Elegy of Flight: Chapter Seven (Sweet and Sour)

Elegy of Flight

Chapter Seven: Sweet and sour

(dedicated to a certain crushed ice concoction of artificial flavouring that may abruptly hit you)

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"Carina, are you alright?" George huffed, and he skipped over across the tennis greens. Dressed in merely shorts made him look even younger than he was, like a small school boy with the leaves stuck in his tussled hair. Carina couldn't say much about his flustered appearance, because she knew well for certain that she looked worse. Her uniform was grass stained in all sorts of places, her hands muddied, and her hair resembling tangled weeds. George looked around her shoulder with contempt. Alistair stood behind her, for once in his entire life he too seemed scruffy, the breeze had even managed to pick at his own tightly formed hair. Anne had vanished not long ago. Carina had not seen her leave not heard a word of her departure. She had just vanished.

"I... I'm fine." Carina stuttered, unsure how to even start describing the events that had just happened. George shook his head and took her by the arm; she didn’t protest. He lead her over back to the tennis court which lay parallel to another set of low brick buildings. He picked up his racquet and helped her down into the seat before taking his own place beside her.

"Carina." He said sternly, "I know I was very far away, but I saw what happened... and that beast." Carina looked at her lap, she knew he was right, she wasn't alright; her heart felt like it was beating like a spitfire even now. She was about to lift her head to collapse on Georges shoulder when she noticed the presence of a familiar pair of plain brown shoes. Alistair was standing above them still, silently watching them. It surprised Carina more that he would actually bother, he seemed to have better things to do than watch her.

"Why are you following us?" accused George, "I know you want to help her too, but you have nothing to say. And isn't this a little... intrusive?"

Carina did have to admit, the way that Alistair was just waiting there was getting a bit creepy.

George stood up; he wasn’t as tall as Alistair, and was far less intimidating in structure and appearance but he held himself strong and spoke with a solid voice.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you- sneaking around all the time. Back off and leave Carina alone, she has enough on her mind without you breathing down her neck at every step she takes.” George had taken a sweep upward and proved power with his words. Alistair faltered.

“I saw you at the funeral. I saw what you did. I saw you set fire to that man. You are twisted. I don’t know what you want but stop trying to drag others into it.” It seemed for a moment that George’s proud words had been able to get through to Alistair, that he himself would snap to defend himself. But his lips said not a word; he merely looked down with a shadow cast over his face, and gave George a smile. A deeply chilling smile that said it knew all of your secrets.

George did not sit down until Alistair had left; left meaning walked away a considerable distant and remained leaning against a fence. George ignored this fact and instead looked puzzled.

“Carina those two are up to something. They want something from you. I advise you, look out.” He said as he took out a small packet. Inside was a collection of decorated sweets, the same type as the delicious hand-made ones you could get from the confectionery shop in town.

“Want one?” George asked, offering out the bag. Carina nodded and took one silently, holding it in her lap like a treasure.

“George...I..” before she could finish speaking he was up on his feet, the calmness had turned to something far less so.

“How many times have I had to tell you, ask you...” he pleaded, “every single time, all these months. I have corrected you but you never listen!”

“Wha...what?” Carina was confused.

“For gods sakes! My name is not George!!” And with that he picked up his racquet and simply left, walking slowly along the path back to the main buildings, looking completely forlorn.

Carina did not get far in the pursuit of her confusing friend. This whole time his name had not been something she believed it was? The embarrassment was incomprehensible. Holding the candy-sweet tighter seemed to equate to a temporary apology as she hurried before he was lost. She was just about to eat it when she passed Alistair, still patiently waiting at the wall. He plucked the sweet from between her fingers and put it in his mouth. Carina was furious. How dare he. George had been right, he had a problem- just taking the sweet like that, it was so rude.

"George was right about you!" she snapped, "What is with you, why do you do things like that?" Alistair just blinked, sucking on the candy.

