Aurelia Reid
Aurelia Reid (a.k.a. Ari / Rel / Lia)
Aurelia isn't your typical eleven-year-old. She's been homeschooled all her life and never had any siblings. Though she's bright, she's curiously unpracticed with all manner of things that others take for granted, such as raising her hand to ask questions and maintaining normal conversation. Unlike most children, she is perfectly happy to be left alone and can keep herself entertained. Some might guess that she prefers solitude to the company of others, but those people have clearly never met her as she is easily excitable and loves being around people her own age. She loves the smell of summer wind and the feel of warm grass. She loves radio and listens to music and the news constantly. She doesn't have a best friend or, well, friends at all.
Oh, and she's a witch. Should have started with that one I guess.
Oh, and she's a witch. Should have started with that one I guess.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Aurelia is lean, but surprisingly sturdy. This comes mostly from being an outdoorsy person who loves swimming.
Facial Features
Aurelia has low prescription glasses for nearsightedness, though she rarely wears them. She prefers to use contact lenses when available.
Identifying Characteristics
Aurelia has a long pink stripe running through her hair. Originally she produced the colouration using a muggle beverage called Kool-Aid, though nowadays she makes her uncle do it with the Color Changing Spell when he's in town.
Special abilities
Aurelia's long neck gives her the unique ability to see the top shelf at grocery stores if she backs up a bit, cranes her neck, and stands on her toes.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
When she was 8, Aurelia moved from the countryside to London to live with her uncle who eschews typical parental responsibilities and prefers to live the life of an eternal bachelor. In all fairness, he was never expecting to have to take care of a real, human, thing... He traveled for work often and typically spent no more than one night in three at home. In many ways this worked to Aurelia's advantage: she had few rules, great personal freedom, and no need to share her things with anyone. However, in many other ways this was problematic. She was often lonely and rarely had a parental figure she could rely on. Uncle Blake had a tendency to miss important dates, events, etc due to "circumstances beyond his control", although many of these circumstances turn out to be women. Occassionally he would bring home single moms to meet Aurelia in an attempt to show off what a great 'dad' he is, all in his attempts to party and get laid.
Education
Aurelia was homeschooled. Since the age of 8, she had no proper instruction and muddled through with workbooks and occasional tips from her Uncle. Even so, Aurelia was able to lean on her above average intellect to get her through this subpar education.
Failures & Embarrassments
On her own accord Aurelia joined a youth Water Polo club which had various teams for girls age 8-18. While she loved having a team and a chance to interact with friends, she was often disheartened to see how loving and caring other people were with their parents. Such interactions only hi-lighted her family situation. The biggest embarassment was when her team, Oracle WPC was playing against CDM Blue for the semi finals. Uncle Blake had promissed to show up and cheer her on, but he never came. "Circumstances beyond his control," he had said. Aurelia was so upset that she couldn't focus. When her team lost the match, a few teammates blamed her for not paying attention and spacing out. Eventually she walked home in the rain because he never showed up.
Even though this was a horrible moment for her, it hi-lights Aurelia's love of sports, specifically water polo. Though she was embarassed here, she continued to be heavily engaged in muggle sports, every night if she could make it happen. She even made a few friends. Unfortunately, she could never REALLY connect to them because her whole magical life was a secret, and she lacked a lot of common experiences like muggle school.
Intellectual Characteristics
Aurelia is curious far beyond normal children and loves to learn. A constant annoyance for her is that there is so much to explore and so little time to do it. The concept of adults having to choose one thing to do for the rest of their lives is rediculous and baffling to her.
Personality Characteristics
Virtues & Personality perks
Auerlia is a fast friend and opens up to people quickly. She is caring and considerate, but oftentimes thoughtless and might overlook the needs of others. She is dilligent and hard-working, a recipie for academic success.
Vices & Personality flaws
Aurelia is inherently optimistic even when she has no right to be. She constantly gives people second, third, and fourth chances, even when they have let her down, betrayed her, or hurt her somehow. You would have to do something REALLY bad to get Aurelia to hate you. She has been a bit spoiled by the lack of parental authority in her life, leading her to break rules. While she isn't quick to irritate, her anger burns hot and she makes no effort to control it when it does.
Hygiene
While she is not enamoured with the skincare rituals of some of her peers, she is fastidious about having her hands clean. It is to the point that she will freshly wash her hads 8 or 9 times through when washing dishes.
Social
Family Ties
She lives with Uncle Blake Reid. Technically, he's a second cousin once removed. That is to say that Aurelia's great-grandfather was his grandfather's brother. She has no other notable family to speak of.
