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That first night which she spent with Gabriel's family, was perhaps the most lonely she had experienced since the first night she had spent with Lalita. Although, it was lonely in a much different way. She had come to learn that she needn't stay cooped up in a back bedroom while staying with the Montgomery's (which was Gabriel's last name) she could walk around the house as she pleased. Though when she did pass by a window she was sure to duck and draw the curtains to a close. The freedom of mobility was something that truly lifted her spirits; she hadn't realized how much she had been chasing after the feeling until it showed itself to her once again. At last she could move, breath, and speak without the fear of discovery looming over her shoulder. For once she didn't have to worry about the city's guards stumbling upon her location. And it was that sense of assurance which kept her company through the loneliness she endured at the Montgomery residence. For all the company in the world was not worth the feeling of constant dread covering her shoulders like a blanket she couldn't shake loose. No, she wouldn't wish that feeling upon anyone, not even unto the guards chasing her down. But the lonely was indeed difficult to endure.
After she had drained the water from the claw-foot tub, she wrapped a towel around herself and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks remained a bit hollow looking, and her skin still a tad pasty, but her blonde hair had regained it's small bit of sheen. It no longer fell in stringy stands, and looked much healthier. The dirt had been washed away, to reveal clear creamy white skin beneath. But the bones remained. Her facial bones were more than a little pronounced, and she'd seen more of her rib cage in the past week than she had her entire life. She supposed eating nothing but two slices of bread a day was more than enough to drive a human being to complete and utter starvation. But again, she did not regret a single day spent in old Miss Lalita's home. The woman had given her shelter, and kindness. That was more than what she ever could have asked for. Although, her stomach protested this thought by grumbling loudly. Arietta's face scrunched up as the aching of her empty stomach resonated throughout the rest of her body.
Slowly and quietly, she peeked her wet head outside into the hallway. It was at this point, that she couldn't seem to figure out what she was going to do with herself. She was met with three doors, stairs, and the sound of talk coming from the kitchen. All she had around her body, was a small towel. Her dirty, rumpled clothing had mysteriously vanished from the bathroom floor, and she was left with nothing in return. But before she could step out into the hallway to try to find a door that led to the safety of solitude, the sound of running feet echoed from the stairs. She looked to her right to see the bouncing curls of Molly's hair popping into view. The little girl smiled and giggled at her when she reached the top of the staircase, obviously amused by the fact that a strange girl was standing in her house with only a towel wrapped around her. Arietta managed to give the young girl a faint, tight smile. But Molly didn't seem to care, or even notice.
"Jason told me to tell you that you'll be staying in Gabriel's old room and that it's that last door on the left." she smiled. The small child had managed to mispronounce words such as Gabriel, you'll, and left. Arietta found it utterly adorable, as most people would have, and gave the young girl a genuine smile before Molly dashed back down the stairs, giggling all the while.
"Thank you!" she called out to her, knowing that the girl couldn't have possibly heard her soft-spoken whisper of a thanks from the bottom of the stair case. Arietta cleared her throat, wondering if the long time spent without speaking had taken a more serious toll on her than she'd previously believed. She glanced this way and that once more just to make sure she'd have no more unexpected visitors, and then she scurried quickly into the room Molly had pointed out. It was small, like the rest of the house, and seemed to be unlived-in for quite some time. The walls were a neutral cream color, with molding framing them. A bed rested against the far right wall, wrought iron twisting and curling around the head and base. A white comforter set had been newly laid out on the bed, and looked out at her invitingly. After sleeping on old hard wood floors for a week, the sight of an actual bed made tears come to her eyes, though they did not fall.
The one thing that worried her was the large picturesque window which spilled moonlight into the small room. Arietta quickly made her way over to it and threw the curtains together. She was holding the edges together so tightly she had forgotten the towel. She reached to grab it before it could slip around her feet, she then rolled her back against the wall next to the window. A few rays of silver light continued to trickle in from under the bottom edge of the curtains, and cast themselves about the room, but the change was drastic. A shadow seemed to have dropped over the small space, and darkness was predominant. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did so. When she released the air she had been holding in, her eyes flashed opened. The two black pupils dilated and changed as her eyes adjusted to the light.
