With the late afternoon wind warming our bodies as we sat on the veranda waiting, Missy tended the house with not a clue as to what was going on just a few kilometres away from her.
She stared out at the window with a smile to us as her hands sloshed around in the sink to wash the last of her cutlery and dishes to be wrapped up for the last box.
I saw the lid of it beside her, ready to receive the last of her shell of a home.
A honking of a car lifted all of our heads towards it. I saw Maisie's face bob into view from the wheel of a cute little blue beetle.
Mearve sat beside her, smiling sheepishly and lifting his hand in a wave.
Stew's tail beat the verandah at the sight of them. She gazed up at the window Missy was now leaning out of to try and get a better view.
"Hey!" Maisie shouted outside the window, honking her horn again "get ready! We're going to town!"
"To town?" I heard Missy mutter to herself as she pulled back in and stepped out the front door.
Maisie jerked to a stop right outside the front gate, grinning from ear to ear.
Mearve was the first to slide out and unlatch the gate for Maisie to pass through. He was dressed respectfully in a simple blue shirt, brown longs, and a matching brown jacket that had patches on the elbows.
A flash of purple caught our attention before Maisie swung through the gate in the same jacket Missy had made her years ago.
"It won't do up anymore, but it still looks fantastic!" Maisie gave a spin to have it fan out around her "and look!"
Holding out the edge of the jacket, our prints were still stamped into the fabric. They were a little faded and missing a few parts, but still mostly there.
"Is there something happening?" Missy approached Maisie and Mearve in her crinkled blue apron that had a patch of water and bubbles down the front of it "you two look smart."
"And you will too once you get ready" Maisie rose now to flick her finger to the house "whatever you have left, go put it on. We are taking you in for something special."
The grin from Maisie and the meek smile from Mearve had Missy copying it as she realised something was planned.
"Go!" Maisie flicked her finger again before Missy did so "and make sure it's nice!"
Mearve promptly opened the back door of the car for us while Missy darted back into the house, giggling.
Stew was first to jump up onto the cream leather seats. There was a crocheted blanket that hung in the middle of pinks, yellows, apricots, and whites. It tickled the edge of a bag containing our clothes.
She took the furthest window while I jumped in to take the closest to the house.
Maisie closed the door, turning back to wait for Missy.
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She wasn't long.
I saw her patter through the house from the bathroom to her bedroom, dress thrown on, toothbrush in mouth, and towel wrapped around her head. Finally, kicking her old lace-up shoes on and dumping her slipping towel, Missy grinned as she confidently stepped outside.
For the first time, she wasn't rushing for her scooter or swaying underneath boxes of dresses. Tonight, it was just Missy, her green dress of wildflowers, and her old lace-up shoes.
I couldn't take my eyes off her. She looked incredible; better than incredible.
"Hang on" Maisie looked her over "you're missing something."
Stooping down and tearing a few stems of wildflowers up around her, Maisie picked something from the back of her own hair to pin it into the back of Missy's. She threaded the flowers through with flourish.
"There" she beamed "now you are ready."
Missy's fingers lightly touched the flowers, her eyes sparkling from the heartfelt gesture. She turned for us, looking back.
"How's it look, you two?"
Stew's tail enthusiastically beat against the seat. Mine joined hers in a much more reserved rhythm.
"I'd say that's a yes" Maisie chuckled "shall we?"
Missy nodded and made her way to the car. When she got to the front passenger side and opened the door, Maisie grabbed it to stop her getting in.
"You're sitting in the back" she pointed to us "move over you two."
Stew pressed against my side as Maisie folded down the front seat and Missy climbed in with a wide smile. Stew sat on the bag of clothes, crushing them into the seat.
I didn't mind. Missy looked so happy as she wedged in beside us, even reaching over to rub both our heads before she clipped in.
Mearve took the driver's side this time. Maisie clipped in and turned to Missy.
"It might be a little bumpy" she warned us with a laugh "they don't exactly make roads up this far."
"That's all part of the fun!" Mearve grinned, buckling in and making the car shudder to life.
