ChapterNine
Fight in the Mud
I knew we fell asleep, because I then woke up to a tall grassy stem ticking my nose, and there I was, in a fresh new morning. Life started again, new and blank with no wrongs, just as it always did without disappoint.
I rolled over and Artie was gone. I wanted to find him and so I decided to. I leapt up quietly and scanned the field in which I was entrapped in. I realized that it really did go on, and might even be connected to the first field I had seen when we had arrived. Where I stood, I was surrounded by lavish trees, but I knew if I kept walking straight, the trees would disappear and I would be out in the open, maybe overlooking Averdeene. I can’t describe it just right, which is one of my many faults. But I wish you could see it, whoever you are. I wish you could see this place.
I walked straight through the meadow until the trees faded away. The grass was shorter here but no less splendid. I didn’t expect to find Artie so quick, but I did, standing alone, his hair rustling in the wind. I smiled and tip-toed, thinking I could sneak up on him.
“I can hear you, Charlie.”
I giggled. “Guess again.”
Artie shook his head and chuckled. He turned around. His hair was unruly and messy from such a long night, but mine was too, so I didn’t care a bit.
“So many meadows and fields.”
He shrugged. “I’m used to it. I don’t know anything about any other place but here.”
“Do you go to school?”
“I did for awhile. Then I stopped ‘cause Charlie kept…” he looked like he regretted even saying his brother’s name. “Well, I can’t leave him alone for a minute. He just gets into trouble.”
“Everyone does, once in awhile. I think you are a bit harsh, if I dare say. I don’t have any business to, but—”
“No, you don’t,” Artie cut in. “But it’s alright, for now. Because…” he shrugged lightheartedly, “no one cares about anything as much as you do, it seems. Charlie, I mean. You seem to care about him. I mean—” he struggled. “Do you care? Annabelle?”
“O-of course,” I stuttered. “How did you know my name was Annabelle?”
“Charlie told me. But I see he calls you Annie.”
“Yes, well…” I looked down. “I’m supposed to be called Ingrid, my middle name, because—”
“It’s too painful. I know,” he said blandly as if he were conversing about the wind.
It was quiet for a moment. “Well…like I said, I do care.”
He brightened up at the sound of that. “Good! He needs a mother. You’ll watch him Monday through Friday, while I get back to school, and then you’ll watch him for the weekends so’s I can catch up on some work. Plus, after school too, so I can do stable duty.”
I blinked. “What a speech. Do you mean it?”
“‘Course.”
I hesitated. All I had to do was keep an eye on his brother. I could do that. “Alright then, if you really want to go to school.”
“Good. This school term will end soon enough, but for the time being, I have other things to do anyway.”
“But what about school now? Before it ends for the summer, you should go back at once. And when my father gets here I won’t be able to care for Charlie.” I paused. “Father will need us,” I said quietly, only wishing that were true. I really didn’t know. Was it? Was Father coming back? Was I wrong all along in thinking that he—that maybe he had abandoned us? It was sharp like a bee sting. Even thinking that thought plagued me.
Father can’t abandon us. Doesn’t he love us?
Artie had been staring at my unconscious self for a full moment now. I blinked back to life. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I drift off.”
“I know.”
I shifted my feet. “Well…once Felix and Claudia wake up, they’ll wonder where we are. I’d best be going. They want to see more of the town and—”
“Well, bring ‘em.”
“Bring them here?”
“Yes. Bring your siblings here. Forget about town. This field can be our kingdom and we’ll all be knights. We’ll forget about civilization and live here, forever.”
“Forever?”
“Well, don’t you want to?”
It did sound rather pleasant. I knew I wouldn’t really live in this meadow forever, but still I consented.
I nearly tripped, racing down that path, ecstatic for our adventures to come. I can’t believe I was afraid of Americans. Every one of them has been superb. Then again, I’ve only met but two. Two boys who so quickly made me take a liking to them. Charlie especially captured my heart with his so innocent one. I loved the way he loved the stars. How he delighted over simple pleasures.
It was a miracle that I was in one piece when I arrived with Felix and Claudia. They wore puzzled expressions of bewilderment and anxiousness and anticipation.
But when I walked up to Charlie, my eyes widened with surprise at what he was doing.
“You’re torturing that poor caterpillar,” I bent down on my knees while he sawed it into four pieces with a sharp rock. “This one needs it,” he muttered, his fingers working carefully.
“You’ll regret killing that bug, Charlie,” Artie hollered.
Charlie looked determined and said plainly, “no I won’t,” as he continued to saw up the caterpillar, whose guts were astray all over the grass.
“Well—” Felix breathed as his keen eyes surveyed the wide land. “I suppose this’ll be a fine home for us to live.”
The day drifted by, and I was satisfied by everything that had gone on. Felix gave us plenty of jokes to keep us entertained.
“Why do kittens not tell a lot of stories?” Felix announced.