Religious Views
Even though Aurelia is not "religious" in any sense of the word, she quietly harbours a degree of spiritualism in the natural world. She believes in the interconnectedness of objects and the spirits of those objects. Sometimes when things are still and quiet, she tries to listen for them... though she'd probably deny it.
Wealth & Financial state
While Aurelia's guardian is moderately wealthy, he tends to live an extravogent lifestyle and rarely has excessive funds lying about. Aurelia has never experienced great financial burden, but neither is she oppulent.
Self-reliant, talented, and endlessly curious, Aurelia is propelled by a strong, yet quiet determination to be the best witch of her age. However, she also harbors distrust for adults, difficulty making friends, emotional issues, and a terrible secret.
View Character Profile
Age
11
Date of Birth
August 24th, 1960
Birthplace
14 Leek Rd, Wetton, England
Children
Current Residence
9 Whorlton Rd, London, England
Gender
Female
Eyes
Light Blue
Hair
Blond
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Light
Height
Just Below Average
Weight
Fit
September 2, 1971
September 2, 1971
Last night was my first night at Hogwarts. I can't believe I'm FINALLY here. I was sorted into Ravenclaw, which the sorting hat told us (via song) is for clever students. LP ended up in Slytherin sounds kinda sinister. The hat said something about "You'll make your real friends" and "use any means to meet their ends". But whatever, I'm sure they're not ACTUALLY evil, it's just a song after all. Wulferic is in Hufflepuff which is for the "true and loyal" or something like that. They seem like a friendly bunch but who wants to wear yellow and black? You'll look like a bee all day every day for 7 years. No thank you. Now, blue and bronze, THOSE are handsome colors... It sucks that Faye ended up in Gryffindor though, I was hoping we would be bunk mates. But, on the bright side, she's supposed to have both "daring nerve and chivalry" so she'll probably sneak out to see me. Otherwise I'll need to go find her. It's lame that none of us ended up in the same house though. I calculate about 9% chance of that happening so I guess we're starting off the year unlucky.
There are SO many ghosts and they creep the hell out of me. They're always floating through people and talking about death, it's really off putting. I don't get why so many people love the ghosts. Although maybe it's just because I've seen too many ghost movies at Blake's place.
Speaking of Blake, I was really surprised when the sorting hat called me up. "Aurelia Reid!" really loudly and clearly. It's kinda nice, like the hat's on my side, you know?
There was so much food, I had to stop myself from suffocating under it. Honestly, I can see why some students get REALLY heavy here. I'll need to be careful not to overdue it, or I'll be a joke when I see the team again...
I miss them. I'm finally at school but I'm still not at school with my best friends. I hate that they can't know about me, about Hogwarts, about all of this. It sucks that KC is somewhere else, probably having fun without me, and I'm stuck so far away, at school but still... Maybe she misses me too? I should write to her! I wonder if they have a post station here? I wonder if a post station would take all the wizard money I have...
Okay on to the other news.
I was woken up last night in the middle of the night. Naturally, I freaked out, expecting some kind of ghost or goul or something. But when I looked over, it was a group of 3 5th year girls, all wearing dark robes with hoods, all carrying candles. They told each of us in my dorm that we had to come with them, and that they would usher us into Ravenclaw fully. I didn't really want to go, and the whole thing seemed really creepy and weird, but I wanted to make friends and I don't want to be the one girl who doesn't participate when everyone else is doing it. So I grabbed a cloak and headed downstairs with the rest. When we got down there, the common room was dimly lit with small candles all over the place. In front of the statue of Ravenclaw, there was a big fancy blue rug and in the middle a large bronze chalice. There were also candles floating above the rug and in the air. The 5th years told us to sit around the outsides of the rug and they gave us each a candle. I felt really silly for bringing my cloak because the room was warm and I was the only one who had brought it. Everyone else was just wearing pajamas. Even the 5th years were wearing pajamas under their robes.
The eldest, I think her name was Lauriel (she's one of the Ravenclaw prefects) recited,
Once upon a blackest night
The Raven cawed toward white light
and by the moon which waxed and waned
The noble bird was shadow hained
When she spoke of white light, the other two hooded 5th years raised their wands and an image of the moon appeared above the Ravenclaw statue, then moved behind it, covering us with shadow.
The Raven wandered, dark shape in darker night
when a silver pool came into sight
The bronze chalice filled with a silver glow, illuminating a second, much smaller glass to the side. Lauriel carried both to the girl 2 seats down from me and held them out for her to choose one. She picked up the chalice. Then Lauriel tapped it with her wand and it filled with a dark liquid.
She dipped her head, drank to her delight
The girl hesitantly took a sip...
