2021-07-22 22:30:58 ¶ ●

# What a nice day for a walk

Written for @jonahmagnusweek

Day 4 - Bones

Jonah Magnus has traveled to visit his friend in Bavaria. Unfortunately he ans Albrecht have a bit different idea about how they should spent their time togerther.

Read on AO3

…

To say that Jonah Magnus is not very fond of traveling would be an understatement. Even occasional rides between his Institute in Edinburgh and London are highly annoying and serve only as a confirmation that moving the Institute to more convenient place is a necessity.

However it can still be called a relaxation in comparison of making a trip abroad. Unfortunately Britain happens to be an island and so only way to travel outside of it is on the sea. Jonah hates the sea – not only the constant swinging of the ship on tides keeps making him sick. The knowledge that the hull of the ship is the only thing standing between him and the deep mass of salt water is also not helping him to feel comfortable. How could some people choose boat as their preferred means of transport and not only as last option is a mystery to him.

Although to be honest Jonah never understood the appeal of traveling in general. He won’t be persuaded no matter how much Barnabas is always urging him to join him on his vacation to explore the world. Ah, was urging him actually… it is still easy to forget sometimes…

His lack of excitement isn’t given because he wouldn’t be curious. Of course that he wants to know everything there is about the world. Nevertheless knowledge and experience are two separate things. For example Jonah would be perfectly happy left with only knowledge of the fact that the forests in Bavaria are full of fallen branches, threes, stumps and very unfit for his usual footwear. Unfortunately he gained this certain piece of knowledge the harder way.

“What’s the matter Jonah? Should I slow down? Are you tired already?” Even though Albrecht was several years older he seemed to have no problem moving on through the forest and easily avoiding all the obstacles from broken branches to hidden puddles. He and Albrecht got very different idea what afternoon walk is supposed to be.

“I told you I am not a fan of wandering in nature, Albrecht.”

“You are not? I always suspected you would be. You must have beautiful nature in Scotland. At least according to the poems.”

“Whose poems have you read?” Jonah asks even though for once he doesn’t even need a help from the Beholding to guess the answer. It must have been either Wordsworth or Coleridge. He vaguely remembers picking them up when he was bored once. It is important to note he almost immediately put them back down.

“I am not sure… But he was describing one’s connection with nature and all its beauties.” That wouldn’t be much telling even if Jonah read more than few lines.

“Well you can show me the book when we return if you have it somewhere in your library,” he suggests hopefully finally getting the opportunity to bring up the true reason behind his visit. Unfortunately Albrecht von Closen has decided instead of boasting with the library to show him the local culture and drag him all around the town, then the neighboring town and now nature. So far Jonah barely seen anything he would dare to call culture but that’s nothing he would express out loud.

Lost in the thoughts and trying to do his best not to complain Jonah barely notices when the branches under his feet stop crunching. They are also smoother as he notices when he loses his balance and falls on the ground.

The recognizable snap of breaking bone cuts the air.

And a bone is indeed broken but luckily it’s not a one belonging to Jonah. Relieved he finally decides to pay a bit of an attention to his surroundings. What at first look might remind yet another dry branch is actually part of the whole skeleton. It used to be a deer… No. It was a roebuck. The knowledge of an animal comes to his mind – of course this is the kind of information Eye decides to provide. Unlike a warning to look better where he steps.

He should probably get back on his feet and try to catch up with Albrecht but he is tired. And also weirdly fascinated by the remains of what once was majestic animal wandering through the same path Jonah walked. He wonders about its fate. Was the animal killed by a predator? Was it ill? Or did it simply die of an old age? It doesn’t matter. The roebuck is dead. It has been for quite a while. And it is perfectly natural because death is part of the life and Jonah hates it.

Yes death is everywhere and one can meet their end so easily. One moment you can hold all the power and all the knowledge of the world, and the other there is nothing and your mind, your thoughts, that all disappears. How comes that most of the people are not dreading how their whole existence will be one day completely erased? How they do it? Just living their life blissfully ignorant? How are they doing nothing about it? Jonah cannot remember a time when he was not noticing anymore.

He would love to blame the Beholding for bringing him so often information of so many ways he could die at any moment. But the truth is he has been haunted by ever-present death much longer before encountering the fears and choosing one to serve.

What else is a man than bones and flesh all put together? Same as the long dead animal in front of him. So imperfect and breakable. One can so easily end up as a pile of bones…

As a pile of bones in ones office. As a pile of bones that used to be a friend and a lover. As a pile of bones which were price for the knowledge. As a pile of bones-…

“Jonah! Oh here you are,” Albrecht’s voice brings him back to reality. “Did you fell? Are you alright?”

“Apologies as I said I am not used to walks like this very much.” Jonah quickly gets up to stand in Albrecht’s view of the remains. He cannot fully explain why. He just doesn’t feel like sharing them with his friend. What else could he offer than some comment about ‘that’s what nature is’ as if they weren’t part of it. As if the threat of sudden death is not as real for them as it was for the roebuck. He just could not understand what really those bones represent.

“Oh no, it’s my mistake I should have noticed sooner you are having trouble to keep up. It will perhaps be better if we turned back… I really believed you will enjoy a little walk on the fresh air as much as I do.”

“No reason to be concerned. I am happy to finally see the land you wrote me so much about. Though as I said, I believe I will appreciate the beauty of it much more from the inside of your manor.”

They leave back in the direction of Albrecht’s mansion leaving the pile of bones behind. Everyone will turn into just a pile of bones one day and Jonah finds a vision of such future simply unacceptable. And he doesn’t care what will be the price for it.

“We indeed do have some nice view from there. Especially from the grand window in the library… Oh which reminds me I have books I wanted to show you. I believe I was writing you story about how I obtained them.”

“Yes that sounds familiar… I would be the most delighted to finally see them then.”

“You will just have to be really careful since they are not in the best state…”

Jonah smiles. “Don’t worry I am quite used to handling antique books and taking care of them. If you were interested I could recommend you excellent binders in case you wanted to have them rebound…”