Dulce Lacrimae

Aniela walked through the estate in her village. Pebbles were strewn all over the road, and toys were thrown around the place. And that's why Aniela is there at 3 in the morning. Her mission is to get a bike. The town with Tesco in it is not too far away, but she knew it would take her a day to get there on foot. That is why she needed to "borrow" someone's bike. She will just keep it for a day, and then give it back. They probably won’t even remember where they put it, and it'll be a pleasant surprise when they find it the next day. She felt a bit guilty of doing this, she knew Federov would scowl at this, but he won't hear of it. It's her dirty little secret. Nothing is going to stand between her and her plan. She's got the money; all she needs is a ride. It's a shame that the only trains around are five towns away just going to Castlebar and Galway City. She looked at the grass in the middle. Nothing there, expect for a bunch of pebbles which the lawnmower will eat up. She looked over at the rows of houses. Her mother told her about when she was a kid and how she grew up in an estate like this.In the middle of them, were hallways for cars which led to parking and back gardens in the back. The strange things about these hallways, is that there's a house on top of it, a flat. And people actually live there. Imagine living knowing that cars go under your house. Thank God earthquakes don't happen in Ireland, because I bet that's the first buildings that would fall.Aniela went to one of those hallways. And there, was a bike. A green and black bike. It's a bit small, but Aniela didn't mind it because she wasn't a tall person. She's like a wee stick, probably because she wasn't eating well.Though the height could be because of her mother's genes. But Aniela hoped she still will grow. She got on the bike like it was her own and rode away.

The next day, it was show time. Her mother loved cycling, she would tell her about how when she grows up a bit more, they would together go on bike rides. She was going to get a bike on her eleventh birthday.It was twelve in the morning on a Saturday, Aniela grabbed her mother's green denim coat, put her money in her inside pocket and then the house key. She left her room and stood in the tiny white hallway. She went through it, passing the bathroom on her left and her parent's room on her right. Down the L shaped hallway she went, she went to the angle where was the door to the kitchen. She walked in. On her left was the door to the living room.She always wondered why the door was there, not to the hallway. She went in. They had a couch and a bean bag in the living room, and across a TV on top of an unused fireplac. There, on the couch sat her dad."I'm going out."Her dad just grunted.She went outside to where she left the bike, at her little cemetery. She ran out of space to fit more, she still is trying to find a new good spot. Then grabbed the bike and threw it over the wall. Or she tried to throw it, but it kind off slid down the wall. She climbed over and got on the bike. It's time to shine. You might wonder how she got to the town. It's quite simple, there are signs everywhere. In English and Irish, anyone will get anywhere. And that's how Aniela stumbled to the town. It's basically just a big Irish village. More people stayed there, therefore it's bigger, simple.

Aniela put "her" bike at the spot for bikes. It took her two hours, but she is here. She went to the side entrance of Tesco. There she was met with an irritating alarm that is meant to go off when you steal, but I bet it goes off for everything but that. It's the middle of October so naturally everything was Halloween themed. She went to the phone section. There she found phones of varying sizes, all displayed on a neat white box. But she walked past those phones, she went to the phones hanged on the wall. There she found the love of her life, the Nokia 110 4G. €30, with only a €15 monthly top up. Perfect. She grabbed the phone and went to the guy standing board at the white box. You could top up online, but she doubted she could do that on the Nokia. She probably just save up for a bike now, but for the next few months she'll be "burrowing" them.She still had €15 left, she decided to buy something for herself. She went to the Halloween section curiously. She looked at the different sweets, plastic buckets, costumes, ouija boards... Ouija boards? She looked at it again. A shiver went down her spine when she thought back to how the ghost spoke in Morse code. Or, it was just something else. Maybe they could check with her ouija board. She nodded to herself, Nadeja might know how to use it. She grabbed the Ouija board and went to the self checkout.

