P-NO: The call

By every passing beep without an answer, the lump in Clyde's throat grew heavier and harder to swallow back down. By the fourth beep, he wasn't sure if he was even breathing anymore. By the fifth, he began hoping nobody would ever pick up the phone.

But on the sixth ring, those hopes went down the drain.

"Nemo Swann!" a bright, young voice greeted through the phone. "Sorry it took a moment- I was just cooking and, well, y'know, you cannot just turn your back on those things!" Laughter followed - so radiant that you didn't need to see the joking smile to know it was there.

Just like Gabe, blazing with emotion.

God, Clyde could picture the smile in his head as if Gabriel was standing in front of him. For the shortest moment, it brought solace. For just a second, he could fool himself into believing it was his friend at the other end of the phone.

For that single tic of a clock, everything was fine.

But the clock ticked forward, and the second hand smashed the vision into glass shards, each jagged edge cutting deep into Clyde's flesh. The pain was unreal, worse than anything the soldier had felt before. How was it possible that wounds that didn't bleed hurt the most? He didn't know, he couldn't comprehend it- the only thing he knew was that he was going to inflict the same kind of a wound on someone else. The invisible noose around his throat tightened again, making his hand holding the phone tremble. He had to take a few extra seconds to make sure his voice wouldn't fall under the same effect, and those seconds were long enough to bring the phone in his hand back to life.

"Hello? Are you still there?"

How dearly Clyde wished that he wasn't. He wanted to lower the phone and end the call without another word - but he knew that wasn't an option, so after another second of collecting himself, he finally found his voice.

"Mr. Swann," he spoke without a greeting, tone flat, forced dry of all emotions. "This is Cadet Clyde Falk from your brother's brigade speaking."

Just like that, the radiance at the other end of the line went out like a flame. Clyde wasn't sure how he knew, or if it was completely irrational that he thought he knew - but he was sure he felt the smile fall and die. The silence leaking through the phone was suffocating, thick with unsaid questions that Clyde could still tell were there. The questions of why this call was happening, why wasn't Gabe the one calling if the call came from the military, why...

And all the endless 'no's replying to the answers to those questions.

No, that couldn't be it.

No, this couldn't be that call.

No, there had to be some kind of a mistake.

How could Clyde be so sure that these were the words, the thoughts, lingering at the grave silence he held in his hand?

Because he still heard the very same words in the back of his head. Uncertain, fearful - denying.

They only grew louder as he took in the breath that was to be used to utter what felt like the most difficult words the man had ever had to pronounce.

"I'm afraid I have bad news..."

---

words: 561

so you know Gabriel, Nemo's dead big brother
yeah, Clyde knew him too
( :

Nemo (c) RosariaBec
Clyde & art/writing (c) me