protested.
There was that term again. She didn’t trust it, so she didn’t address it. “There are some good things about the real world. Unfortunately the process of growing up strips children of their innocence, until they become as bad as the rest. You’re better off not understanding.”
Mich looked at her with an almost hurt expression. “No, I wouldn’t understand. There’s no reason for stealing someone’s life from them and there is no reason I would understand why a mother would abandon a helpless child. I don’t mean to offend you, but I don’t much like your world.”
“Me either,” Nola mumbled.
Mich heard her. “You were raised here. Did you ever witness anything like that yourself?”
“No, thank God.”
“I don’t see why you seem so sad all the time. Is it all this destruction? That would make me sad. Maybe if you never turned on the magic mirror, so as not to be assaulted by its horrors, you would be happier.”
“I wish it were that easy.” Nola had tried her best not to think of John, or of her family, while on her vacation, but Mich kept dredging up memories. Perhaps if she told him it would make her feel better. No. It was best to keep her hard-learned lesson in the forefront of her mind. Mich seemed too good to be true, therefore must be false. To trust him would be to invite disaster.
Instead, she forced a smile. “Let’s go eat.”
They sat in the restaurant and talked. When the food was served, Mich seemed a little reluctant to eat it. Nola found it difficult not to fall for his tricks. He acted as if he had never eaten in his life, and did it well. He liked the chicken, but not the green beans. He had a slab of cheesecake for dessert and ate every crumb. “This is a fine establishment,” he remarked. “But how is it that we are permitted to enjoy it without being introduced to the lord of the house?”
She kept a straight face. “He’s busy elsewhere right now, having many important matters to attend to. He told me it was all right to eat here during his absence, provided I behave discreetly.”
Mich nodded, satisfied. She had spoken his language.
When they finished the meal, Mich questioned her about everything. Even why she handed the server a piece of green paper. She had a hard time trying to describe how money was transferred for services and products. She explained that each piece of paper was backed up by a promise of gold. He asked why gold wasn’t used insteadof paper. The best answer she could come up with was that gold was heavy and people preferred to carry the lighter bills. After all, even she didn’t know everything.
Back in the room, they watched more TV. Mich started spinning stories of his childhood. He explained that he was only eighteen when he was born. Nola found that funny, but also found it to be a strange coincidence. Considering that she didn’t begin dreaming of Mich until she was sixteen. She dreamed of Mich as being eighteen.
They fell asleep. Nola never thought to mention the magic spell that was supposed to enable them to visit Kafka. She had mixed feelings when he did not even try to make a move on her. He was peculiarly diffident, being both friendly and respectful. She didn’t understand it, but found she liked it. Respect had never been large in her life.
Then, the next morning, Mich explained how the act of sleeping caused him a little discomfort. He insisted that he did not dream.
Nola loved dreams and knew a lot about them. It was a fact that all people experienced REM sleep, rapid eye movement, with the eyes closed. During REM, a person dreamed, whether or not she wanted to. Everyone dreamed. Maybe Mich just hadn’t experienced REM. Perhaps he was just nervous. He would sleep tomorrow.
She had planned to go home today, but Mich’s presence changed her plans. She also couldn’t leave Spirit. So she did what she had to do, and used the borrowed credit card to extend her stay. How she would ever make good on the debt
There was that term again. She didn’t trust it, so she didn’t address it. “There are some good things about the real world. Unfortunately the process of growing up strips children of their innocence, until they become as bad as the rest. You’re better off not understanding.”
Mich looked at her with an almost hurt expression. “No, I wouldn’t understand. There’s no reason for stealing someone’s life from them and there is no reason I would understand why a mother would abandon a helpless child. I don’t mean to offend you, but I don’t much like your world.”
“Me either,” Nola mumbled.
Mich heard her. “You were raised here. Did you ever witness anything like that yourself?”
“No, thank God.”
“I don’t see why you seem so sad all the time. Is it all this destruction? That would make me sad. Maybe if you never turned on the magic mirror, so as not to be assaulted by its horrors, you would be happier.”
“I wish it were that easy.” Nola had tried her best not to think of John, or of her family, while on her vacation, but Mich kept dredging up memories. Perhaps if she told him it would make her feel better. No. It was best to keep her hard-learned lesson in the forefront of her mind. Mich seemed too good to be true, therefore must be false. To trust him would be to invite disaster.
Instead, she forced a smile. “Let’s go eat.”
They sat in the restaurant and talked. When the food was served, Mich seemed a little reluctant to eat it. Nola found it difficult not to fall for his tricks. He acted as if he had never eaten in his life, and did it well. He liked the chicken, but not the green beans. He had a slab of cheesecake for dessert and ate every crumb. “This is a fine establishment,” he remarked. “But how is it that we are permitted to enjoy it without being introduced to the lord of the house?”
She kept a straight face. “He’s busy elsewhere right now, having many important matters to attend to. He told me it was all right to eat here during his absence, provided I behave discreetly.”
Mich nodded, satisfied. She had spoken his language.
When they finished the meal, Mich questioned her about everything. Even why she handed the server a piece of green paper. She had a hard time trying to describe how money was transferred for services and products. She explained that each piece of paper was backed up by a promise of gold. He asked why gold wasn’t used insteadof paper. The best answer she could come up with was that gold was heavy and people preferred to carry the lighter bills. After all, even she didn’t know everything.
Back in the room, they watched more TV. Mich started spinning stories of his childhood. He explained that he was only eighteen when he was born. Nola found that funny, but also found it to be a strange coincidence. Considering that she didn’t begin dreaming of Mich until she was sixteen. She dreamed of Mich as being eighteen.
They fell asleep. Nola never thought to mention the magic spell that was supposed to enable them to visit Kafka. She had mixed feelings when he did not even try to make a move on her. He was peculiarly diffident, being both friendly and respectful. She didn’t understand it, but found she liked it. Respect had never been large in her life.
Then, the next morning, Mich explained how the act of sleeping caused him a little discomfort. He insisted that he did not dream.
Nola loved dreams and knew a lot about them. It was a fact that all people experienced REM sleep, rapid eye movement, with the eyes closed. During REM, a person dreamed, whether or not she wanted to. Everyone dreamed. Maybe Mich just hadn’t experienced REM. Perhaps he was just nervous. He would sleep tomorrow.
She had planned to go home today, but Mich’s presence changed her plans. She also couldn’t leave Spirit. So she did what she had to do, and used the borrowed credit card to extend her stay. How she would ever make good on the debt
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