READING SOME OLD PAGES

SAYING THIS AELLA TOOK A FINAL LOOK AT THE GREEN LEAVES OF A TREE AND NODDED AS IF SHE WAS MARKING RIGHT THAT THE GREEN COLOR WAS TOTALLY OK FOR THE LEAVES. THEN SHE MOVED INSIDE LEAVING SOL OUTSIDE.

SOL WAS STILL PROCESSING WHAT SHE HEARD FROM AELLA.

“MOTHER..?” SHE SAID TO HERSELF TO GIVE IT A MEANING AND TO PROCESS THE WHOLE THING. AFTER WHAT HAD HAPPENED THAT DAY SHE HAVE NEVER THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE WILL CALL OR CONSIDER HER AS A MOTHER EVER AGAIN IN HER LIFE. SHE WAS IN A BLISSFUL CONDITION BUT MORE LIKE IN PAIN. SHE SAT THERE OUT IN THE COLD FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE COMING BACK TO HER WORK INSIDE.

AELLA ENTERED HER ROOM FINDING AX SITTING ON THE EDGE OF HER BED WAITING FOR HER.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE...?” AELLA SAID LOOKING AT HIM AND CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND.

“I WAS WAITING FOR YOU.” HE ANSWERED SMILING AT HER.

“OH. WHY...? ANYTHING HAPPENED...?”

“NAH...NO.I JUST WANTED TO BE WITH YOU.” HE SAID CLEARING HIS THROAT.

AELLA NODDED AND OPEN HER CLOSET AND TOOK OUT A COTTON PAJAMA WITH A WHITE PLAIN SHIRT. SHE THREW THEM ON BED AND CLOSED THE DOOR OF CLOSET. THE SHE MOVED NEXT TO THE MIRROR AND LOOKED AT HER REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR AS IF SHE WAS EXAMINING HERSELF. THEN SHE TOOK OFF HER TOP AND TAKE A LONG LOOK AT HER BODY. AX WAS STILL SITTING IN HER ROOM LOOKING AT HER FACE THROUGHT THE MIRROR. AS SHE TURNED HER HAND TOWARD HER INNER CLOTH BUTTON AX STOOD UP AND MOVED TOWARD THE DOOR.

“HAND ME THE SHIRT.” AELLA SAID MAKING HIM STOP AND TAKING OFF HER INNER CLOTHES. AX TOOK HER SHIRT AND HANDED IT TO HER WITHOUT TAKING A LOOK AT HER. THEN SHE CHANGED HER PAJAMA AND THREW THE CLOTHES IN THE BASKET WHILE AX WAS STANDING AT THE DOOR SHUTTING HIS EYES CLOSED WITH HIS BACK TOWARD AELLA. AFTER GETTING DONE WITH THE CHAGE OF THE OUTFIT SHE CALLED HIM TO THE BED. AX TURNED AND SAW HER WITH HER OPEN HAIRS WHICH SHE WAS NOW BINDING IN A PONY TAIL.

“WHY DON’T YOU LEAVE THEM OPEN...?” HE ASKED HER.

SHE LOOKED AT HIM AND NODDED LETTING HER BLACK BROWN HAIRS OPEN AND PUTTING THE HAIR TIE ON THE SIDE TABLE. THEN SHE AGAIN LOOKED AT AX AND NODDED AT HIM AS IF SHE WAS TELLING HIM THAT OKAY I WILL NOT TIE THEM NOW. THEN SHE LOOKED AT HER BOOKSHELF AND WENT THROUGH THE COLLECTION OF HER BOOKS LOOKING FOR A SPECIFIC ONE. AX FOLLOWED HER GAZE AND MOVED NEAR TO THE SHELF WAITING FOR HER TO FIND THE CORRECT ONE. HER EYES STOPPED AT A BOOK FROM 1920’S. AX WITHOUT LETTING HER SAY A WORD TOOK THE BOOK AND WENT TO BED TO HER...HANDING THE BOOK TO HER AND SETTING IN THE BED COVERS ON, NEXT TO HER. SHE LOOKED AT THE BOOK COVER FOR A MINUTE AS IF IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT PART TO LOOK AT THE COVER AND SENSE WHAT THE WRITER...NO...THE ARTIST WANTS TO SAY. SHE BELIEVES THAT THE COVER OF A BOOK SAYS A VARIOUS THINGS ABOUT THE BOOK...THEN SHE NODDED TO HERSELF.

