Split

18

                We rode down the streets, Xenilla playing with the radio and stopping on every song, asking if I knew it. Aeoie started out the window. I wanted to ask her if she was alright, or if she was car sick, but she was smiling when I looked into the mirror.

                “We’re here.” I said as I pulled into the graveyard parking lot.

                Xenilla was the first out the car. Aeoie followed after. “Look at the field, Aeo!” Xenilla said as she pointed to the large field before the graveyard gate. “That is a field, right? There’s nothing buried?”

                “No, nothing buried before the gate.” I said as I pulled myself out of the car. “But why come here? Only things here is…” I trailed off.

                Xenilla ran off and tackled the ground. Aeoie looked back at me. “Your friend she was laid to rest here…” Aeoie said, reading the expression on my face like a book.

                I felt myself tear up, but I fought back the tears. “Yeah.” I said. More spitting out the word than saying it.

                Aeoie didn’t say anything else. Instead, she turned her attention toward her sister, who was flipping and landing summersaults.

                She sure was odd.

                “A wolf.” I blurted out.

                Aeoie turned to me. “A wolf? Where?”

                “No, your sister. She seems a lot like a wolf to me. So energetic and acrobatic.”

                Aeoie looked at me. She had a blank expression and didn’t say anything. Instead, she fiddled her fingers and looked down at her feet.

                “What?” I asked.

                “Well…” She started. “What am I? If Xenny is a wolf, I mean.”

                Hmm, what is Aeoie… A good question indeed. Before today, I would have answered that with ‘Mouse’. But, mice don’t surprise people like she had surprised me today. “I’m not sure.” I said. “You seem so much more than a mouse.”

                Aeoie was surprised at my answer. She looked up to me, wide eyed.

                “You don’t think I’m a mouse?”

                I looked down to her. “Why would I think that after the little performance with those girls today? You totally went into character surprising me even.”

                “O-Oh… Well, I-if you figure out what I would be, don’t hesitate to let me know.”