Angie

Again I find the sunrise comforting. The sun shines into the summer shelter I share with my sister Alicia and my brothers Albert and Alan. As the oldest child–I’m fourteen–I wake up the others. Albert, who is twelve and brave, goes out to find our father and go hunting with him. Seven-year-old Alan and ten-year-old Alicia, my favorite, must go gathering with me.
I hand them each a basket. We fetch water from the stream, leave it in the shelter, and then take the baskets again and pick berries. I lead everyone to a shrubbery. The berries on the bushes look ripe and juicy.
For a long time we pick. It is so monotonous, always stretching the hand then opening it to drop the berry into the basket. However, berry-picking is work that requires much focus, and for our own sakes, we shall not chat.
My basket becomes overflowed, Alicia’s almost full, and Alan’s halfway, when I get slightly distracted from helping Alan. I look around, telling my siblings to shush. There is something. Then Alan sees it. He points at a large brown bear and starts wailing as I pull him away, both because of the fright of the creature and that he was about to get a ripe berry. I beckon and call for Alicia to follow, since I have only two hands so I cannot drag her along as well, but she still does the boring task of picking and picking. I try to yell louder. If only she notices me...
The bear approaches and destroys Alicia with a single gulp, as if it were the easiest thing in the universe. It is now that I realize I am standing still here, though I am supposed to get Alan and myself to safety.
We shouldn’t have gone to that shrubbery, how ripe or abundant the berries were. For it was there that we left precious Alicia and a basket full of her berries. I don’t tell Mother or Father right away as we enter the tribal settlement, but I go home and weep on my straw mat.
Even as the sun approaches its height and I get hungry, I lay on the bed upside-down and listen to the quiet crunch of berries in Alan’s mouth. He must be scarred for life, but still, I just stay here and sulk. Eventually, I fall asleep.
Finally, in the evening, Albert comes back with Father with a big deer that they have killed. I secretly rejoice with them on the mat and hear them say that it will feed the whole tribe. After setting it down, ready to be prepared, Father and Albert turn to us and tell us the news. They then ask where Alicia is because, of course, they want her to know, too.
We tell them our news. It is a great shock to them, but this lets them understand why I was on the bed, sad and deep. By the way, my name is Angie. I am a young girl in this tribe, Aiklin. Here we do not live with our parents. Instead, when we are ready, we live with our brothers and sisters, if we have them. I started early, at about four. So did Alicia. Since then, she has become my soulmate, my best friend. I could never imagine a tragedy like this.
Mother comes to mourn with us and to prepare a ceremony (and the deer). She says that I have never been so emotional, not when Cousin Claudia and Cousin Larry drowned in the stream, not when the leader, who was so kind, was kidnapped by the warrior tribe, a long-time enemy of ours.
Now Mother often comes to visit, so as to comfort me, saying that the gods watch over me and love me. I don’t think I can ever be comforted again. How could this happen to me? There is no time to do nothing but think. The whole Aiklin tribe is moving towards the rising sun soon.