"You never say anything!" Carina continued her rant, "Not unless it suits you! It's so annoying."

Alistair grabbed her wrist suddenly and firmly. Carina squirmed and tried to wiggle away but he held tight.

"I can see what she meant." His voice was unfamiliar, "you are such a child." He shut his eyes tightly with a pained expression before spitting out the sweet into the garden beside them. He gave her one quick sweep, top to bottom, before releasing her harshly. Carina staggered backward. Alistair seemed like he was once again going to speak, but he changed his mind and closed his lips. Carina wanted no more, she jogged away from him, checking every now and then to see if he was following. He wasn't. Good.

~~~

Carina found herself wandering once again; out of the grounds and down the drive until she stopped at the road that verged beside the railway. Anne was standing there, on the side of the road, reading from the little brown book that she had at Naomi's funeral. She lifted her head at the sound of Carina's footstep on the crunching leaves. She closed the book and held it close to herself, glancing over her shoulder. Upon seeing Carina she seemed to be bothered and started walking briskly away. Carina was taken aback; was Anne angry at her? Did she wasn’t to avoid her? Now was a good time to apologise for what had happened and to ask her if she really was alright. Carina scurried after Anne down the edge of the tracks, but Anne only walked faster. Should not be the time to give up? She had come too far to just stop now. She called out to Anne, her voice distant, lost in the wind, because Anne did not turn around nor stop. Anne crossed the rails, toward the river on the other side. Why was she running away? What had suddenly gotten into her. Carina just wanted to talk and share friendly words.

Carina moved to follow Anne across to the river, she was halfway across the tracks when the girl on the other side froze, her head spinning around in a sudden jolt, her face petrified. Carina was confused as Anne turned around and started running back toward her, grabbing her hand and pulling her quickly to the other side where they both fell, beneath the willow on the riverbank. Only a few seconds later came the train, fast around the corner. If Carina had hesitated just a moment longer...

"Carina..."

Carina lifted her head, which had landed on Anne’s abdomen. Anne was staring at her with wide dark eyes, her face no longer calm and controlled, but fearful. Her hair had loosened in its tie and sat gathered up over her shoulder. Her normally beguiling lips had parted into a pleading frown. Anne was still clutching Carina's arms tightly, although her own skin felt cold to the wind, Anne’s grip burned like a splash of hot water. There was a long moment of silence before Anne finally breathed in and swallowed; her smooth throat exposed and vulnerable to the biting breeze which tugged them from behind.

"Carina..." Anne said once again, do you remember?" Carina bit her lip, unsure what Antoinette was suggesting she recall.

"That time with the motorcycle, about a year ago and you had to be pushed out of the way just like this."

"But..." Carina started, the memory clear in her mind, "That was with Naomi...". She had Naomi had been wandering the town, looking for more birds to spy, just outside the library was the road that merged into a highway, so of all the streets it was the most busy. Carina had seen nothing, heard nothing, but Naomi had suddenly shoved her. She had grazed her knees and palms on the rough of the path, Naomi had been looking at her so similarly to how Anne was now. Carina had been angry at the time; she had not seen the claimed motorcycle and thought worse of Naomi for pushing her so hard. Naomi had not argued the fact that Carina had not believed her, and instead stayed accepting what Carina thought, so true to her submissive nature. Naomi had been so kind and compassionate; never second guessing if Carina told her something or asked something of her. She was true to her word and stayed by Carina's side, only leaving when she had to or Carina asked of it.

Carina nodded and looked up to Anne who took her chin gently. Anne had a faint but lingering scent of flavoured candle wax about her; just like the girl herself, who seemed like the could burn brightly until she melted.

Anne let her own hands find Carina's and gently helped push her back up to her feet before getting up herself.

"Why do you know that?" Carina asked. She wasn't angry or scared, just mystified. Anne shook her head and took Carina's left hand between both of her own. Her fingers were thin and soft. She sternly met eye to eye with Carina.

"I will protect you." Was all that she said.