The roof was the same colour as usual, the beds were fewer and the dorms looked bleak because the wood had burnt out a bit. From what I heard, the merchant and his accomplice were arrested and sent to the baron for questioning. Madame Dupont was fine, but she was having random headaches and she kept on enquiring about me.
I sat by myself, yes myself, on the bed. Avery was calm, too calm actually. She kept on holding my hand and murmuring something.
"Will you talk to her or something?", Marlon said. Avery looked at me(us) confused. 'How do we explain the situation to her?', Marlon asked me. The problem was, Marlon and I were sharing one body, but I had no control over it. I was just a quasi member, and I could only convey my thoughts through him. 'Tell her everything you know so far, but leave out the fact that I might not return', I said to him.
After explaining the situation to her, she looked perplexed. "So you're trying to tell me that Aria can hear everything we're saying not because she's semi conscious, but rather because her spirit is in you?". He meowed in response. "What exactly did she do to get this treatment?", she asked, "Can you tell me?". "No, in due time, she'd let you know", he replied, "but for the time being, I have to go on my rounds". She carried him out of the orphanage to send him off.
The orphanage was being renovated. The villagers did their best to help, especially after finding out about Madame's near death experience(which would have been a far worse situation if she actually passed away). Marlon climbed onto a nearby tree for me to see the progress made. Apart from my unconscious body in the infirmary, Madame Dupont and the other children were sent to various homes in the village till the renovations were done, except Avery and Emily. They volunteered.
'I heard from some kids that she felt indebted to you someway', Marlon said, 'but I doubt you guys would be friends in the long run'. 'At least our fights would seize', I replied. Marlon proceeded to jump off from one tree to another to an unknown place. It's amazing as to how a cat who looks completely normal can jump unusual lengths.
His unknown location looked like it was deeper in the forest, somewhere I haven't seen before. It was a cave. Pretty crystals illuminated the walls and you could see that many kinds of animals were there. It had more or less the feeling of a pub, for animals. He strutted inside like he owned the place. 'What is this place Marlon? It's pretty', I said but he ignored me.
He walked up to a nearby counter and requested for a bowl of fish(so that's why he hardly ate at home). A white cat approached him afterwards. "Marlon, news spreads fast. How is your human doing?", the cat asked. "Difficult to explain Cee, but I believe she'd be ok in the end", he replied. 'Who's that Marlon?'. 'Her name is Cecilia. She manages this place'. They spoke for awhile and from the information I gathered, she actually belongs to the baron's daughter. Like Marlon, she hardly stays in the castle and she decided that if she wanted to know the animals of the kingdom better, why doesn't she host them at a secluded spot where humans wouldn't bothered them. Food provided by her were hunted for by other cats that resided in the castle, and their mode of conveying information was through the birds.
Marlon came here frequently not because he wanted to, but he felt alone because I always had things to do, and he felt like he was bothering me(I wished to hug him after finding that out). 'Marlon you need your own individuality. You've helped me a lot, so it's nice for you to have your own time too', I said to him sadly, 'I needed you because I was constantly lonely, but I realised that I was causing damage to myself. Say, when I'm back in my body, how about a little bonding?'. 'I'd like that very much, thanks', he replied .
He came here throughout the week from the time I was inhabiting his body. But that wasn't all. On the third day, he decided to go on a field trip, to the village. It was quite a fun experience from a cat's point of view. Once in awhile an adult or a child would call out to him and offer him pieces of their food or pet him. He was always grateful, often showing his gratitude by plucking a nearby flower and giving it to them. 'I never knew you were a kind kitty', I chortled. 'Don't start your ruckus missy', he replied quickly.
But it wasn't everyone who was friendly to him. Others tried to kick him and he'd hiss profusely at them. Others too he recognised from his previous expeditions or a rumour he heard from the other animals in the area. Fun fact: When I found Marlon, he was a small kitten hiding in a sewer where I walked to school. His coat was black, and I had assumed at that time that that was his actual colour. Upon arriving at the orphanage(in Aberdeen) and bathing alongside him did I realise that his colour was streaks of grey, black and white, declaring him as a tabby cat.
Back to present Marlon. He liked to play in the fountain in the village square, gawking at a fish and fries stand in the market and was disgusted by mice(which is weird, because, he's a cat - he's supposed to be chasing them or something right?). From my perspective, it seemed he had taken a liking to Avery as well.
Sometimes during the week he would normally climb onto her bed and rest himself on her pillow. Monday, for instance, was a awkward experience for him and Avery. "What are you doing on my pillow?", she asked him. He eyed her and replied, "Because I want to. Aria isn't here to hug me". She was about to say something,but suddenly stopped. Then, she walked up to him, carried him off from her pillow and placed him on her laps. She gently stroked his back and chin till her was comfortable enough to rest by her side. From then onwards, after his expeditions, he ran off to her pillow to get the same treatment. On Saturday, during his normal evening session of being petted, she asked him, "What if Aria wakes up?". "Then what?". "Would you still come to me like you're doing now?". He didn't respond, and for a moment I could have sworn his heart skipped a beat. Out of fear? I don't know, but I didn't want to say anything.
Honestly, I had gotten too accustomed to being in his body, so imagine my surprise when at the dawn of the last day my spirit was just squished away from him body into mine and I entered a dream. Well, not a dream, because I could clearly see that I was standing in the centre of the gods, and the Primordial One was about to pass the final verdict. "Aria Davenport gave a part of her life to rescue her caretaker, Ava-Sinclaire Dupont. As a result, her body has broken down and I am suggesting for forgiveness and revival", he said, "Some of you complained that she is a rash child. One even commented that she's better off not finding her mother. Aria don't get angry", noticing how I was fuming. "I agree that she is a rash child, but she felt that she needed to do it because of love, and that is what I admire about her. So to conclude, I will revert back her life force to it's maximum capacity, on the condition that she doesn't behave rash in the times to come. Agreed Aria?", he asked and I meekly nodded.
He stretched out his hands towards me and I felt enveloped by clouds, which was comforting. From nowhere, my world like it was spinning, and before I knew it, a teary Avery was squeezing me tight. "Stop. Me. Breathing.....", I gasped for breath because her grip on me was too tight. She apologised and let go off me. She later on narrated what happened during the week.
"So you mean Marlon.....". "Yes". "And Emily's gone?". "Yes. She had to eventually, the school year starts soon". Marlon creeped into the room, and I called out to him, "Marlon I'm fine you can come and hug me". If a cat could smile, he did, and came to hug me. Avery excused herself and I refused. "He cares for you as much as I do", I said, "but funnily he has a bad way of not expressing it".
In the latter days, we had bonding time; Avery and I, Marlon and I, and Marlon and Avery. Madame Dupont also seemed to be of good health, and her headaches had ceased. Slowly, as the orphanage was being repaired, the children were brought back one by one, others convincing some families enough for them to be adopted.
Our numbers reduced to 11 after the adoptions, but Madame was convinced that 'there are always kids who needed just a flicker of love'.