The Island’s Secrets
The steward led him to the seat, in the middle of a fat man, with strange eyeglasses like cups of coffee, and a pretty young woman with black curly hair that looked very smart.He sat carefully,turned the head around to see the other passengers on board and than took the daily newspaper from the front seat and read the news and main headlines on worldwide business. The most discussed nowadays theme about “Panama Papers”, outlined an ironic smile on his face and lots of thoughts embraced his mind.
Last time he met his executive director argued about the strategy of investing the incomes, and as an accountant he should propose the longtime plan and manage the banking accounts in the four other branches situated in China, USA,Russia and Greece. Before departure to Australia he assembled the documents and denied the access to the” zero zero seven” system of payments. May updates and last version save the system from viruses attacks and protect the archive from investigative groups or individuals.Confident and complacent he caught a glimpse from the eyes of the girl next to him:
“First time in Australia?Maybe we have met before, you seem familiar to me”,he said carefully staring her sweet face that lied the view on him.“ I travel often to Australia due to business and consultancy for the company I work for. We travelled the last time same flight and you helped me carrying the lagguages”,answered she while holding her hand and giving him some sweets she was eating. “Australians celebrate sorry day, today. Tell me, do you have anything to regret about?” He thought a while about this question and looked for an answer deep inside. When the transactions of the company were declared to the taxes authority and audited by, he explained the interest of loans and the income re- investement in company,derivering information from the tax payment in the country.The director ordered another transaction in USA and left the office with a ticket to Australia for him and a few words “Have fun during your holidays, Ulysses”. Watching his destiny on a piece of coloured letter he regreted not undertaken important decisions that would definitely change the course of his life. “It`s time to leave job”,he said. Anne smiled a while and looked at him mysteriously:”Not bad to start celebrating”.
Quite and attentive to the conversation, the young couple was having,the fat man next to, slide the food and a cup of juice to the stomach and opened the mobile to play his favourite game.Fast and precise pressed the buttons with his thick fingers like small packs of sandwiches. Rigorously playing and same time listening to others conversations, he stopped a while and moved the head up.It was his first trip to Australia and the purpose for detecting and investigating the company fiscal paradise was quite interesting.The journalists group settled in his country had more than a year following and investigating this company for fiscal evasion and many important and famous people are involved in.His team managed a considerable information that affects and shocks the world.He felt tremendous, like an earthquake able to change the destiny and to compete with powerful leaders. But, he was a leader too!
“Thank you for choosing our company to travel,and welcome to Sydney”,the pilot announced the end of flight and all passengers should get ready to leave the board.Ulysses repeated his gentleman actions and helped Anne with her lagguage.She was pretty and smart,that he could not resist to help her and pay attention to what she says.”My friends organize a party and we usually confess the regrets about last year.It is your occasion to explicit the innerside”.As keen and experienced Ulysses answered: “My dear,let`s discover ourselves by little drops of mistery.Mankind is an ocean of secrets, and mysticism balances its reason.Confession isn`t always the best choice”.Anne discomfit by the answer, looked confused at her watch,maybe she would be late. Both checked in the passports and took together a taxicab to Sydney.
***
He woke up later this morning,put on a white shirt, and opened the curtains to see the spectacular view of sea and sun kissing in horizon. The Sydney Tower Eye, stood glorious and proud in front of him and sometimes it leaned a while to greet and say “good morning” to Ulysses.Calm and without thoughts, got ready to enjoy his favourite coffee in the balcony.White tablecloth,white dishes,white coffeepots, white morning and delicious food.Anne took care of everything as always did.It`s been seven years they lived together,and their relationship was passionate and intensive,she was perfect and beautiful,her hair and skin glew under the sun that he couldn`t resist.Ulysses also got a stronger body and was young and powerful more than ever.His blonde long hair attracted Anne from the first time they met in the aeroport. Misterious and cunning the man she loved hasn`t changed for years but he still thought about his past life and job adventures like kinds of shadows that started surrounding between them.
He had received an email from the ex-executive to meet today.Felt a little guilty interrupting his relations immediately,without giving a chance of explanations. For seven years he conducted a cold and indifferent behaviour, the communication was superficial and the information he collected insufficient.Oops! Something was scretching his shoes and interrupted his thoughts.Grey the dog,played and led him to the main portrait on wall.Ulysses focused for a while on the portrait to capture a moment that never would live again.An artist is a fenomen that comes in our lives like a rainbow through frames, and disappears on its works. The day his painter friend Stanely made the portrait,he painted a cunning and smart man,adventurous,powerful and most of all longlife.Stanley stood in his studio,with old coloured and torned clothes,painted with special details his cunning face and deep regard.Those beautiful blue eyes starred him iconic, sinking the mistery of life.The portrait never changed the smile and Grey often confused the real one from the eternal.Perhaps the dog knew which of them was the secret reality and the false one.Turning its tail around,Grey looked at Ulysses and waited for his next movement to be caught.
