little...’’
The glass-shattering sound of the imploding flask filled the room and muffled the inventor's swearing. Now, just like before, the room was filled with black, oily, and hot substances. He wished that maybe some of it landed on his sister's face, but fortunately, it just only stained her dress.
‘‘Look, what you have done! I have bought it in London, and now it’s ruined.’’ Yelled Alice at him.
“Get the hell out of here and never come back, would you? You do not know about what it was and what I could have achieved if you haven’t annoyed me and wasted my time when I was working.’’ said Nathaniel, now grabbing his sister by the arm and throwing her out of his office. He then locked and barricade the door with a nearby chair and furniture.
He was fed up with all of this nonsense. Once again, his dreams were laying on the floor in the pool of black and corrosive chemicals. The only thing that kept his sanity together was that this had happened before and there have to be a solution to this problem, He just needs to go to the drawing board, check if the calculations are right, and adjust his setup and everything is going to be alright.
Nathaniel took a deep breath, opened the windows, and started to clean the mess that was now his office.
When he was moping the floor, he stopped at his desk and waited for a second, thinking about the previous situation. The idea of him going to the Christmas ball was unthinkable. He was the rebel with a cause; he was the genius that truly understands how corrupted the world was but maybe... If he hypothetically will go there, he might just find the right person who will become a useful tool and would help set up a business and sell his invention to the consumer market.
Maxwell's family was more than wealthy and respected, and even though he was the outcast of the family, he had more than enough money and resources to fulfil his dreams, that was the reason he was now working in his office instead of working in the shipyard or the factory. He was now the only master of his life; he just needs a little more time to finish his work. Although... he hadn't had a break from work in two years since he has dropped out of university, there was nothing else in his life other than his work in the office. He only left his house when he needed to travel around the Empire for some inspiration. His mother provided him and his sister with a constant flow of money. In Nathaniel's mind, it was done from a pity of him. After all, he didn't speak with her in years since, and she didn't receive the message that he was going to move out from the family's mansion.
Nathaniel then picked up the invitation from the floor and held it in his hand, looking at it and thinking for some time. Thoughts were flying through his mind right and left, until he suddenly dropped the mop, walked up to the window, and said to himself:
“I am truly an idiot to even consider this possibility, but I think that some fresh air and Italian wine will be a good thing. Maybe even I will find there somebody to help me establish in the market? Who knows...? I’ve decided, I am going there!’’
Nathaniel then continued cleaning the rest of the mess in his room, still thinking about going to the Christmas ball, calculating all the pros and cons. Unfortunately for him, there were more positives.
The snow rained heavily in the night; the whole city was covered in it. The sound of children playing in the snow and people going to work in the factories filled the morning air. The steam from the freshly oiled and cleaned steamships rose way up high, which was the sign of Sleaford from its usual sleepy morning state. It's not the smallest city in the empire, but it wasn't London or Manchester. ''Sleaford will enter the new era'' wrote the headlines of the morning newspapers, but what this era will be nobody knew.
Although, streets were becoming crowded Nathan had nothing really to do in the morning except go to the town Centre to buy an appropriate outfit for the event, after all, there are still two days left until Christmas Eve.
He was still laying in "bed'', covered with a blanket and his long coat. After last night incident, he was so tired and fed up with his thoughts that he decided to sleep in his office on a sofa. He had a terrible night, filled with nightmares about the future and his family and his failures. This would not be unusual for Nathan. He suffered from this state for years now, but no one knew about it except him. His morning routine has started with the loud squeaking noise of his door, combined with the loud bang from his "barricade'' falling apart. He startled in panic, falling from his sofa on the still dirty floor.
“What in the world was that?’’ said Nathaniel, yawing in the middle of the sentence.
"Oh, I am sorry, sir. I didn't want to scare you. It's 7 AM and I couldn't find you in your bed, so I've decided to clean your office after your work." Said Agatha.
Agatha was the housemaid for five years now. She was an ordinary thirty years old woman with a child and a husband who was now far away in India serving in the military. She of course missed him dearly and talked about him with other women in his spare time. Agatha was now dressed in the appropriate black daily work-dress, stained apron and white cap on her hand.
"You don't have to worry about me at all Agatha, thank you very much for your service.'' Replied Nathan, now standing up and stretching his back. The old sofa wasn't the best choice for sleep after all.
“Thank you, sir, the breakfast will be served in half an hour, so you have time for your exercises. I will begin cleaning this room, and then I will wake up your sister.”
“Great...’’ said Nathan walking out of his office. Down deep in his soul he would ask Agatha not to wake her up and instead to lock her room and to throw the key in the well. That would be great news to everyone, but it’s probably considered immoral or something.
He left those thoughts behind and proceeded to the living area downstairs. The fire in the fireplace was going out, but he didn't mind a little bit of cold. He then exercised for a couple of minutes. He did that to be in shape because life as an inventor isn't always the most demanding physical work, and even though he didn't care for his appearance and status, he preferred to be able to walk to the town's Centre without panting like a dog. After that, he always took a short walk around his garden and only then he was ready for breakfast.
Fortunately, it will be served in a few minutes, which was pretty obvious after the smoky smell coming from the kitchen. His wish for the meal without any interruption was dead after he heard his sister Alice coming to the living area.
“Good morning Nathan, but I think that I should have said: annoying morning, brother,’’ said Alice now sitting at the end of the table and waiting for the meal.
"I hope you didn't sleep well, and you want to apologize to me for the yesterday,'' said irritated Nathan
“Why do you always have to be like that? I didn’t do anything and your stupid experiment ruined my outfit. I will tell our mother about it.” Said Alice.
“Why the world cursed me with you? If you want to share this wonderful news with her, go ahead but remember that I have the banking account and so if she would like to cut our funding then you will have no money too.’’ said Nathan now really wishing for this breakfast to be over.
"I will consider this possibility, but where is the breakfast?! Does Agatha have to be so slow? Why couldn't we hire a new maid?” asked Nathaniel's sister.
"Because she is doing a good job, and she has been working for us for years now. Did she annoy you because she doesn't like your attitude? I am sorry, my dear sister," said cynically Nathan, staring at the portrait of his noble predecessor hanging on the wall, behind his sister.
“I hate you; I won’t talk to you brother,’’ replied Alice with visible anger on her face.
That was a relief for Nathan. The morning arguing with his sister was also part of his routine. Fortunately, Agatha served the still steaming sausages on the table and the freshly baked bread with a drop of French mustard on the side. This, combined with a cup of tea, was the best possible meal in the morning, in Nathaniel's eyes. This was also the preferred way to start a day with their father. He still was in New Holland selling firearms and steamships to the locals and he didn't contact them in a year.
This thought still resonates in the minds of his both now eating children. They did not love him in any way, but both respected him, even Nathan, who hated everyone and everything about his family.
By the time they have both finished their meals, the standing clock showed that it was 8 AM. Nathan then walked out of the room and run to his closet to change his clothes. He has to look like a human being after all when he wants to travel by flying steamboats. His mean of transport will leave from the nearby stop in fifteen minutes, so he also needs to hurry.
After a while, he stormed through the front door and run for his life with his top hand in hand to the stop two neighborhoods down the street. The passerby stared at him like he was some sort of ghost, but it was his reality and he didn't mind it, the line of people waiting in a line on the horizon was a good sign, and it usually meant that the ship still hasn't departed, or it could have also meant that there was not much coal to buy, and they were just waiting in line to buy some.
