Hopeless Romance

Part Two: Rescued to a New Prison. Chapter Four

My heart began beating ferociously as I glimpsed a little bit of red in the driver seat of the delivery truck a few days later.  The beautiful delivery woman hopped out with a box.  I opened my window.  I had already removed the screen and hid it far back in my closet, under a pile of crumpled clothes Mother would never look under as I did my own laundry. I crawled out onto the roof.  

I whistled my best impersonation of an Echo bird, a bird that I heard frequently so I knew it wouldn’t make Mother suspicious.  I also chose it because the Echo bird is the Alume National Bird, a symbol of independence as it is a very fierce protector of its home. I once saw an Echo bird in my neighbor’s tree protecting its nest against a huge hawk.  It swooped and dove, then retreated, again and again, pecking the hawk in the maddening way a mosquito keeps at a human until it finally sneaks in and rests long enough to suck blood. 

I also chose the Echo bird because it is Alume’s only native bird.  Other birds, including the hawk I saw attack the Echo bird nest, were all introduced here- accidentally or purposefully, brought on boats and planes.  The Echo bird though has been here longer than humans.  It migrates close to 3000 miles across a huge expanse of ocean, unbroken by any land, rest impossible for this tireless traveler. It does get a little recovery when it enjoys a little less wind resistance during a turn towards the end of the V formation it flies in, with others of its kind.  The Echo’s endurance, its drive to find home, is unrivaled.  In Alums war for independence our soldiers would wear Echo bird feathers pinned on their chests, right over their hearts.  They had a slogan, maybe a prayer:  

"Echo bird be with me, Alume is my home, so dear. 

Help me protect and persevere.” 

I was ecstatic when she glanced up at me, our eyes met.  Her eyes fell quickly to the large poster board, where opposite an ancient school project I had written “YOU ARE IN DANGER! RUN!”  I saw her swallow and lose a little color.  But, then she totally surprised me when her face lit up with a huge smile and she blew a kiss to me.   Then she quickly and coolly deposited the box, knocking but running quickly back to her truck and speeding off.  I heard Mother open the door but she was too late.  I heard her slam it shut.

I tried to act normally around Mother, even though I now knew she didn’t care for me at all.  I had no difficulty remembering she was the enemy.  I still hugged her when I came down stairs, and talked to her over meals.  I made sure to log into WMC whenever I was in my room.  I wasn’t sure, but I guessed that the time I logged in there was being monitored.  I still searched out the comp girls occasionally.  I didn’t want to raise any red flags.  I didn’t care about playing WMC anymore, and I was having difficulty getting turned on by the comp girls and ended up frustrated, looking out the window.  

I stalked my window, watching, waiting, hoping for this real girl and hungering for her genuine and kind smile, her warm touch.  Selfishly wanting her return, but hoping she would stay away for her own safety.  Weeks passed and all I saw were Rachiese men and women delivering our packages.  I began to feel like a zombie once more.