At eleven thirty Ulysses was at the meeting point.He was strengthening the USB in the pocket,all the materials he archived for years should have been delivered but a copy of them he kept for security reason.A hand on shoulder made him turn around.” You look better than ever.I knew Australian vacations are the best for you”,smiled a skinny and well dressed man with a cap on,with evilness eyes that burned of deepness.”I missed you and your mind.My company needs you and waits your return.After the increase of unjustified transactions William could no manage the situation.He took a while to hide in time the income and the dates did not match.Tell me how could you think to live without the adrenaline of financial world?You are the master and driver of team and you don`t need anymore to leave Australia.We are here!I have registered a new branch of the company to justify the current transactions and the director of the project, who do you think will be?? My old little fox Ulysses.No one can do it better than you”,said Tom after smoking the last cigarette.”Keep an eye on the past and the future will reserve you the best”,ended Tom.
Ulysses took a while to overcome what he said.Never forgot that Tom found the accurate words to conduct and put people under the knees but he always found difficult with him.Keen and rapid he prepared the territory of independence.“My friend once said:keep an eye on your boss and don`t let the duties overcome you”,answered Ulysses. If he accepted he would relive the exciteness of the past and turn back the old glorious times.No one more than him deserved the first article on news papers and books written.Ulysses knew it was time to finish his long vacations and leave again his name in history.Raised the hand from the pocket and gave Tom a little horse toy that used to keep as a symbol of agreement.
A few meters away the investigative journalist was looking the two man shaking hands and exchanging words but was unable to capture anything.Since he came in Australia seven years ago he discovered the traces behind Tom`s companies and followed his worldwide transactions and relations.First time he met Ulysses was fascinated by his point of view and ideas about financial world.Strategic and experienced he explained the functions of many transactions and plans that ruled the dynamic world of business.They had become friends and the topics they discussed were the key of life philosophy.Edward was surprised by Ulysses inteligence and couldn`t keep an eye from his steps.He investigated Ulysses deeply and related the company he used to work with the files he studied and analysed for years.Following Ulysses steps brought him finally in this expected meeting.Maybe they decided to cooperate again and were planning new strategies.Edward would write the articles that shocks the business world and be more and more famous for the team investigations.He made a pact with Ulysses to exchange materials and confess his life history. A book would be publish at the end of their complicity.He opened the sandwitch packed on the bag, and started eating the lunch while reading his own story and peeking the men conversations and steps.
The gold fishes moved simultaneously on the aquarium in groups, and sometimes caught a little kelp and seaweed to complete their show time.They appeared and disappeared in the rocks and led the moves to the glass in front of Ulysses eyes.He usually swam deep in “Botany” bay and often encountered groups of gold and red fish, like sunsets under water.His muscles splashed in the waves and through water around his body.Mixed up between those two worlds, he ended laying on the sand and kissing Anne passionately.She smiled, took his hand and together walked across the beach.Sea foam fell upon the Aphrodite and glistened her foots.Nymphs and goddess gave her beauty and etheric light.Anne was a rose in blooming. She felt embraced by happiness and memorized every minute they spent on their holidays.
In the restaurant they sat near a table with beach view.Looked at each other and both thought about the end of this sunny day was named:Edward.He would come in a few moments and give a copy of his promises.Finally the manuscript was ready to be edited and published:
“The accountant left the office with a flight ticket and a question to answer: What is next?The company he now directed has increased the value of stocks and a number of important investors are interested in.His name is on the main business and economic magazines and exclusively newspaper articles were written about.He was the most influenced and powerful man in Australia,with an accumulative vertiginous fortune that continued growing.Ulysses always kept an eye on recently company developing issues, and success walked by him.A storm of thoughts gained territory in his brain. Time is not measured only by counting minutes,hours,years but memories and adventures you did.A smile,love and fantasy gives your life reflections of hapiness. He turned back to office and saw the walls around,the space invited him to emptiness.A contrast between innerside and cold outside stopped him for a while.Suddenly he had a look at his portrait on wall,which reflected a spirit of adventure and eternity.It sank a story to be told and to be read for generations.His dog Grey was painted on the floor, raising its small head and starring Ulysses deep oceanic eyes,that held a lifetime in.The portrait archived his past and youth, his missed loyal friend Grey, but most important the island`s secrets”.
Ulysses closed the last page of the book and an ironic smile outlined again on face.Left the book on the white warm sand, and climbed on the rocks,put out his clothes and jumped into the water.Swam deep until the pressure started vibes on his earings and his secrets spreaded in the darkness of ocean.
By Elisa Konomi from Albania