Night Angel

Barking at the Bark.

More weeks passed, and with them increased the tug of the heavy stone weighting down in my stomach.

The visits decreased slowly, until they finally seized all together. There were no longer conversations about the lost twins while me and the girls ate at our own seperate table in another room. If anything, we grew even more apart, comments only flaring at the need to pass utensils and the heavyload of study work assigned to us each day.

Suprisingly enough, I didn't miss home one bit. I was probably still bitter because I was send away for such a minor cause, but something maybe, this bizzarely hectic life I was living, took the resentment away.

It made me want to stay.

And the twins weren't the only thing eating at me. That one fortunate evening passed too quickly, and in the wait of the moment and my worries Mable faded back at what she was good at. Observing, and thinking. Other than the time she provided me with a pencil in the class, and when she accidently walked in the  the bathroomom while I was trying out my aunts' face mask- that one gauged a noticeably strong reaction- she stayed quiet. Waiting.

Always Waiting.

Waiting for something with eyes brighter than that of a tigers'.

Unfortunately, I never got what it was.

But till than, it seemed I had foound my safe spot. Not to be bothered with, neither to be touched or prodded. It made me wonder sometimes about why, about the days that were flying by faster than I could count them. Did Da miss me? There was never anything from him, and for a girl who had loved nothing but his only parent, I wasn't that eager to know, whether about him or if he even cared. 

I was the first to wake up that day even though I was sorting out stuff all night, and as the morning ritual caught on, I found myself trudging towards the calender and marking a cross across the present date with a dark marker.

Springy June. How joyful.

I groaned and fell to the ground, a tangled mess of blankets.

Cleaning Day.

God have mercy on my poor back.

Aunt came in right then, opening the door with a loud smack, her lilt as possitive as bee about to strike its favourite victim, "Wake up you cabbage sacks! We need to get some work done!"

My eyes shifted to my bed, to that well hidden letter that was crumpled so bad by now it had missing ridges at the border. I will have to hide for the time being.

"Barbara, Iris, Sylvia," She chirped like a roaster, not taking in the fact that water still glazed down their mouths, "You girls are going to be cleaning the Hallway and the Divan and prepare in the Kitchen with me."

When she finally got the idea of how dire the situation was, with a firm face she banged the door against the wall. All of us jumped a feet in the still air. Barbara rolled over and fell on the cold floor.

Simultaneously, their eyes landed on the mysterious appearance of Aunt, and than towards the calender with that newly acquinted gigantic red cross.

A mewl rose,"Oh no."

"Oh yes," Gleed my lovely aunt.

She continurd to break down the schedule while the girls dragged  themselves one by one towards the bathroom.

"....Mable and the Harriet."

I was busy brushing my teeth.

"You'll go out today and get the roses and some fresh butter down from the farmer, and also some apples up from the clove would be fine. Oh, and there are some missing vegetables and we are running low on eggs. It's to time to burn some of that thigh fat, girl."

I paused and looked at her, "Just that? It wouldn't bother me, you know, if I also found myself dragging the carriage to the market and while I'm still at that, carry hay bales on my back. Apply a layer of nails on my slippers and things would be closed to perfection as they are."

But I didn't say that. I was too whacked to move my jaw.

Afterall, this was a big deal. I was being allowed to go out. And deep down, I really missed watching the birds, there ever-lasting freedom.

Surely going out with Abby won't be that bad.

Hurriedly, we dressed and put on our dark cloaks that covered us from head to toe. If I do say for myself, I'd say they were quite... patched. Did I smell cheese at the armpit?

Oh well, deaperate times call for desperate measures.

We departed in silence, and travelled in a quiet stroll. While we stayed close, it was as if I was walking by a complete stranger who was just in stride with me. And also knew the way which I found myself mulling over.

The town was sophisicated and bustling as ever. The houses shifted into colonies that held a hint of badly kept maintanence and ancient dilemmas. The traders were as bustling as ever, talking rapidly and selling their stuff into succession.

Instead of roads we encountered sandy pathways with a very natural feeling to them that I liked. That was until, I found my feet in a muddy puddle. I slowly released a heating breathe and clinked my foot free.

After hours of walking we were finally down to the last two items. I decides to part. Mable was to go down and get the roses, and I was to go up and get the apples. It wasn't too hard to agree on; the evening was at its peak, and we had to hurry home.

The sun drowned right in the middle of the stable ground, right into the oceany sky as we went our ways.  I hummed to myself, smilling at the various citizens retiring to their house. The sugary smell of ripe apples saturing the air had me hastening my steps until I reached the top.

The old women sitting against  the white fence on the arm chair with an apron watched me approach her and tapped her stick twice against the ground.

"Mrs. Harroway send me." I informed her timdly, "The usual dozen."

The woman clucked her tongue, "The service man is gone, deary. I ain't in the position to help you, come back tommorow."

Going back home empty handed? The only thing that'll come back  tomorrow will be me in my tomb.

"She said it's urgent," I whacked my head to come up with an excuse, "Mr. Harroway is seriously ill and craves apple."

I continued at her obstinate  expression," An apple a day keeps thr doctor away?" And gave her my best grin.

She shook her head, "You want 'em? Go get 'em." The lady waged a thin pale finger, "And don't be a naughty brat. The Harroways are a very respectable family."

I quirked an eyebrow, "As her neice, I am quite proud to receive that compliment. Now excuse me."

I walked in with my small basket and flushed in the air that seemed to make my nerves elctric. The breeze was at its epitome, sweeping against my blushing cheeks and freeing my hair into a mahogany cape. The village looked marvellous from up here, almost like a fading dream into the dark night. I sighed at the pleasant view, than got back to the work at hands.

I reached for the pitchfork standing against the tree and held it h8gh to the apples. Even from here, thry looked dark and plump, hanging stiff and loyal to their parents. If only I had. I shook my head and carried on.

Dusk encountered and as the sun steeped down to its final dip, the things started colouring from bright orange to dark amber. Deep below, laterns started burning up and I hurried to get the last two of my apples. The breeze turned colder, making me shiver. Just two more, and I can go back.

I was never scared of monster before. Not now even, especially with the pitchfork still dangling up in my arm. It wasn't just that I never cared, more so because who could be a bigger devil than me? But today, alone in the dark, I felt my legs quiver. The cold, I tried telling myself, although the breeze had momentarily stopped.

Annoyed, I forked the tree harder.

"Ow."

I screamed so loud, the tree racked and an apple fell straight on my head, making me see two pairs of shiny azure stars.