THIEF LORD: THE GIRL FROM EINDHOVEN
2 days ago
Aida...
Aida...
Can you hear me...
It's me,
Mom.
...M-mom?
You left me...
Oh honey,
I'm so sorry.
That's what they all say.
Sorry for leaving you, let's be together again.
Aida...
I wish you'd understand...
"I don't...!" I got up.
I was panting as if I was going to die, but I still know that's impossible. It's impossible to die, at least that's what I wish. I've been having dreams, they turn out happy in the beginning. . .Then it fades into sadness. Having a mother reach out and call your name and then you ruin it by saying something that makes her regret it. Sometimes, I regret having these dreams but then I wish it would keep going. A dream that has no ending is like having a song unfinished, you want to end it but you don't want to do it also. Endings can be harsh and happy, but they're just dreams. I wish I could think dreams are true and I will see miracles, at least miracles are true. If you believe, everything that you dreamed will be miracles.
That's what my mother used to say. Now, I can't hear her words anymore, I don't want to. It hurts to remember, to think of someone that you loved but they're 10 feet below the ground in a box. I'm Aida, 19 years old and a runaway orphan. I hated my father after my mother died. He started to drink even when I begged him not to, he would push me away. At night, I could hear him sobbing over my mom. He died and his grave was next to my mom's. To be honest, I was angry at him. Not because he got drunk and died, but because he was next to mom. I always wanted to be next to my mom but not like that. I never would want to do that, I didn't want to be like my dad at all. So that's where the orphanage comes in.
Living with a whole bunch of abandoned and helpless children makes everything even more depressing. The adults put the responsibility on me just because I'm the oldest one there, but yet they're in their thirty's and fourty's. The orphanage was a mess, especially our rooms. I was friends with the girl I bunked with. Her name was Mona, we were really close friends. Everyone said that it was impossible for us to be friends because we were really different, physical, emotional and mental. She had always had her wavy blonde hair in a short ponytail while I had my straight hair in the back and bangs off to the side but you could still see my forehead. The kids said Mona's eyes looked ice-colored but gray, like a wolf at the same time. They told me that even though my eyes were just plain looking, they found the twinkle in the eyes and it look they were bubbles when I smiled. Mona was a very generous person and open-minded but had low intelligence. She would give some of her food to the little kids but still kept enough for herself. I, on the other hand, was quiet whenever there was a crowd around me because I didn't know what people would think of me. I wasn't a very good generous person like Mona. I mean I would give a portion of my food if someone else gave me theirs. Lot's of people thought I was smart because I went to school. I was actually an average student, there was lots of other people who were amazing at Math, Science and English. Mona loves crowds only because of one reason.
One day, when we were about to sleep, I was on the top and she was at the bottom. We took out our flashlights so we could see eachother. I bent over to talk to her while she sat up straight to see me. We spoke very silently so we didn't wake up anyone else. We were having a conversation about our futures. She told me she wanted to become an actress.
"Watch me Aida, you'll see me being a star. Being a drama, adventure and romance character. I'll be the mistress in distress! I'll be the one Prince Charming has to save! I'll be the one and only main character everyone will remember! No one will forget the name Mona Ferris! I'll be rich and famous, gossip will go around about me".
"That's good?"
"Yes because I know I'm being known"
Then, she asked me something I didn't expect.
"Hey Aida, what do you want to be? What do you wish!?".
I stared out into space for a long time, thinking of the one wish besides having my mom.
"I want...No...I want to be...Nah it's too embarressing."
"Aida! Come on! You have to tell me or it won't come true!"
"Isn't it the other way around?"
"Same difference! Tell me!"
"Well. There's two things I want to be...and need.""Then tell me what you want to be."
". . . A singer"
"Wow..."
I was suprised because she wasn't saying it sarcastically.
"You believe me?" I asked, almost falling off my bed.
"Of course, you believed me so that means I should believe you!"
I smiled because I never had anyone else to talk to about my dream.
"What will you sing about?"
