As the afternoon went by, the heat was becoming more and more intense.
–Get ready Nova, the temperature will keep rising until night time. Then after 10 we will have a huge storm – the Observer of the Skies said, with his left eye attached to the telescope lenses.
Nova looked at the old man and sighted. Every time he forecasted the weather; his predictions would turn into reality. Considering that the unfinished maps kept piling up in front of his eyes, today was a day where Nova would rather not appreciate the old man’s precision.
He was also unable to understand the reason for him being so stubborn, having had the front of the studio painted with 2768 and 2695. Those shades, combined with the laminated walls of the Observatory were, without a doubt, going to attract and conserve the heat inside.
–If we had painted the exterior with 2707 or 263 instead, we would not be now in the middle of this hothouse.
–Nova, if you keep complaining like you do, you will for sure not reach my age! – the old man laughed out loudly.
–It is very likely I will not even make it until tomorrow; in a few hours I will lay on the floor dehydrated while my overheated skin falls out my body
–Ha, ha, ha ! You really are overreacting a bit, don’t you agree? Come on Nova, get yourself together and go to the basement to have the coolers ready. Take the window fans outside and place them under the Sun, so in a few hours they will be fully charged. You will see how refreshing this house will feel once the refrigeration is set up.
Nova took the portable lamp and headed towards the basement. He had to admit that the old man’s idea of fabricating evaporative refrigeration coolers and distribute them around the studio had helped them reduce the inside temperature at least 10 degree the previous summer.
“But… where did I put those ridiculous coolers?” Nova was standing in the middle of the basement looking spaced out, his index finger placed on his forehead. Every time he needed to think and concentrate, he would repeat this gesture.
Gesticulating was typical of Nova, one of his most noticeable characteristics; along with his long hair styled up in a tidy bun.
For example, when feeling worried he would tap his forehead,and when feeling nervous he would bite his index finger’s nail.
Lately, as the amount of work he had to accomplish increased significantly and unfinished maps kept piling on his desk, his fingers were not looking good at all. Neither his fingers nor his mind – constantly navigating through ideas, anxiety, responsibilities and curiosity.
He walked to the right corner of the room, where several boxes and jars were put away. He moved them around, opened the boxes and looked inside the jars.
“What am I doing? Looking inside jars? Coolers inside jars? Really Nova? Focus!”
He then walked to the left corner of the room, where a huge bookcase full of texts and old maps already declared anachronisticus was standing tall.
In the lower shelf there were a few boxes that looked big enough to contain coolers.
Nova moved one of the big boxes with his foot, and pushed it onto the floor. While he was bending over to open it, he noticed a small handle on the, now empty, shelf. Feeling curious, he pulled it softly. To his surprise, the wooden base made a soft “click” sound and lifted itself up.
“What is this?” – Nova’s eyes opened greatly.
Covered in a soft piece of cloth, the corner of a bulky book sticked out. Nova picked it up, removed the cloth that was carefully covering it and blew the dust away.
“Azurium Initium or About the Origin of the Blue. By Akoni Blavius”.
He turned the first page around and continued reading.
“Introduction.
At the beginning, there were colors. The Sun would shine in beautiful tones of 388, 3965, 605.
The fruits would deliciously grow in bright 484, 248, 470, 183, 1815…
The plants and trees would show lively 361, 370 or 355 during hot days, and then they would change into 498, 483 and 173 during colder times.
People would dress combining different tones and their hair would be pigmented with multichromatic tones…
Until the day everything changed.
That day, the World Beyond the Green Trees turned into the World Beyond the Blue Trees.
That day was the first day of the beginning of the Blue”
Nova slammed the book shut.
“But.. What is all of this about? Green trees? Green? What is that? Blue? Colors? What are colors? What does that mean? And those numbers… those numbers… I never…I never heard of those numbers before… What is going on here?” Nova was bewildered.
A tear rolled down his face. He dried it immediately, hid the book inside his shirt and went up the studio again.
–Have you found what you were looking for Nova? – the Observer of the Skies asked.
Nova did not reply.
The old man then nodded and, silently, smiled.