But beware that tonic brewed to bite
She gagged and almost spat it out. But the expectation of the room was upon her and she slowly, grudgingly drank it down. Her face twisted in discomfiture. Lauriel's dark hood nodded once when she had finished and she took the glass and the chalice to the girl next to me, offering her the same choice. She took the small glass, only a few centimeters tall. Tapping it with her wand, the small glass filled with a clear liquid. The 1st year looked hopeful because, I think, she thought it was water, not weird potion. But when she drank it, she started spluttering and gagging. Her face turned red and she breathed heavily.
"It burns."
Lauriel nodded and brought the glass and chalice to me. I gave them both a whiff. It reminded me briefly of Uncle Blake's basement. The chalice definitely smelled like wine, probably cheap wine. The glass wasn't as definitive... maybe rum? Vodka? It was so clear that it might have been tequilla, but it could be a wizarding liquor too. I reached for the chalice. I'd tasted Blake's vodka once and did not want to repeat that experience. Wine I could stomach.
It was unpleasant, definitely bad wine, but I got through it better than the girl on the right. Lauriel repeated the ritual with the remaining 1st years, then continued.
The raven, bitten, the water she did strike
and from it's still surface, not unlike
shards of glass, it's reflection grew
into many ravens, into the air they flew
The other 5th years moved their wands. A dark shape fluttered about the chalice and that glass, then crashed and danced and broke into many different raven silhouettes, one for each of us, and they flew at us and vanished.
Fresh young birds danced in the air
they strode the wind without a care
but in the air they had not a thought
until the Raven, wise and clever, wished them taught
Lauriel, standing tall and dark like the raven, stopped chanting and addressed us. "You are all new, untrained ravens who flit in the dark. Today you receive your first lesson. But before you do, you must enter into the Ravenclaw covenant." She looked to one of the first years and motioned them forward, to the center of the rug. "The rest of you, join hands and form a circle around use" The two remaining 5th years and us 4 first years made a circle and Lauriel began.
"First, state your name."
"Lydia" the girl said.
"Repeat after me: "I am Lydia, sister to wisdom, mother to wit, daughter to Ravenclaw."
She repeated it. Then Lydia continued.
"On this day I proclaim my loyalty, my devotion, and my everlasting service to our Matron."
Again, she repeated it.
"From this day I set forth without hesitation towards great knowing and greater understanding. I shall walk paths by moonlight that others fear to set foot upon in the day. I shall seek that which cannot be sought and find that which cannot be found. I shall wander, seldom found but never lost, as the world opens before me."
She repeated it, and Lauriel moved her wand over Lydia's head, a shroud of shadow fell briefly over her, then vanished. Lauriel patter her on the shoulder, then moved onto the next of us.
One by one, we all completed the ritual. It took longer than expected because Lauriel spoke slowly, and so we spoke slowly in turn. Also, my head was feeling really fuzzy, partially due to lack of sleep, but probably more due to the wine. It had been a big chalice, more than a glass for sure. When we were done, we were all feeling the effects of the drinks. Lauriel lead us to the common room outer door and recited as she walked.
The raven devised a clever test
to view the young birds' mind
she barred them from her raven's nest
until the answer to her riddle they could find
Lauriel opened the common room door and motioned me outside. She said, "Don't take too long, or you'll get caught by the teachers. Wouldn't do for a Ravenclaw to be caught larking about on their first night. They might even send you home straight away..." When I hesitated, she pushed me lightly out of the room and closed the door with a loud "Cah-chink!"
So there I was, stuck outside, in the pitch blackness, no light, in my pajamas, without my wand, with a head full of alcohol. I was also really worried that I might get found here. I didn't really care if I got in trouble, but they wouldn't really send me home, right? I fumbled around for a minute, dizzying myself in the darkness, until I found the handle for the door. When I tried to open it, the handle quivered and spoke aloud to me.
"You have a 7-minute hourglass and an 11-minute hourglass. How can you measure exactly 15 minutes?"
I thought for a REALLY long time. Probably more than 2 minutes trying to figure it out. It was really hard to imagine flipping hourglasses in my head since everything was woozy and spinning and I was soooo tired. But finally I was able to come up with an answer! Two answers actually. I told them both to the door and it responded, "Intuitively done." and swung open. When I stepped back inside, Lauriel welcomed me with a hug.
"Welcome, sister."
The others repeated the tests and, though it took a long time, we all finally made it back inside. Lauriel finished the chant.
When the flock could find their home
the raven knew they would be wise.
Now whatever they do and wherever they roam
they forever will be Ravens in her eyes
"Welcome to Ravenclaw."