One other object in the room caught her eye, but it was not the dresser, or any of the stray chairs. It was the baby grand piano sitting towards the left side of the room. Her breathing began to slow as she stared at the instrument. It seemed well cared for, for the black sheen stood out against the light walls and no dust had accumulated along the entire length of the piano. She walked over and let one, slightly shaking hand, run along the smooth obsidian colored surface. The joy that leaped into her heart was enough to bring a smile to her face. She hadn't seen a piano since that fateful morning on which she had landed in the sepia city. And even then, it had only been her old keyboard siting in the corner of her room.
But her joy didn't last long, and a tear rolled down her cheek when she realized she wouldn't be able to touch a single ivory key, wouldn't be able to hear the melancholy ring of notes dance around the room, she could not allow her fingers to slip from the outline of the instrument and onto the keys, she could not play a single note, not a single sound. To have the music that she so cherished be so close, so tangible, and not allowed to hear it, touch it, or taste it, well... it broke her heart in two. She didn't know how she would be able to resist the comfort which the piano offered her. So she pushed herself away and forced her eyes to look in the opposite direction.
Gradually and forlornly, she pulled on the white nightgown that either Molly or Jason had left sitting on the bed. It was much longer than she had expected, and pooled lightly around her feet. She assumed it must have been worn by a woman much taller than herself. She shook her head at this, she always thought of herself as tall, though in reality she was only of an average height. She supposed it was her mother's shortness which made her feel as though she towered over the rest of humanity. The bodice of the nightgown seemed to fit her fine, a fact for which she was glad. But she did feel more secure with herself once the robe which accompanied the sleepwear was tightly fastened around her waist.
It was at this point that she let herself fall onto the bed. Her drying, but still damp, blonde hair pressed against her back uncomfortably, but she didn't have the energy to do anything about it. The emotions of the past week finally slipped out of the bottle she kept in the back caverns of her mind. The tears flowed freely, although no sound accompanied them. She wanted to eat her mother's horrible cooking, she wanted to see her friends again, she wanted to hear music, and wear her baggy t-shirts and pajama pants, not be stuck in a war infested world and have to wear an old nightgown. She let all of the petty thoughts roll throughout her mind before she let the deep, emotional feelings run free. The pang of loneliness continued to ram against her, battering away at her will. The feelings of loss drowned out all other thoughts and gave way to more tears. And sorrow continued to roll over her like waves on a sandy shore. She crumpled in on herself, drawing her knees up against her chest, the loose fabric of the nightgown hanging freely over the edge of the bed, cascading like a white waterfall until it finally fell into a pool on the wood floor.
She couldn't tell how long she sat there, letting the sensation of depression run over, around, and through her. Her emotions continued to tumble out of her as she lay there soaking the comforter with the saline water dripping from her red, puffy eyes. Her body trembled slightly as a whisper of cold air slunk quietly across the room. But after that long period of draining her emotions, she was able to bring herself to a slight state of composure. And she was also able to bottle up all of the unused emotions that had yet to make their way out of her body when the door creaked open.
She wiped the few remaining remnants of tears away from her face, and sniffled slightly as she ran a quivering hand through her now dry hair before she looked at the figure standing in the door frame. Once again, the angel-faced sight of Molly looked on at her, with a slightly titled head. Arietta sniffled once more and looked down at her lap; her legs were draped over the edge of the bed almost as if he were riding side-saddle on a horse. Molly's fixated gaze narrowed slightly as she looked on at Arietta. The giggling child within the girl seemed to have melted away, and she looked on at Arietta with what seemed to be an expression beyond her years. She appeared older in that moment, as she watched the wreck of a girl quake on the tear stained bed. It was then that a sense of calm surrounded Arietta, wrapping firm arms around her frame. She could not explain it, but it seemed as if... the world around her didn't matter in a way, that her distressed feelings didn't matter at all.
"Are you coming down for dinner? I helped make it, it's my mommy's beef stew." Molly smiled, the child-like face returning to her as she continued to look at the other strange girl. Arietta's stomach growled loudly, sounding almost like an angry wolf. Saliva seemed to pool in her mouth at the thought of real food; having something to eat besides bread was an enticing thought.
