Merula 1:1

Chapter 1:1- Strangeness and charm

-Edith, we’re here.
My mum’s voice woke me up gently.
Wherever here is. I opened my eyes to a different world. I was used to houses with well-cut lawns and trimmed gardens, two or even three floor houses with balcony or veranda and at least two fancy cars in the driveway. This... I took a careful look at my surroundings, this was a suburd. Five floor flats, a common green with playground, football ground and some rusty old benches . Of course I’d seen suburds before. This was actually one of the better ones I’d seen. But it was still a completely different world to what I was used to and what I’ve grown up in. If it had been any other day I wouldn’t be scared at all, it was just a suburd, but now... I was petrified.
Mum and dad were acting strange. They’d woken me real early, the sun hadn’t even begin to rise. They had rushed into my bedroom. Dad had packed some of my clothes in a big suitcase while mum tried to get me out of bed. Then they had shoved me out in the hallway where three other suitcases waited full to the brim. My head was too slow to follow what was going on. My first thought had been that we’re going some kind of trip, a far away trip, in a hurry. I was pushed into the car’s backseat. As dad skid out of the driveway I asked mum what was going on. It was then my fear kicked in. Mum didn’t answer me instead she looked at my dad with a worried expression. When I asked again she told me not to worry. How could I not worry? But I realised that no matter how many questions I asked they wouldn’t answer any of them. I sat back and let my mind go back to sleep. And now I was here. Wherever here is. I’d never been here before.
-Where is here? I asked as I climbed out of the car, not really hoping for an answer.
-Our friends live here, Hazel and Owen. Dad and I thought you could stay here while we’re away.
-That’s not really necessary, I can take care of myself.
I had always been a loner, I preferred to be home alone when mum and dad were going on a trip rather than stay at a friend’s house.
-I’m sure you can, darling. But where are you going to stay? Mum looked at me like I was a tiny baby.
I didn’t like that look.
-What do you mean? I asked carefully.
Dad put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at him. His smile was far from reassuring.
-Sweety, we’ve sold the house.
-What?! My surprise was obvious. –But all my things...
-I’ve packed the most essential things you might need.
I could feel the panic grow in my stomach.
-Most... essential..., I tried to get a hold of myself. –And the rest.
-Sold.
-Or thrown away, dad said and shrugged his shoulders. -Here is some money you can buy new stuff with.
I could feel my knees fold beneath me. Dad grabbed a hold of me before I hit the ground. He stuffed the money in my hand.
-Let’s get her up, I could hear dad say as lifted me up in his arms.
Mum held up the door to block number 71 and dad carried me up the stairs to the third floor. On the door it said Evaeus. It was not a name I was familiar with. Mum pushed the doorbell and footsteps moved on the other side of the door. The chain was removed and the door was openend by a man in mum and dad’s age, around forty. Owen, I presumed. He had almost black hair with some grey strikes. His eyes, hid behind a pair of old style glasses, were brown and very tired. He didn’t seem surprised by my parents visit, they must have called in advance. He stepped aside and dad carried me inside. In the hall the man’s wife waited with a more alert expression than her husband’s. She had red curly hair and awake green eyes. She smiled pleasantly and despite my shock I thought she looked like a nice person. Hazel, I remembered mum had said.
-How nice to see you again, Hazel said and tilted her head a little. –In spite of the circumstances.
What circumstances? That my parents had lost their minds?! And who were these people, my parents’ friends? I’d never seen them before.
-So this is Edith? The woman with the red hair watched me closely. –You’ve grown so much, she said as if we’d met before except I couldn’t remember her.
-Let’s sit in the kitchen, the black haired man said and led the way.
In the kitchen a boy and a girl sat by the table and ate breakfast. They had red-brown hair that curled a little, their eyes were green and alert like the woman’s. Why were they awake so early? Both were older than me, maybe three or four years.
-These are our oldest, Blake and Mandy. The others are sleeping.
The woman smiled sweetly.
The others? How many were they in this tiny flat?
-Kids, this is Edith. She’ll be staying with us for awhile.
Usually by this time I would protest and say a definite NO, I’m not going to stay here, I’m going home. But dad still held me in his arms and I felt really silly so what do I say?
-Call me Edi.
That’s all I could say. Dad placed me on a chair and we all surrounded the large kitchen table. Mum and dad talked with their friends, catching up and small talk. I sat silent, watching my hands full with money.
-I was thinking of going into town today, wanna come? The girl, Mandy, asked me all of a sudden.
-That’s a great idea, Mandy’s mum said and winked at her daughter encouragingly.
My mum was equally enthusiastic. She fished up her wallet and pushed more money in my hands.
-Yes, do that. Have a great time and get to know each other, she said while nodding exaggeratedly.
I got the point already. I was here to stay and there was no use in trying to argue, they would only push more money in my hands.
-If we take the sub now we’ll be there when the shops open, Mandy said.
Great, I’d just got here and now I had to leave again. But I didn’t protest. When she rose from the table so did I. I followed her through the hallway to what seemed to be the living room and into what had to be her bedroom. There were two beds, one was empty and a mess and the other one was still occupied. Red hair stuck out from under the sheets on one side of the bed and on the other side some odd coloured toenails popped out as the creature under the sheets moved.
-That’s my baby sister Adeline, she’s…, Mandy scratched her head with her fingers. –She’s twelve and the youngest. I’m second oldest after Blake, he’s twenty-one and I’m nineteen. How old are you?
-Sixteen.
-Oh, great age. Lots of love and emotions.
I couldn’t tell if she meant it or if she was just sarcastic. I raised my eyebrow questioningly and she smiled.
-Or maybe it was seventeen, don’t remember. Mandy shrugged her shoulders. –Anyhow, you’ll share this room with me and Adeline.
-Oh.
I observed my surroundings with a judging eye. The bedroom was tiny and if another bed would fit it would be a miracle. But hey, if the room was totally cleaned out and renovated then maybe I would fit in here… somewhere… Mandy picked up a few things and put it in a bag and we went back to the kitchen.
-We’re off then, she said and left for the hall.
Mum and dad rose from the table and hugged me.
-We won’t be here when you get back. You understand, don’t you?
I nodded. This would be such a moment when you pour your heart out. But I don’t cry. Not anymore. Not since grandma died.
I hugged my parents tightly. I love them even if they were acting crazy. It felt like I wouldn’t see them for a very long time. It didn’t matter that they called it a holiday, my heart said otherwise. Not that they’d said it was a holiday either. Just that they were going away. But they wasn’t leaving me for good, they would come back some day. I just didn’t know when that day would come. Perhaps they didn’t know either, and that was why they pretended that they were going on a holiday to keep the hope up. For whatever the reason, they left me here to fend for myself. These were the thoughts flowing through my head before Mandy called from the hallway.
-So you’re five all in all in your family, I stated as Mandy and I walked to the subway just to say something.
-No, we’re eight in total. I have three little brothers as well.
I stared at her.
-Eight? In that small flat? I asked doubtful.
-Well, Blake’s trying to move out, he’s saving money for it. It’s just not going so well on that saving part as he is drinking up most of it. Mandy smiled jokingly. -And I’m leaving after summer as well. I like your hair by the way. It keeps people away, doesn’t it?
It was as if we’d known each other forever. How could she read me so easily? My hair was short, black and shaved on the left side. I had a piercing on my left ear and when I put make-up on I looked overall goth. But I wasn’t. Which Mandy had figured out with just one look. I did this to keep people away as I preferred to be left alone since no one really understood me. But she did.

To be continued...
By J.L.Frick