My Name is Simon

Present Time

Seth was standing at the 20th step of their staircase feeling exhausted when his phone rang. He picked up the call instantly.

"Dad, I can't see him. He could be out." Seth said with a sigh to the person on the other line.

He's been going up and down the staircase and circling the house since 4'o'clock in the morning, like a madman looking for his lost cat.

"He will not leave the house, as I have said. Just try to find him. Perhaps he's doing something stupid again," said Seth's caller, and even before he respond Seth heard some sort of impact in the storage room. He quickly canceled the call and slowly approached the storage room door with his heart almost pumping out of his chest. He got hold of the doorknob and slowly opened the door.

"Waaah!" screamed Seth in disbelief.

The wooden chair fell off the floor and found a man with a good body built squiggling his feet while his body is hanging from the ceiling. But he wasn't dead. He looks more furious than that.

"Geez, uncle, what are you doing here?" Seth snarled at his uncle with his hand on his chest, trying to calm himself from shock at the scene he witnessed.

It is his uncle Simon, wearing all black, which made him look like a ninja without a mask. He also has long, shoulder-length hair like a teen girl, a mustache, and a beard that hasn't been shaved for ages.

"What think I'm doing? Playing?" said Simon, annoyed by Seth's sudden appearance. "Go pick up that chair, put it under me. I'm going to get off."

Without further ado, Seth immediately put the seat under Simon's feet while removing the cord from his neck. The trace of the tightrope is noticeable on Simon's neck, leaving a trace that he committed suicide that fails. Irritated, Simon left the storage room, and Seth followed in his footsteps.

"Uncle, for the nth time why are you trying to get yourself killed again?" asked Seth to the back of his uncle.

Simon turned and raised his brow towards Seth. "Why are you asking? Are you upset because I haven't died yet? No worries, we both feel the same way."

"It's not like that, Uncle. Aren't you tired yet? I mean, you're sure you'll prove the saying, try and try until you die? Well, for your information, nobody knows that motto anymore!" Seth said with a chuckle.

With a blank expression on his face, Simon started walking again and Seth went to follow him again.

Simon's on his way to the kitchen to get some water.

"It is easy for you to say because you don't know the feeling of someone like me watching the people around me die, while I'm still strong as a bison." Simon drank some water, then continued, "No matter what I do, I'll never die."

Seth approached Simon and put his arm on his uncle's shoulder, trying to console him. "Isn't it a little weird, Uncle? Come to think of it, everybody wants to live and you, you want to die. That's what I'm talking about."

"Why wouldn't I want to jerk? At my age now, I should be in heaven already wintering.." Simon said without expression on his face.

"But uncle! are you even sure you're going to heaven if you die?" Seth asked with a laugh.

"Silly!" Simon glared at Seth. And knock the boy on his head.

"It hurts, uncle," Seth complains while caressing his head.

Simon turned the pitcher over to the refrigerator and washed the glass, then put it into the cabinet.

"Why don't you try marrying someone, Uncle? Maybe when you're a parent, you'll be able to spend some quality time with your kids," says Seth in a serious face. "So you won't kill yourself multiple times again, because you're busy with them."

"Aha! If I can't help you die, then maybe that's what I need to do. Find you some maiden that your charms will bewitch." Seth said with a grin on his face.

It bemused Simon. He said nothing and turned his back on Seth. The latter watched Simon walk away calmly.

*****

On the rooftop, Simon was there like a bird, admiring the view from above. His skin is absorbing the coldness of the air. Nobody was outside the village because of the curfew. And that's what he wants, the feeling of being alone.

The year 1500s.

In the mountains where Simon's family lives. It wasn't easy living in those days. Except for hot weather, plants and crops dry up. There's been no rain for several months. And since there were no good crops, it became a period of starvation. Simon's father owned a large lot that he has run since they died of an incurable disease. As an only child, Simon had no companion in the little lodge in which he grew up. Simon collected firewood that he used for cooking and heater every night. It was a different day, though. The sky was dark, and the wind was whispering strangely. Many people rejoice at the thought that Bathala had heard their prayer that it would rain so that the crops would live and the harvest would be good.