Cynthia

I am Cynthia, the supreme goddess. Years ago, I gathered materials from all over and built my cozy house. There is the porch, the patio, the portal doorway to the pantry, the spacious bedrooms, and last but not least, the beautiful garden, where I love raising birds.
Birds are small and do much good. Most of all, their elegance, especially as they swoop! Recently some birds have been bad, disobedient. Only one has not failed me. I call her Aiklin. She likes to live in the corner of my garden where I have an orchard of trees and lots of berry bushes. She always knows of my existence and of my presence. The rest of my family likes another bird, Aiklin’s sister Jade-Elle. I hate her because she subjugates Aiklin whenever she sees her. Maybe that is why Aiklin stays out of her sight. Despite these hardships, Aiklin must always be having fun. Time flies for her. Oh, how I want to go out there now and play with her right this instant!
I also have other pets I keep in my house and garden, some of which I regret getting, just like Jade-Elle. One is a bear named Ursine, so cute as a cub. He is now aggressive and wanders all around my garden. Today he decides to attack Aiklin, but gently. Now her tail has a small missing piece, and the rest bleeds because of it. It seems it will never, ever stop. Aiklin moves her home closer to Ursine’s den (and mine), though I do not know the reason. I sigh and go back into my house.
In the mirror, I see my grand white gown. It is made of silk and is very soft. I also have a nice wreath of bay laurel around my head that matches my luminescent emerald pendant necklace. On my slender wrists, there are bright, lovely royal purple amethyst in-line bracelets. I sigh. It is stressful sometimes to be the queen. After telling my family in the living room, I go upstairs to bed. It is so comfortable to lie on a canopy bed, whether or not you are tired.
I cough. I cough again. What is this about? I wasn’t the slightest bit sick yesterday. Well, I guess that doesn’t make an iota of difference. I’ll get some ice water, that’s it. I open my eyes and sit up. It must be late night because the green curtain cloth on the bed looks brownish. I open it. It’s burning hot, but then my hand is suddenly on fire, which is even hotter! I call for my family, but there is no response. I try to call for others, but again there is no response. Is Aiklin here? Is she listening?
I stay low and find a window. The crystalline glass shatters into infinitesimal raindrops. The garden is blessed. The sweet grass hasn’t seen sweet glass in years. That was when I built the house for my family and myself. It took so many tries to get the windows up right. There was always the bitter sound of the shatter.
Out in the distance I see a spot of brown, and higher up against the blue skies I see two smaller spots. As they come closer, I see that the bear is Ursine and the birds above are Jade-Elle and Aiklin. They seem to be the only ones to survive the fire. I am surprised to see that Aiklin is flying side by side with Jade-Elle, but my heart is touched. Furthermore, both seem to ignore Ursine, though he is right under their wings.
I turn around. I see that the house, the best house ever, is ruined and in ashes. My family is dead.
Yesterday I had a dry garden full of flowering plants and lively animals. I wore a gown and jewels. Today my home is gone. With it, so are Joy, Hope, Grace, and Serenity (the nicknames of my daughters)... but also supposed hatred.

Ella

My best friend calls to me as my older brother drops me off. Of course, today is the first day of ninth grade, and I hang out with Emma. It’s super awesome because my name is Ella. You know, our names match. I chat with her so much that, in middle school when teachers noticed in the middle of the year and it was becoming such a problem, Emma and I had to go through a complicated process of switching classes and periods so that we were never in the same class with each other.
“There are lots of people we need to meet,” Emma informs me.
I object. “But the town is so small. Our old middle school is the only one that feeds into this place, and usually, there are only about two or three new students. And–”
“This is not usual,” interrupts Emma. “See for yourself. Who’s that over there? Who’s that? By standing at the edge of the big campus we’ve already seen two. Who knows how many more?”
“Let’s make friends with them. Why not? Don’t you want to expand, even if we are great friends? I’m going to talk to that girl over there, whether you like it or not.”
I walk over to a tall girl with a colorful backpack. “Hi,” I greet. “I’m Ella. What’s your name?”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Angie Aiklin,” she replies. “I’m in ninth grade, and I’m new, so can you help me?”
“I am actually a freshman, too, but I’m sure we can work this out together. Also, Angie, this is Emma.”
The three of us walk around a bit and find the map. We realize that we have the same homeroom, probably because the school doesn’t know about our talking problem.
On the way to homeroom, we talk to Angie. She has two brothers, and she had a sister who got eaten by a bear when picking berries, which must have been sad. So Emma and I start telling her about social life to cheer her up, and she seems very interested. That probably means her old place was very social.
I think Angie is very nice and caring. Well, everyone is nice except for Genevieve, also known as Eva. Eva is from Canada. She speaks French and German. When she came here to New Jersey at eleven, her Canadian, French, and German culture was already deeply rooted in her. Even though I guess Canada is not much different from the U.S., every society has its differences, and when blending, it seems that Eva inherited the most foreign parts of each. So she’s really annoying! I hate her! Emma and I are enemies with her.
The next day we meet up with Angie again. The next thing we know, she’s asking, “Do you know Genevieve? She is kind.”
Emma and I exchange looks. How could she? We know something is up with Eva. We start edifying Angie about the dangers of Eva. Angie understands, but on the topic of Eva, we find out that Angie is Canadian like Eva, but not French and German. She is native to western Canada. Their tribe, however, recently–
As Angie says this, she interrupts herself. “Sorry, my head is spinning. I’m dizzy, and I cannot breathe. I feel so horrible!”
Angie passes out and falls to the ground. Luckily, we are walking by the grass fields when this happens. Emma stays with her while I go to a classroom for help.