Then I went to bed zZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZ
April 2, 1969
April 2, 1969
Yesterday Blake owed me a a trip to the zoo. Three nights ago, he was supposed to watch a samurai movie with me. Last week he promised that we could go for a drive out to the beach. I'm sick and tired of him flaking on me, making up stupid excuses about how a bunch of work came up unexpectedly or how he couldn't help being suddenly busy. I'm almost positive that he's still just sidelining me so he can do whatever he wants. He still puts off our plans when he brings girls home. It's like I'm not even here. It's like he doesn't even consider anything that I want to do valid. He's just so frustrating! And every time he does this he always makes the same promise, "Sorry kid, I'll make it up to you! Sorry Ari, next time for sure. Whoops, my bad Aurelia. I'll make this right, promise!" And he never does.
Well, I today I found out how he's going to make it up to me. When I was walking to Eastwood park today I passed by Millikan High School and saw a banner attached to their fence. It turns out there's a youth water polo club that practices at the school! That's not even 10 minutes walk from here! Not just that, but the banner said that they have teams for girls ages 8+. I REALLY want to join. I haven't gotten to really hang out with any friends in ages, not since I moved, really. So It would be really great to get to play with some other girls. They had a phone number on it so I called them and talked to Coach Trin who told me that I'd need a parent to sign me up. I told them I didn't have parents and they said my uncle would do fine. But it costs money, like I think a lot of money. She said it was something like 25 pounds every month. I think that's a lot. But that's where Blake comes in.
Blake owes me a favour, a pretty big one at this point. So I'm going to offer to let him off the hook and pretend like everything's cool. In exchange he has to call the lady and sign my forms and let me do this. I think he's going to. I don't think he wants me around the house sulking all the time, so this is kind of a win-win. Except for the 25 pounds, he just loses that. When he gets home I'm going to go ask him and I won't leave him alone until he says yes, even if it takes all night.
UPDATE
HE DID IT! I'm going to start day after tomorrow! I need to go out and get a new swimsuit, and a new swim cap, and goggles maybe. Oh Merlin I'm so excited! Surprisingly, it didn't take much work to convince him. I told him I wanted to do it and that it would cost 25 pounds and he just said, "Okay cooool." and that was that. He signed the papers and wrote me a check to give to the coach on Friday. This is going to be so much fun! Tomorrow I'm going to walk to the sports store, the big one, and I'm going to get everything and a water bottle and fins. No, wait, I don't think they wear fins in Water Polo. Okay yeah no fins, but everything else. It's going to be so much fun!!! Oh, the club is called Oracle WPC (water polo club), and technically I'll be joining their 10U team. I hope everyone's nice. What should I bring? Do people bring things to team practices? I want everyone to like me, so I should bring something, right? Or maybe you're just supposed to show up... Ugghhh this is impossible, I'm going to ask Blake.
Update...
Never ask Blake anything, he's an idiot. He thinks that I was supposed to bring liquor hidden in a water bottle because that's what all the quidditch players did when he was at Hogwarts. I'm never listening to him again on anything.
Number 9 Whorlton Rd
September 24, 1968
September 24, 1968
Today is gorgeous, just a step or two from perfect. The sky is clear and blue, with only the faintest hint of rainless clouds providing partial shade to offset the bright sun. The weather is unseasonably warm, the last hurrah of summer before chills set in, dragging us ever onward into fall with a quickly approaching winter. Due to the low humidity, the air feels crisp and light. Even with the sun at its apex, Aurelia was not overheated. The temperature was just right to be active outside and still feel refreshed. In fact, on a day such as today, there was usually no chance of finding her indoors. It is surprising, even to her, that despite her situation she finds herself curiously fixating on the weather. She looks to the sky and ponders the disconnect between her life and every story she's heard. It's strange. You see, in stories, both those told to children at bedtime, as well as in the novels she has read over and over, the weather mirrors the plot with stunning regularity. When the villain rises, the sky is dark with storms clouds, yet when the hero returns the sun rises and the sky clears. That's how it always is in stories. So it comes as an idle mystery why today, of all days, the sky is bright and cheerful. Where is the miserable rain and biting cold which so perfectly parallels similar tragedies in all her stories? How is it that one the worst days of her life is so poorly framed as to be juxtaposed with a gorgeous, just a step or two from perfect day?
A light breeze pushes golden hair into her eyes. The wind carries with it laughter; children, perhaps no more than a year or two Aurelia's senior, are playing football in the street. They've set up a small goal made of PVC piping and plastic netting. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wonders what game they're playing with the checkered, circular ball, no larger than a quaffle. While two boys kick the ball back and forth, a tall girl with braided hair charges towards them. A strong punt sends the ball into the back of the net, accompanied by an equal split of triumphant cheers and dejected groans. As the breeze dies down, the sounds of the game go with it, like windblown leaves brushing down a country trail. In their absence, a deep silence falls around Aurelia, leaving an intensity in the air. It is not unlike the calm before the storm... No, rather it is akin to the uncanny quiet after lighting strikes, the dreadful apprehension, the tension, the indrawn breath, before the thunderclap.