A few hours later, the sky was getting darker. People thought it would be a great storm, which is why climate change and animals are being disrupted. During this period, nobody is aware of the existence of a huge and dangerous asteroid that would strike the earth. This happens every thousand years and, unfortunately, it happens on that day. The rays of the sun have vanished in half the earth. People have unleashed themselves because of the supposed end of the world. However, a luminous object suddenly appeared in heaven. There seems to be a major blast in space. Gradually, the sunlight returned, but a portion of the darkness was visible. Then came the fall of many asteroids on Earth.

Simon looked up into the sky and noticed something which seemed to fall out of his place. He can't see much because the sunlight hits his eyes. As the object approached, a fire was surrounding it. Simon came out and ran. The shadow of the flaming object is wide. Simon stumbled several times to hurry. He dropped the sticks and felt the hot object behind him. He couldn't resist turning around. His eyes widened when he saw that the hot rock was coming down on him.

And entire mountains shook when this thing came down. He made a deep pit. Simon holds a plant so that he did not fall on the burning stone under him. Simon felt his foot slowly dull to the waist by the extreme heat. The plant he was holding was also pulled out. Its roots have become visible on the ground.

"Aahhhh!" screamed Simon.

In the end, the soil that holds the root of the plant yielded and Simon fell into a burning rock.

Simon awoke when the sunlight from the window struck him in the face. Simon opened his eyes and turned around. He looked around. He was in a room in the house made of bamboo and they used the coconut leaves as the roof. Simon looked at his body as well, and there were no wounds or scars.

"Is everything only a dream?" asked Simon.

He walked out of the room at once. In the kitchen, using the wood-burning stove, there is a woman who turns around and is busy cooking. At first, he thought it was his mother, but then he looked at her and realized it was someone else.

"Love, is our lunch ready?" A man asked.

As he looked at the woman, he realized she was pregnant.

"Yes, my love. I will prepare the table." the lady said.

"Let me give you a hand," said the man.

The man looked back and noticed that he was standing in front of the room. The guy smiled at him.

"You have woken up. You've been asleep in the past few days. How are you feeling?" he asked.

Simon froze. "How long have I been asleep?"

The man laid his hand on his shoulder and placed him on the chair in front of the dining table.

"About four days. We saw you in the woods, unconscious, probably exhausted, but not injured," the man said.

"What happened to you?" the woman asked.

Simon looked at the table and tried to remember everything that had happened, but remembered nothing.

"By the way, I am Helena, and here is my husband, Lando. And your name?" asked Helena.

"My name is Simon." He says.

"What are you doing in that place? Did that big rock hit you from the ground?" Lando asked.

Simon nodded. "In my memory, I fell into the immense crater that thing did."

Both of them stared at each other. "But doesn't that fireball fall on the hill?" said Lando.

"I saw a burning stone," said Helena.

"It was on fire and it made an immense crater that I fell into," Simon said.

"But you have no bruises," said Helena.

A few days later, Simon felt better. He remained at the couple's house. This couple is several years older than he is. They considered him their younger sibling.

Lando went to a farm that day. Simon wanted to help, but Lando wouldn't let him go. Helena has to give birth within a month and she could give birth.

Simon was stacking wood when Helena called him.

"Is there something you need, Helena?" asked Simon.

Helena came down when he got to her. He's supporting her until she gets closer to the chair.

"My abdomen hurts, Simon." Helena moans as she holds her stomach.

Simon got a little jumpy. "I'm going to pick up Lando," said Simon.

Simon was leaving the house when Helena complained.

"Don't go, Simon," said Helena. She just started lying on the chair. "I think my child is coming out. Help me."

"Huh? The baby is coming out? Are you going to give birth already? What am I supposed to do?" Simon asked.

He panicked. Simon came in and stood by Helena's side.

"Have a seat," said Helena.

Helena is gasping for air. Helena held onto the back of the chair on her left side above her head. Simon took a seat in the other chair.

"Simon, what are you doing there? Sit here at my feet. Hurry!" Helena's voice was kind of hard.

Confused, Simon was sitting under Helena and put both her legs wide open in front of Simon.

"What are you doing, Helena?" asked Simon.

"What else? Deliver the baby, of course. I'm going to give birth, Simon." Helena said she was nearly crying.

"What do you want me to do? I'm going to call Lando." Simon said.

"Take off my panties," said Helena.

Simon's eyes grew larger. "Take off your panty, Helena? Lando will be furious."

"Stupid, the baby is coming out. Take off my panties, Simon!" Helena almost could not shout.