"Of course, lets go already!" she smiled pushing herself off the bed and towards the door, Molly giggled loudly and darted for the stairs. Arietta wasn't far behind her, her feet barely seemingly to fall upon the wooden steps. The smells of the dinner wafted up into her nose as she reached the bottom of the staircase.
As she sat on the edge of her bed that night, the frown that rested on her face seemed to last until she fell asleep. The dinner had not been what she expected it to be at all. While the food itself was delicious, it was the conversation which disturbed her. Jason seemed to all but ignore her presence, and Molly followed his lead, only glancing at her occasionally. Arietta wasn't sure what she had done to infuriate Gabriel's brother so much. After Molly had cleared her plate she was sent off to bed. Jared sat at the table with Arietta, watching her shovel down a third helping of stew. She sat back, utterly full. They sat there for a while, blue eyes staring at grey and vice versa.
"Why don't you like me?"
"Because you're a threat to my family."
"How so?"
Both sides stared at each other coldly, with eyes narrowed. Jason's left hand sat clenched in a tight fist on the table. Arietta stared at his knuckles, and the tendons protruding under his skin.
"You're presence... it brings danger into this house. I don't know what was running through Gabriel's mind when he decided to save your life. It's a waste if you ask me, an unnecessary risk that will only lead to the destruction of everything dear to him, and those around him." Arietta recoiled as if he had slapped her, and she almost wished he had. It would have been easier to handle than those words. The faint light from the overhead fixture cast an eerie amber glow. The dark shadows of night were enclosing the table, leaving all else in the world gone.
"Why do they want to kill me, and all the others?" Arietta asked, the coldness draining from her voice, replacing with a hint of fear. Fear of what the answer would hold.
"You wouldn't understand..." Jason murmured, turning his head to look into the darkness.
"Try me." But the sight that met her when Jason turned back to face her was not what she expected at all. The beautiful blue eyes had changed, a faint green glow gleamed out from the darkness, his pupils turned into black slits. The cat-like gaze frightened the girl, and she recoiled further.
"The changes started when your kind began arriving. People began developing..... characteristics, talents that were not natural. They thought your kind was to blame."
"What do you mean my kind?"
"The outsiders."
"When I was staying with Lalita, she told me something. 'They are killed because they know, but what they know can not be killed.' What did she mean by that?"
"I can not say." he answered, the feline stare continuing to gaze at the girl. And as Arietta looked back at him, fixated by the green gleam of his eyes, she knew that the game had taken a very unexpected turn. One that would change the course of her survival.
After she had drained the water from the claw-foot tub, she wrapped a towel around herself and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks remained a bit hollow looking, and her skin still a tad pasty, but her blonde hair had regained it's small bit of sheen. It no longer fell in stringy stands, and looked much healthier. The dirt had been washed away, to reveal clear creamy white skin beneath. But the bones remained. Her facial bones were more than a little pronounced, and she'd seen more of her rib cage in the past week than she had her entire life. She supposed eating nothing but two slices of bread a day was more than enough to drive a human being to complete and utter starvation. But again, she did not regret a single day spent in old Miss Lalita's home. The woman had given her shelter, and kindness. That was more than what she ever could have asked for. Although, her stomach protested this thought by grumbling loudly. Arietta's face scrunched up as the aching of her empty stomach resonated throughout the rest of her body.
Slowly and quietly, she peeked her wet head outside into the hallway. It was at this point, that she couldn't seem to figure out what she was going to do with herself. She was met with three doors, stairs, and the sound of talk coming from the kitchen. All she had around her body, was a small towel. Her dirty, rumpled clothing had mysteriously vanished from the bathroom floor, and she was left with nothing in return. But before she could step out into the hallway to try to find a door that led to the safety of solitude, the sound of running feet echoed from the stairs. She looked to her right to see the bouncing curls of Molly's hair popping into view. The little girl smiled and giggled at her when she reached the top of the staircase, obviously amused by the fact that a strange girl was standing in her house with only a towel wrapped around her. Arietta managed to give the young girl a faint, tight smile. But Molly didn't seem to care, or even notice.
