Ch.7 Big Bear Egg (3)

Alice raised an eyebrow. “None?”

“Nope!” Theo replied, shrugged.

Alice folded her arms, annoyed. “You are really suck for a proud liar. It’s alright, I like that”, she commented. She flicked he fingers, “Humpty Dumpty”.

The big oval-shaped thing that she used as a leg coaster, suddenly rolled and stood up. Theo shrieked as the oval thing moved towards his leg.

The thing looked like a boiled egg with a pair of hands, legs and nice clothes. Its’ outfit is just like Reginald’s, they were all in red and gold color. It wore an impressive black hat, an expensive silk top hat. There were eyes, nose, and a mouth in the center of its’ body -or its’ face- since it was only one piece, with hands and legs sticking out of it. It looked cramped and strangely narrowing. The thing cleared its’ throat, tidy up its’ clothes, looked like it was ready to make a speech, then it started to read a poem.

“Staring.. dreamy.. straight outwardly:

Penetrating the horizon, approaching the cloud.

The head is inclines, about to walk away.

The feathers are shabby, cloggy.. dusty above the eyes.

Pensive under the rain, old shop roof flakes,

The color is faded.

The color is faded, swept by the long wait:

The warm brown fades, drove it to introduce mortality.

The color is faded; it is now light brown”

Alice alone clapped her hands noisily from her table while the other was busy on their own –the Blue Cat with the tools and Reginald with his pocket watch- still muttering about the shop’s closing time while polishing Alice’s shoes, and Theo astonished to see the enormous egg bowing proudly. Theo then realized that the big oval-shaped thing named Humpty Dumpty was the one who sang with Alice. The voice was beautiful, but very disturbing because of the wrong lyrics. Even the poem lyrics were very bad.

“How was it?” Alice said.

Theo blinked, taken aback. “I don’t understand. I don’t like poems. But what was it all about?”

Alice tilted her head and scolded, “Do you really not understand?”.  She squinted. “Really really don’t understand?”

“No. What is it?” asked Theo, annoyed yet curious.

Alice sighed. “You are really an annoying boy. What about your friend, the one in the hospital?”

Theo’s eyes widened in surprise. “The color is faded, it is now light brown… do you mean, Ludo? At least his hair is brown. Hei, how do you know about him?”

Alice rolled her eyes. “Oh please, I’ve known your name before you told me, I’ve known that you need my help to make your wish come true. I am the Demon. Why are you so annoying? Now, tell me about him. Why would he made you call us? You are attached to him so much, aren’t you?”

“He made me call you?” asked Theo in disbelief, holding his breath.

But, he really wasn’t surprised. He realized now, he knew, back then he really wished to save Ludo.

Theo gulped, “Do you mean.. you mean you can help Ludo?” he asked slowly.

Alice rubbed her chin, pretending to think. “It depends on the profit I can get from saving him. What happened to him?”

“He was ill” said Theo bitterly.

He closed his eyes. He can hear his voice trembling, holding back the tears. He felt the tears burning his eyelids from inside. His chess hurt, he’ll choose to bear George’s punch in his nose than to understand and admit that Ludo is in the brink of death.

Theo’s teeth chattered and he hissed, “He is seriously ill. Definitely not a dramatized cold, like I used to…” Theo stopped.

“Leukemia” Alice said.

Theo nodded. “He has been in the hospital for eight months now. Every day his body is getting more thinner. His face is pale, like holding back a stomach ache because of diarrhea, but much worse. He is losing his hair too, he …”

Theo shuddered. Fear suddenly spread all around his body, made him momentarily stop breathing. When finally he exhaled his breath, the sound of the air flow vibrated around him, as if it took part to bear the sadness which shook his little body. Ludo’s figure flashed behind his eyes. The tears rolled down his face, burning his skin like a candle melting flame. Theo sobbed loudly, whispered, “He is like a living dead”.

Alice sighed, watching Theo crying silently. She jumped down the table, with only one shoe on her leg, approaching Theo.

“Theo …” she said softly. She groped into her pocket, fishing out a bottle. She collected a drop of Theo’s tear, then shut the bottle tightly. Alice put back the bottle to her pocket again, then took out a white lacy handkerchief, wiping Theo’s tear.

“What are you going to do with my tear drop?”

“Oh”, Alice grinned. “Sorry about that. Tears are very strong ingredients, it’ll be a waste if it’s not taken. Well, because you’re sad now, let’s just say I took your tear drop as a payment for your first request”.

Alice stopped for a while, stared at Theo’s eyes intently. The girl smiled faintly. “You’re going to tell me your wish, aren’t you?”

Theo fell silent. Alice’s grey eyes seemed to expand on her head to the size of a boiled egg and seemed to explode. Her eyes looked terrible, but it’s so beautiful, like a puddle of rain.