Angie

Mother shows me that our homeland is a western part of a great nation called Canada, and that we are citizens. She takes out a mini booklet that is made of paper from trees. The outside cover is dark blue and leathery. Inside there is a picture of me when I was smaller; I find it impossible to capture the sight of a moment and keep it forever, beside from memory in the mind. On the cover there is the name of the great nation, Canada. Then there is a confusing geometric drawing with weird, unrecognizable shapes. Underneath the word “passport” and then “passeport” under a horizontal line.
This passport is the most foreign thing I have ever seen. It finally strikes me that, after all these years, we have lived so secluded, alone, and possibly old-fashioned. I ask Mother about this way of life and our passport, but she says that she will tell me later.
We have moved into a town in New Jersey, in the United States of America, the neighboring great nation (using the passports). East towards the rising sun, and south towards the warmth. The people live with “families”, the parents and children. The children must go to schools where we learn things. I am in ninth grade with other kids my age. It is so difficult, and it is just starting! My best friends are Ella, Emma, and Eva. I believe they are all good people. I talk to Ella and Emma about Eva, and right away, instantly, they tell me all the bad things about her and that I shouldn’t like her. Thus now I don’t.
Moments later, I feel like I have no ability to breath or think. I feel horrible! After that, I fall onto the grass field nearby.
I am in a bed, more comfortable than my straw mat. Mother is here. She explains everything.
“Angie, how are you feeling? You were dizzy and breathing funny when you were with Ella and Emma. You fell and they helped you get here. This is a hospital. It helps the sick and injured. The doctors here think you weren’t feeling well because you’re not used to this place, but the can’t quite pin down exactly what it is.
“Now I will tell our story. The Aiklin and other tribes have been living in the Americas for a long period of time. Then, a few hundred years ago, explorers from another faraway land called Europe arrived. They were mainly French and English in Canada. They conquered our homeland territories and subjugated the indigenous peoples. They settled here. Later the descendants broke free and created new countries.
“In their world, things are so modern and technological. They laugh at our shelters, berry-picking, water-gathering, fires, and rags. We marvel at their skyscrapers, agriculture and manufacturing, tap water, stoves, and civilized clothing.
“Now our old way of life ceases from reasons that are better not said and I hope you should understand, Angie.”
I know the reasons.
Mother stays for a long time. After she leaves my hospital room, others visit. First comes Father with Albert and Alan. I can still feel the absence of Alicia when the family gathers around me.
Now it is time for my civilized friends. Ella comes, with Emma, of course. They wish that I get better and give me a card that says that same thing.
Eva. Why? It is midnight. I remember that I am not supposed to befriend her. What if it is right? What if it is wrong? I do not know who to trust, but Eva gives me a long, poignant talk and gives me a handful of green bills and shiny coins. There is something I don’t know about Genevieve.