"Well, there's a lot of songs about breaking up but I want to be something else. Something about miracles, dreams, happiness. I'll write some songs about love, I won't get carried away though"
"Wow, you put some thought into your career"
"Hah, so did you"
"...Yeah, I did. Well, night Aida"
"Night Mona"
After we turned our flashlights off and tucked into bed, she asked me one more question.
"What about what you need?"
"...I...I need..."
"Aida?"
I felt sad for a moment beause I knew I would never get it.
"I need someone to love forever. Someone I could tell my true feelings and hug forever. Someone I can get married to and know that they love me back... Wow, I can't believe that came out of my mouth"
"Me too. . . Aida?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you believe that you will?"
"Will what?"
"That you will find the one you love"
". . . I have no clue"
"Believe it, please. I don't want you to be like my parents, they didn't find the one they loved. They only married each other because...I don't know but I'm sure it was something selfish they wanted. Like money."
"...I promise Mona, I won't be like your parents. I'll find him"
"Then let me promise to something"
This was something I knew that wouldn't change about Mona, once we told or gave her something, she would want to repay you.
"Promise me... That we'll be friends, no matter what problems we face. We'll be friends forever! No one will replace me."
"Easy peasy Aida. I know a true friend when I see one. I'll never replace you for another person, even if she looked and acted like you. Aida is my friend!"
I laughed, "Thanks Mona. G'night"
"Night Aida!"
--
The day after, there was a commotion about something valuable broke in the orphanage. This kid that me and Mona hate named Matt, blamed us. It was a vase, 35,000 dollars to honor the builder on the orphanage. Matt blamed us and said that he saw us drink before we knocked down the vase on the stage of the art room. We never went to the art room at all throughout out orphanage life but the adults didn't believe us. They lectured us and told that we will repay the money by working harder. Cleaning, serve dinner, manage everything! I hated the boss because she would always slap out face if we "supposably" slacking off. Everyone knew it was abuse but no one dared to argue with the boss. That's what Mona and I hated especially.
She didn't smack at our faces only. If we did something wrong such as giving too much food to one person, she would hit us with any object near her. Once, she hit me with a metal bar that was an inch big and a foot and a half long on my back. There are five huge, long scares and bruises on my back. Mona had it easy because I would take the blame on me so she didn't feel the pain as much, I was a year older so she was like a little sister to me. There are bruises on my arms, legs and face, everywhere. So I always had to wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants so no one saw them. No one wanted to see a girl with brown marks all over her body. The pain was gone but scars were left behind unfortunately.
One day, I was talking to Mona but then the boss saw us talking in the cafeteria and said "You two aren't supposed to talking! Where the hell is your finished work!? I don't want to see the beds all wrinkled and stains ons the shirts!" and then she took a deep breath and silence was around. The kids were still in the cafeteria also. Then, the boss grabbed me by the neck and held me up in the air.
"I HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR MISTAKES! NO MATTER WHAT I DO, ALL YOU DO IS MAKE EVERYTHING WORSE! NEXT TIME I SEE--"
I couldn't hear her, everything was foggy, my ears felt clogged. The pain was worse than anything I've ever felt from her. Then I saw Mona's body move towards the boss and it looked like she punch her stomach. Then a couple of other kids started to move and kicked her. She lost grip of me and I fell on the floor gasping for breath. Mona helped me up but I couldn't because I felt so heavy and I was holding my stomach. I refused to stand up. Mona had to put my arm over her should and drag me onto the chair. I still saw the kids beating up the boss. Now there was a whole blob of kids my age through toddlers kicking her. I heard the boss screaming and something was dripping...Blood?
I heard Mona shout, "Put her in the cell! Where she beat Aida and me up! She needs her own medicine!"
Everyone cheered, even Matt and everyone dragged her to the cell, going forward. The other employees were chasing after them and Mona did something I will never forget. I still had my restless arm over her as she kept dragging me to the cashier. She stole all of the money, when I mean by all. I meant ALL. My head was heavy and I couldn't speak, so I fainted but Mona still supported me.
