Outcasts

22: Art Fair

Chapter 22

The entrance to the art fair was pretty amazing. Some volunteers took pictures of all the contestants that made it this far into the program and created an archway for everyone to walk through. I could see Meulin's smiling face near the top left corner of the thing and our mother had to stop to snap a photo of it. This was the bad thing about the thing. Every parent that saw their kid smiling down at the guests as they trudged their way in had to create a blockade with their bodies as they tried to get a good photograph. Those unlucky enough to get stopped and weren't even related to anyone on the piece of nailed and painted on wood was stuck until they found an opening to slide in through.

Thankfully mom didn't take that long to gaze lovingly at her eldest daughter as she hovered over everyone like a perfect blonde angel. It was all thanks to Meulin who whined to her about taking too long and urged her to get moving so she could make sure everything was set up properly. I was a little excited because this would be the first time the entire Leijon trio would be able to see Meulin's winning painting. 

Inside the building was much more crowded then it was under the arch. Different students from around the area were standing by their projects, nervous smiles plastered onto their shiny faces as a few people with badges walked around, clip boards in their hands. A sign with two arrows were pointing in different directions near the front. One was pointing up, where the singing were being held; the other was headed a little to the left, where I was sure there would be much more music and thundering of feet for that's usually what happens when people dance and perform. 

Muelin led the two of us to her station where my sister's art was covered by a black cloth. Her boyfriend was already standing there, silent as ever. He gave us a smile and a wave before signing to my sister about how excited he was to see her win first place this round. She blushed and I snickered, as I signed to her about how they'll be K-I-S-S-I-N-G-ing once the entire thing was over. This caused her to hit me in the back of the head before giving Kurloz, her long-time boyfriend, a smooch on the cheek. 

"Muelin, honey," Mom began, tapping her on the shoulder as she parted from the dark haired boy. Mom lifted her hands in the air as she talked and signed at the same time. "Why don't you show us all your hard work?"

Meulin smiled the Leijon Smile (which we should legally copyright as ours) and lifted the black blanket from the piece of art. 

It was truly amazing.

The piece of art was like looking through the reflection of someone's eyes. The largest thing on there was a green eye with long eyelashes, though in the reflection of the mossy hues were all the things someone would normally see. But they had a twisted effect. A cat was rubbing itself along a broken down table as flames shot out of it's mouth. Besides it a wilting flower sat in a vase of a purple looking liquid that looked like poison. What would seem normal was odd and definitely something from an alternate world. But there was a person standing in the middle of all that, a golden light shining above as they held a hand out towards the viewer and a kind smile grace their face, pure white feathers falling  around them and onto the bloody covered floor. 

Mom nearly had a heart attack at how amazing it was, gushing over the details and wishing she was eligible to be a judge. Under her breath she muttered something along the lines of, "Oh how I wish I could still draw like that" but no one really seemed to have heard other than me. 

I gave Muelin my own awesome words at how her painting would definitely win first prize and she'd move up to the big leagues in no time. She looked about ready to cry in happiness but was quickly fanning her face to keep herself looking somewhat presentable to the judges. They wouldn't take too long in heading over to our spot, but we could only hope to still look nice.