Should I put my belt on? Would it be OK to just sit unrestrained like this?
The little car turned for the fields, peaking my anxiety. Rolling down the hill from the house was already starting to rock the car from side to side.
I could see the lights washing over each dark divit in the ground. We hit all of them to smack into each other.
"Hold on!" Mearve called out with laughter in his voice as we approached the dip.
Everything in me seized as we rocked towards it. Hitting the dip, we were thrown forward, then upwards when the car lurched over it, becoming airborne.
Missy squealed out as her hands pressed to the roof, then snorted when we landed into more aggressive lunges.
She burst out laughing with Maisie as she slammed around the back with us.
We rocked, slammed, and flew through the fields while the girls were giddy from adrenaline and the thrill of it all. Even Mearve lightened up and whooped over the more particularly violent lunges.
Stew joined him, laughing beside me as she was crushed. I snorted at her, chuckling and gasping when we lifted off the seat again.
"Last one! Watch your heads!" Mearve called.
"Speed up!" Missy laughed.
"Let's go!" Maisie egged.
"Weeee!" Stew cried out.
Mearve pressed down on the accelerator to shoot us towards the bump.
Before I could even scream, we hit it and sailed through the air.
For a moment, we were all airborne. Everyone floated in the air before crushing against the roof. Then, just as quickly, we all came crashing down with the front of the car slamming into the ground.
"Woooo!" Stew gasped "again! Again!"
"NO! NO!" I blurted over her.
"I think we broke Stew" Missy snorted at her bouncing on the seat "and traumatised Soup."
Maisie and Mearve laughed back, now slowing the car as we approached the familiar corner Bartie practically lived at.
"Did we all survive?" Mearve turned back to us when he finally pulled on the breaks.
"I think I lost my flowers" Missy laughed back as she tried to find them.
"I think I lost my heart back there" I droned back, grateful for Maisie when she got out to fold down the front seat.
I couldn't get out quick enough. It was up to Stew to retrieve our clothes and leap out with them in her mouth.
When Missy collected all of her flowers again, she squeezed out of the car and let Mearve fix up her hair again. Maisie watched, offering points on the placement for him.
"We have to walk from here" Maisie explained to Missy when she led the way "the road is kind of blocked."
"Blocked?" Missy frowned "what from?"
Mearve smirked to us and kept his mouth shut. Maisie did the same, grinning when she rounded the corner and threw her arms out.
"With this!"
"SURPRISE!" a chorus of voices shouted back.
Missy gasped at the scene before her of the townspeople all gathered around one long table made up of every single one lifted out of their businesses and pushed together.
Food and drink covered all available spaces. Any gaps were speckled with soft peonies from the florist. Green mosquito coils spiralled grey smoke towards the lights overhead. I could even see some swirling down the tree trunks to my left.
Missy moved towards the tables in shock. Maisie stayed behind her to nudge me and tilt her head towards the trees.
"Go and join them" Mearve leant down to touch Stew's back gently "he'll come and get you later."
She let Mearve take the clothing from her without another thought. Hurrying to Missy's side, she was instantly swarmed with loving hands and praises.
"Come on" Mearve turned me from it.
We walked side by side down to the trees. He pushed forth to make sure the path was clear to the table that had a metal teapot planted in the middle.
A pink peony had even been taken from the main decor to liven up the lonely table.
Mearve laid Stew's dress on one chair then handed me my clothes so I could duck around behind a tree on the other side of the table.
"She looked happy" Mearve commented when I shifted.
"Stew or Missy?" I replied when I pulled on my pants.
"Well, both, I guess" he chuckled now "I think she needed this."
I agreed silently, leaving the tree while pulling on my shirt. Mearve advanced to make sure I was presentable, even rounding to my back to pick off a few dried leaves.
I really was going to miss all of this. Concrete and graffiti would never be able to replace the bliss that nature bought with it.
Would I even meet someone like Mearve again? Another person like me outside our duo?
"Hey, Soup?" he clapped my shoulder with a warm smile "good luck."
"Thanks" I returned the smile nervously.
