Spirit Mary

Chapter 9, Pandora

I reach for the heavens, for the sun--for the light

I.

The cage felt cold on her skin. It was wide enough for her to move around without difficulty, but it still kept her from the beauty outside.

Beyond the iron bars, a beautiful meadow stretched out on all directions. Tall blades of grass and trees danced with the gentle winds. She saw low hills curving out from afar, mountains at the horizon. Birds flew in formations up in the sky, soaring free.

Behind, outside the cage, Pandora materialized. Like Mary, she gazed out at the world, hands clasped behind her.

"This..." Mary said, "... is Inferno?"

Pandora's black hair blew by the wind. When she had gotten her fill, she knelt by Mary's cage and wrapped her fingers around its bars.

"Middle ground, you say?" she said. "Is that an excuse?"

"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Mary replied. She sat cross-legged facing her. "We are--"

"Everything makes sense if you believe in it," Pandora retorted. "You believe that Jacob and Wynona are still alive. Makes sense, doesn't it? Maybe for you."

Pandora paused for a while. Her mouth twitched impatiently.

"But that doesn't make sense to me," Pandora said, shaking her head. "The Eyeless One killed them because of you."

"Because of me?"

"Jacob told you to stop approaching," Pandora said. "You left Wynona behind."

Mary sighed. "No."

Pandora raised her eyebrows, snorting.

"The Eyeless One killed them," Mary said. Her tongue felt like sand paper. "I wouldn't kill them even if my life depended on it. I'm sure you know that."

A smile curved at the edge of Pandora's lips. She leaned closer.

"Tell me about Wynona and Jacob," she said. "Help me gather sentiment."

Mary stared right at her bulging eyes. Pandora's ires were stiff, focused. Her smile didn't waver.

Around them, winds continued to blow. The sky wore orange as the sun sank. Soon, the nightly breezes would come, and nocturnal life would arise. Hell knew what Pandora would do once the light has gone out.

II.

"I met Wynona first," Mary began. She propped her legs up in front of her and hugged them. "She was sick."

"Sick?"

"Yes, she was infected by a chronic disease. Dad's the only doctor in town, and I used to go to his clinic after school. One day, when I was five, I saw a crying girl in one of the rooms. She had spilled her tears everywhere. She was screaming. I tried my best to comfort her--thank God she calmed down."

Pandora cocked her head.

"She was afraid--and frustrated," Mary continued. "She said she couldn't afford to miss several months of school. I tried to reassure her that her friends would come to visit, but she said she d-didn't have any real friends."

Mary paused to swallow. Behind them, the sun dipped down between two mountains.

"I felt her sickness. She's just three years older than me. I told her I'd come by every after class to be with her--and I did, for several months. She told me her name: Wynona Wise, and it grew into a name I would love. I really love her, Pandora. She was my first best friend."