Aniela, Nadia and dejected John sat on the floor of the shack. John took his annoyance out on a family of wood lice while Nadia talked to Aniela."Oh my god, Im so happy you finally got a new phone. Finally we can hang out whenever we want! Just text me, and I'm there! But seriously, if you ever need me, just text me!"Aniela nodded. "I know, you already told me that twice.""I'm sorry, I just am so happy! Now I don't need to drag him out." She scowled at John. "He doesn't even appreciate when I come over. I hope he realises on what he missed out on." She looked down at the floor and saw the ouija board. "Oh! Right we are here to try this baby out! John, stop your genocide and get your arse here.""Have you tried an ouija board before?" Aniela asked."Well, no but l've seen videos of people doing it. It's simple enough like." John finally sat down with them."I think it's bullshit. Like your hex and witchcraft."Nadia held her chest hurt. "Ok, you are just a hater then. But it's not like you have a better idea, do you?"Silence meant victory."Great! Let's prepare the séance."Nadia dragged her tote bag to herself, and started to take out things like sage, incense and candles."This isn't a spa day." John grumbled."We need to get rid of the negativity, and if you continue to piss me off I'll kick you out. We don't need distractions, and you are very much one." She took out her lighter and lit the sage. She gave it to Aniela."Hold it for me." Aniela nodded. Then the black haired girl placed two red candles with the ouija board. "I've heard black candles are the best but l only have red ones." Everyone just shrugged. She then lit the incense and put it to the side. She took the sage from Aniela and stuffed it into her bottle of water to distinguish it."Now we are ready!"John coughed "I feel like I'm in a church.""You'll be fine. If you want, you can write the questions and answers while me and Aniela do the séance, just don't scribble." Nadia ordered.John just grunted and took the paper and pen from her. Nadia told Aniela she had to sit in front of her and how she should hold the planchette with her. Then it started."Hello spirits, we wish to speak with you." Nadia announced.Silence."Is there anyone here with us?"The world stayed still, everyone even John held their breath."Is there anyone here with us?"Suddenly Aniela felt her hand being moved across the board, towards yes."Why hello then. Can you hear us well?"Aniela could feel goosebumps on her arms, while nothing yet happened she felt very nervous."Can you hear us well?"Their hands slowly moved to yes."That's great! Did you die here or near the shack?"Aniela's arm started to cramp, she was in an extremely uncomfortable position, but she didn't dare move."Did you die here or near the shack?"Their hands moved back to yes."Do you still have your memories?" Aniela could feel John shiver beside her, but she was mesmerised. Her book said that spirits didn't roam the earth, that's why she didn't believe in ghosts. But it did tell her that you can open the gates of limbo, a spirit waiting room of such, to talk to them and take them back to life. Did they just open the gateway?"Do you still have your memories?"To their surprise, their hand moved away from yes to start forming a word.Their hands went from a to l and so on, to spell 'a little'."That's nice to hear, do you mind if we ask you about those memories?" Aniela could hear the scribble of Johns pen, she looked up to Nadia. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her mouth was slightly agape. Aniela looked down at the board."Do you mind if we ask you about your memories?"Finally, their hands slid to yes."Did you die naturally?"Aniela got a bit worried that they'll scare off the spirit, personally if someone called her and suddenly asked how she died, she wouldn't be too delighted."Did you die naturally?"Five minutes pass."Did you die naturally?"Their hands slid to no.Nadeja let out an excited gasp but quickly calmed herself."Were you murdered?"To their surprise, their hands immediately slid back to no."How did you die then?"Their hands moved across the board to various letters, spelling out five letters. Drugs."Why did you take drugs?"That might have been the last straw because they have not heard anything else from the spirit."Seriously?" John muttered.Nadia took her hands away and distinguished the candles. "What else was I meant to say? At least we know a bit more than we did. And what happened to not believing in this bullshit?"John just rolled his eyes and got up."I'm going home." And he walked out.Nadia gathered her things and so did Aniela. "Idiot. But you believe we actually spoke to someone, right?" Aniela nodded."You ok? You look very pale.""Yeah I'm fine."Nadia didn't look sure but she dropped it. They exited out of the shack. "Also, I'm going to join this art club which will go on every Saturday, and it's for €2 to enter if you bring your own things. It's more like they will just give us a room and we'll meet other people. Want to do it with me?" Nadia looked at her pleading.Aniela sighed. "I don't know, will there be a lot of people?""No, course not. It's probably going to be like five people. Please Aniela, my bestie. Please!"The fourteen year old sighed. "Fine." Her mother would've encouraged this idea, right? To make more friends. But that means talking to people. "Yay!" Nadia hugged her. "I'll text you the rest of the info!"