The next thing I knew, I was in a small dark room. I was wrapped with a blanket, or was it a cloak? Whatever it was, it was very comfortable, warm and fuzzy and had a smell like it just came out from a washing machine and had a maroon-brown color. A small portion of light showed just below the walls and above the walls like a line of white. I could see the outline of boxes stacked upon each other against the walls. Some were open and almost ripped. The walls were made of metal and kept making this sound like a hammer banging on a metal wall as we kept bumping. The room was moving and it was getting uncomfortable. My conclusion? I was on a train. My eyes felt heavy and I could barely move my eyes but everything was at eye level. For some reason, I didn't blink at all but I didn't feel any pain. My whole body felt numb and I tried to move my arm but something was stopping me. Penetrating me from doing anything.
What's going on?
I tried to talk, didn't work. Something strange was going on.
This is a dream! Please tell me this is a dream!
I couldn't pinch myself so I was stuck, literally. Then, something, no someone came into mind.
MONA! W-where is she?
I tried to move my eyes but it took my a long time just to look left so I gave up but I heard something. A voice! Mona! It sounded like someone was stretching. She started to stand up but she kept wobbling and fell down. She tried again and succeeded but grabbed onto a bar that was above me. It was either the train or she just wasn't a morning person to stand up by herself.
"Aida, you awake kid?. . . .Hmm. Guess not . . . Can you at least make an expression? . . .Move your eyes Aida . . . . Please? No . . . . I'm sorry . . . . For everything Aida."
Then, I heard a soft cry. Mona has never cried before, even when the boss was abusing her. I didn't expect that, she was the strongest person I knew. To hear her sniffing was rare. Was it me that made her cry? I don't want to be the reason why she's pouring those tears. I didn't feel like crying though, I wasn't sure if she knew I could hear her. Since I couldn't talk, it was hard for her to know what I thought. It sounded like I've been like this for a while.
"Aida...Aida."
Then she started to really cry, I felt so bad, I wanted to tell her what's wrong and comfort her, it was really surprising to see her crying. She knelt down with her head down.
"AIDA!!"
She grabbed my shoulders and kept shaking me violently. Her clutch was very rough and felt like it was digging through my skin, it wasn't physically hurtful but it was emotionally painful. She kept wailing and screaming.
"WAKE UP! How can I tell that you are hearing me?! How do I know that you're not dead?! YOU NEED A VOICE TO SING! YOU WANTED TO BE A SINGER RIGHT?! THEN SING! SING GOD DAMN IT! Just . . . say . . . something . . . anything. So I don't have to blame myself for you to be like this!"
Now she was breathing really hard and kept strolling down those tears. But she wasn't the only one. I was so sad that I was able to have a tear come out. I desperately wanted to shout.
"Aida. . . .I'm so sorry. Are we still best friends? Remember our promise? Do you remember it? You said you wouldn't be like my parents. You would find someone you will really like and not marry for something unreasonable. Then I agreed to. . . I said. . ."
She couldn't finish but I knew what she was going to say. Another tear came down my face, I don't want to hear what she has to say anymore.
"You...You're crying..."
She looked up as if I was a goddess and wiped off my tears. Then, she smiled, knowing that I'm listening to her and she knows that I'm alive. Finally she sees me!
"Oh my God. Th-thank you Aida. My dear-- I can't believe your still there! Wait you can hear! You can hear me!"
She was glowing with excitement. I guess it was a long time since I've talked to her but she doesn't look any different, just a small spot of dirt on her face, that's all.
"Aida, we're on a train! I snuck ourselves in while the guard was being distracted. We've been on here for almost 9 hours. We're going to be there in 2 hours! I picked somewhere far far far away from Eindhoven. A place no one will suspect us! Padova! Do you know where that is? We're going there"
Wait, we were on the train for nine hours but she was wailing on the floor just because I haven't spoke for THAT long?I was thinking it was a couple of months. Whatever, I'm just glad she knows I'm still here and well, at least she's happy. I guess she took a nap between the six hour period, boy she's having a rough time on the train.