"Jason told me to tell you that you'll be staying in Gabriel's old room and that it's that last door on the left." she smiled. The small child had managed to mispronounce words such as Gabriel, you'll, and left. Arietta found it utterly adorable, as most people would have, and gave the young girl a genuine smile before Molly dashed back down the stairs, giggling all the while.
"Thank you!" she called out to her, knowing that the girl couldn't have possibly heard her soft-spoken whisper of a thanks from the bottom of the stair case. Arietta cleared her throat, wondering if the long time spent without speaking had taken a more serious toll on her than she'd previously believed. She glanced this way and that once more just to make sure she'd have no more unexpected visitors, and then she scurried quickly into the room Molly had pointed out. It was small, like the rest of the house, and seemed to be unlived-in for quite some time. The walls were a neutral cream color, with molding framing them. A bed rested against the far right wall, wrought iron twisting and curling around the head and base. A white comforter set had been newly laid out on the bed, and looked out at her invitingly. After sleeping on old hard wood floors for a week, the sight of an actual bed made tears come to her eyes, though they did not fall.
The one thing that worried her was the large picturesque window which spilled moonlight into the small room. Arietta quickly made her way over to it and threw the curtains together. She was holding the edges together so tightly she had forgotten the towel. She reached to grab it before it could slip around her feet, she then rolled her back against the wall next to the window. A few rays of silver light continued to trickle in from under the bottom edge of the curtains, and cast themselves about the room, but the change was drastic. A shadow seemed to have dropped over the small space, and darkness was predominant. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did so. When she released the air she had been holding in, her eyes flashed opened. The two black pupils dilated and changed as her eyes adjusted to the light.
One other object in the room caught her eye, but it was not the dresser, or any of the stray chairs. It was the baby grand piano sitting towards the left side of the room. Her breathing began to slow as she stared at the instrument. It seemed well cared for, for the black sheen stood out against the light walls and no dust had accumulated along the entire length of the piano. She walked over and let one, slightly shaking hand, run along the smooth obsidian colored surface. The joy that leaped into her heart was enough to bring a smile to her face. She hadn't seen a piano since that fateful morning on which she had landed in the sepia city. And even then, it had only been her old keyboard siting in the corner of her room.
But her joy didn't last long, and a tear rolled down her cheek when she realized she wouldn't be able to touch a single ivory key, wouldn't be able to hear the melancholy ring of notes dance around the room, she could not allow her fingers to slip from the outline of the instrument and onto the keys, she could not play a single note, not a single sound. To have the music that she so cherished be so close, so tangible, and not allowed to hear it, touch it, or taste it, well... it broke her heart in two. She didn't know how she would be able to resist the comfort which the piano offered her. So she pushed herself away and forced her eyes to look in the opposite direction.
Gradually and forlornly, she pulled on the white nightgown that either Molly or Jason had left sitting on the bed. It was much longer than she had expected, and pooled lightly around her feet. She assumed it must have been worn by a woman much taller than herself. She shook her head at this, she always thought of herself as tall, though in reality she was only of an average height. She supposed it was her mother's shortness which made her feel as though she towered over the rest of humanity. The bodice of the nightgown seemed to fit her fine, a fact for which she was glad. But she did feel more secure with herself once the robe which accompanied the sleepwear was tightly fastened around her waist.
It was at this point that she let herself fall onto the bed. Her drying, but still damp, blonde hair pressed against her back uncomfortably, but she didn't have the energy to do anything about it. The emotions of the past week finally slipped out of the bottle she kept in the back caverns of her mind. The tears flowed freely, although no sound accompanied them. She wanted to eat her mother's horrible cooking, she wanted to see her friends again, she wanted to hear music, and wear her baggy t-shirts and pajama pants, not be stuck in a war infested world and have to wear an old nightgown. She let all of the petty thoughts roll throughout her mind before she let the deep, emotional feelings run free. The pang of loneliness continued to ram against her, battering away at her will. The feelings of loss drowned out all other thoughts and gave way to more tears. And sorrow continued to roll over her like waves on a sandy shore. She crumpled in on herself, drawing her knees up against her chest, the loose fabric of the nightgown hanging freely over the edge of the bed, cascading like a white waterfall until it finally fell into a pool on the wood floor.
