Statue of Freedom

04 Lina

 "My sister Lina..." Pieter started speaking. "She would easily get sick since she was a baby. But I couldn't do anything every time she was sick. Our house was poor. My dad died even before I was born. And my mom... she tried her best to feed us. But it was a hard job. She left us when I was only 12. We're doing okay now, but Lina was never un-sick... and I guess that gave her even more stress and wariness... she built a wall between me and her. She would always stay out during night, and I think she even smokes. It's not good."

"I can see how she's unfree." Breta spoke. "But even though she's sick, even though she doesn't wanna see you anymore, she's still lonely. You have to understand her and try to get closer step by step."

"She won't let me. She's the one who stayed away from me, not me. If even herself can't change her own mind, then how can I? I just gotta wait for her to come to me. That's what I chose."

"That's why you have to step closer. She can't do it by herself. So you've gotta go."

"You guys stop arguing!" Genevieve said. "The main reason here was to visit your house, Pieter. Now we've looked around your house, surely your house is neat, you have such great sister, now can you let us go?

"..." Pieter had nothing to say. He knew Genevieve's words were true. "Sure, you guys can go."

"Let's go, Breta." Genevieve pushed Breta's shoulders.

"..." Breta left without a word.

...

It was the next night. Pieter didn't come.

"Why is Pieter not coming?" Breta asked Genevieve.

"How do I know. And why do you care? He's just one of the useless human beings. Forget him."

"...but.." Breta said in a really quiet voice. "He is different than others......"

...

The second night came. Pieter still hadn't come. He never did. He didn't come the next day. Or the next day. Or the day after that.

5 days passed. Pieter still didn't come.

"Genevieve, I can't stand this. I have to go find him." Breta stood up.

"Why? What's the point? You miss him? Seriously?"

"..." Breta didn't say anything.

"He only came for two nights. What made you miss him during those two days? Do you like him?" Genevieve asked for the second time.

"It's just..." She spoke. "It feels weird without him. But I'm worried at the same time."

This time, Genevieve couldn't say a thing. Because she knew exactly how that feels like. "Lets go visit him." She finally spoke.

"Really?" Breta smiled.

"Yes." Genevieve answered. They started walking towards Pieter's house.

"Pieter!" Breta yelled as she slammed the door open after entering the password of the house's door lock. She must have memorised it on the first day she visited Pieter's house. "Pieter?" She said. There was no answer. She carefully walked in the house, step by step. Pieter wasn't in the living room, or the bathroom, or his own room. The last room to check was his sister, Lina's room. Breta peeked in. And there she saw Pieter, sitting on a small chair next to the bed, and on the bed was Lina lying down.

"Pieter...?" Breta stepped in the room as she looked at Lina. Both Lina and Pieter had reddish brown hair with green eyes. She looked a lot like Pieter. Breta noticed she looked a lot younger than her age. Seeing Lina with her own eyes, she felt Lina was much weaker than what she thought. She needed help.

"Breta?" Pieter turned around. "How are you here...?"

"Pieter!" Breta yelled as she hugged Pieta from the back. And Genevieve just stood outside the room without a word. She didn't want to disturb it.

"Shhh! Breta! Lina's asleep!" Pieter shouted in a quiet voice. "It's bad to wake her up!"

But Lina woke up.

"Mmm... huh? Pieter? When did you come in my room!!" Lina shouted. "Get out right now!" But then she noticed Breta. "Who is she?"

"Hi Lina!!! I'm Breta, the Goddess of..." Breta tried to talk, but Pieter covered her mouth even before she could finish.

"Are you crazy? Are you trying to introduce yourself saying you're a Goddess?!" Pieter whispered.

"She won't notice as long as I show my Weapon in front of her." Breta whispered back.

"Stay quiet. I can fix this."

"Pieter! Who is she? And what is that emerald coloured bird outside the room?" Lina yelled. Genevieve has changed into a bird form.

"They're... uh, my good friends. This is Breta, and that bird is her...pet."

"New friend, huh?" Lina said. "I've never seen you hang out with girls. I've seen you surrounded by girls, but never saw you being friends or having a girlfriend. I'm just saying... it's a new you." Lina was different than what Breta thought she would be like. Lina wasn't really a troublemaker, she looked like a model student. Breta knew the delinquent side of her wasn't the real Lina. She could get straight As if she wanted to. But she couldn't. She had closed her heart. It seemed hard to open it again.

"Lina," Pieter said. "It's just..."

"Cough! Cough... cough!" Lina started coughing crazily. She seemed hard to breathe. She breathed really fast, and every time she coughed a little amount of blood would spit out.

"Lina!" Pieter shouted. "You...!" He held Lina's hands and said to calm down. Lina wanted to, but her body won't let her. She coughed a lot, which caused blood to go all over the bed. She was still breathing hard, as if she had ran a hundred miles.

"Pieter! I can handle this!" Breta shouted as she ran towards the bed. She kneeled down and held Lina's hands, putting her head close to Lina's.

"What are you doing?!" Pieter asked, confused.

"I can do this! Stay quiet!" She then held Lina's hand tighter, but not so tight that it'll hurt. Then she murmured a couple non-understandable words, but the last words were "... of Goddess of Freedom, Breta...! Let her be free from this pain! Rescue her—!" She repeated and repeated the last words over and over until her Weapon, Golden Wings opened up, shining brightly in the dark room. Luckily when Breta opened her wings, Lina was closing her eyes so she didn't see the Wings, which is good because she can't know or notice that Breta is a Goddess.

"I...I got comfortable.." Lina said. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Breta!" Pieter yelled. "What did you do to do that? How did you do that?"

"Pieter..." Breta stared at Pieter's face without a word.

"Teach me please! How can I comfort my sister? Or at least reduce pain!"

"I, ..." She couldn't say anything.