Sorrel

Statue Garden

(Κήπος αγαλμάτων)

HERA

"Hold me close and hold me fast
This magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose..."

Nikól's melodious voice danced around, accompanied by the harmonious notes from my ukulele as she went on with applying large lumps of clay to her armature.

"...when you kiss me heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose..."

Carefully, after she was done with the clay application, she filed out the excesses. They fell to the ground, with splats and plops. Taking some steps backwards she stared at her work, probably trying to ascertain whether she took off too much or too little.

"...when you press me to your heart
I'm in a world apart
A world where roses bloom..."

With her arms akimbo, point chisel in the grasp of her left hand, she shifted her gaze to the ground for a second and with a sigh she kept taking off more clay.

Too little I guess

I sat on the ground covered with short grass, some distance behind her, leaning on the only tree as far as the garden was concerned, watching the usual sculpting drama unfold.

"...and when you speak angels sing from above
Everyday words seem to turn into love songs..."

The whole setting was wonderful. It took my mind of things - recent painful things, and gave me peace. Here, in this haven, with my sister and me, I felt bliss.

"...give..."

Nikól paused. Twisted her head slowly as though she wanted to catch a glimpse of me behind her. Eyes closed, she listened. A second or two ran by before she spoke.

"Alright! Dad's back", she stepped away from her work, stooped to lay everything she was holding to the ground then stretched to satisfaction.

I sighed and got up leaving my ukulele on the ground. My joints cracked in relief.

"Took him a while... Hercules! We're going!"

At the sound of my voice, a shrub began to rustle before it spat out my little fox dressed in his dull red fur coat. He wriggled his body vigorously then ran and jumped happily to nest on my shoulders after which he closed his eyes and apparently dozed off.

"Lazy boy".

Actually, Hercules was a peppy pet. He was either randomly traversing or helping Dad out. He didn't sleep often, even at night. But when he slept he slept ages.

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Nikól kept singing as we made our way towards the house. I walked beside her with my hands in my pockets and Hercules still asleep on my shoulders. The singing was quieter this time due to fatigue. The armature of the sculpt really took her energy. She was making an angel, a big detailed one. She could have stopped singing and save what was left of her strength, but if she did she wouldn't be able to properly make her way to the house.

Nikól was blind. Had been for four months now during our encounter with Triumph back in Krone. Her irises were silvered shut closing her pupils. To help her out, I enhanced her hearing so she could hear sound reflect off anything and everything in a decent radius, then create a precise mental image of whatever it was and it's exact distance from her. No exaggerations, just hex. She could see without her eyes.

After about five minutes of slow walking we finally got to the house. Dad was offloading supplies from his pickup truck. Nikól ran over to hug him while I helped him get things into the house. Hercules woke up, got of my shoulders and began walking round the house - as he usually does.

"So how's the statue coming along?" Dad said sounding exhausted.

"Nicely, though it's really stressing."
Nikól answered in her cute twelve-year-old voice then sipped the soda she was holding. "I'm going in to rest. Later Dad"

That was probably good news to him. He didn't look like he wanted to talk. He needed to rest. He had been out for long, in Krone, getting a huge amount of supplies including those for Nikól's sculpting. He did this so he wouldn't have to head into the city frequently.

They both went into their rooms. I remained on the couch with Hercules rubbing his belly fur as we stared at the ceiling. I was somewhat tired but sleep was shy of me. We could have turned on the TV but that would be a waste, our minds would still be spaced out. I always believed Hercules shared my thoughts. He just seemed to 'feel' me. My fox best friend.

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"I CAN'T SEE! I CAN'T SEE! HERA!"

"Nikól?...YOU BASTARDS WHAT DID YOU DO!"

"There's silver in her ey—Dad, Mum doesn't..."

"Astrid"

"Hera..."