Simon closed his eyes and took off his underwear. Helena's breathing came along.

"You are nuts, Simon. Why are you closing your eyes?" asked Helena.

"You said I'd remove your panties," said Simon.

"Oh my goodness, you don't even know how to take off your panties? Hurry, my baby is coming out!" cried Helena.

When Simon finally took off Helena's underwear, she spoke again.

"You take the white linen in our room. Be quick," said Helena.

Simon rushed towards the room for the white cloth. He ran down and seated himself at Helena's feet again.

"Catch my baby with a cloth, Simon," Helena shouted

"What?" Shockingly said, Simon.

"Geez, Simon. What happened to you? You suddenly become deaf?" Helena said while breathing in and out.

"Aaaaahhhh!" Helena screams while she pushes.

Helena gripped the seat. Afterward, Simon felt that something had landed on his hand from Helena's v*****. A loud baby cry followed.

PRESENT TIME

It surprised Simon when beer in a can caught his eye. He took it and turned his back.

"Why are you killing yourself again? Seth's a little nervous about not finding you earlier."

Samuel was the second in Lando's generation. He is 60 years old and is the president of the company Simon owned.

"Is that because Lucia is dead?" Samuel asked. "We expect that right. She has cancer," he said.

Simon had some beer. At 544, Simon seems to be only 23 years old.

"She's been a wonderful housekeeper ever since you were a kid. She's your nanny." Simon said.

"We can do nothing. This is really how life is. Some die and some will not die, no matter what. We need to just accept the truth and enjoy life." Samuel said after drinking beer.

"Tomorrow I'll call Mikel to make you look in shape," said Samuel. "You looked like some young terrorist if you haven't noticed." Samuel laughed.

Simon's still not saying anything. Simon filed a vacation leave to his work just to plan a suicide, but nothing happened. A Suicide attempt is just such another failure.

"Were you offended by what Seth said a little while ago?" Samuel asked.

Simon wasn't saying a word. Instead, he consumed the contents of the can. And so did Samuel.

Simon truly wants to have a family. But he fears that his child-to-be will inherit his fate. He knows how difficult it is to live long and he still sees those who are close to his heart die while he is alive. Some women have also made his heartbeat and gotten his attention, but he avoids it.

As planned, Simon's barber gave him a good look. He trimmed and shaved his hair for about an hour. Making him look like a model for a prestigious magazine. While Seth and Ella cannot contain themselves on how good-looking their uncle was in his new hairstyle.

"You're always handsome, uncle," said Ella with a smile on her face showing her full good teeth.

Simon smiled. "You think so?"

She smiled at him and showed him two thumbs up. "Without a doubt."

Ella is Seth's older sibling. Simon seems as old as her. If only she had followed his advice, she will do well in business rather than become a policewoman. Ella didn't seem to be interested in their company, as she was more interested in being a policewoman. She holds a Police Academy degree with the highest honor and rank.

"If you were done with your antics, Uncle, it would be nice to have a vacation again before they transferred me to another station," said Ella.

Seth smirked. Simon glared at Seth and turned towards Ella.

"Are you about to be dispatched? Why?" Simon asked. "You can't do that. I'm going to ask Samuel to speak to your superior, so..."

Ella laughed. "This is really how it is, uncle. I can't be at the same station forever, and you know that, don't you? Besides, Rizal is just three hours away," explains Ella.

"If that's the case, I'll ask Samuel to get you a new car first thing in the morning. I think that makes you feel safer. That means you can go home." Simon said.

She's the only woman in the family after Samuel's wife died. Ella is his favorite, perhaps because she is the only rose among the spines. And then there's Seth, a 17-year-old kid who still makes fun of him. Ella and Seth will inherit the company when Samuel dies, which is why he didn't want Ella to be a policewoman. It's a life-threatening job for her. Of course, he knows, he was in the military when he was 50. On one occasion, it surprised them when a police officer called them to tell them that Ella was in the hospital. Since then, Samuel and he make it a habit of checking on her, while on duty.

"How about me, uncle, would you buy me a new car?" Asked Seth with a twinkle in his eyes like a cute mouse trying to beg for a cheese.

Simon raised an eyebrow at Seth. "When you improve your education, I might consider it."

Seth scratched his head. "My grades are good, Uncle. Well, it's not the best, but at least I am not failing," said Seth.