But Theo wasn’t afraid because of her gaze. He was afraid because he knew he would soon bind his soul to the devil. He knew that he would do it for Ludo. Finally, Theo said trembling, “Then I ask you to cure Ludo”.

Alice scowled. “The payment is not enough to cure him”, Alice said. “The disease is too dangerous. Mere tears cannot meet the price of my services.”

Theo tilted his head. “Okay. In this case, what can I get from my tears?”

Alice looked down, patted the pocket of her dress where she kept the small bottle filled with Theo’s tears. She weighed it for a moment.

“How about”, she said slowly, “I tell you when he died?”

Theo’s eyes widened. “He will die soon?”

Alice shrugged. “Do you want to exchange that information with your tears?”

Theo’s shoulders sagged weakly. It sucks, luring him with tempting information but demands a very high price to get it.

“I don’t want to. I would have been horrified to think he would die, even though the time is still long.”

“Huh, alright. You stubborn brat,” Alice complained. She turned and glanced at the large clock on the wall. “Yeah, because it’s lunch time now, it seems like you can hold up your wish”

Theo frowned. “The clock is off”.

“I don’t need a human watch,” she said as she walked away. She smiled asymmetrically. “You humans, always think that you know more than us”.

The blue electric cat lifted one of Alice’s shoes that hasn’t been worn yet, then helped the girl slipped her little foot into her shoe. Theo grimaced. The cat, beside its’ blue color, it has the biggest eyes he has ever seen, its’ eyes are as big as a plate and looked empty. It pocketed the wrench on its’ waist, where it wears a belt filled with equipment.

“I am done with the sewing machine, Alice”, it said. When it spoke, its’ lips became smaller to the size of lizard eggs, then enlarges to the width of a car’s wheels.

Alice bent over the blue cat, watching to the old sewing machine that Theo had thrown at the window yesterday. The blue cat turned the sewing machine over, showing off its’ work to Alice.

Alice patted the cat’s head. “Wow, very nice, the sewing machine has been fixed now. Well, Theo,” Alice turned to Theo, grinning broadly, “because you damaged my merchandise, you have to pay the compensation”.

“What?” Theo blurted out, angry. “But I broke it because you framed me into this shop!”

“I don’t care. You broke my merchandise,” Alice said. She picked up the sewing machine that Theo threw yesterday and put it on the cupboard.

“This is a valuable item” Alice explained, pointing to the sewing machine that was now on the shelf. “I made a very magical hat using this sewing machine. The price is expensive, you know?”

Theo edged backwards. “I didn’t know that…”

Alice approached Theo with a big smile on her face, slightly tilting her head. “I will only ask you to accompany me to walk and have some lunch”.

“Okay”, he sighed. “Where do you want to eat?”

Alice grinned even greater.