I watched Mearve pick his way back to the festivities. I listened to his shoes crunching over the leaves until they disappeared completely.
Standing there beside the table, I waited anxiously for Missy.
It was getting dark, but it wasn't enough to mask my looks. Would I scare her? I didn't exactly have makeup on like what Mearve did. My eyes were bright red and my skin hauntingly white. The markings up my hands and arms were swallowed by darkness itself.
I uncurled my fingers and straightened. I became aware of my breathing, swallowing down the lump in my throat when I practised smiling without showing my teeth.
I heard feet return to the dried leaves, lighter this time.
I saw the flash of green flitting between the branches that were pushed out of the way before Missy's face peeked into view.
In fear, I spun around to avoid facing her, grabbing the teapot on the table to hug close.
"Oh, sorry!" Missy chuckled apologetically "I was told Soup was in here."
What did I say? I am Soup? Would that sound weird?
She wouldn't be able to see me with my back turned to her. Perhaps I'd be scaring her just by standing here silently?
"I'd better get back" Missy's voice rang out cheerfully "are you going to join us?"
"No" I found my voice, choking on it "I was hoping you'd stay a bit? I've got tea."
I bent my face to the leaves as I held out the teapot towards her, hiding my head. Glancing upwards, Missy had her arms hugging herself as she looked back to the others.
She didn't look comfortable at all. She'd be able to see my dark fingers and nails grasping around the teapot like the claws of a monster.
"I should get back" she grimaced now "people will wonder where I am."
I was scaring her. She wasn't going to stay in the dark trees with some stranger.
Missy turned to leave but I dumped the teapot back on the table so I could run over and grab her hand. It was soft in mine and seized up when I stroked a thumb over the top of it.
"I should go and find Soup" she whimpered now, tugging.
I held onto her hand effortlessly. She had no power over me. It was a little too easy to keep her here.
"I'm Soup."
Missy's breath stopped and her yanking hand froze up. Her wide eyes looked up at mine that I turned from her.
"Please. Sit with me?" I swept my arm to the table again, shamed she could now see me up close.
Missy looked like she was in shock. All she could do was nod as she let me lead her to the chair I pulled out for her.
I took the one opposite her and leant over to grab her cup. Missy leaned away, keeping her hands together in her lap.
"I didn't mean to scare you" I muttered to her as I poured the tea "I didn't know how else to show you."
Our eyes met. Missy's searched mine, gliding down to my black hands that placed the cup back before her.
I poured my own and sat back down.
"You're Soup...." Missy breathed.
I nodded and wrapped my hands around my cup.
They dwarfed it. They were too big and unnatural for a human.
I placed them into my lap instead.
"I wanted to show you before you left" I started "I've been wanting to for a while now."
Missy's eyes slid up, still wide.
She was terrified. She was frozen in fear. She looked like prey before I took it down.
"Say something" I begged "please."
I saw the tears well up before they streamed down her cheeks. Her head lowered to the cup she finally held.
"Missy" I spoke softly "I'm not any different to the Soup you know."
"You're human" she drawled out, frowning "you're an animal...."
"I'm not this" I gestured to myself "I've chosen to live how I do. I'm your Soup; nothing more."
Missy tried to smile, tears dripping into her tea.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
Resting my arm across the table, I held my hand towards her, palm up. Missy pressed into her chair as she held her cup close, looking up at my face.
"I..." she started, shaking her head "how? Why?"
I could see her eyes scrolling the table as she flicked back through her memories. She always had suspicions, but never had anything actually proving them until now.
"I didn't have anything worth staying like this for.... until you" I admitted to her glistening eyes "you made life better as Soup. You knew something wasn't right about me almost from the start. I was too scared to show you."
Missy wiped her eyes that were still spilling tears down her cheeks. Her hand slowly trembled towards my curled fingers to brush them and jolt back. After the hesitation, Missy returned to run her fingers along the tips of mine.
"How come you never said anything?" Missy explored the tips of my long nails "you just ran away."
"I thought you'd leave because of me" I watched her carefully glide to my palm "or that....."
I burned, closing my hand and pulling away from Missy now.
