The Adventures of Ice Woman

Part 6 - Mrs Tiffany

Mrs Tiffany was a young widow, only 43 years of age, and not inclined to marry again for the love of her recently deceased husband. She was a quiet woman who watched daytime TV with such a vigorous schedule that she was constantly occupied. No one knew her Christian name, but then, not many people knew of her existence, and those who did didn't seek out her company because they thought her odd. While Mr Tiffany was still alive, this was compensated by his company; and 25 years of antisocial tendencies left her unable to interact with people as per the norms of society.

Elisabetta was the first person to have entered Mrs Tiffany's house, excepting, of course, the master of the house, and the woman was rather excited at the prospect of a new friend.

Mrs Tiffany was knitting a "long piece of nothing" as she called it, to releave her nerves as she was in quite a state about making her first ever friend. Situated besides Elisabetta in case the latter awoke, Mrs Tiffany couldn't help but feel happy.

A groan from Elisabetta startled Mrs Tiffany as the girl fidgeted, half asleep, her eyes drowsily opening a crack. When she finally awoke, there were three things wrong: 1) she was not at home, 2) there was a complete stranger sitting next to her, and 3) her hair was down.

One can guess which made her most anxious.

Elisabetta jumped out of bed, quite literally, and onto her feet in a comical fashion.

"Why is my hair down? Where are my things that I kept in there?" she asked as soon as her head stopped spinning. She looked down at her clothes - at least she still wore her school uniform. "Who are you?"

The intervieweecould barely remember her first name, it had been so long since she'd said it. after a few moments, in which Mrs Tiffany remembered her name, she answered "I am Ariadne Tiffany. Your hair had so many clips and pins in it that I thought I ought to take it out, in case you hurt your self. While I did that, I found some odd objects in there and thought it right to take it out - it's on the mantelpiece if you want them.I don't think it's very safe to lave things, like shoes, in your hair! You hair must be very dirty! Well child, please sit down. You collapsed in the middle of the market; you clearly aren't well."

"Don't call me child," Elisabetta muttered under her breath, as she sat down upon her bed.

"Now what is your name?" Ariadne asked kindly.

"Er," our hero deliberated revealing her identity to the woman who had just saved her life, "my name is Elisabeth." She stuck with halfway true. "Thank you for taking me in and sorry for being a bit rude before."

Elisabetta's hair fell uncomfortably to her lower back and tickled her through her school blouse. "Do you think I could take a shower? I need to cut my hair and freshen up - I must stink! How long was I out?"

"About a week. I fed you some fruits, and you looked dehydrated, so I gave you a lot of water. I could cut your hair for you if you'd like. I'm quite good, if I do say so myself. How short would you like it? By the way, I don't know if it's too impertinent to ask but why were you running and where are your parents?"

Elisabetta sat listening to Mrs Tiffany babbling on happily, guilt building up inside her.

"I LIED!" she burst out with. "I'm sorry, I really ought to tell you the truth since you have been so kind with me and it's not impertinent to ask me why I am in this problem in the first place. My name is Elisabetta. I'm on the run from the government who have my friend hostage and are torturing him because of these special powers I have that allows me super-human speed and this weird way of freezing things because I tried to make the world a better place by stopping evil, yet powerful people from destroying our beautiful planet and I just escaped from there and my parents are still at home and I have no idea what I'm going to do. If you want to kick me out you can, and even if you do, I will never forget the kindness you showed me by saving me." Elisabetta started sobbing for the first time in her life.

Silence followed.

"Well then, Elisabetta, I suppose a secret identity would do you good, wouldn't it? Please don't leave," Mrs Tiffany added as Elisabetta rose to leave. "I've never had a friend before. You seem like a good girl. Stay. I'll cut your hair for you and we'll disguise you."

"I was just trying to make the world a better place."

By the next day, Elisabetta could no longer recognise herself; she really had transformed into a whole new person. She was to be Elizabeth Tiffany, Ariadne's niece.

Where once was a brunette beehive, a boyish pixie cut had replaced, coloured dirty blonde, with the promise of fluorescent pink streaks.

Her school uniform had been burnt and replaced by attractive, brightly coloured, knee length dresses, and shirts and jeans. On her feet, she wore canvass shoes.

Even her pale green eyes were disguised - she wore hazelnut coloured contact lenses. Any freckles she may have had were hidden under new new tan.Really, no one could in fact recognise her.

She had cried again when her clothes, mask and all the rest of her possessions were put into a large bonfire in the backyard. It was then Elisabetta realised truly, that she could never go home again, never see her family again. And she couldn't save Zev.

This made her feel even worse.