Her hand tightens unconsciously. The tiny creak of an old leather handle under white knuckles struggles to permeate the silence. She blinks.
————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–——
She looked ahead to view a townhouse. She didn't know what she was expecting, but certainly it wasn't this, the most ordinary of ordinary muggle dwellings. The building did not loom over her, nor did it cast a dark shadow. It didn't shine bright lights through the shutters, hinting at warmth within. It didn't invite her inside with an open door and the smell of baking bread. It just... stood. The exterior resembled every other building on the block; the same door, the same red clay brick, the same weathervane pointing carelessly in the direction of the now absent wind. This isn't to say that the townhouse was indistinguishable. It had a small, tidy garden with a porcelain gnome, the picket fence looked freshly painted, and the shutters were closed. Though she didn't show it, this last detail irritated Aurelia. Who would shut themself away from a day like this?
The man beside her broke the silence, "How about we go inside, eh Aurelia?" He smiled at her. He was a ministry worker, someone whose job it was to deal with muggles and to make sure wizard children are taken care of. He had a round face with little crinkles beside his eyes, giving him a grandfatherly appearance, even though he couldn't have been past his 40's. His eyes were remarkable and when he looked at you, you felt like he saw right through you, down to your core. He was endlessly patient, and generous, and kind. Aurelia did not like him. It was that smile, the same one he always wore when he would try to get her to talk to him. It was a lie of sorts, a mask he put on to set her at her ease. It wasn't a happy smile, the kind that mothers wear while looking at a newborn baby. Nor was it a sly smile, like when one has told a particularly rye joke. It dripped with empty promises and false hope, with stale comfort and venomous pity. It was the smile the healers wear around hospice patients. It was a smile that told her how wrong everything truly was, and how even though he was trying to make things better, he could never make things right again.
Aurelia nodded. She knew he wouldn't go on until she gave some sign of affirmation and she was too busy listening for the wind to want to talk to him. The ministry wizard opened the gate and strode up to the door. He raised his hand to the brass knocker, but before rapping on the door he looked back at her. There was that smile again.
Aurelia ignored the sound of the knocker, preferring to continue looking about the garden. The grass looked too cultivated for her liking. It was short and clean, clearly freshly cut no more than a day or so ago. It was so precise that it almost looked fake. The other lawns looked the same, like everyone in the neighborhood took part in a secret competition to have the highest degree of uniformity in their front yard. They took all the things Aurelia loved about grass and ruined them. It was too trimmed to be properly soft. If you were to lay down in it, it wouldn't reach past your head, enveloping you in a 4 inch tall forest, shielding you from the world. It you watched it from the top of a hill you wouldn't be able to see the wind blow through it, like waves lapping endlessly against a sandy shore. Of course, that last bit wouldn't be a problem for these people as there weren't any hills around either.
Idly she heard the doorknob turn and voices drifted into her perception.
"No, no, thank you. Whatever you're selling, I assure you I'm not interested."
"Oh no, sir, you misunderstand. You see, I'm here on official business."
"Official or not, you'll have to take it elsewhere. I'm sure Miss 'Number 7' would appreciate whatever you have in that suitcase. She's just down the road. None for me, thanks."
"No sir, you see..."
Aurelia stopped listening, instead focusing on a handsome barn owl perched on a nearby lamppost. He had gorgeous brown and auburn wings with a patch of beige running down his chest. He was an odd bird to see during the day, and Aurelia supposed that most muggles might be excited to see such a rare species out and about. Although, given her background, she knew the owl most likely had another purpose. Aurelia wondered why the bird perched somewhere so many people could see it. Was it proud of its coloration and wanted everyone to see? Maybe it had a better view for hunting atop the lamp. Maybe it just liked being up high and seeing the world around it. Aurelia could understand that. It turned its head and stared down at her, its face cast in shadow as its neck tilted downwards. Aurelia's eyes widened slightly at the sudden observation. Why was it staring at her? Surely, she's not that interesting. Was it trying to figure out who she was? Maybe it could tell that she didn't belong here either. Maybe he could tell that he wasn't alone any more. Aurelia smiled just a little.
