Mind Over Matter

Disk 4: "Operation Pied Piper".

What's in a name? Does it define who we are, or who we will become? Can our name give us a subconscious trait to aspire to have? If you were to ask me any of those questions, I would say the same thing. To me, there is only one reason why something is named as it is, that is because that is what they are. This experience, coupled with everything that I have heard and seen has made me a man of impulse. Misconceptions and ironic names are futile. Do you not agree that if you came across a plant called "Deathlock" you would not eat it? Yet, if the plant turned out to be harmless, would you not feel cheated?

However in this situation the name is not ironic of any sort. 

This person is of such callousness and bluntness that it would insult them to pretend, even for a second, to be something they are not. I must admit, it is not a trait that I find admirable. It is strange how the world can play tricks on you, yet the answer is right in front of your face and lest all you need to do, is open your eyes.

The name is Adrienne; no last name that I ever had the pleasure of finding out. An insufferable, smart-mouthed and highly illogical girl, who to be honest, is everything I despise. She is an anomaly, something I would expect after meeting her, but an anomaly nonetheless. Adrienne is something of an intellectual level that is a mystery to me. Audience, to assume that she is my intellectual superior does me great disservice, for she is not. Her mind just works in a way that befuddles me, as it later will become apparent that it lacks logic. It is as if she defies any sort of conformism without actually trying.

Her father was a merchant seaman and travelled with her in the late 1930s. There was a problem with the anchor, causing the chip to upturn leaving poor Adrienne fatherless. This is how she finds herself here. 

So while we here are discussing the relative importance of a name, Adrienne is doing the same. However, she applies this to another name, present on the sheet of paper in her hands. 

Operation Pied Piper

Adrienne shakes her head in anguish, the end of her cornrows flapping. She never liked the story of the Pied Piper, as she once told me. It was not a tale that I myself was familiar with, up until meeting her for myself. She told me that she thought it a statement of government degradation and a perverse man which stole children away. I must admit I rolled my eyes when she said that, for who had heard such utter spiel? Her distaste for the tale of The Pied Piper it what brings her into our tale, for if she had abided by government recommendation she would not be here today.

Many of the other occupants of Wellstone Orphanage were rather excited. The Government had the idea to evacuate schoolchildren to escape the London bombings. For children who had spent their life in 'care', it evoked a sense of adventure in their hearts. They had dubbed it "Operation Pied Piper". The large bedroom, in which Adrienne currently resides, is currently empty and in great disarray. Many of the inhabitants had flung their clothes on to the bed, in a bid to find the ones with the least amount of holes. If she were to venture across the corridor, to the bathroom, she would find everyone clustered around the sink and the bath, trying the free their skin of any grime. This is the behaviour of any normal person; trying to make yourself look as appealing as possible will attract the best possible carers. 

But, as this is Adrienne, she does not do so. She refuses to entertain such frivolity by claiming she knows what shall really happen when they get there. Adrienne makes her way over to the nearest bed and sweeps the pressed clothes onto the floor. Putting her hands behind her head, she looks at the part of the ceiling with the least amount of damp, and rants to herself. The true reason that Adrienne shall not clean herself is that she feels there is no point. Being black, she knows how bad racism can be and thinks that "snobby countryside people" shall be worse. Therefore, she makes the resolution to be as impertinent as possible. 

Of course, she wishes that there would be no racism at all. Take heed of any wishing from now on, audience, for it must be apparent that it is a fundamental part of the case. However, she regards herself as a realist and consequently knows that this shall not happen in the conceivable future. 

Do you remember how I mentioned that Adrienne is an anomaly, audience? Now I shall present how, in some cases. Firstly, what do you notice about Adrienne which is not present in any of the other children I have shown you?

She is not asleep.

Her brown eyes are wide awake, as she stares upwards. Therefore, coming to the second reason that Adrienne is an anomaly, she is fully conscious and aware when she is taken.

The metallic sound starts, and a large shadow is cast from the corner of the room. Silently, Adrienne walks towards the shadow. She looks around the corner, at the object there. She stops, calculating her next move. She surveys the bedroom for one last time before finally stepping into the light.

Stupid girl.

This is the primary reason why Adrienne No-Last Name is an anomaly.

She goes willingly.

____________________________________________________________________________

Darkness fell in the courtroom for the third time, as the screen went black. There were a couple of yawns and widened eyes, as people adjusted the lighting. This time the court was silent, everyone immersed in their own thoughts, trying to think how this could relate to Malcolm. 

Malcolm stretched his arms and tapped the desk boredly. He was becoming quite sick of this charade and just wanted to go home. This time he received no pitying looks, as the old women whispered to each other about the black girl that had just walked to her doom. They weren't exactly sure what the nature of this "doom" was, yet the fact they were currently in a Court of Law made them think that whatever had befallen her, would have been horrific. Malcolm's barrister, however, was the only person with any sign of emotion on her face. Her eyes were blazing with anger. She clenched her hands in an attempt to suppress herself, yet it did not work. Slamming the papers down on to the wooden desk, she addressed the Judge.

"Your Honour! I see no reason for this to carry on. It is apparent that this is not being taken seriously. Why, it seems that this narrator thinks of this as a story, when it is a court case. The defendant has absolutely no proof of my client's involvement in the case!" she enraged. 

The Judge looked straight into Miss Lyle's eyes.

"Irrelevant." he said, clearly.

"I object! For another thing, this is biased! The way in which Adrienne is narrated is misleading. She may hold the truth, yet the Plaintiff is dissuading us from believing anything she may say in the future, by deeming her 'an anomaly', remarked Miss Lyle, cuttingly.

The Judge's lips twitched slightly, as if he were about to smile. 

"If Adrienne was here she could talk to us herself. Her input would be invaluable". said the Judge, smirking.

"Adrienne, if you are here it would be good if you could just tell us?" he said, addressing the court. 

Miss Lyle pressed her lips together, her eyes hard. 

"Adrienne, I think, is currently unavailable." and with that, the Judge pressed a button and the TV screen blared to life.

____________________________________________________________________________

A.N/:

Phew! 

This was actually a really hard chapter to write. Would you consider Adrienne to be a good enough parallel to the narrator or do I need someone else? 

Miss Lyle is Malcolm's barrister; if any of you guys are confused. 

Dedication to the lovely SongOfAutumn, for noticing and commenting on my chapter titles. Thanks Suga! :)

Question for you! 

Do you think that my paragraphs are too long? I've had a complaint, but I want to know what other people think before I change anything.

Ta Sugas.

Vote and comment! :)