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They lived in a very small mobile home, almost torn apart by wear and tear. A few spots on the rug were stained with mud and ripped. The rug was so worn out from feet stomping around on it that it lost its softness. The chairs were nearly torn up. Little Laura had always wanted a couch for Christmas. Can you imagine that? A small seven-year-old girl wants a couch for Christmas, so that she can lay down on something plush while she watches TV from the 12” snowy screen, instead of lying on the hard, cold floor. For dinner, the family would gather around a very small table to feast on McDonnald’s hamburgers and fries, and on special nights, it would include an order of apple pies for the kids. The girls didn’t have a luxurious bed in which to sleep on. Luxury wouldn’t be a bedspread made of silk and linen, with a hard oak frame, to them. Luxury would be what a lot of children take for granted. What a lot of children wouldn’t think is good enough for them. An “average” bed of cotton sheets, and any type of frame. Only such would be reachable within a thought or dream only. That is what allowed them to cope; their imagination. When all they could do was sleep on the floor with but a few blankets to share, they told themselves to imagine that they were in a warm castle room, with candles as nightlights, and magic clouds as their beds. When they couldn’t have toys, they used what they found in the streets to make their own. These children had a sense of value that many didn’t. When children groaned and moaned about having to go to school, these children yearned to have the chance to be there. When all anyone cared about were following the trends of other people, all they cared about was what kept them warm, fed, and loved. People would look upon a life like this and shutter to think of being in that position themselves. But it wasn’t as bad as a lot of people thought. The children had friends, they had a mother who loved them, and they had their faith. That, to them, was as rich as any person can be. It is not a total sob story. It wasn’t so bad. These are the things Laura Mayderen reflected on, as she stood at the top of the Space Needle, looking down at the city yonder. The last place she and her family lived was in a homeless shelter in the downtown area. It was meant to be a more promising place to live than the dirty mobile home. It is also where her mother made the toughest and most selfless choice she could for her daughters. It is where she gave them to the hands of richer people who could give them better care than she could. The E.E.C.(Eagle Eye Corporation) took her in to train her as an agent, yet her little sister’s destination was unknown. Laura yearned to find what little she had left of her past, but now that she was finally there, she found it very difficult to continue. She was nervous and scared, expecting to find something she wished she hadn’t, or not finding anything and being completely clueless about where to look from there. Taking in a deep breath, and exhaling just as slowly, she climbed on board her small, red hover bike, and drove it from the famous land mark, and down to a safe landing in an empty road below. Following the directions calculated, she drove through the avenues and streets until she found the Union Avenue Homeless Shelter, under a shadowy overpass. It was a very unsettling part of town, as many homeless and low-class people walked the streets. Laura didn’t feel an ounce of intimidation, however. After dueling with a 2 ton metallic bot at the gates of Buckingham Palace, everything else seems to be fairly harmless. Ignoring the unwelcome remarks and gestures from perverted passerby in the streets, whistling and hollering for her attention, Laura crossed the rugged concrete road to the shelter. Upon entry, Laura almost threw up right where she stood. The smell of body odor and filth overwhelmed her. She held her hand to her mouth, trying to avoid it. It didn’t faze the people inside, being used it of course. There was a distinct familiarity in that smell that reminded her of the mobile home. It wasn’t a pleasing memory at all, one which she wished she would never have to smell again. The odor of rotten garbage and waste mixed together. She stuck out of the crowd like a sore thumb, having a clean-cut complexion that the rest lacked to have. Everyone stared at her as she walked by, which gave her some discomfort. She kept an eye out for not only her mother, but for anyone who would pop and try to tackle her for her possessions. Before she gave up looking, she saw something in the corner. It was an animal of some sort, wrapped in a dusty blanket, barely moving. She approached it slowly, holding her breath and preparing herself for anything. With a small hand, she reached down and touched the creature on the right shoulder. When she was closer, she noticed it was a female of the mouse species. The mouse moved slightly, beginning to roll onto her back to face Laura. When Laura saw her face, she knew then it was her. Past the scars and tangled fur around her face, she could still tell that it was her. “Who is it? And what do you want?” She asked in a delicate voice. Laura