Alice Stays Home

Ch. SIXTEEN - Go Away, Get Away, Get Away, Get Away

Like most babies smell like butter

His smell smelled like no other

He was born scentless and senseless

He was born a scentless apprentice

Go away - get away, get away, get a-way

NIRVANA - SCENTLESS APPRENTICE

Seconds go by but it feels like ages, like when I'm home and I've finished my homework and I can't go out.

And then, I see. We see.

There are three of them. Two men and a woman, in a way.

"In a way" because they're taller than normal people and they don't look normal at all. Like someone must have drawn them wrong.

They're wearing a cloak made of coarse fabric. It's off-white and reminds me of wool from neglected sheep.

They're naked and don't even have shoes on. They're completely bald. But the scariest thing is their eyes or what's left of them.

Their eyelids are sewn shut with iron wire.

"They're crying," I whisper.

I'm upset and shaking, the sight of tears coming down slowly through the terrible sutures breaks me. Skià puts his finger on his lips. I must be quiet, okay, I get it.

The three figures mumble words that I can't understand. Some kind of prayer recited in their teeth or something.

They walk slowly. They walk by. They can't see us.

But suddenly they stop.

We hold our breaths so long we could take part in the world championship of apnea, I think to myself.

The three of them turn their heads left and right. Their faces with eyes sewn shut are like the windows of the buildings around us.

They stink. I don't know what it is, but it's revolting.

I could really poop my pants now. My knees are shaking.

They go past us and disappear.

They didn't see us. Yet, how could they, without eyes?

We exhale.

He lets go of me and I finally regain my freedom.

He crumpled me up a bit and yet I didn't give him a head butt.

So far so good, in a way.

Where am I? Who are you? Who are they? Why are we here? What do we have to do? When can I go back home? So many questions go off in my head right now.

"I've been waiting for you," says Skià in a caressing tone that has a strange metallic aftertaste. Like his mask.

"You've been waiting for me?"

"I have, Alice."

My name in his mouth turns into pure honey.

Now, if all of a sudden you grow wings and find yourself in a world that's not your own, you might think you're dead. I mean, that's what normal people would do, right? But I'm Alice Lai. I'm not a normal person. The truth is, I've never felt so alive and scared at the same time. (By the way, I didn't poop my pants, but I came really close.)