She couldn't tell how long she sat there, letting the sensation of depression run over, around, and through her. Her emotions continued to tumble out of her as she lay there soaking the comforter with the saline water dripping from her red, puffy eyes. Her body trembled slightly as a whisper of cold air slunk quietly across the room. But after that long period of draining her emotions, she was able to bring herself to a slight state of composure. And she was also able to bottle up all of the unused emotions that had yet to make their way out of her body when the door creaked open.
She wiped the few remaining remnants of tears away from her face, and sniffled slightly as she ran a quivering hand through her now dry hair before she looked at the figure standing in the door frame. Once again, the angel-faced sight of Molly looked on at her, with a slightly titled head. Arietta sniffled once more and looked down at her lap; her legs were draped over the edge of the bed almost as if he were riding side-saddle on a horse. Molly's fixated gaze narrowed slightly as she looked on at Arietta. The giggling child within the girl seemed to have melted away, and she looked on at Arietta with what seemed to be an expression beyond her years. She appeared older in that moment, as she watched the wreck of a girl quake on the tear stained bed. It was then that a sense of calm surrounded Arietta, wrapping firm arms around her frame. She could not explain it, but it seemed as if... the world around her didn't matter in a way, that her distressed feelings didn't matter at all.
"Are you coming down for dinner? I helped make it, it's my mommy's beef stew." Molly smiled, the child-like face returning to her as she continued to look at the other strange girl. Arietta's stomach growled loudly, sounding almost like an angry wolf. Saliva seemed to pool in her mouth at the thought of real food; having something to eat besides bread was an enticing thought.
"Of course, lets go already!" she smiled pushing herself off the bed and towards the door, Molly giggled loudly and darted for the stairs. Arietta wasn't far behind her, her feet barely seemingly to fall upon the wooden steps. The smells of the dinner wafted up into her nose as she reached the bottom of the staircase.
As she sat on the edge of her bed that night, the frown that rested on her face seemed to last until she fell asleep. The dinner had not been what she expected it to be at all. While the food itself was delicious, it was the conversation which disturbed her. Jason seemed to all but ignore her presence, and Molly followed his lead, only glancing at her occasionally. Arietta wasn't sure what she had done to infuriate Gabriel's brother so much. After Molly had cleared her plate she was sent off to bed. Jared sat at the table with Arietta, watching her shovel down a third helping of stew. She sat back, utterly full. They sat there for a while, blue eyes staring at grey and vice versa.
"Why don't you like me?"
"Because you're a threat to my family."
"How so?"
Both sides stared at each other coldly, with eyes narrowed. Jason's left hand sat clenched in a tight fist on the table. Arietta stared at his knuckles, and the tendons protruding under his skin.
"You're presence... it brings danger into this house. I don't know what was running through Gabriel's mind when he decided to save your life. It's a waste if you ask me, an unnecessary risk that will only lead to the destruction of everything dear to him, and those around him." Arietta recoiled as if he had slapped her, and she almost wished he had. It would have been easier to handle than those words. The faint light from the overhead fixture cast an eerie amber glow. The dark shadows of night were enclosing the table, leaving all else in the world gone.
"Why do they want to kill me, and all the others?" Arietta asked, the coldness draining from her voice, replacing with a hint of fear. Fear of what the answer would hold.
"You wouldn't understand..." Jason murmured, turning his head to look into the darkness.
"Try me." But the sight that met her when Jason turned back to face her was not what she expected at all. The beautiful blue eyes had changed, a faint green glow gleamed out from the darkness, his pupils turned into black slits. The cat-like gaze frightened the girl, and she recoiled further.
"The changes started when your kind began arriving. People began developing..... characteristics, talents that were not natural. They thought your kind was to blame."
"What do you mean my kind?"
"The outsiders."
"When I was staying with Lalita, she told me something. 'They are killed because they know, but what they know can not be killed.' What did she mean by that?"
"I can not say." he answered, the feline stare continuing to gaze at the girl. And as Arietta looked back at him, fixated by the green gleam of his eyes, she knew that the game had taken a very unexpected turn. One that would change the course of her survival.
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