I⃣ a⃣m⃣ O⃣n⃣l⃣y⃣ H⃣u⃣m⃣a⃣n⃣

Chapter 3

<Valerie's Perspective>

I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand.
I felt the beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete.

Oh, simple thing.
Where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.
So, tell me when you're gonna let me on.
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.

Always finding a way to distract herself."A-Auntie! You know to NOT disturb me during my bathes!" I shouted my response back to her, as of instantly shutting off the showers' water. Just for the moment, anyways.

Peaking over the side of the showers' curtain, I saw Auntie slowly opening the bathroom door, peaking in with the smallest of glares plastered against her annoyed expression.

"Y'know better not to hide your talent from me, Val! You're killing my water bill, too! Better be done in the next 10 minutes or I'm shutting down heat for the rest of your precious bathe!" Auntie puffed out, letting a hand rest on her left hip.

I kept my naked appearance hidden behind the shower's curtain, staring down Auntie. Like I had the power to evaporate her into only a pile of ash with a death stare...

"I got it, Auntie. Less then 10 minutes- now, can you leave me to wash up?"

"Wash up?! You haven't gotten to lathering your body?! Aí, Val! What am I going to do with you?"

That question was always a tease, but it always got to me. The fact that I am anal about how people, even strangers, think of me, my appearance--Pink curls, hazel eyes, pail-tan skin. Even the smallest of negative 'labels' got to me.

'Freak'
'Weirdo'
'Odd'

The fact that I know I am different makes the situation serve with a slice of uniqueness.

"You will just have to leave me to bathe before I walk out of this bathroom, ignoring the fact I didn't wash the dirtiness from my body skin, and stench up the entire house!" I gave a playful grin, where I watched Auntie wrinkled her freckled-spotted nose. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Ooh! That wouldn't be tolerated during dinner! Now, hurry up!" Her Auntie swept the bathroom door close, as of where I turned the showers' water pressure to a soothing temperature, and I was instantly satisfied into warmth. I was smiling, to myself, with the sudden improv of emotion, feeling idiotically happy.
__________________________

I sat in the depth of my bed, alone and imaginative in my room. In my own little world. It is what I am used to, with a soothing comfort of the sky's tears that streamed down the only window located in the room. A bare window it was, nothing to be sight out as something special. My body weight sunk through the surface of the bedding, a blank stare that clung to the thick silence in the air. I breathed light, letting the smell of roast beef and cabbage come into scent.

'Cabbage stew! My favorite!'

I began to sit up from easily slipping out of sleepily daze. My naturally dried-pink curls tumbled over my shoulder, as of bordering my facial structure. Covered in a single layer of comfy fabric mortals call as 'clothes', gave off a brightness of fashion. At the time, I wore a laced-black crop top, wearing a black strapless bra on underneath. I have taken a laced-black skaters' skirt my Auntie had gotten me as a 17th birthday present, as of slipping on knee-high socks that were the color of maroon red. I felt confident in fashion, my fashion. At least, no one has gotten in the way of stopping me from my individual fashion trends, apart from every other real mortal.

I silently crept from my bedroom, as of following the scent trail all the way downstairs. Of course, I knew Auntie was cooking in the Kitchen. But, knowing Auntie, she rarely even cooks cabbage stew in the 4 years I have been walking the Mortal Realm. The only occasions she would cook such a recipe is the fact it was apart of Irish tradition, or I would ask in solemn. Cabbage Stew has been one of my favorites ever since I was little, at the time that I was still apart of my true Immortal tradition. Well, at least I am getting used to Mortal tradition.

Either way, for Auntie, it was rare for her to even cook this traditional plate. It seem to fascinate how, in such a short period, that Auntie's taste in liking changes so rapidly. The connection is mutual with her moods. She can go from a sunshine of happiness to a thunderstorm full of anger, or frustration. Sometimes, I become concern on how well she can control mixed feelings. It had always made me wonder.

With Auntie's distraction of cooking, I only slipped myself from the warmth of my dwelling, into the instant breeze of bare coldness that swept control on which way the sky's tears fled. I still had an unclear view upon the front yard, of how hard the tears came rushing down on the Mortal Realm. I seated myself on the top step of the dwellings small wooden porch, staring gloomily out into the blurred scenery before me.

I came across
A fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me.

Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh, simple thing,
Where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.
So, tell me when you're gonna let me in.
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.

And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know.

"Valerie!" Auntie's forceful shout had erupted from the heart of the cottage, having my body delay a shake of flinch.

"C-Coming, Aunt~" I took a slight bit to my lower lip, automatically having my feet push the rest of weight upward and pacing myself into the cottage's included warmth and towards the Kitchen's welcoming light and scent; Cabbage Stew.