The Tearsmith

Kindness

Those with springtime in their souls

Will always see a world in bloom.

Rigel had left me in complete disarray.

For the next two days, I was unable to shake the feeling of him, the feeling of him infused in my blood.

Sometimes I was sure I knew everything about him. Other times, there were so many shadows circling around him I was convinced the opposite was true.

Rigel was like an elegant beast dressed up in his best clothes. But lurking inside him was a wild and unpredictable soul, frightening, and dangerous to approach.

On the other hand, he had always done everything within his power to make sure I wouldn't understand him. Every time I got too close, he snapped at me, and warned me to stay away, like he had done that evening in the kitchen. And then illogical, contradictory situations would arise, and I would be unable to make sense of his behaviour.

He confused me. He disturbed me. He was sinister, and I would have done better to heed his warning and to steer well clear of him.

Aside from my relationship with him, though, I couldn't say that things were going badly. I adored my new family.

Norman was bumbling and kind, and every day Anna seemed more and more like something from my childhood daydreams. She was maternal, attentive and caring, and she was always worrying whether I'd eaten enough and whether I was doing all right. I knew that I was very thin, that I didn't have the rosy, healthy complexion that other girls my age did, but I wasn't used to receiving that sort of attention.

She was a real mom, and even though I wasn't brave enough to tell her, she was becoming as dear to me as my own mom.

The little girl who used to dream of embracing the sky and finding someone who could set her free was now beholding that reality, enchanted.

How could I avoid losing it all?

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I left my room after another afternoon of homework. I studied a lot, and it was very important to me to be good at school. Above all, it was important to me that Anna and Norman were happy with me.

To my surprise, I bumped into something on the landing.

It was Klaus. He had decided to show up, once and for all. I was delighted to find him outside my room, because I loved animals, and interacting with them made me very happy.

'Hi,' I whispered, smiling at him. I thought he was a really beautiful cat. His lovely dusty grey fur was as soft and fluffy as cotton candy, and he had wonderful round, yellow eyes. Anna had told me that he was a distinguished ten years old.

'Aren't you lovely...' I gushed, wondering if he would let me cuddle him. He stared at me suspiciously. Then his tail stood up tall and off he went down the stairs.

I followed him like a little girl, watching his every move, enthralled, but he threw me a scowl, giving me the impression that he wasn't happy with my actions. He jumped out the window and landed on the ground, leaving me alone on the landing. He really must be a solitary sort...

I was about to move on when a noise caught my attention. I didn't realise straight away, but it was a rasping noise coming from the room next door. But it wasn't just any room...

It was Rigel's bedroom.

I realised that the sound was him breathing. I knew I shouldn't go in, but hearing him breathing like that made me momentarily forget this. The door was ajar, and I looked inside.