“I WANT TO READ THIS.” AX SAID LOOKING AT AELLA WHO LOOKEDAT HIM AND STARTED TO FIND THE PAGE WHERE THEY LAST WERE READING.

SHE WAS STILL FLIPPING THROUGH THE PAGES TO FIND WHEN AX LOOKED AT HER EYES. HE SMILED SLIGHTLY AND ADJUSTED HIS PILLOW IN A COMFORTABLE POSITION READY TO HEAR FROM HER.

“I GUESS WE WERE ABOUT TO START PART FIVE.” AX SAID SMILING AT HER. SHE LOOKED AT HER AND NODDED IN A YES WITH A PRETTY BUT SMALL SMILE ON HER FACE. IT WAS WARM AND FRESH. THEN SHE FLIPPED TO THE TOLD PAGE WAS READY TO START THE READING.

THEN SHE HELD HER HAND OUT IN A POSITING SO THAT BOTH OF THEM COULD SEE THE BOOK AND ITS CONTENT AND MOVED CLOSER TO AX...IN ORDER NOT TO GET AWAY FROM HIM...TO CLOSE EVERY POSSIBILITY OF LOSING HIM. SHE PUT ONE OF HER HAND AROUND HIM AND FINALLY BACK OF HIS HEAD AND PUTTING IT HALF IN HIS HAIRS.

THEN SHE STARTED.

PART FIVE.

SHE LOOKED AT AX WHO WAS VERY COMFORTABLE.

"The Bird Fights Its Way Out of the Egg"

My painted dream bird was on its way searching for my friend. In what seemed the strangest possible manner a reply reached me. In my classroom, on my desk, after a break between two lessons I found a note tucked in my book. It was folded exactly the same as notes classmates of mine secretly slipped each other during class. I was only surprised to receive such a note at all, for I had never had that sort of relationship with any student. I thought it would turn out to be an invitation to some prank in which I would not participate anyway--I put the note unread in the front of my book. I came on it again only during the lesson. Playing with the note I unfolded it carelessly and noticed a few words written on it. One glance was sufficient. One word stopped me cold; in panic I read on while cold fear contracted my heart: "The bird rights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The bird flies to God. That God's name is Abraxas."

THE SHE AGAIN LOOKED AT AX WHO WAS NODDING AT EVERYWORD PAYING HIS FULL ATTENTION TO WHAT SHE WAS SAYING AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN. THEN SHE CONTINUIED UNTILL AX ASKED HER TO STOP WHERE DEMIAN AND KNAUER WERE ABOUT TO START THEIR FIRST CONVERSATION. AELLA STOPPED AND LOOKED AT THE PAGE NUMBER.

“IT’S 124, PART SIX.” SHE TOLD AX WHO WAS NOW COMPLEATELYUNDER THE COVERS SLIDING DOWN TOWARD AELLA WITH HIS HEAD ON HER SHOULDER AND HER HAND AROUND HIM LIKE SHE WAS HOLDING AND SUPPORTING A SMALL CHILD. AND IT WAS TRUE THAT HE WAS A SMALL KID FOR HER. HIS AGE WAS NOT A FACTOR FOR HER. HE LOOKED AT HER SMILED WHILE SHE SMILED BACK PUTTING THE BACK ON THE SIDE TABLE NEXT TO HER HAIR TIE. THEN SHE MOVED BACK TO AX AND SENSED THAT HE WAS HAVING SOME UNCERTAINITY ABOUT WHAT SHE HAVE TOLD HIM.

“SO...NOW TELL ME WHAT IT IS...?”

AX SMILED AND WAS READY TO SHOOT HIS QUESRTIONS AT HER.