Page 199 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

‘That is where you are wrong. If I do not leave, I do not think any of us have a future. I promise on your beloved mother’s life that I shall return for you... Pray for me, wait for me.’

The boy nodded meekly.

‘Remember the words of Laozi. “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are going.”’

‘Please come back,’ Atlas whispered.

‘My precious boy, I have taught you how to navigate by the stars. If you ever need to find me, use the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades as your guides. Maia, Alcyone, Asterope, Celaeno, Taygete and Electra will protect you. And of course, Merope, whose star is special, as you can only see it sometimes. When you see her, you will know you are on your way home.’

Kreeg Eszu moved his knight to F3. ‘Checkmate,’ he grinned.

‘What?’ replied a baffled Atlas. ‘How did you manage that?!’

‘It’s called a hippopotamus mate. It allows you to win in six moves.’ He shrugged. ‘Sorry about that.’

‘Can you teach me how to do it?’ Atlas asked pleadingly.

‘Now, why would I give you all my secrets?’ Kreeg sneered. ‘What’s the fun in playing chess against you if I can’t win?’

‘Come on, Kreeg! I want to know!’

‘I’ll consider it... Maybe if you go and chop my firewood for me.’

Atlas rolled his eyes. ‘Fine.’

‘Boys,’ Rhea called, staggering into the living room. ‘Maxim is coming here in half an hour. You need to clear up the chess set. You know he doesn’t like a mess.’

Kreeg shot his mother a glare. ‘Does Maxim have to come today? He’s always here now,’ he moaned.

‘He does if you want to eat,’ Rhea slurred under her breath.

‘What?’ asked Kreeg.

‘Nothing. Yes, Maxim does have to come. Maybe you twocould make yourselves scarce. You haven’t visited your father in a while, Kreeg. Go and pay your respects.’

The elder of the boys looked downcast. ‘But it makes me sad.’

‘Well, Atlas will cheer you up. He’s very good at that, aren’t you?’ She approached him and ruffled his hair. ‘Take your fiddle or something, Atlas.’ She took a swig from the near-empty vodka bottle in her hand.

Cronus Eszu had died approximately four months after Lapetus Tanit had begun his journey to Switzerland. Malnourished and weak, he had simply collapsed in the snow whilst checking one of the traps for rabbits or rats. It had been Atlas who had found him. He would never forget the shrill scream Kreeg let out when he ran back into the house to ask for help.

As for Lapetus, there had been no word from him since the day he had walked out into the snow in 1923. Atlas missed him terribly. Although the three that remained in Siberia talked as if he might return any day, deep down they all knew the fate that had befallen him.

Not long after Cronus’s death the outlook improved, as Rhea had taken a Bolshevik lover named Maxim, who provided the house with food on the table (however meagre) and, more importantly to Rhea, the vodka she had begun to rely on to get her through the days.

Kreeg and Atlas put on their fur boots, scarves, hats and gloves, and began the walk up the hill on which they had buried Kreeg’s father.

Atlas knew how difficult his de facto brother found these trips, and tried to make conversation. ‘What do you think you will be when you grow up, Kreeg?’ he asked.

Kreeg sniffed. ‘I don’t care what I do, as long as I earn lots and lots of money. I want a big, warm house, and for all my cupboards to be full of food.’

‘That would be good,’ replied Atlas. ‘I think I’d like to be a ship’s captain. I could sail us all over the world.’

‘I thought you wanted to be a musician?’

‘I do!’ Atlas enthused. ‘Maybe I can be both!’

This produced a small chuckle from Kreeg, which pleased the younger boy. ‘Maybe you can. They say that when theTitanicwas sinking, the string quartet kept playing. So, when your boat sinks, you can play the passengers a tune.’