140 A Face

The Little Red Haired Girl

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140 A Face

“It’s sold!” Body exclaimed after the estate agent left the house. “I can’t believe it! We’re done here. The house is sold!”
“Very surprising ” calculated Brain “especially seeing as it’s not completely finished. They obviously saw it’s potential and undoubtedly we probably sold it too cheap in hindsight.”

“Oh shut up Brain! I am just so relieved, so happy to leave this place and all its mishaps and gruelling work.” Body sat on the sofa, the new one they would now have to advertise and resell, along with countless other items and immediately started to plan the work involved with that, especially when one didn’t speak the language.

“Just a minute Body” called Spirit “before you start planning further work, could we not take a moment to feel the relief, thanks and happiness in selling it?”
“Your right!” Body exclaimed “I will go to the shops and get us a nice wine and some easy food, and we will relax in front of the TV this afternoon to celebrate. We could even watch a film.”
“Is there not something more stimulating to do?” questioned Brain “like a place to visit we haven’t been to, or a concert or…”
“I’m exhausted” reprimanded Body “and I cannot have energy for the research, the driving, the planning let’s just give me an afternoons rest please.”

“A quiet relaxing personal celebration. A good call.” called Spirit “I like it.”
“Me too” sighed Soul. “A moments respite along our path. It can do a traveller no harm.”

“Can I pick the film?” the Little Red Haired Girl asked “one that has toon’s in it?”
Body raised its eyes to the heavens. “I suppose so” she muttered “we can all pick a film and watch TV all afternoon. There’s no time limit for today now, so it doesn’t matter.”
“All afternoon! Won’t Mummy be cross? she always tells me I should be outside playing not stuck indoors.”
“Mummy isn’t here child and we can do as we please this afternoon. I have declared a rest is due.” Body confirmed.

“May we get some sweets from the shop too?” the child asked “as long as we share them. Please can we?”
“Yes, I don’t see why not. It’s our celebration and rest. Have a think about what you would like while I go and get my shoes on and find the car keys.”

Heart looked at the child sat in anticipation as she bumped the back of her legs on the sofa cushion and her feet bounced in mid air over its edge. She was lost in happy thoughts about the sweets she would chose. It was easy for a child to be happy in the moment. A little gesture, a little thought, in a little body as she sat on such a huge sofa. Since when had Heart lost its joy about little pleasures that could make one’s day and fill Heart with joy. And as Heart looked on the child, it realised Heart had lost its joy many, many years ago. Even the joy of Noswad being in her life had been fleeting. Joy escaped Heart as it ran through Body’s fingers and was wasted and spilt on the floor, evaporated into the air or dispelled amongst the forest as Body picked its way through life. How could Heart find its joy again?

“Getting out of this place , this house will help” sighed Soul. “and when we find a new path, one that suits us better joy will find us. We won’t even have to look for it.”
“I hope you are right” cried Heart.

Body returned and prepared a little feast of nibbles and treats for their afternoon of rest in front of the TV and great debate was had for their first choice of film. The Little Red Hired Girl was the first to chose and of course it had to have ‘toons’ in it.
As Body scoured the choices and stumbled across ‘101 Dalmatians’. It was pure escapism and enjoyed by all of them. Even Brain enjoyed it because it did not have to think at all.

Before they knew it Body and the Little Red Haired Girl fell asleep on the big sofa for a relaxed, long overdue sleep. They all slept except for Spirit, who kept vigil always. Spirit knew they had come a long way along Souls path but they still had to remain within this house until moving date, and just because they would change addresses did not mean they could not be found. Good or bad presences, spirits, did not need an address.

As Spirit watched them sleep, the sun was lowering and casting light through the big barn window. Longer shadows appeared and with them more mellow golden light. Spirit reflected and basked in the feeling of peace and felt at peace itself.

“Look!” the child spoke softly, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands after such a cosy sleep on the sofa. “Look!” as she pointed to the TV.
“What?” Body enquired as it searched the black screen long since switched off into sleep mode. “I can’t see what you’re pointing at.”
“Not the TV, the wall, look what’s on the wall.”

Body searched the newly painted white wall but could see nothing.

“Look at the light, over there” the child pointed again.
“It’s only sunlight through the window” Body replied.

“Look again” the child insisted “Don’t you see him?”
“Who child? There is no one there?”
“He’s watching us. The face there, just there” and she pointed again.
Body looked and finally as her eyes adjusted there perspective she saw the face in the light on the wall.