"Hmmm! Considering proper manners and behavior, you are a failure. You're not showing me any respect. Don't forget that our age difference is 500 years, even if we look the same age." Simon said with a serious face.

Seth frowned but never responded.

******

A woman was screaming across the street. The scream awakens Simon's blank mind while walking as his morning exercise.

"What happened?" He asked as he approaches the woman.

"That man took my bag." And the woman screamed.

Simon ran quickly like a firebolt and chased the man. Being professional in his illegal job, the man ran fast and looked adept at stealing and snatching things. It was a regular market day and people were everywhere, giving him a hard time catching the culprit.

He immediately added to the man's back so that he fell into the tubs of fish in the wet market. He punched it once, and it fell. Many people watch them as if they were watching a live-action film. Simon immediately grabbed the woman's bag and turned his back on the man. But as he was walking away, the people were shouting, so he turned his back to the big man again and stabbed him in the stomach. The man smiled at him as if it had repaid him. Simon felt the pain and stabbing of the knife in his stomach. The man also pulled the knife out of his stomach and tried to grab the bag he was holding. He gripped the bag. The man frowned and looked at his stomach with traces of blood on his clothes. Perhaps wondering why he was so strong and still standing despite it stabbing him.

Astonished, the man was slightly stunned, so he banged his head hard on the man's head and it fell into the tub full of fish. He looked around dizzy. He felt a liquid flow from his head down to the corner of his eye. Everyone is worried and shocked.

"Who owns them?" he asked people as he took his wallet out of his pocket.

Three women and a man approached him. They do not speak and just stare. He handed five thousand each to the four owners of the bathtub.

"I'm sorry," said Simon

One of the four asked him. "You alright?"

He just nodded and turned his back on them.

******

He went back to the woman to return the bag when he noticed she was talking to a policewoman. As he comes closer, both turned towards him and continued talking again. And in a blink of an eye, the police officer is trying to get closer to him. He stepped back with an adrenaline rush.

"Geez, wait..." Simon said to the police

But the policewoman wouldn't listen. He had a bad feeling about it, so when she ran to him, he ran away as well. He was being chased by a police officer. While he was running, he didn't expect to enjoy escaping from a police officer. He was like a happy child at what he was doing. It's been decades since he ran like that. He went into an alley and hid.

He leaned against the wall of an establishment. 'How come it never occurred to me to be a thief? Running from the police is quite amusing..' Simon thought.

Simon laughed at what he thought. He stopped laughing while the police officer stood before him.

Right in the car, he was already telling the police what had happened, but she didn't believe him. The woman he helped wouldn't say a word. She seated herself quietly beside him.

He sat on the other side of the table, as did the woman.

"I told you, I was just helping her. Why don't you look at me? I got stabbed because I helped her, and now you're accusing me? I can sue you." said Simon.

The policewoman looked him in the eye. "This woman says different. She said you grabbed her bag".

And Simon looked at the woman. "Miss, I didn't take your bag. I did something for you. I even gave it back to you. Exceptionally, I got beaten and stabbed. You're such a liar."

The policewoman glared at Simon. He stared, but she suddenly avoided his eyes.

"Uncle Simon?" wondered Ella.

The policewoman and Simon turned around.

"Ella." "Sarge." The police officer and Simon said at the same time.

Both women salute each other.

"What are you doing here, uncle?" asked Ella. "Oh! What happened to you? You all right, uncle? You have blood all over you."

"Yes, I'm fine. You know that I'm always okay." Simon said.

"Your uncle?" asked the policewoman.

"Yes, sergeant. What happened?" she asked.

"He took my bag, I was walking and then he seized my bag so I was screaming." said the woman.

Ella looked at the woman. "Are you sure this guy took your bag?" asked Ella in disbelief

"Yes. I'm sure." said the woman.

Shortly, two cops arrived. With them was a man with a bloodstained forehead. Simon stared at the man and the two police officers. He stood up and went up to the man.

"What's his case?" asked Ella to her colleagues

Both officers could not answer Ella's questions because four people approached them. They immediately greeted Simon and approached him.

"Boss, thank you so much earlier. You don't know how much you helped us." said the man.

"Do you know him?" the policewoman asked

"We just met a few minutes ago. He came after this thief. They even fought. Our fish tubs got broken, and they scattered the fish along the way. And he paid for the damage," said the woman.