couldn’t reply right away, crying to the sight of her mother’s condition. Unable to find words yet, she embraced her, crying over her shoulder. “My goodness…. Who—“ Odette, Laura’s mother, was confused at first, until she recognized the scent in her fur. “It’s me mother,” She cried, “It’s me… Laura.. It’s me. I’m back.” Odette also started to cry, “my baby…. My baby has come back to me. Oh Laura! My baby!” After pulling out of the embrace, Laura looked down at Odette to look into her eyes. They were so distant and ice blue that she could tell her mother had gone blind. “Mamma… what happened to you? What happened to your eyes?” “I don’t know, dear. It just happened,” She smiled, “I wish I could see how grown up you are. But I can tell you must be a very beautiful lady from the sound of your voice.” “Mother. We’re going to be a family again. I’m going to get you out of this dump and take you to where you can live a wonderful life, and perhaps even see again. And as soon as I take you home, I’ll find Lora and take her there too. Please forgive me for not coming to find you sooner, mother. You see, I never remembered anything from my past up until now. The agency did some crazy stuff to my memory.” “I figured they would.” Laura hugged her mother again, “I’m so glad I wasn’t too late in finding you.” A long awkward silence bothered Laura, “I’m afraid……….. you did.” Odette hesitantly replied. “What,” Laura pulled out again to look into her eyes, “What do you mean I am? What??” Laura asked frantically. “It was so wonderful to have the chance to be with you again before I had to pass on.” “No mother, no… don’t say things like that. I’m not going to let you die! No… I’m going to take you to the hospital where they can-“ “No Laura…. No… I won’t make it…..” “Mom…. No…..” “Just…. Help me…. Out………… help me outside, so that I may feel and breathe the fresh air before I go.” Laura carried her mother in her arms. She didn’t weigh much, being highly emaciated. In the streets, leaning up against the building wall, Laura held Odette, whom was slipping away fast. “Laura. It is too late for me, but it shouldn’t be too late to find your sister, Lora.” “Where is she, Mom?” “Someone came to me one night, offering to adopt Lora. He was a very wealthy fellow, dressed in fine clothing. He told me he would take very good care of her and raise her up properly. So I gave her to him.” “Do you know who it was?” “No I do not. But I trusted him. The shelter researched his background and found him to be trustworthy, no criminal history whatsoever.” “Could you at least let me know what he looked like?” “Oh my dear…..” “Mom?” “Laura……” “MOM!!” Odette had passed on, lying limp in Laura’s arms. For an hour, Laura sat in the street, mourning over her mother’s death. It seemed no one around her cared, not coming to her side to comfort her or offer to help. She wished that Dan was there with her, and things would be alright. Laura would’ve continued her search for her missing family, but she had a promise to keep to her mother. ~~ Although not the way that she had hoped, Laura did bring her mother to England. She was given a wonderful funeral service by the E.A.S.. It was on a very stormy day, with rain pouring down heavily, as if the sky too was crying for her loss. Dannon was able to hold the grieving mouse this time. He wrapped his trench coat around her. And held his black umbrella over her head. Over time, the numbers dropped to just her, Dan, and Ernest. She slowly pulled out of Dannon’s trench coat. “May I have some alone time with mother?” Laura asked softly. Her voice was strained from the immense crying. “Sure. We’ll be over at the car when you’re ready.” Dan kissed her on the forehead and walked down the slushy hill. Laura stood over her mother’s grave, giving a moment of long silence to think about her. Just then, a memory had been triggered. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. “Wait. What will happen to my mother?” “Don’t worry. We’ll take very good care of your mom. We’ll make sure she has a good home in the city, get proper meals and medical attention.” “You promise?” “Yes. We promise. Now come along, miss.” “Those lying……….” Laura fell to her knees and punched the mud. Dannon saw this and ran to her immediately. “Laura… what in the world-“ “They lied to me!!! Those wretches lied to me, Dannon!!” “What??” “They said they’d take care of my mother! That they would make sure she had a good home and everything! They lied! They lied! They lied! They not only took my memory away, they let my mother waste away!!” Laura screamed. Exhausted by her screaming and punching, Laura stopped when Dan held her in his arms. He calmed her down more when he cradled her from side to side. He soon picked her up and carried her to the Mark III. “Come on, Laura. Let’s go home.” Dan spoke in a sad tone, feeling her grief. Laura’s search hasn’t ended quite yet. Her sister is still out there somewhere, and it is uncertain of whether she is in great trouble, or in good hands. The only way she’ll know, is when she finds Lora. Laura is also very angry at the E.E.C, and it could mean a lot of trouble for that agency. As for Danger Mouse’s search, that’s for the next story to be written. The End. |
