After mum had fallen asleep I sat in our spacious lounge room that, when I was younger, I used to pretend was a plane. I would move the bright yellow couches so they were facing each other and acting as the walls of the body of the plane. I would place one of our wooden chairs from the dining table at the head of the room that would be my seat, the captain’s seat. I never once wanted to be a passenger as I always liked to be in control. Perhaps, this is why I thought of my old childhood game, I felt out of control considering everything that was happening in my life. Everyone seemed to know more about me than I did. I should’ve probably been angry at mum for keeping such a secret from me but I couldn’t. I watched her sleep soundly finally at peace after such a stressful day. I walked through the arch that divided the lounge room from the kitchen to fetch myself some food. Just sitting there made me realise I hadn’t eaten much all day. Though, my empty stomach would have to wait a little longer as Kadar was waiting for me in my captain seat.
“Are you alright?” he asked. After taking the time to breathe and role things over in my head, I came to the conclusion I would just have to grow and put myself back in the driver’s seat. I knew I could be in control if I just had enough confidence and bravery to take the wheel.
“Yeah, I will be”, I smiled. This was probably a good time to tell him about what happened the night my father died. “Now that you’re here, I have to tell you something and I’m not sure what it means. When our father died, one of my tears fell on his face and it, sort of, started burning him”, I said slowly and nervously hoping the reason for this is anything but bad. He lifted his head quickly at my words. He frowned and seemed confused which was odd for Kadar as he nearly always had the answer.
“I was afraid this was going to happen. Because you were in the sun for so long, you were given the abilities of Mercury”, he said rubbing his chin as he figured out why my tear was lethal and proving my doubt wrong. This scared me but, putting myself in control, I knew I had to learn how to control it so I did’t hurt the people I love.
“Can you teach me how to use it?” I asked almost excited. He looked at me confused.
“Aveline, sorry Acacia”, he corrected himself. “I don’t think that is such a good idea. They are the enemy and you are infected with their poison”, he said. Now I was the one frowning. How could he be such a hypocrite? I understood why he felt strongly against Mercurynites but I thought he would be a little more supportive for his own sister. Or was I not his sister anymore?
“I don’t think of it as poison, Kadar. Whether you like it or not it is a part of who I am. Not to mention that it could also help us win the war”, I said defensively and loudly. We heard a muffle from the other room where my mother was sleeping but I continued to stare at him and hold my ground.
“I’m sorry as my job is to help you end this war. I shouldn’t let my own opinions conflict with the task at hand”, he said informatively. This may have been the worst thing he possibly could’ve said. He was going to support me yet he was going to continue looking at me like a repulsive mutant. The best way to react was to stay calm and quietly ask him to leave.
“Can you please just leave? Now?” I said and my voice wavered as I struggled to keep my voice low. He nodded and teleported out immediately. I took a few deep breaths and walked as ‘quiet as a mouse’ to the lounge room where my mother lay asleep on the couch. I smiled and I couldn’t bear the thought of waking her up just because I needed someone to talk too. I could only think of one other person who I could talk to about this subject. I closed my eyes and found myself standing before a newly built house and the front porch lit with a small light bulb that was attached to a red brick.
The house seemed warm and comforting, even from the outside. The greenery seemed as if it were tended to daily and the front door was beautifully calved like a tree from the enchanted forest. I took the gold knocker in my hand and rang it twice. It created a soft sound that almost instantly brought the home owner to open the door with a swift twist of the gold handle.
“Acacia! I wasn’t expecting you”, Katell said in surprise. I smiled lightly but by the looks of her expression I was just as transparent as I thought.
“Yeah, well I needed someone to talk to, someone who wasn’t Kadar”, I hinted at the situation and just as I knew she would, she understood and invited me inside her home.