"Or what?"
I glanced up at her, dropping my head.
"That you...."
I swallowed, breathing deeply to quieten my rattling nerves.
"You wouldn't love me back."
Missy straightened in her chair. She wiped her eyes again.
"Love you?"
I nodded, looking to the table in shame now.
There was silence between us. All I could hear was the music and chatter from the main road.
"Soup...." Missy sighed.
"I know you were scared of being alone" I forced myself to look at her "I didn't want to wedge myself in that part you wanted to keep empty."
"I didn't want to keep it empty by choice" Missy almost whispered through her tears "I wasn't in a position for that. You have to understand that I thought I was living by myself and feeding a lonely animal. I doubted everything about you over and over, but I.... I didn't think about you that way."
Of course not. I had suspicions that she would have pushed it all aside, but hearing it from her mouth stabbed at my heart and made my throat burn.
Even in those moments we had been so close to shattering the illusion too. Missy told herself that it was nothing.
I felt embarrassed for even picturing us like that now that I knew she didn't do the same. I had wanted to just be an animal and slip from society, but I had blurred the lines of my own rules when Missy became involved.
"Is Stew....?"
"S-she's the same" I swallowed and pulled from her hand so I could gulp down some tea that instantly punched my throat with the taste of grass and flower buds "oh, that's disgusting."
Missy smiled at my screwed up face, sipping on hers.
"It's....awful" she snorted as she promptly placed it down.
We giggled, letting it die down.
"She really idolises you" I spoke up as Missy's finger circled the cup "she thinks of you as her mother; calls you 'Ma'. If it were up to her, you would have met both of us like this a lot sooner. She's got her own thoughts on what she wants to do."
"Which is what?" Missy's curious expression met mine as her finger stopped circling.
"Follow the train tracks."
There was another pause between us. Missy lowered her eyes as she dragged in a deep breath.
"I want you to live your own life, Soup."
I tried to smile, and so did she, but there was only silent tears between us.
"I can't be there for you when I go" Missy sniffled "I'm leaving in the morning. I c-can't feed you or come home to you or even hear S-Stew's little tail hitting the ground when she's h-happy" Missy choked now "I can't be t-there when she had n-nightmares or when y-you sit with me in m-my sewing r-room. I can't be there for e-either of you. Y-you have to look after e-each other, not me. I-I'll be fine. Y-you can't f-follow the tracks f-forever, ok? Not for me, S-Soup. P-please, not f-for me."
My body shuddered with hers. Our tears ran down our cheeks and dripped over our cups. We just sat there, heads bowed as we sobbed over each other.
"You've d-done a good job o-of looking after m-me" Missy smiled through her tears "b-but now, you n-need to l-look after yourselves. O-one day, maybe you c-can find someone w-who y-you can c-come home to forever."
I whined, nodding.
It wasn't going to be Missy. I don't even know who would fill in that hole in my life that she did. Would I find someone that important out there? Someone who I wouldn't have to let go of?
Missy got up from her chair and came to me with her arms held out. I did the same and wrapped mine around her. We sobbed against each other as we just stood there beside the table.
"I'm s-sorry, Soup" Missy muttered against my shirt.
"I-I'm sorry too" I rested my head on hers "I'll always look o-out for you, b-but I've got t-to look out f-for me first."
Missy nodded, smiling that I had listened to her pleas.
"And Stew" Missy look a deep breath, sniffling as she rested her hand against my cheek the same way she usually did "don't l-let anything happen to her."
I held Missy's hand against me as my eyes hardened on hers.
"Nothing is getting through me to her" I vowed.
She smiled at my protectiveness and scratched my cheek with her nails, smiling.
"Such an odd feeling" she mused "you don't ever think of staying like this?"
I smiled at Missy, softening my gaze on her.
Maybe once in a distant thought I had. Now, the only reason for that was standing right here. I no longer had that temptation dancing over my mind.
"I'm just Soup" I stated "and I'll keep being that to whoever needs me next. My life is not going to change from the one I shared with you."
Missy lifted her hand from my cheek so we could hold them between us instead.