The officer looked at Simon and then at the woman.

"Mom, help me. They're going to lock me up." said the man holding the two police officers.

He spoke with the woman seated at the table. The lady that accused Simon. Everyone there looked at each other.

*********

When Ella brings Simon home, he finds Seth in the living room. He was sitting there watching a film. Simon sat beside Seth and watched the movie. Seth spoke with Simon.

"What happened to you, uncle?" said Seth to Simon. "Why are you so bloody?"

Simon didn't even look at Seth. "I went after a thief. He stabbed me, and I hit him on the head using mine."

"Did you do that? Wow, you're an amazing uncle. Too bad I was not there to witness it with my own eyes," Seth laughed.

Simon looked at Seth. "It was I accused by the woman whom I helped. She said I took her bag, so the police went after me."

Seth's eyes grew bigger." Uncle, the police went after you?"

"Luckily, witnesses came, and the burglar was an accomplice of the woman I helped," Simon said.

"But why is it you seem happy?" asked Seth, bewildered.

" When the police ran to me, I ran as well..." Simon laughed.

"Did you run from the police?" Seth said in shock.

"Yeah, she chased me until she caught me." Simon was giggling.

Simon laughs as Seth looks at him.

"Uncle, why did you do such a thing? And You're still thrilled because the police are chasing you? Are you crazy, uncle? I thought you're a decent man," Seth said with one eyebrow raised.

Simon stared at Seth. "You know you are truly rude to me. How about I take away your inheritance?"

Seth caught his head. "Wh-whoa! Uncle, did you just forget that normal people don't want to be chased by a police officer, yet you are so happy it happened to you? Come on, you are an unbelievable uncle! "

"Because I haven't been able to do that in decades," Simon said

"Being arrested by law enforcement?" Seth asked.

Simon hit Seth one more time. "Silly!"

"Uncle, it hurts!" Seth's complaint

"I say it's better to run for a reason than for an exercise," Simon said, grinning.

"Didn't you do all the work? Why don't you try to be a thief, uncle? After all, you want to be pursued by the police?" said Seth.

"Oh, seriously..." said Simon.

Seth made a quick run for his life. He was laughing.

"That boy is a nuisance." Said Simon, upset.

It's Monday morning. Because of recent events, Simon took a taxi instead of using his car to go to his office. It's been quite a while since he tried to be a normal person. At the hospital he owns, everyone greeted him with a welcoming smile on their faces.

"Good morning, doc!" everybody greeted him.

Simon smiled. "Good morning."

When he arrives at his office. As usual, Clara, his assistant nurse, follows him straight away. She got some coffee. His office is simple and cool as well.

"How's your leave, Doc? Were you able to rest?" said Clara.

Clara faced him with both hands on the table and a slight bow. He looked at her open uniform, almost got a look at her breasts.

Simon glanced away from the uniform. He looked at Clara.

"I said to you, Clara, to repair your uniform. You are a nurse, not a brassiere model," says Simon.

Simon instantly sipped his coffee. He had a fresh taste in coffee, but he ignored it. If it was poison, that would be brilliant. Clara smiled and stared into his face. In the way the woman looks at him, he was right on suspicion. She had put something in his coffee that is likely to poison or a potion. He lived a long time, and many have done such a thing to him. Some are out of envy and others are out of love.

Simon held Clara's face and drew his face towards her. When the woman believed that he was about to kiss her, she closed her eyes. Simon smiled slightly and stared at the woman.

"Clara, pay attention to your boyfriend. To be honest, you don't interest me," Simon told Clara.

Clara's eyes widened. Simon was no longer holding her. Simon wasn't standing next to her, so she turned around. He stood at the door. He had already opened the door and let Clara come out. And the woman frowned and walked away. Simon closed the door immediately and breathed deeply.

He may have a longer life but he's also a man who can feel ho*** and hot-boned when women flirt with him like Clara, but the cry from his brain is more powerful than the cry from the flesh.

Simon was sitting in his place when somebody knocked on the door. It was Clara.

"Doc, the surgery will start in 5 minutes. The patient has already moved into the operating room," she said.

"Very well, thank you," replied Simon.

Simon immediately stood up and put on his uniform.

