“How was school today, little one?” Otis asked Sophie, while she, as per usual, took a seat on the floor to watch him work on the sculpture.
“Okay, I guess,” she replied. “We talked about gifts.”
“Gifts, huh?”
“Yeah. For instance, I have a classmate named Eleanor who’s great at playing the harp. Hence, she was born with the gift of music. Then there’s this really big, strong girl, Harriett, who’s into martial arts. Her gift is that of pugilism.”
“Oh. I see. Did they ask you?”
“They did.”
“What did you answer?”
“Nothing. Everybody expected me to say ‘acting’ or ‘singing’, but it didn’t feel right. I froze up and stood there in complete silence. I don’t think I know the answer to that question.”
“That’s fine. You’re still too young to know for sure what you’ll want to do for the rest of your life. I didn’t know I wanted to be a sculptor until I was seventeen.”
“How did you figure out you wanted to be a sculptor?”
“It’s simple. I asked myself: what’s the thing I desire most in the whole world? What’s the one thing that’d make me happy above everything else?”
“I see.”
“So?”
“So what?”
“What’s the thing you desire most in the world? What would make you happy?”
Sophie pondered for a moment.
“A quiet life,” she said.
* * *
Sophie left for school a little later while Otis kept working on the sculpture. After a few hours, Rooster came by his workshop.
“Time for lunch, Mr. Von Hoot!” he said.
Rooster, Cyril and Otis sat by the big table in the main hall while the stewards brought endless plates of elaborate meals.
“So,” Rooster said. “I noticed Sophie has taken an interest in your work.”
“She seems like a charming kid,” Otis replied.
“Wonder who she got that from,” Rooster said, while winking an eye.
“Now that you mention it… well, no offense, but she doesn’t look a lot like you. Or you, Cyril, for that matter.”
“I’d be shocked if she did,” Rooster claimed. “She’s adopted.”
“Really? What happened to her biological parents?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea. Nobody knows where she came from — she’s been passed around like a hot potato ever since she was born. She was known for doing nothing but daydreaming, drawing on the walls with her crayons, and talking non-stop to her imaginary friends. But you know what, Mr. Von Hoot? We looked past that. Most folks would’ve taken a single glance at her and said ‘No, thanks. Let some other schmuck deal with that problem!’. Not us. We gave her a name. We put a roof under her head, dressed her with nothing but the finest clothing. We welcomed her into our lives.”
“I assume you decided to adopt her because you were moved by her story.”
“Nah. We just couldn’t find a prettier one.”
Rooster quickly noticed Otis had a disgruntled look on his face.
“That was a compliment!” Rooster added.
Otis cleared his throat and thought it best to steer the subject in a different direction. “You said the other day that your other daughters are abroad,” he said. “What do they do?”
“Oh. They all departed for college about…” Rooster then lifted three fingers on his right hand. “...Three years ago, if I’m not mistaken.”
“I see. What major did they pick?”
“I’m not sure. Even as they were leaving, they hadn’t made up their mind yet.”
“So… they all left home for college without deciding first what they should study?”
Cyril abruptly stood up and forced a big smile.
“How about dessert?” she asked.
* * *
Later that afternoon, Sophie was stuck in her dance class, dancing for the hundredth time to the same tunes she wouldn’t get right if she gave it a million tries. She had grown so numb to the whole exercise she couldn’t even bring herself to get frustrated anymore. The other girls gave her a bad look, as they resented her for her success. “She’s not even talented,” they said to each other under their breath, but raising their voice just enough so as to make sure she heard.
“Let’s take five, girls!” said the instructor.
Sophie used this chance to get some fresh air. She sat on the sidewalk, all by herself. She sank into her own mind, thinking of imaginary creatures and make-believe escapades, as she’d usually do to seclude herself from the dullness or her daily routine.
At that moment, she remembered Marion’s game. In desperate need to hear a friendly voice, she headed to the place where she would usually meet with her fellow players. Once she arrived there, she overheard a dispute taking place in that very establishment.