Ch.7 Big Bear Egg 3Alice raised an eyebrow. None?Nope! Theo replied, shrugged.Alice folded her arms, annoyed. You are really suck for a proud liar. It's alright, I like that, she commented. She flicked he fingers, Humpty Dumpty.The big oval-shaped thing that she used as a leg coaster, suddenly rolled and stood up. Theo shrieked as the oval thing moved towards his leg.The thing looked like a boiled egg with a pair of hands, legs and nice clothes. Its' outfit is just like Reginald's, they were all in red and gold color. It wore an impressive black hat, an expensive silk top hat. There were eyes, nose, and a mouth in the center of its' body -or its' face- since it was only one piece, with hands and legs sticking out of it. It looked cramped and strangely narrowing. The thing cleared its' throat, tidy up its' clothes, looked like it was ready to make a speech, then it started to read a poem.Staring.. dreamy.. straight outwardly:Penetrating the horizon, approaching the cloud.The head is inclines, about to walk away.The feathers are shabby, cloggy.. dusty above the eyes.Pensive under the rain, old shop roof flakes,The color is faded.The color is faded, swept by the long wait:The warm brown fades, drove it to introduce mortality.The color is faded; it is now light brownAlice alone clapped her hands noisily from her table while the other was busy on their own the Blue Cat with the tools and Reginald with his pocket watch- still muttering about the shop's closing time while polishing Alice's shoes, and Theo astonished to see the enormous egg bowing proudly. Theo then realized that the big oval-shaped thing named Humpty Dumpty was the one who sang with Alice. The voice was beautiful, but very disturbing because of the wrong lyrics. Even the poem lyrics were very bad.How was it? Alice said.Theo blinked, taken aback. I don't understand. I don't like poems. But what was it all about?Alice tilted her head and scolded, Do you really not understand?. She squinted. Really really don't understand?No. What is it? asked Theo, annoyed yet curious.Alice sighed. You are really an annoying boy. What about your friend, the one in the hospital?Theo's eyes widened in surprise. The color is faded, it is now light brown do you mean, Ludo? At least his hair is brown. Hei, how do you know about him?Alice rolled her eyes. Oh please, I've known your name before you told me, I've known that you need my help to make your wish come true. I am the Demon. Why are you so annoying? Now, tell me about him. Why would he made you call us? You are attached to him so much, aren't you?He made me call you? asked Theo in disbelief, holding his breath.But, he really wasn't surprised. He realized now, he knew, back then he really wished to save Ludo.Theo gulped, Do you mean.. you mean you can help Ludo? he asked slowly.Alice rubbed her chin, pretending to think. It depends on the profit I can get from saving him. What happened to him?He was ill said Theo bitterly.He closed his eyes. He can hear his voice trembling, holding back the tears. He felt the tears burning his eyelids from inside. His chess hurt, he'll choose to bear George's punch in his nose than to understand and admit that Ludo is in the brink of death.Theo's teeth chattered and he hissed, He is seriously ill. Definitely not a dramatized cold, like I used to Theo stopped.Leukemia Alice said.Theo nodded. He has been in the hospital for eight months now. Every day his body is getting more thinner. His face is pale, like holding back a stomach ache because of diarrhea, but much worse. He is losing his hair too, he Theo shuddered. Fear suddenly spread all around his body, made him momentarily stop breathing. When finally he exhaled his breath, the sound of the air flow vibrated around him, as if it took part to bear the sadness which shook his little body. Ludo's figure flashed behind his eyes. The tears rolled down his face, burning his skin like a candle melting flame. Theo sobbed loudly, whispered, He is like a living dead.Alice sighed, watching Theo crying silently. She jumped down the table, with only one shoe on her leg, approaching Theo.Theo she said softly. She groped into her pocket, fishing out a bottle. She collected a drop of Theo's tear, then shut the bottle tightly. Alice put back the bottle to her pocket again, then took out a white lacy handkerchief, wiping Theo's tear.What are you going to do with my tear drop?Oh, Alice grinned. Sorry about that. Tears are very strong ingredients, it'll be a waste if it's not taken. Well, because you're sad now, let's just say I took your tear drop as a payment for your first request.Alice stopped for a while, stared at Theo's eyes intently. The girl smiled faintly. You're going to tell me your wish, aren't you?Theo fell silent. Alice's grey eyes seemed to expand on her head to the size of a boiled egg and seemed to explode. Her eyes looked terrible, but it's so beautiful, like a puddle of rain.But Theo wasn't afraid because of her gaze. He was afraid because he knew he would soon bind his soul to the devil. He knew that he would do it for Ludo. Finally, Theo said trembling, Then I ask you to cure Ludo.Alice scowled. The payment is not enough to cure him, Alice said. The disease is too dangerous. Mere tears cannot meet the price of my services.Theo tilted his head. Okay. In this case, what can I get from my tears?Alice looked down, patted the pocket of her dress where she kept the small bottle filled with Theo's tears. She weighed it for a moment.How about, she said slowly, I tell you when he died?Theo's eyes widened. He will die soon?Alice shrugged. Do you want to exchange that information with your tears?Theo's shoulders sagged weakly. It sucks, luring him with tempting information but demands a very high price to get it.I don't want to. I would have been horrified to think he would die, even though the time is still long.Huh, alright. You stubborn brat, Alice complained. She turned and glanced at the large clock on the wall. Yeah, because it's lunch time now, it seems like you can hold up your wishTheo frowned. The clock is off.I don't need a human watch, she said as she walked away. She smiled asymmetrically. You humans, always think that you know more than us.The blue electric cat lifted one of Alice's shoes that hasn't been worn yet, then helped the girl slipped her little foot into her shoe. Theo grimaced. The cat, beside its' blue color, it has the biggest eyes he has ever seen, its' eyes are as big as a plate and looked empty. It pocketed the wrench on its' waist, where it wears a belt filled with equipment.I am done with the sewing machine, Alice, it said. When it spoke, its' lips became smaller to the size of lizard eggs, then enlarges to the width of a car's wheels.Alice bent over the blue cat, watching to the old sewing machine that Theo had thrown at the window yesterday. The blue cat turned the sewing machine over, showing off its' work to Alice.Alice patted the cat's head. Wow, very nice, the sewing machine has been fixed now. Well, Theo, Alice turned to Theo, grinning broadly, because you damaged my merchandise, you have to pay the compensation.What? Theo blurted out, angry. But I broke it because you framed me into this shop!I don't care. You broke my merchandise, Alice said. She picked up the sewing machine that Theo threw yesterday and put it on the cupboard.This is a valuable item Alice explained, pointing to the sewing machine that was now on the shelf. I made a very magical hat using this sewing machine. The price is expensive, you know?Theo edged backwards. I didn't know thatAlice approached Theo with a big smile on her face, slightly tilting her head. I will only ask you to accompany me to walk and have some lunch.Okay, he sighed. Where do you want to eat?Alice grinned even greater.