“Felix,” Henry warned him with his eyes.
“Because they only have one tail!”
Hours floated by lazily. Felix and Claudia immediately took a liking to Charlie and he did to them. Artie was more mine and Henry’s age, and so together we explored, while the younger ones played.
Suddenly, Artie, who had been leading us, stopped. He crossed his arms behind his back. “Since you have so goodly offered to take care of my kin, I must inform you on a few important things.”
Henry froze. He looked at me and through gritted teeth, said, “What did he mean by that, Ingrid?”
“Well…” I swallowed. “Arther here has confided in me his longing for education and…other things, I suppose, so I told him I would watch over Charlie.”
Henry groaned. “Charlie can watch himself, can’t he? He’s not our brother.”
Artie’s hands unfolded and they tightened into fists. He glared coldly at Henry. “If you have anything more to say, then say it now. Otherwise keep your pig snout shut.”
I saw a flash of rage pass over Henry’s face.
Henry looked a little taken aback. “I meant no offense.”
Artie glared at him warningly.
Henry scoffed. “I apologize.”
I sighed with relief.
“…but I figured your brother was more than able to care for himself. He’s fourteen, isn’t he? He’s not our burden to bear.”
I looked away because I knew what would happen next. In half a second Artie had stepped closer to Henry and in an another second, they were both sprawled on the muddy ground, nearly killing each other.
“Stop it!” I shouted. I fell into the midst of them directly and tried to pull them apart from each other. In the end, I had more mud and dirt than you could imagine all over me. “Stop it!” My voice pierced them from their brawl in the mud. Both their shouting voices dropped and they looked up at me who stood over them, furious. “All of this came out of a simple misunderstanding?” I cried. “Get up, both of you, you’re acting like headless chickens.”
Henry scrambled to his feet and wouldn’t look at Artie.
“How could you do that, Artie?” I scolded. “Henry didn’t mean anything by it.”
“He was insulting him.”
“Insulting?” Henry spat. “How should I have known about your brother, who’s clearly delayed a half decade or two?”
I had to hold Artie back with all of my force. “You’re a stupid city pig!” Artie fired with all the strength in his voice. “Retarded chicken!”
“You’re retarded!” Henry shot back.
Artie escaped my grasp and down they were. “You’re all retarded, just what I should’ve expected—” a clump of dirt was shoved in his mouth.
I was simply so angry I couldn’t think.
I plunged my fingers around my brother’s arm and yanked him away. Later, I had discovered a reddish purplish bruise on the left side of my face. I didn’t know who did it. It must have been an accident. Right now, I didn’t even notice the pain beyond my own fuming. “That’s enough!” I demanded. “You shouldn’t have said those things about Charlie,” I spoke harshly, looking at Henry. “But you’ve been no better since we’ve arrived,” I turned to Artie. “All you’ve done is treated him poorly and have added spiteful comments behind his back.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“Well, prove me wrong and be a little kinder, Arther.”
He stepped forward and for a minute I thought he was going to push me back into the mud. “I’m not Arther to you. And if hiding Charlie away will rid me of that feathered peacock of yours then I will. You won’t see me or Charlie ever again. Because I won’t tolerate big mouthed city slickers like this one.”
“Well, I won’t let you lay a finger on him!” I cut him off sharply. He backed up from me. “Stop pretending to avenge your brother when really, you talk ill of him whenever he’s not around.”
“What I do doesn’t concern you.”
“It has ever since I agreed to watch him,” I cried. “If I am going to take your brother into my care while you are otherwise engaged, then it is my concern, starting now.”
He didn’t look angry anymore. Simply lost and hurt.
He said nothing, just walked away.
“Don’t leave too, Henry,” I begged.
Henry stayed by my side. “I didn’t mean it, Ingrid. I like Charlie well enough. I just—”
“I understand,” I said, consolingly. “I don’t know everything about him either. But I like him for who he is. He doesn’t have to be like everyone else. I don’t mind.” I felt a guilting tug at my mind like I was betraying Charlie, so I didn’t say anything further.
“I’ve heard stories about that,” Henry said slowly. “Rich people cast them out, send them to institutions.” He shuddered visibly. “I would never wish for any of that to happen. Never. Don’t ever say anything. Not to Felix, not to Claudia. And not to Charlie.”
I winced. “Of course. But that’ll never happen. I couldn’t bear it.” I shook my head. “People can be so cruel.”
Henry touched his cheek. Then he looked at mine and caressed it lightly. “You got hurt.”
“It doesn’t sting much.”
“But it’s a consequence of you trying to break us up. A bunch of fools rolling around in the mud like pigs.”
“Everyone gets angry, Henry.”
“But I’m always angry. And don’t deny it, Ingrid. There’s something wrong with me. Ever since Mother died.”
I said nothing more. We went back to the field and found the others.
Henry knew better than to banter Charlie again, after that.
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