Mar 2008

Chapter 173Tries to Resolve

Again my mother saved the day, with simple words she washed away.

"let's eat."

And with those simple words all worries were forgotten. For them at least. Nuru was enjoying the dinner immensely, taking every bite with greedy joy. And it did smell delicious. Everything was just right, and the extra spices she'd added smelled absolutely divine.

Nuru, surprisingly, added to my thoughts. "It's really good, Miss Myriam."

Mom giggled. "Just Myriam is enough. I do feel bad for you though, Amy. I mean, I kind of made this for you."

I smiled. "I know. But it's alright. We have to go after dinner though."

She nodded. "Alright, but keep in touch, okay?"

"Of course." I thought of something. "Eh, mom, do you know where the Headmaster lives?"

She frowned. "Marius? I think so, I think I've got his address somewhere."

"I've got to ask him something, and it's still early, so perhaps I can."

We finished dinner and cleaned up. Nuru and me were stuck doing the dishes, just like old times, while mom searched for the address. It didn't take her long though and with her help the dishes were soon a thing of the past and nice clean plates a thing of the present.

It was nearby, the Headmaster Marius actually lived closer to us than I had expected. But that was often the case with teachers I guess. As a student you know so little of their lives, except for what they show in the classroom. For you they aren't people, they're the masters, the guides or even the torturers.

Okay, so, I never liked homework much.

We left the house smiling, my mother waving goodbye for us as we went out through he back. I didn't forget my library card for Nuru but I was curious if I should bring her to Hitori before I went to the address.

Did I have the time. I guess Nuru would have to come along for now, even if I didn't like anyone seeing her or putting her in a position like this. She was clinging to my arm as we walked, I guess she did prefer to be with me.

With a blush i thought of how I woke up.

Girlfriends?

Nuru was so simple and direct, but she probably thought of me as her savior, who pulled her from the burning wreckage of her previous life. I hoped she would start to feel more and more independent, but she appeared to only love me more. Yet... In a way that was what independence meant, undictated feelings. I never told her to like me. She did that all by herself.

We walked on.

The streets were like comma's to my story, intervals at which I knew I was going on but not the start or end of anything. They guided my way through the neighborhood to a house that I'd never been yet somehow I knew. In a way I guess it was because it was very distinctive like the headmaster itself. Kind of old, very neat and organized and unmistakably itself.

"Are you alright, Nuru?"

She nodded. "I'm with you."

I smiled and reached for the doorbell. It was just a simple button and it rang a simple sound through the house, faintly heard here outside. Someone got off the stairs and walked to the door, the floor and stairs must have been wood for the footsteps to sound this loudly, and opened it.

The headmaster looked at me with some surprise until recognition set in. "Who? Oh, Amy, an interesting person to find near one's home this late. I hear you left our school, so what brings you here?"

I swallowed. "I wonder if you've seen some friends of mine, if you did they'd be... eh... in trouble"

He grinned, a precise and very deliberate grin. "Maybe, if it concerns a certain black book..." He let the words sink in like lead.

No...

This wasn't how it should go. I was used to being a little girl before him. Him, the large master of our school. But no longer. He was only a man, a simple man that would not be able to defend himself from me if I chose to drink from him.

And my mind, I could use my stronger mind...

There was only one reason that guided me; I had to save Khuna and Valerie. I had to find out where they were.

And he was going to tell me.

Now.