She was drawn out of herself by a new silence, one that was hovering over her as sudden as the darkness from a cloud passing the sun. Aurelia looked back towards the door to see them both staring expectantly at her. The ministry wizard had stepped to the side, bringing her into view of the man behind the door for the first time. He was young, far younger than she expected in fact. She'd bet everything she owned, basically her whole suitcase, that he wasn't yet 30. He looked crisp in a dark suit jacket and slacks, a red necktie perfectly tightened about his collar with a matching pocket square in his front pocket. He had short, straight hair in a familiar golden shade. Set into a youthful face with no creases were striking silvery-blue eyes. Not knowing what was expected of her, Aurelia simply nodded, hoping they would interpret something useful from it.
"Right. You'd both best come in then."
The ministry wizard seemed to relax. "Thank you, Mr. Reid. Come along now, Aurelia."
————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–————–——
Aurelia was far too busy to be properly nervous. She carefully studied the garish sitting room, her curiosity reignited by the hundreds of muggle oddities surrounding her. The dark leather couch faced a wall adorned with colorful, impressionist artwork depicting... something colourful. It looked as if the artist had been struck by the confundus charm, causing their lines to wobble and their colours to blur from one shade to the next. Upon a mahogany davenport rested a silver typewriter alongside a large stack of blank paper, a single sheet still resting in the machine's clasp, some half-written correspondence momentarily forgotten. A large, box television stood opposite the couch, its screen giving off a faint white glow. This last object held her attention for a moment longer than the others. It looked warm, like a metal poker taken from a hot fire that has yet to lose its red hue. Aurelia decided it was dangerous and to give it ample space. A fine wooden door blocked the ministry worker and the young man from view, although she could still hear their muffled voices occasionally wafting through the oak...
"...solutely not. I don't even know her. You se...." the higher voice intoned. It had a slight whimsical quality with great range. It almost reminded Aurelia of a fairy, the kind that make mischief and scamper off before someone catches them.
"You're the only family she has now, you know as well as I do...." the deeper voice responded coolly. This voice wasn't nearly as interesting. It was warmer though.
Aurelia's eyes slid away from the door to focus on the machine next to it, as big as a person. It sported a massive glass pane at head level and had weird protrusions coming from a horizontal panel. There were strange multicolored images of bars and blocks stacked atop one another on the sides of the machine. Large letters embossed across the top and sides read "TETRIS". She considered for a moment, then walked over to the machine. She reasoned that since they had left her alone in this room, she was welcome to look about at the very least. As she stood before the device, it seemed even stranger than before. The glass panel was concave, not flat as she had expected. It protruded slightly from the edges of the box and faced toward her, giving her the impression of a large eye that had fixed its gaze upon her. The thought was unnerving. Looking at the panel with strange protrusions, she noticed that there were circular extrusions of vibrant colors: red and white and blue. What's more, they were shiny, but when she idly moved her index finger along one of the buttons, they did not feel like polished wood at all. What is this made of? She read words next to the buttons: player 1, player 2, start, pause... She slowly moved her hand over to the button labeled "start"...
"Look at me! I can't take care of a child. This isn't a place for one either, you know. I'm a bachelor. I have... guests... you can't expect me to suddenly drop everything to take in some girl I've never even met before!"
Though the deep voice rumbled some patient reply, Aurelia didn't listen. She had already moved to the side door on the far side of the room. She reasoned that since they had left her alone in this room, she was welcome to explore a bit at the very least. Beyond the door were two sets of stairs, one which ascended and the other that steeped downwards. She tilter her head from one side to the other, then took the upwards path. She liked being up high, after all. The second story sported three rooms and linen closet. The first was dead ahead and, since the door was open, Aurelia could tell that it was a bathroom. Instead, she turned to her left and opened the second door. Inside was a dimly lit room, light just peeking through the blinds at the far end. Despite the shuttered state of the windows, the house was oddly cool, somehow at least 10 degrees colder than outside. She crossed to the other side of the room and threw open the window. Sunlight and birdsong and the smell of maple filed the room, elucidating what she had not seen before. She appeared to be in a lavish bedroom equipped with the largest bed she had ever seen. Its pillows and sheets were made of a fine, silky smooth material and coloured a jet black with silver accents. A massive, ornate rug that was unmistakably foreign lined the floor. On the left there was a small bar table equipped with an assortment of liquors and fine glassware, though Aurelia didn't recognize the brands. On the right towered a massive glass display case filled with small figurines, like toys that muggle children played with. It was strange that this man kept these in here, especially because many of them were still in their boxes and hadn't likely been played with. There were all manner of drawers and cabinets that she idly thumbed through before becoming bored and moving on. A second door was ajar, leading into a walk-in closet the size of her bedroom back home. A large wardrobe was neatly organized, soaks, shirts, etc. But the fascinating aspect was a row of suits, each almost identical to the next. There were perhaps 30 in all. One for every day of the month.