"Make sure you tell me all about your life under the sun and stars when you find the one you want to spend it with. I want to hear about all the places you've been and all the children you've had together. I'll tell you all about the city and the sewing business when we meet up for a much better cup of tea."
Looking back to the cup with her, I giggled and agreed.
"I'd like that."
Missy smiled and released my hands. With nothing else for me here in this form, I slinked back to the trees to shift back.
Placing my clothes on my chair, I saw Missy watching me as I rose up again opposite her as a beast.
"I see it now" she marvelled up at me "there really isn't much difference, is there?"
I shook my head, leaning into the hand that gently touched my cheek again in wonder.
"I need to see Stew" she decided now "will you get her for me, please? I need to make things right between us."
Nodding, I slipped down out of Missy's touch to resume my normal stance. Looking back, I quickly left her in the darkness to slip out and switch positions with the obliviously excited Stew, rushing headstrong towards heartbreak.
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The lights shone brilliantly against the stars when Stew reappeared with Missy.
Instantly, Missy was pulled back to the tables to engage in conversation and prying questions to where she had been.
Stew only cowered over to my side beside the tables, laying down next to me with her ears low and her head resting over her arms like mine were.
"What's up?" I lifted my head as hers sunk down at the sight of the others "did it go well?"
"It went fine" Stew mumbled.
"Now I know that's not true" I nudged her but only got a cold shoulder when she shifted away from me "hey, you can talk to me."
Glistening eyes glanced at me before Stew whined and buried her head into the ground.
I knew exactly what was tormenting her. All I could offer was my heartfelt sympathy.
"Stew" I tried to lift her chin up, but only had her head turn away "I'm here for you."
"A-are you?" her voice sniffled "a-are you g-going to follow the tracks w-when she l-leaves?"
I looked to them, lingering on them glinting in the moonlight. My ears dropped down.
"I'll follow..."
Stew curled up, preparing for the pain.
"...you."
Her ears lifted and her head slowly turned back to me.
"I'll follow you" I repeated to her streaming face.
Letting out a sob, Stew rushed up to smother her head against me. I felt her shuddering as her tears wet my skin. I rested my head on top of hers to give her the contact she craved for right now.
"How about we get something to eat?" I spoke up "it'd be a shame to have all this food but no-one with a big enough stomach to eat it."
I heard Stew snort, her head moving under mine.
"Was that a yes?" I asked "because I kind of can't see you at the moment...."
"Yes, silly" she pressed into me and used my chest to wipe her face against, making me groan dramatically for another chuckle to slip out.
"Stay here then. I'll hunt us the best meal you've ever had" I smirked and watched Stew sniffle through a small smile.
"I-it doesn't count I-if it's already dead!" she raised her voice when I pulled away from her.
Smirking back, I simply roamed down the tables for whoever wanted to lower their hands for me first.
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Lapping from the loaded paper plates Mearve had made for us, he sat cross-legged beside us with his own he ate from as he talked.
With his chatter, he could pull Stew out of the tears that ran into her food when she ate. Still trying to recover, she added in her opinions as Mearve steered her mind further from Missy.
"If you need someone to travel with, I've got my bags packed" he offered.
Stew looked to me first then back to him.
"As a human?"
"I didn't spend hours putting all of this on for nothing" he gestured to himself with a smile.
Stew smiled at him and shook her head. It shocked me most of all.
"You're always going on about being human" I breathed back to her "you don't want to?"
"We stick together" she told me, smiling "I've got some loose ends to tie up first before I do any of that."
"Fair enough" Mearve nodded "once you do that, I'm going to be heading that way" he pointed to our left with his plastic fork "I think I'll find a nice coastal town with a bit of sea-breeze behind it and stay away from the water" he winked at Stew to make her smile back "look for someone called Eddie."
"Not Mearve?" I asked.
He grinned at me now. It was cheeky and showed off his pointed teeth he liked to keep hidden.
"Mearve is my life here. I've got to shake it up a bit; make it interesting. You never know who's following your tail."
It was good logic. I would never be brave enough to throw away my beloved name.
