Leo’s 2026 Novel No. 1: April 15th

Copyright © Leo MUZHEN Li 2026

I.

The man sitting in the life boat glanced at the pandemonium vacuously, this gigantic ship was sinking into the night ocean, nobody knew the exact time it would go down to the bottom of the gloomy sea, but this callous truth was inevitable. He turned to Edward, his most trustful friend whom he met weeks ago, from Edward’s face he perceived nothing but anxiety.

Fathers hugged their children once more, while others searched desperately for buoyant rings. ‘Monsieur Carmel,’ Edward began, ‘I feared that we cannot go, they said women and children only, if possible they would shoot us.’

The man didn’t reply, he stared at the uproar. Suddenly he remembered of Catharine. M, the girl he met in the theatre. She was beautiful and nice that they were in love for weeks. They talked, they sauntered on the sunny deck, and they kissed under the moon light. People were talking about them, but where could she be at the moment?

Just then, a man ran briskly toward them, he was stopped by the two crew, ‘My name is Mallison, sir James Mallison,’ He garbled, ‘lads, go get a vacant seat for me.’

‘Sir, you WERE Sir James Mallison, sod off to show you ARE a gentleman,’ said Edward down in the ship. ‘Take them down.’ The crew instructed.

‘I want a seat!’ Mallison shouted desperately, ‘Are you men? Please…’

‘This fleet changed our age or gender identity as a man,’ Edward said, ‘I used to be a man.’ The davit rose as the life boat descended.

Before the boat went below the railing, the crew called and the person down in the boat, ‘stop it!’

People in the life boat turned to a statuesque young girl, her gaze was soft but profuse, the man beside Edward were dumbfounded, through the lucid Iris and the black fringe which half-veiled her face. To all boys she was the ethereal haze, the mellifluous voice of the oracle, the breeze of the balmy summer night and the translucent nymph of the tranquil lake. Amongst thousands of men, she chose him.

‘Catharine? Is that you?’

‘Carmie[1]! Monsieur Carmel!’ Catharine elbowed through the strife.

‘Somebody!’ The crew shouted, ‘Gentlemen, your time has come!’

Nobody answered.

II.

The man, monsieur Carmel glanced at her, Catharine was his lover. Then he turned to Sir Mallison, whose eyes exuded sheer trepidation. The civil rules were incommensurable compared to their life. Life was the tantalizing oasis of the purgatory, amidst the cadence of the crowd, the life boat was like the Narrow Way to heaven. The briny flood poured into the lower cabins of the ship, on the other side of the colossal ship, people squirmed in the ineffable coldness and darkness.

He stood up. Then hesitated for a while, Edward dragged him, ‘Come on, you got the right to choose…This is only chance for you…you still have a long way…There are only one kind of people, nobody admitted their inherent fear of death and scarify… men and women, regardless of who they are, feared the termination of the contract with the God, you are my most trust-worthy friend! You have to know the enormity of being a hero! Come on! There is always price of being a figure like that!’

Mallison looked at Carmel fretfully, one side of the boat lurched, men, women, and children, regardless of how long they lived in this world, no matter how magnanimous their attainments were, were thrown into the ebb that receded along the wooden deck.

‘Sir,’ Carmel murmured in an unperturbed tone, ‘there are no time to waste. I took the stance with God and the meaning of being here. For a long time in my life, I was down and out, I was stuck in lassitude. Everyday I pleaded God to end me. Overtime I overcame my mental tragedy, I learned a lot from my success at that time. Later on, I found out that, if a man is kind and selfless, if the compassion of the God could precede anything including our life and fortune, I could tell you that I love everyone of you, all of you are my brothers and sisters. Right now, I’m doing the greatest decision in my 31 years. as the children of the God, may avoid the apocalypse. Please, here it is.’

Carmel took the last glimpse of Edward and other passengers on board, he stepped through the intervals, opening his arms, as if he was crucified by the elusive demons, the two crew pulled him, and—

He was back on the deck, back to the ordeals and suffering.

Just then, Mallison pushed Catharine forward, she stumbled, tripped over and collapsed in the hand of the passengers down in the life boat.

‘Dad! Carmie—’

‘Farewell, Cate[2], my daughter.’

Catharine struggled, her voiced being overwhelmed by the polyphony of crying and insolent reviles, ‘If you die, I’m also dying with you! With you and Carmie!’ the hand which held her tightened.

‘Sweet heart,’ said Mallison, half of his body was drenched in the sea water, ‘I will find ways to leave this place. Safe or not, God would tell.’ He turned his back, the davit cracked, as the life boat moved slowly downwards.

Monsieur Carmel took the last gaze of Catharine; she was whimpering quietly.

This man earned the respect of his opponents—the leviathan[3], the destiny, and his own ego. When all the lifeboats faded out from his sight, this courageous man waded through the water and left the deck.

‘We cannot risk to turn back,’ the oarsman told Edward, ‘At any moment will the whirlpool occur.’

Edward went silent. He squinted at the ship; its stern hovered in the void. Within seconds, the cacophony grew, and at one end the ship split and plunged into the cryptic, dark blue Atlantic. The survivors gasped in terror as the blood-curdling Melpomene[4] commenced the peroration of this horrendous calamity.

…

Delirium.

…

‘He … he shall be canonized … he is the effulgence that rinsed the plight, proclivity, and disgrace … He is the man of sublimity and stoicism …

‘The board road[5] would belie on you, it led you to the hell, only a few found the narrow road[6] … towards peace and serenity …

‘…’

III.

Sporadic rain showered the urban district of Halifax, a girl dressing in plain black dress sat before two photographs, one was a man of fifty, another one around thirty. the rustic apartment smelt of wax, incessant rain droplets pelted the window.

The girl extinguished the candle, she watched the emaciating pedestrians and the banal, gloomy shadows in the alley, three months of vicissitude passed.

The concierge rang the bell, ‘Guest,’ he said.

The girl’s countenance stiffened with irk, ‘Monsieur Aiden, I was wondering who that person is.’

‘A relative of you, demoiselle Catharine.’

The girl’s heart raced, she has the inkling of someone.

The concierge led the man straight to the study, the man was handsome, cool, and passionate, moreover,

the girl discerned the sagacious glimpse of his eyes.

The contour line of a martyr became oblivion, now it has been retrieved. Time lingered around them: 90 days passed by and one could say that time was transient. 90 days of restlessness faded into evanescence, time was transient. April 15th was a long time back …

‘Monsieur? Carmie…’ The girl’s eyes widened, ‘…’

Was that affectionate man he? Could they be together forever?

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Notes:

[1] Monsieur Carmel’s Nickname.

[2] Demoiselle Catharine’s nickname

[3] The Evil Sea Monster in the Bible.

[4] The Goddess of Tragedy in Greek Mythology

[5] The Path of Hell in the Bible

[6] The Path of Heaven in the Bible

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