Aurelia left the bedroom behind and instead crossed the hall to the opposite room. When she opened the door, she noticed that this one was far less decorated. It was a small office space that seemed to be doubling as a storage garage. A rather fancy desk, easily larger than Aurelia, sat strewn with various papers, charts, and diagrams. Surrounding the desk were mounds of cardboard boxes. She frowned when she approached the box and wondered what kind of soft wood it was made of. Just then, the box shook violently and a scampering sound escaped small holes at the bottom. Aurelia jumped six inches up and 3 feet back, steadying herself against the wall. The noise subsided as she caught her breath, her shock replaced with curiosity as she guessed as to what could be inside. Moving with extreme care, Aurelia approached the box again, eyeing the holes that encircled the container. She got down on her hands and knees and peeked through the tiny hole, but she couldn't see anything. She pressed her face even closer, straining to see whatever was inside. Just then, a long, wet tongue stretched out and licked her eye.
"Ugh!" She sat backwards and rubbed her sleeve against her face, getting the bulk of the moistness off her skin. A sappy residue was left behind covering her right eye. It was sticky and oily at the same time, both feeling slick and like it would adhere to anything. Aurelia scrambled to the bathroom and ran cold water over her eye. After a few minutes of scrubbing and a liberal application of bar soap, she decided that whatever was in the box was best left alone for now.
Having seen the bulk of the second floor, she returned to the sitting room long enough to hear that their discussion was ongoing, and had grown rather heated. So she made her way downstairs instead. The ladder was creaky and the room was pitch black. There were no windows here, and as far as she could tell, no lamps to light. Despite this, she wanted to know what was down here, so with one hand to the wall she started fumbling about the room. After a moment, her hand struck something hard and metal against the wall, and suddenly the room was illuminated by a series of shaded lamps, neon signs, and Christmas lights strung about. The room was unlike anything she had ever seen. Unlike the upper levels, there were only two rooms down here. The side room was undoubtedly another bathroom, while the main room was... Aurelia didn't know the right word for it. Every inch of the basement was covered in games and entertainment equipment. However, since she had never seen them before, she was unsure what to think of the foosball table complete with little painted men or the billiards table all massive and impressive with dark stained wood. She pulled darts from a board hanging on the wall and wondered about the numbers written around the board. Another larger television was mounted against one wall and several large chairs and a couch were oriented facing it. Beside the television were child-sized speakers; atop one was a VCR and atop the other was a record player. A strange wooden case filled with tapes occupied one corner of the room. Aurelia scanned some of the writing quickly, reading names like, "Dial M for Murder", "Seven Samurai", "Star Trek, the Original Series", and "Roman Holiday". Two machines, similar to "TETRIS" from the sitting room, were lined against a side wall. Finally the entire back wall of the room was taken up by an enormous mahogany bar, complete with stools, sink, a refrigerator, and more bottles of liquor than Aurelia had ever seen in her life, and they had quiet a wine collection back home. Altogether, She didn't know what to think of the place, only that it was both confusing and amazing at the same time.
From above, she heard the unmistakable scraping sounds of chairs pushing back from a table. Quickly, she bolted back to the light switch and hit the metal three or four times before the switch flipped down, plunging the room into darkness. Then she climbed the stairs, darted across the room, and sat back on the couch beside her suitcase just as the kitchen door was opening. She sat with her hands folded in her lap, trying to look like she hadn't moved since they left her there almost an hour ago. Both men looked weary from their talk and neither seemed to be in a particularly good mood. Despite this, the kindly ministry worker gave Aurelia the awful smile again.
"Hey Aurelia, I'd like you to meet your Uncle Blake." he said softly.
The younger man lifted his hand in a brief wave, "Hey kid. Nice to meet you." Aurelia noted that he didn't look nearly as young as before. Anxiety added years to his face.
Aurelia nodded and gave them both a fake smile that would have been convincing if you had never seen anyone smile before.
"Do you like Uncle Blake's house?" the ministry man inquired. "Isn't it nice here?"
Aurelia looked around and shrugged, then nodded. She could tell he wanted her to nod so this was probably the fastest route through this conversation.
"How would you like to stay with him for a little while? Wouldn't that be fun?"
It was obvious that what she actually wanted wasn't of any consequence here. What she wanted was to be back home. She wanted to grab her radio and lie in the field, surrounded by a forest of tall grass. She wanted to listen to the wind and the grass and the Beatles on station 98.4. She wanted to swim in the lake like she used to. Like how she did last week. Not even last week, only three days ago... It felt like so long ago... Aurelia shrugged, then nodded again.
"Wonderful. I've got you other suitcase here," he patted it protectively, "and I'll be sending some of your things your way if we find anything you'll be needing." He checked his pocket watch, a small silver device with many moons and several hands. "I'm afraid I'm late for another appointment. Can I get you anything before I take my leave?" He looked between Aurelia and Uncle Blake.