"We are going to head that way" Stew tilted her head in the opposite direction; the one she had come from so long ago "I think I'm going to start at the beginning and see what happens along the way."
"Are you sure?" I frowned to her "are you up for that?"
"It's been years" she forced a smile "I've got a very good guardian if we run into anyone."
Smiling at her admiration, I burned inside in appreciation.
"Did you want me to grab you two another plate?" Mearve offered as he scooped them up "for the road?"
I nodded and turned to Stew when he left.
"I want to close the door on that part of my life" she looked up at me in pride "you don't have to stick around for that if you don't want to."
"And miss out on showing you all the stars and nature you've been missing along the way?" I scoffed "I've got to get you better at catching crickets."
"Um, excuse me, I'm onto birds now" Stew jeered sarcastically with a grin that lifted to the sky over the platform of the distant station "you know, the stars are out now and there's a long track with our names on it...."
Turning, i followed her gaze leading out of town.
"What about Mearve?"
"He's got his hands full" Stew smirked now "we could just slip by."
"And what about..." I hesitated "...Missy?"
I saw Stew frown and her face grow forlorn.
"She's got everyone else" she almost whispered now to Missy's laughing face we both looked to with dampened smiles.
She was right. What did we have to do now? Watch Missy get into the truck and leave? Stay at the station as the train sped her off to a better future? It'd be like rubbing lemon in our already fresh wounds.
"Should we say something to Maisie and Mearve?" I worried when Stew got to her feet, taking a few steps from me.
"We can shout our goodbyes as we run past" she replied "they've got better things to do than mope over us. They're having fun; let's not ruin it for them."
Stew picked up the pace. I came up beside her as we started to come up to Mearve leaning over the tables to try and fill three plates.
"Bye, Mearve!" Stew giggled when we trotted past him "thanks for the food! Hope it goes well for you!"
"Wait!" he groaned, his arms balancing the plates in defeat.
Laughing, we sped up to a run.
"Bye Maisie!" I called now "thank you for the bad tea!"
"So bad" Stew gagged to me "it tasted like...."
"Eating a field of flowers?" I smirked.
"Yes!" she gasped in realisation, raising her voice "thank you for the blanket!"
"Bye Bartie!" Stew lifted her head to him, circling the spot beside his seat so he could see her "thank you for the shoe! And the newspaper!"
"And the daily scoldings!" I added before we took off again.
"Thank you Temmit!" Stew leapt up, checking the table "for the nice house and the letting me play with the cute dog!"
"And the kennel!" I jumped up too, laughing.
We kept running, circling on our own path and yelling out our thanks on the way down to the roadcones.
"Thank you for the food!" Stew called.
"Thank you for the drinks!" I added.
"Thank you for the flowers!"
"And helping me!"
We raced past the end table where I saw Missy rise up and stare after us. Pausing, I walked back while gazed at her, planting myself a few meters away.
"Thank you for being there!" I called to her.
"And for feeding me!" Stew stood beside me now "even the gross eggplants!"
"Thank you for never giving up on us!"
"A-and helping me through my nightmares!"
"And following me when you did!" I started to choke "thank you."
Stew sniffled beside me.
"Thank you for coming home!" she shouted, tears running again.
"Thank you for being there for us!" I blinked through my own tears.
"Thank you for everything!" Stew's voice cracked when she rose it at Missy "and giving me everything!"
Missy's own eyes welled up when Mearve pressed in beside her to relay our words through quiet muttering.
I saw Missy's head turn to him in shock, but then back to us as she understood.
"Thank you!" I lowered my head to Missy.
"Thank you!" Stew copied me.
We lifted them and saw Mearve smiling through his own tears. He nodded once, squeezing Missy's shoulders in comfort.
"Goodbye" I whispered, nudging Stew into running by my side under the clear glittering sky.
We sprinted along the tracks that cut through the wildflower fields brushing against our bodies. In the darkness, we followed the flowers growing taller around the empty stone house on the hill.
Pausing to take it in, we lingered for only a moment before pressing on to our own futures waiting beyond the tracks.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
