ONWARD JOURNEY
143 A Void
It had been a long haul since they had sold the house. Body walked from temporary accommodation to another in a vacuum of loss. A void that left her short of breath as the air was so heavy. The elation of selling the house and ridding herself of the burden of the renovation work and its problems had been swift but short lived. Body could not place herself or feel settled.
“I have no inspiration about where to go” called Spirit “I am at a loss.”
“Perhaps we should ‘just be’ and rest awhile. I am very exhausted from years of hard work getting nowhere, but I do feel a sense of urgency for no apparent reason.”
“Here’s one reason among many” concluded Brain. “Rest, I accept you need but we shouldn’t waste our money in paying rent and storage. Let us utilise the money and make it work for us instead. I know we may have a potential court case in the future we will need money for, but we cannot wait for it and make a loss as a result. Let us buy a property as a temporary measure.”
Body started to object but Brain reassured “No it will not be a renovation project Body. It will be a property that requires little or no work and can easily be resold. A property that appeals to all markets be it business or a home, for tourists or residents. Let’s at least look while we still have some capital left.”
“A good path” agreed Soul. “It does not have to be permanent or written in stone.”
“It would give Body chance to recover as well” called Spirit “and maybe when rested we will feel inspired.”
“Yes, we all have to feel better” cried Heart. “There is no rush.”
They all agreed.
“But I don’t have a garden to play in anymore, and I miss it” the Little Red Haired Girl stated.
“We cannot afford that anymore unless we go out of town, but we will find somewhere that has an outside space I promise. I think Body needs to be in town so there is an opportunity for her to be less isolated and make some new friends or at least have people around her. We have to consider Body’s needs too.”
The child nodded, at least she had put in her request.
So they started looking. Body took time to rest as well enjoying the local surroundings of each area they visited. The choices were limited as property prices in town were rising at a rapid rate. Body decided on areas they all liked and areas they didn’t. What social scene did it have for Body, an outside space nearby for Spirit and the Little Red Haired Girl could enjoy? An area that Brain could see future investment potential and growth maybe for some profit at a future date?
Heart could not contribute much other than to be thankful they were in a fortunate position and had a choice that others may not have. Heart was still healing.
Soul did not know their future path, so took a ‘back seat’ in the car during the searching process. They were at least working together as best they could within the void.
Bit by bit Body got to know the town although some of the junctions and roads confused Body and panicked her. Body’s memory for road directions had to be visual to find her placement. I.e. Where was that street? Behind the supermarket or on the left just past the clock tower, either that or sat nav was a must even around town.
Heart turned painfully.
“What was that about? What did I think to upset you?” Brain enquired.
“Noswad told me I relied on it too much. I relied on the sat nav too much. That I needed to be more aware and at least know North from South” cried Heart.
“Every one is different with different types of memory banks and ways of remembering things like road directions” called Spirit.
“I know, but he got very impatient with me and made me feel…”
“Small?” the Little Red Haired Girl asked.
“Yes, that’s as good a way of describing it as any I guess” admitted Heart. “It made Body cry.”
“Why?” the child asked.
“I’m not sure” Heart dodged.
“Yes you are!” Spirit called it out “You know Heart.”
“Another ‘put down’ tactic done with a smile” announced Brain.
“Oh please stop Brain. We are not perfect and have to accept our flaws. Road directions, or lack of them, is one of ours”
“Among many” admitted Body “we are oversensitive to them being pointed out.”
“It’s rude to point” the child contributed “Nana say’s so.”
“That’s not quite what we meant little one” Heart responded. “We are saying that Noswad couldn’t understand why we didn’t know where North and South was. You know what a compass is?”
“Yes, Grandad had one he showed me and my brother had one in his shoe heel when he went to scouts.”
“Interesting” Brain said even though it couldn’t remember that.
“Well instead of relying on a compass, some people have an internal one if you like naturally. They can tell which way is North or South.”
“It’s up! North is up! I know that one”
“Err… I guess so child, but it doesn’t just mean on the face of the compass.”
“You’re getting into trouble here Heart, you won’t be able to explain this” Brain huffed.
“Maybe not” Heart admitted “but it bothers me. I don’t know why I am no good at directions but Noswad and others have pointed it out before and some have laughed, some have got impatient, some have shouted at Body.”
“That’s their problem” called Spirit “and shows their flaws as well as our own.”
Heart continued “People usually have a good idea where North and South are because of the sun and the time of day. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. You know East and West child?”
“Yes, East is left and West is right” the child answered confidently. “What if you can’t see the sun behind big buildings?”
“You’re getting into trouble” Brain mocked.
Heart tried. “Yes… sort of but it’s not flat child. Think of it like a huge ball. That you are a small dot sitting on a huge ball and the ball is turning. It makes East and West, and North and South different depending on where you are sitting on that ball.”
“Which way are you facing?”
“Yes kind of”
“East is left” the child repeated.
“Give it up” stated Brain “but it’s kind of cute and simplistic.”
Spirit laughed.
Souls paths got crossed.
And Body…well it was just confused.
“See, it depends which way you are facing” the child repeated “my left is not your left.”
They all laughed as the child facing them held out her left hand to Body’s right hand as if to prove her point.
“I tell you what” laughed Spirit “let’s accept our flaws, and let’s go up instead.
© 2025 Jennifer Harris. Free And Alive 555
