'Eternity!' Elizabeth's voice rang down the hall. 'We've got a visitor!' Eternity threw on her denim shorts and plain t-shirt before grabbing a hairbrush and trying, failing, to comb her hideous mop of ebony hair. 'Eternity!' She dashed out of the room, into the hallway, almost colliding with her aunt. Elizabeth couldn't have been more different than Eternity. With neat, greying hair and glowing fair skin, jolly dresses and a red handbag, the 47-year-old looked like some sort of feminine Santa. Although she was Eternity's mother's sister, Eternity couldn't help feeling as though she was not at all related.
A tall, towering figure stood outside. Malorie hissed. The feline jumped into Eternity's arms and continued to hiss at the figure. Elizabeth opened the door.
'Hello there, I'm Jeffrey Williams, representing BuyAHouse.' Eternity rolled her eyes. Not another BuyAHouse worker. Their cottage was good enough. They didn't need another house. Elizabeth was smiling. Jeffrey stepped over the threshold, resting his gaze on Eternity and Malorie.
'And you must be Eternity! Cute kitten!'
'She's not a kitten.'
'Oh, how old is she?'
'Five.'
Jeffrey smiled. 'Can I hold her?' Eternity smirked. This should be good. 'Sure. I'll give her to you.' Malorie purred in Eternity's arms. Eternity placed her in Jeffrey's. 'Ouch!' 'She bit me!'
'Oh, I'm so sorry, she bites people who she thinks are rude.' Eternity replied. 'Eternity! Apologise!' Elizabeth exclaimed. Eternity was taken aback. Elizabeth was already fussing over the worker? It normally took a day or two! 'I'll go get the antiseptic.' Elizabeth left the room.
'Hey, girl, you and your little cretin can stay away from me, you got it?' Jeffrey snarled.
'Yeh, sure, Jeff.' Malorie continued to hiss. Elizabeth walked back in, and handed Jeffrey the antiseptic.
'Eternity, why don't you take Malorie into the kitchen for her dinner.' Eternity opened her mouth to protest, then closed it. She wouldn't bother. Jeffrey was just a speck of dust that she could simply flick away.
Dusk came and went, Jeffrey and Elizabeth still talking. Eternity trudged down the hall, turning left into her bedroom. A shadow leapt up onto the bed. She flopped down on the bed with Malorie. She'd deal with Jeffrey in the morning; arrogant, stupid Jeffrey. The thought was comforting. Soon the voices grew quieter, the footsteps softer, and Eternity fell asleep.
'Eternity!' The now familiar call roused her from her bed. Malorie was still there. Odd. Normally Malorie would be in the hallway. Unless… Eternity whipped out of bed, chucked on some clothes and dashed into the living room. Sure enough, Jeffrey was on the couch with Elizabeth. Carrying a snarling Malorie, Eternity sank down next to Elizabeth. 'Why is he still here?'
'He's helping.'
'Why can't he leave already?'
'Eternity, I told you, he's helping!'
'Hmmph.'
'So Eternity, how was your sleep?' Jeffrey inquired, standing up, and to Eternity's horror, sitting down in between Eternity and Elizabeth. 'Fine, thanks Jeff, but it would be better if I'd known I would come into the living room and not see a complete potato head sitting in front of me.' 'Eternity!' 'Oh, it's fine Eliza, she's just playing,' Eliza? Eliza?! No one calls Elizabeth 'Eliza'! Trying to calm down and not call the potato head a potato head, Eternity walked into the kitchen and focused on getting breakfast.
Cereal, Muesli, Cocoa Puffs...Wait. What about the cornflakes? Where were the cornflakes? He'd seriously gone too far. 'Jeffrey!!!' She roared. 'Where are the cornflakes?!' She stormed into the living room. 'Oh, I'm sorry Eternity, I didn't realise they were yours!' He responded in his falsely sweet voice, reminding her of a potato mixed with a toad. Elizabeth turned. 'Eternity, it's alright, you can have cereal!' She exclaimed. 'Yes, of course, Aunt Elizabeth,' Eternity rebuked, knowing how much she hated being called aunt. 'Eternity…' Elizabeth's voice was lost. 'And thank you for eating my cereal, potato head.'
Eternity was silently fuming in her bedroom. 'Eternity?' Soft knocking on the door. 'Eternity?' 'What?!' Eternity shot out. The door opened and Malorie slunk in. 'Eternity? I'm sorry. I know I was a bit strict, and I'm sorry, but it's just so hard for me, for us.' 'Can't he go away?' Eternity's muffled voice came from under the covers. 'You know he's here to help. I've told you that.'
'But we don't need help.'
A sigh.
'Eternity-...'
Eternity snuggled under the covers further down.
'I'll leave.'
'Wait…' Eternity's curiosity got the better of her.