Everyone knows his hospital for its achievements and positive reviews from its patients. The hospital also provides medical and funeral care for those who cannot afford a hospital bill for one week's support for hospital tasks such as cleaning, bringing food to patients, and changing bedding, blankets, and pillowcases. The hospital is educating them before getting to work. There is also a small allowance for their families. It's been Simon's simple task for two hundred years.

Simon and Samuel argued once about the free hospital service, but Samuel did nothing because it was his. At the hospital, he did not reject all the patients he could care for, even if they had a contagious illnesses. Children that know him to refer to him as a Super Doc.

*****

He had just finished his operation when his emergency team encountered him in the emergency room. It shocked him when he met the patient on the stretcher, covered in blood and still wearing a police uniform.

"Uncle, it's Ella," Seth said, weeping.

"Is that Ella?" Simon was quite shocked.

He turned to the nurses and ran into them. The nurses let Seth out, but Simon came through.

"What happened?" Simon spoke to the nurse.

"Gunshot, doc into the chest." said the nurse.

Simon provided immediate support for the operation.

****

During surgery, the patient's blood pressure decreases. Simon was a bit upset. He knew Ella would lose, regardless of what he did. While Simon was doing the surgery, Ella's blood pressure dropped, as well as her heart rate. Behind the face mask Simon was wearing, he prayed while operating on Ella. They were two doctors who were there, and they knew Ella could not handle the long operation. It will take 2 to six hours. While the bullet was still in Ella's lungs, he concluded they had shot Ella less than 3 feet from the gunman. Simon lacks patience. He will not let Ella die. She's too young to die, she still hasn't taken advantage of life.

"Scalpel," Simon said.

The nurse handed him over the knife. Simon removed his gloves and cut his arm. Everyone there looked at him in shock.

"Simon, what are you doing?" The other doctor asked.

"Syringe," said Simon.

"But doc..." muttered another nurse.

"Follow my command!" Simon's voice was powerful. "The patient is dying!"

Everybody's a little confused. Simon felt the pain, but it was only an instant. Within a few seconds, the wound healed as well. He took the syringe and halved his blood there. Everyone is still monitoring the patient's vital signs. They overheard the noise of the machine. He looked at her and Ella's heart rate was flat. He quickly transferred blood from the syringe into the tube strapped to her dextrose.

Simon waited a few seconds, but Ella didn't have a heartbeat yet. Nothing happened when he started pumping her chest. He became desperate. He hugged the woman and cried.

******

Ella is recovering in the hospital. Many people are asking questions about the girl's rapid healing. He even wanted to know how Ella lived. Everyone thought she was dead, but after about five minutes, the machine rang again, signaling that Ella was still alive. As Simon watched Ella sleeping deeply, he turned to Samuel. He's holding her hand. It was a long time before Samuel and Nana had the chance to have a child. There were over forty couples during this period.

"Thanks a lot, Simon. You saved my family once more." Samuel said.

From Samuel's ancestors, they were aware of Simon's secret. Rafael, Helena, and Lando's son passed away after the transfusion and he didn't know why. He just thought that maybe only his body could do this weird thing and not be able to translate to other people. Since then, Simon did not merely give his blood, for fear that the fate that had befallen him would pass on the one he translated. It took him almost 70 years to figure out what happened to him after that day, but he got no answer. Regardless of the suicide he commits, his body heals illness, injury, or fractures within seconds. He's going through some pain, but it's only temporary. What effect did his blood transfusion have on Ella? He was uncertain for how long.

"Ella is like my daughter, the kid is close to me so I can't let her die and I know I can save her," said Simon. "I'm sorry too, I know you don't want me to transfuse your children with my blood, too, because I don't know what would be the affect them, but I had to..."

"It's okay. Even if you do not do it voluntarily, I will ask you. She's too young to die. And I can't afford as her parent to bury her. So, thank you so much." Samuel said.

Samuel hugged Simon. After that, Simon laughed as Samuel wiped his tears with his hand.

"Any news on the suspect?" Simon asked.

"As you ordered, I'm going after him. As long as we move the money, we'll find him quickly." Samuel said.

"When he gets caught, bring him to me," said Simon.

Samuel nodded.

Simon never came home to keep an eye on Ella. He sent Samuel home to rest. His friend is no longer a kid, and he doesn't want him to be the next one to disappear. Simon was standing by the room window, staring out. He recalled the help he had received from his ancestor of Samuel. That is how he cared about his family up to this point.