Chapter 1


“The whole thing, gentlemen, works according to the principle of the steam engine and it’s perfectly simple. We just release this clutch…”
Fifteen men, sitting in a semi circle, loudly caught their breath, as the unusual carriage, sized down to the size of a toy, ran itself across the table. It traveled for about a yard with loud cracking and crunching when suddenly it seemed like something blew up and broke. It stopped and steam puffed out of it. When it blew up, they saw that the minor explosion of the ‘engine’ blew away the coachman’s seat and the front right wheel.
Eric’s happy expression at having started the prototype, faded quickly.
“Of course this is only a test device and faults are quite common …” he started to apologize.
“Faults, Mr. Wortham? You do realize this is dangerous? Do you wish for the coachman to get blown up on his seat?”
“No, no, until then it would work perfectly …”
“That’s right, it would work if it was actually elaborated …”
“Calm down, lord Daley,” another man with a brief wave of his hand intervened with the one who sat in the middle and was mercilessly shouting at Eric.
“I will not support experiments like this!” angered lord Daley.
“Indeed! What’s wrong with horses? This suspicious thing seems quite dangerous!” another man, sitting at the extreme left had joined his opinion.
“I agree!” one after one, the others agreed.
“Please, at least listen to me! I can explain … I have other things …” Eric pleaded, knowing he hasn’t made the best impression – again.
“Dear God, no!” lord Daley was the loudest one again. “Don’t tell me you also have a flying machine!”
With this statement he triggered a wave of laughter among the others. Eric’s hope faded fast – the presentation had again turned into a failed attempt of convincing them and it seemed that even the old man, who calmly slept two chairs away from lord Daley with his wig slipped over one hear, had been laughing at him.
“Come again when you have something useful to show. Until then, goodbye, Mr. Wortham,” lord Daley dismissed him.
Eric had nothing to do, but to leave. Defeated, he grabbed the rest of the coach and the wheel that had been blown away and put it in his pocket.
“Or better yet, don’t even come back … ever,” said someone else.
His lips paled in fury. How limited they are! If it weren’t for people like him, all of them would still be living in the Stone Age. But, it doesn’t matter – one day they’ll see who was right.
“Farewell, gentlemen,” he said and when he turned and left, his steps loudly echoed on the grey marble floor, similar to the color of his eyes, as he forged plans in advance. He’ll show them who’s right here.
“Is everyone in Boston as crazy?” he heard the men still discussing him.
“If they are, they should stay there and kill each other with their inventions!”
“Ha, did you see? A steam powered coach! Please!”
He thought he heard them even when he had already stepped in the hall. Angrily, he pushed open the massive door and found himself outside, on the top of a wide staircase. He blinked at the sun, which has broken through the dreary clouds gathering over London.
“Eric, Eric! How did it go?” Brian, his older brother, who was waiting for him sitting on the banister, rushed to him.
“Same as always,” answered Eric dourly. “Moreover, this damned thing wasn’t working and …” angrily he hurled the prototype on the floor.
“Let me guess, it started driving in circles again?”
“No, this time it exploded. The coachman seat went swimming with the fishes.”
“Fiuu!” whistled Brian. “You know what, brother? If it doesn’t work out for you as an inventor, you can still apply as a professional pyrotechnic.”
“Right. Get serious, Brian. We have no time for jokes. This is serious business.”
They set down the staircase and diverted themselves to the crowded street.
“Well, there goes the last pound,” said Eric, threw the rusty coin in the air and caught it. “This is all we have left. And what have I achieved? Nothing!”
“I think it’s time for us to go home. This journey was a waste of time.”
“And money. Do you think we’ll get thrown out of the inn again today?”
“Considering we haven’t paid the rent for the past month, yet alone this one, I have no doubt we’ll be flying through the window,” Brian foreseen.
“Heck, we need money. I have to try again.”
“Oh no, Eric, let it go. As soon as we get the money, we’re going home!”
“But what about my camera? They haven’t even seen it yet…” Eric pulled out a black iron box, big as a jewelry box.
“Will this explode as well when the time is right?” Brian was skeptical.
“You wish! This works smoothly, you’ll see! It may be a bit clumsy to use, but when I improve it…”
“I can’t believe it. We’ve been here for four months, we’ve spend all our money and you want
improvements? This is madness, Eric,” his brother shook his head.
“Look, I’ll show you,” said Eric, excited, ignoring his words. “The light is just right, the sun isn’t too strong…”
“Wait, hold on. You aren’t going to shoot me with this thing! What if something goes wrong again?”
“Fine then.” Said Eric and looked around. “I’ll prove it to you,” he was determined and he stopped a girl passing by.
“Excuse me, Madam,” he started, clumsily and tried to smile. “Would you please … I just need one little favor. I want to take your picture.”
“Eric, stop, you’re embarrassing us!”  Brian tried unsuccessfully to stop him.
“No, it’s all right,” said the girl with a soft, mellifluous voice. “What do I have to do?”
Eric, happy he found someone willing to cooperate, continued quickly.
“Nothing,  Madam, just stand there for a minute – just like that, yes …” he guided her, so that she was standing on the edge of the pavement  and he moved a few steps back, so he could get her in the objective.
“Should I do anything else?” she asked, a little confused.
“It’s perfect,” he answered. It took him another second or two to adjust and pull the string, hanging out of the camera. What followed was a lighter flash and a little smoke came out of it.
“It’s done, thank you very much,” said Eric.
“Oh,” she looked a bit surprised. “Good then.”
“Yes, well … Thank you and …” he didn’t even notice, he’s said this thanks before. “Nice weather, we’re having, isn’t it?” he blurted out.
In the next moment, there was a loud thunder, the rain poured down and the sun was nowhere to be seen. The girl laughed.
“Why yes, indeed,” she agreed, as if he had told a joke.
“Cecilia, let’s go, we’ll be wet,” a woman, who had earlier moved away, appeared beside her again.
“Oh, of course Lily, I’m going …” she smiled at Eric again, shyly and hurried away, before he could come to himself and restrain her.
“You’re acting like a fool,” remarked Brian.
“Ah?” asked Eric, absent-mindedly.
“I said we needed to go, unless you want to save money by trading a bath for half an hour outside in the rain …”
“Yes, yes, let’s go,” Eric finally woke up. “Do you think that …” he looked over his shoulder again, as in he was hoping he girl would miraculously appear again.
“Whatever it is, forget about it,” said Brian. “You’ll never see her again and if we don’t figure out how to get the money for lodgings, you’ll soon see enough of the street.”
“I know, it’s just … Oh, nothing.” He checked if the camera was still safe under his jacket, where he had stored it to protect it from the rain.
“Did you hear?” he asked in a daze. “Her name’s Cecilia.”
The latter rolled his eyes. “She could be Queen Victoria, and it wouldn’t matter. At least not to you. As soon as we get some money, we are going home, is that clear?”
“Mhm…”
Brian, tired of waiting, walked forward and grumbled something about the weather and England. Eric stood for a bit and then followed him.
“Cecilia,” he muttered to himself. “Her name’s Cecilia.”