1
Identity
Eden remembered very little of her early years, most children can remember their first teddy, their first scraped knee. Influential moments, or something so fleeting that even time does not care. But Eden knew nothing. She would think back to before her foster parents and there was nothing. No fragments, no sounds, just darkness. The tall, lanky teenager lay stretched out on her bed, her eyes skimming over a book. She stared at the floor over the edge of her headboard and groaned as the front door was slammed open and her two older brothers came home. They clumped up the stairs and leered down at Eden from her doorway.
"Alright loser?" the two of them smirked and wandered into their separate rooms.
Eden was incredibly used to the harassment, considering she wasn't their sister and she also looked nothing like them (of which Eden was incredibly thankful) so they had every reason to pick on her. She looked back at her book, flicking through the pages. Eden was very fond of mythology and legends; she often browsed the old bookstore in town for new reads about folklore, dragons and fairies. Her book of choice for the week was a novel on Norse Mythology. She was fascinated, absorbing tales of mighty hammers, Gods of thunder, mischief and giants in realms of frost. Her mind was racing and as she turned the page she gasped. She ran downstairs, holding the book open on a rainbow bridge.
"Mom! Mom! You have to look at this!" the middle-aged woman looked down at her daughter with confusion.
Eden placed the book on the table and pointed at the picture. Her Mother's face changed for a second, Eden stared. Was that fear?
"What about it Eden? It's just a story."
Eden squeezed her eyes shut, furrowing her brow; "I remember something. You know I've always said that I can't remember anything from when I was little, I saw this picture and I remember the rainbow. What happened?" Her Mom slammed the book shut and pushed it off the table, it fell to the floor with a clatter. "Nothing Eden. It is just your imagination. I will hear no more of it." Eden grabbed the book and clutched to her chest.
"You're lying! You're lying to me! Why do I remember a rainbow!"
Her mother turned away, back to the sink. "You leave it Eden! Go to your room!" She turned away and ran upstairs, her eyes glistening with tears. Eden screamed, falling on her bed and punching the soft material. She would find answers. Eden reached under her bed and pulled out a battered diary. She opened it up to the back and carried on her drawing. The pages were covered in the same sketches. There were towers that touched the sky, golden turrets and buildings. There was a bridge that shone the colours of the rainbow and a giant with a sword as large as himself. And then there was him. A man with grey hair and one eye. As she'd got older the dreams had started, that's where the pictures came from and as soon as she'd seen the book, Eden knew that explained everything. She scribbled in her diary;
Dear Diary – Would it be crazy to say that I don't think I was born on earth? I remember everything now. I need some help! If my parents won't tell me, then I'll do it! Anyway Diary, I shall go for a walk to clear my head. My brothers are playing their stupid music – I don't want a headache!
Eden shut the diary, pushed it under her bed and pulled on her coat. She looked in her full length mirror and sighed. Her dark brown hair was pulled off her face in a pony tail, her face was thin and her cheekbones high. Eden's eyes were stormy grey, her skin alabaster white. She wore dark, baggy clothes, no makeup and always a woolly hat. She grabbed her iPod and her door keys, shouted to her Mom and slammed the door behind her. Eden wandered into town, watching the people go by and nodding her head in time with her music. She flitted in and out of charity shops, flicking through clothes rails, looking at books. There was nothing of interest so she crossed the street and popped her head into the old book store to say thank you. The old man behind the desk has his back to her and he was talking to a figure in the shadows. Eden cleared her throat;
"Mr Lidon? Is everything okay?" The man jumped and turned quickly, smiling at her.
"Yes Eden , everything is fine. Are you enjoying the book?"
Eden grinned and walked up to the counter, pulling the book from her bag and laying it open on the page of the rainbow bridge.
"Mr Lindon, what do you know about this?" The elderly man smiled; "That is the bifröst Eden, it is the bridge between the realm of Asgard and Earth. Why do you ask?" Eden opened her mouth to explain when suddenly there was a voice out of the shadows.
"The girl asks because she is not from Earth." Mr Lindon turned and held his hand out to the woman. She stepped into the light and Eden stared. She wore a long dark dress, her auburn hair in a delicate plait. She wore runes around her neck, crystals and five pointed stars.
"What do you mean, I am not from Earth?" The woman smiled, placing a hand on Eden's shoulder. "You will learn soon. I am Ayla, the Witch. I am a practitioner of magic." Mr Lindon interjected, smiling at Eden and passing her another book.
"This is a book of Ancient Norse magic – it may help you with what you seek." Ayla left the shop, the bell ringing as she did. Eden stared long after the strange woman had vanished. Mr Lindon leant on the counter – "Ayla has moved into town, she's opened a new store. She seems very interested in you." Eden nodded, said goodbye to the shop owner and walked back home. She stopped at the bridge, and walked down to the bank of the river that ran through the town and sat by the willow tree. She opened the book and turned up the volume on her iPod.
All around me are familiar faces, worn out places, worn out faces. Bright and early for the daily races, going nowhere, going nowhere. Their tears are filling up their glasses. No expression, no expression. Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow, no tomorrow, no tomorrow. And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad. The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take When people run in circles it's a very, very Mad world, mad world.
Eden filled up her head with the runes, spells and magic. The sun sank and the moon rose. Eden looked up, gasping with shock as she saw the sky was dark blue, flecked with beads of light. She grabbed her books and began to run home. Thunder growled in the sky and heavy rain fell. She looked up at the sky and saw the clouds swirling. Then something incredible happened. Rainbow light shot out of the clouds and hurtled to earth. Then it was gone. Eden stared. She was soaked to the core, shivering with cold. But she did not care. She ran home, pushing through the front door, ignoring the shouts from her Mother and Father. She ran into the study, hauling open the drawers of her Fathers desk. She threw papers, tearing them, screwing them up, desperate for answers. Her Mother ran in, grabbing her arms. "Eden stop! No!" and there it was. Her adoption records
"...Eden Monroe is under the official protection of the United States Secret Service and the Supreme Headquarters of International Espionage Law-enforcement Division. Any breech in her security will be dealt with accordingly. Eden was sent from the realm of Asgard. End."
Eden threw the papers down and screamed at her Mother. "What am I!" The woman took the papers and led Eden upstairs. She laid the distraught girl on her bed, clutching the sheet of paper and the wet book. The door was shut and Eden heard the lock click. She cried, her tears smudging the ink on the paper. "I...I am nobody..." She looked at the pictures on her wall, the rainbows, and the towers. The witch had said she wasn't from Earth. Eden sniffled and thought to herself. She had to find that witch again. She needed to know more.
Dear Diary, I have had my identity ripped out from underneath me. I am not from Earth, where am I from? The book said that there are nine 'realms'. The report says I am from Asgard - which is heaven. Does that make me a Goddess? No, that's stupid. I bet those papers are fake anyway. But I'll find that witch tomorrow. She'll help me. She'll give me answers.