“Beat it, kid,” said a woman, grabbing Marion by the arm as she escorted her outside. “You’re not welcome here no more.”
“I’m just having a bad streak!” Marion objected. “Give a girl a second chance, will ya?”
“You haven’t won a single hand in ages. Other players are afraid they might catch your terrible luck. You’re giving this place a bad name.”
“Oh, I’m giving the shady gambling joint a bad name? How so very wretched of me!”
“Funny. Now buzz off!”
“No, seriously, this isn’t fair! I paid the entry fee, you can’t kick me out like that!”
“Watch me.”
The woman then pushed Marion out on the street. Sophie arrived in time to watch the whole scene unfold.
“Oh, Ms. Happe!” said the woman to Sophie upon noticing her presence. “I didn’t see you there. How are you today?”
“Can you please call me ‘Eye-twitch’?” Sophie asked. “Or ‘Blondie’? Or any of my other nicknames?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Miss. You and your family deserve nothing but my utmost respect.”
After the exchange, the woman went back inside, not before slamming the door in front of Marion’s face. Some bystanders looked at Marion with disapproval.
“What are you all watching?!” Marion yelled at them.
Upon hearing that, people kept on minding their own business, if only to avoid a confrontation. Sophie quickly approached Marion to comfort her.
“Are you alright?” Sophie asked her.
“Yeah. I’m having a rough week, is all,” Marion replied. “They don’t call me ‘Bad Luck Marion’ for nothing.”
“That’s horrible. I didn’t know they called you that.”
Marion then grappled Sophie and gave her a noogie. “Not all of us can have a cool nickname like ‘Eye-twitch’!”
“Hey! Stop it!” Sophie said, bursting with laughter.
“C’mon,” Marion said, letting go of her. “I’m sure there’s plenty of stuff we can do without money.”
They then stepped down a flight of stairs on the boardwalk, after which they found themselves under a bridge on the canal — one of their many secret spots. Most of the time, the place was taken up either by the local gangs or by homeless people taking shelter for the frequent rains or. That day, though, it was theirs for the taking. They sat down on the border, their feet hanging in the air, and watched as the boats, tourist cruise ships, and frigates sailed by.
“Listen, Eye-twitch,” Marion said, with a serious look on her face. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. I’ve… decided to make some changes with my life.”
“Oh? What sort of changes?” Sophie asked.
“I knew they were gonna kick me out of the gambling joint sooner or later. So, I thought of a contingency for that. Now, don’t get mad. I’ve enlisted in the army this morning.”
“What?!” Sophie said, as she got up from her seat. “Are you nuts?! You can't do that!”
“As a matter of fact, I can. The minimum age for enlisting is thirteen.”
“I know you can. What I mean to say is you shouldn't.”
“I’m sick of being a nobody. Of wandering out on the street all day. Of coming home every night to my adoptive parents fighting. I thought cards were my ticket out, and look where that got me. Not only do I still not have two coins to rub together, but now everyone in town thinks I’m a no-good scoundrel!” she shouted as she threw her stack of cards into the canal. “I tried not to mind them at first, but… it gets to you over time. I wanna be a part of something bigger. Something that actually matters. This is exactly what I’m looking for. Your plays taught me that much.”
“My plays are trash! I only take part in them because Rooster forces me to! Nothing I say in any of those songs is real!”
“‘Course it’s real. Didn’t you know there are rumors of an attack coming?”
“An attack? By whom?”
“The kingdom of Lothyen. They’ve declared war on us, so we might have to fight to protect our land very soon.”
“Don’t you think it’s all the more reason not to enlist?”
“Ugh. Of course you wouldn’t understand,” Marion said, as she got up as well. “I sometimes forget you’re still a child.”
“Don’t do that, Marion. Please. Don’t talk down to me, like everyone else does.”
“Then grow up already,” she said, before starting to leave. “You don’t put an end to a war by turning a blind eye on it. Only fighting does.”
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