Aurelia shook her head.
"Well, then I'll be off. Good day, Mr. Reid. Goodbye Aurelia. I expect I'll see you again very soon." He stepped out the door and he was gone.
As soon as he left, another silence set in about Aurelia. It was dark, and brooding, and lost. It was felt by Blake too, made even more obvious as he looked about the room for anything to stare at besides Aurelia. He finally let out a sigh.
"Sooooo..." he began, then paused, not knowing how to continue.
Aurelia looked up at him, still sitting hands folded on the couch, her luggage beside her.
"...What are you into?"
Aurelia shrugged and looked away.
"Do you like games? I've got tons of games."
Shrug.
He paused again.
"Are... are you hungry?"
She shrugged again, then slowly nodded.
"How about I get us some Chinese food. I bet you've never had that before, right? I know a great takeout place not too far from here."
Aurelia shrugged, but there was a slight change in her face, an intelligent glint in her eye, a spark of curiosity that peeked through everything else.
"Tell you what, I'm going to put on the TV for you, and I'll go grab us some lunch. Then we can get to know one another."
As Blake moved towards the glowing box, Aurelia's eyes grew wide and slightly frightened. Blake stopped and reconsidered. "Actually, come down to the basement, I'll put it on the big screen."
Sitting cross legged in the middle of the large couch, Aurelia was dwarfed by everything in the room. Blake came back from the cabinet full of tapes and flipped switches on the television and the VCR. A light buzzing filled the air as the television sprang to life. Blake inserted a tape and pressed the "play button". As he was heading out, Aurelie was transfixed by the opening credits to something called "The Jungle Book". She was so enthralled by the magical device that she did not notice when Blake left, nor when he returned 40 minutes later. She jumped when he sat on one of the chairs near the couch.
"Here, it's called Orange Chicken. best stuff you've ever tasted, trust me." He passed her a Styrofoam container filled with hot, sticky, sweet smelling chicken accompanied by noodles and vegetables. "Do you know how to use chop sticks?"
Aurelia looked at the thin pieces of wood he was holding in his hand, then shook her head. She took them anyways and tried, and failed, to copy how he was moving them.
"Lame. You can learn later I guess. Here's a fork."
They ate in silence and watched to the end of the movie. It was a good movie, and a better distraction, but it didn't keep everything from weighing on Aurelia's mind. As the ending credits rolled, Blake looked at the clock on the wall and jumped up.
"Hey kid, I gotta go. I got a hot date in half an hour, you get it." He almost ran to the stairs. "Feel free to put something else on or help yourself to stuff. There's soda and juice and beer in the fridge. Don't spill on the couch."
As he turned he had one step on the stairs before he heard her speak for the first time.
"Uncle Blake?"
He paused, then turned back, "Yeah kid?"
"How do I use this?" She pointed at the TV.
"Oh, just push eject to take the tape out. Put one in. Push play. You'll figure it out."
She nodded and he turned to leave. "Uncle Blake?"
He turned back again. "Yeah kid?"
"I'm not supposed to drink beer."
He looked surprised, as if he hadn't considered that. "Oh, right. Okay don't drink the beer."
She nodded and he tried to leave again. "Uncle Blake?"
"Yeah?"
"I like Orange Chicken."
He smiled. "Okay. That's good." He turned.
"Uncle Blake?"
He let out a sigh. "Yeah kid?"
There was a much longer pause this time. "How long am I going to be staying here?"
The question caught Blake off guard. "I... I don't know, kid."
Aurelia nodded. "Uncle Blake?"
He groaned and looked at the clock. "Yeah kid?"
"Did... What they told me about my parents... Is it true? Everything that happened?" She didn't look up at him. Her voice was quiet and small, but it cut through the room like a knife through velvet.
Uncle Blake swallowed hard. "I... don't know... I think so."
"Will I ever seen them again?"
"I... I don't think so..."
Aurelia nodded and was silent for a long minute. Blake waited, but when nothing else was forthcoming, he turned to leave again.
"Uncle Blake?"
He turned to see her looking at him this time. He met her eyes, they were the same silvery-blue as his own. Though he expected to find tears or sadness, he only saw exhaustion lingering there. "Yeah kid?"
She paused. "You don't want me here... do you?"
Aurelia waited. After a moment Blake murmured, "...well I..."
"It's okay," she cut him off. "I don't want to be here either."
There was a long, tense moment, silence building between them, surrounding them like the pressure on your ears as you move deeper underwater. Finally Blake spoke.
"I'm sorry, Kid..."
Then he turned and headed up the stairs and out of view.
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