"Sorry for crying all over you" she laughed. "We'll be safe there. We'll get our careers there and you'll find what you need and want, right?"
I felt happy for her that she knows that her best friend is still alive but...something makes me sad. She was talking to me but she was talking alone. I sat there numb and vulnerable. I couldn't move, talk, blink or move my eyes at all. I felt like I was a deadly statue who glared at nothing but space. I was breathing, my eyes were open, I can still cry but why can't I do anything else?!
"The boss knocked you out pretty badly. You couldn't breathe that well, but I'm sure the boss by now isn't even breathing. Serves her right. That bloody woman was annoying but now she's going to haunt us not that she didn't already. . . . Hey, Aida. When we get to Padova, I'm going to find you a doctor but first..."
She got up and wiped her tears, brushed off the dust on her raggy shirt and pants. Then, she looked at the light outside the door of the train and sighed. I saw her head drop down and her arms crossed then looked back up again.
"We need money and jobs. The money I stole from the orphanage had only a couple hundred dollars, no wonder our food was so horrible and tasted like socks. Ugh, I wish you were able to talk. Don't you?"
What kind of question is that?! Of course I do, stupid! Oy, I do wish she had SOME common sense. . . Though I liked not talking oddly.
"...Aida you're eyes, they're changing color...?" she got up and looked in the boxes. Ripped them apart and dug into the boxes trying to look for something. She would take something out and shook her head. There was about three boxes that were on the floor with the items in it, scattered. Finally, she took out something that was silver, rounded tip--oh it was a spoon. All that just for a spoon?
She got up from her knees while holding the spoon in her hand and held it infront of my eye. I saw something bright but dark at the same time. A light color was warm but it felt so wierd at the same time. My eyes were brown, not red.
"...", I managed to breathe out by just letting out a small gasp.
Mona heard it and put a finger underneath my nose to check if I was still breathing. She smiled.
"At least I know you can still breathe. . . I wonder what's wrong with you. You still have your senses but you can't move your body at all, blink or breathe... and you're still alive. Plus, you're eyes have been changing color."
The way she put it made me think like something happened after I fainted. This didn't all cause just because that woman choked me, yeah I was on the floor for a while because it was getting harder to breathe. I know for a fact that something happened, I wish I just knew. It's almost as if I was put under a magic spell, a curse just like a fairy tale. My eyes is the real mystery. She didn't say anything before she noticed the red eyes so I'm guessing they were just brown. Now, they're red...why is that?
"Oh Aida. What's happening to you? It can't be all from that one incident, could it? No. . . the eye's color change never happens. THis is so awkward. Look. Your eyes are changing back to brown now."
She put the spoon back infront of my eye again. Yes, it was brown oddly. It's as if I was cursed with some sort of spell, what a funny thought.
"WOW! Now they're yellow! You have all of the rainbows or what?!"
I looked at the spoon again. It was very yellow-goldish looking, I guess. It feels like a curse now, only in a good way. I really wouldn't mind keeping it to be honest. But there's a catch to it, I know it.
"It all seems like your magic, Aida!" she laughed. "I guess it IS a side effect then, a very rare one. Don't worry about it though because we're going to the doctor immediately when we get to Padova."
Don't we need to have a serious condition to go to the doctor or some kind of paper to be even allowed into the hospital? Wow. Planned as always, Mona.
CLANK! THUD!
Oww! That crash made me hit my head on the back wall. I tried to move my hand to rub it, oh wait--Paralysis, I think. Now the pain is just killing me.
"Ugh, what was that!? Can't they drive? IT'S ON ONE TRACK! How can you crash?!", Mona screamed. This is actually where I say, "Will you shut up?" but, you know.
"Wait, I hear someone outside... Aida, you hear that?", she said. I did but I didn't want to. I heard shouting and shoving, they kept of arguing back and forth. Then, I heard something click and then I heard breaths, deep, deep, deep breaths. Almost as if he's being pointed at.