Cynthia

I know myself that life must go on. The gods must be mad, for they punished the supreme goddess. No, that’s not right. It is pure fate itself and the gods don’t exist. No, that’s not right. I don’t know what to think now. Of course I exist. I’m a goddess, and I live in a different world from normal people. But we are mortals as well. We are born and we die. The gods are just titles, like the king and queen, replaced often. The mortals do not know my name, only that I am here. They cannot know exactly what’s happening up here.
Now the garden is left of the wreck. All I can eat are things I have grown, like fruits. I need to make shoes so I won’t have to suffer the glass-covered grass. I am not perfect, you know. The sacred fruit on the sacred trees are delicious. (I guess everything up here where I live is sacred. The sacred birds, the sacred annoying bear, the sacred house that burned down.)
Aiklin now lives full-time with Jade-Elle. She ignores Ursine and his threats as Jade-Elle always has, since she was little. They are the best of friends, just because Aiklin has humbly decided to move in with her sister. This turns out to be a confusing choice, both because this is a sudden change of mind and because Jade-Elle’s personality is not the best, at least to me.
“Jade-Elle! Jade-Elle! Where are you? Tell me about yourself, and I will, too,” Aiklin seems to say, turning her head towards Jade-Elle.
“Of course I will, my friend. Let me start. I love to fly and eat and live. I know myself like I know a piece of blank paper. And you? You? What’s your story?” Jade-Elle chirps back.
“I used to live over in the corner where the leaves of the trees in the orchard rustle about. In retrospect, I see that life was like a box of cereal. Then I felt as if the plums, peaches, and the heavy pears were about to drop all over me. I moved away, away from the orchard and more towards you. Thank you for being such a great friend since my arrival, which I will now explain...”
Aiklin falls down as we are anticipating the climax of the story. She lies peacefully on a heavy pear. She is having trouble breathing, and is feeling dizzy. Quickly, with bare feet, I run across the glass-covered lawn, my feet bleeding from the pain. Quickly, with bare feet, which doesn’t really matter, I shout. Jade-Elle is with Aiklin, and she waits for me. Then it finally dawns on me: Jade-Elle is beautiful and caring. Why have I hated her for such a long time? I decide to forgive her for the nothing that she did wrong.
Aiklin is dying. I take her to my makeshift shelter where Jade-Elle often hangs around, which Aiklin must find marvelous since she has none but a cute little birdhouse.
I fawn on her. I treat her until there is nothing left to do. Finally, I go treat my own bloody feet. As I make shoes and bandages, I think. I actually think. Mostly about why Aiklin suddenly collapsed. Maybe she was sick in the first place. Maybe a heavy pear had fallen onto her. Maybe there was something in the air that Aiklin wasn’t immune to. These things seem unrealistic, though. I strain my mind to think, to expand further, and after a blank brain the idea comes to me. She was not used to her new home. Yes, that’s it.
I go back over to where Aiklin rests and tell Jade-Elle about this theory. “Ever since she moved to you place after the fire, your sister has been very...you know, different. I don’t know what it is that she’s not used to over there, Jade-Elle. Aiklin doesn’t have much longer to live. Good-bye,” I whisper. But Aiklin lives.

Ella

On Saturday Emma and I visit the hospital again because this time we can stay longer. It amazes me that Angie has such the capacity to endure. Living like a barbarian in western Canada. Working from dawn till dusk every day to survive. Seeing her beloved little sister get eaten by a bear. Moving the long way to New Jersey. Going to school for the first time. Getting sick...and staying for a day or two.
Emma swings her backpack off her shoulders. She shuffles around, and then takes out a little yellow Get Well card for Angie. Angie smiles at us, so I gladly present the card to her. She reads it then looks up again, from me to Emma to me to Emma for the umpteenth time. She makes a strange face.
I try to shake it off. But it keeps coming back to me. She made a weird face at the card. So what?
It’s as if Emma reads my mind. She whispers, “So she doesn’t really like us.”
I nod in agreement.
I feel like Angie is going to flat-line soon. Emma and I wait for a while, watching the machine.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Angie wakes up again. She looks at us again with a weird face.
“What are you doing, Ella?” asks Angie. The sudden outburst startles Emma.
Emma replies for me. “We’re looking at your health.”
Still.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
It is hopeless. I mean, hopeful. Angie is good. We get bored and decide to leave.
On the way down, I see Eva. She is there like the day before, holding a batch of money and carrying a smile.
What is this???

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 09.08.2012

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