'Why don't you like being called aunt?' Elizabeth froze.
'Ummm...that's a story for-for another time,' she stammered. Eternity could hear her footsteps going out into the corridor. Whatever it was with Elizabeth, Eternity would find out.
Still angry, Eternity was beginning to grow hungry. She got up, pushed Malorie off the bed, and stormed out of her room.
'Hey, Jeff,'
'Oh, hello, Eternity,' Jeffrey replied, in his potato-toad voice. Eternity stomped into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of toast. Chucking it in the toaster, she grabbed the butter and a plate, waiting for the bread to toast. 'Eternity.' Her aunt's voice floated down the corridor. 'Come here,' Eternity got up, took the toast out of the toaster, buttered it, and walked into the living room. 'What?'
'Jeffrey was just talking to me about moving into this beautiful house in West Armadale,'
'West Armadale?! That's 60 kilometres away!'
'Well, we could do with a change…'
'No.'
Elizabeth sighed. 'Sorry Jeffrey, the house sounds nice, but if Eternity doesn't want it…'
'Oh no, it's fine Eliza, Armadale was far from me too!'
What?! Why does it matter where Jeff lives?! We don't need to live next door to a potato head! Eternity thought. Elizabeth's laughter shook Eternity out of her thoughts. 'Jeffrey, do go on, what was that joke about the tennis player?'
'Oh, well, the tennis player says to the other player, just hit the ball, it's net that hard!' Laughter. Eternity snorted. She turned to walk away. They really wouldn't miss her. 'Your eyes are really beautiful,' Elizabeth's voice stopped Eternity in her tracks. Her aunt was flirting with a man? A man who was a potato head if there ever was one? Suddenly it clicked with Eternity. Jeffrey hadn't stayed because of houses. He'd stayed because of Elizabeth.
'Eternity! Earth to Eternity!' 'What?' Eternity snapped.
She was angry at Jeffrey.
'Oh, I was wondering if you'd be a dear and grab a piece of toast for me too? I'm really hungry!' Jeffrey laughed.
Eternity couldn't see the funny side. Now he's treating me like a servant?! Eternity arranged her face into a scowl.
'Sorry, I need to finish my toast, but I'll show you where the ingredients are,' she said, trying to sound as polite as possible.
'Oh no, it's fine, Eliza, would you help me?'
'Of course,' Elizabeth replied, throwing Eternity a dirty look.
She walked out. Jeffrey lingered for a moment; smirking at Eternity, before following her out. Alone in the living room, Eternity ate her toast, grabbed Malorie off the floor, and sat there, on the couch, Malorie in her lap, silently crying.
After crying for a few minutes, Eternity got up and decided to prepare for school tomorrow. She would be starting at Marsfield High and Elizabeth hadn't bought her her uniform. Oh well, she thought. I'll go into the city and get my uniform myself.
'Elizabeth! I'm going out.' She shouted into the kitchen area, sounding as happy as she could.
'Sure, just be back by six,' came her reply.
She stepped out onto the street, grabbed her bike, and started to ride into the city.
Half an hour later, Eternity had rode her bike next to a train station and left it lying next to a pink and purple scooter. She began walking to the uniform shop next to her new school. Opening the shop door, a tinkling bell sounded, reminding her of the bell on Malorie's collar. She suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She should have taken Malorie. But Malorie probably wouldn't be allowed to come inside the shop anyways… Pushing those thoughts aside, she approached the women at the counter and tried to sound as polite as possible.
'Hello, I was wondering if you could help me with the uniform fittings for Marsfield High?'
'Of course sweetheart, is your parent here?'
'No, we live in the city, so we drove here and went to the shops in the meantime,' she lied.
'Oh, then should I grab Jalil to help you?'
'Yes, I'd love that!'
A few minutes later, Eternity was in a changing room, trying on her uniform. She stepped out and looked in the mirror. 'Looking good,' said a voice behind her. She turned around to see a boy, around her age. He had dirty blond hair with streaks of brown and tanned skin. He looked strangely familiar.
'Ummm...hello?'
'Hello,'
'Who are you?'
'Call me George. What's your name?'
'Eternity.'
'Are you going to Marsfield High?'
'Yes. Are you?'
'I was going to.'
'What do you mean? Are you going to a different school now?'
He laughed; a scratchy chuckle that sounded like a wounded puppy.
'What's so funny?' She asked. Turning around again, she found he wasn't there. Odd boy, she thought. 'Miss, are you ready?' Jalil asked, who had come up behind her. 'Yes, should I go to the counter to pay?'
'That would be appreciated, Miss.'
'Did you see that boy-George?'
'What boy, Miss? I think you are the only one being served now.'
'Oh, you know, I might just pay now.'
She exchanged a note with Jalil, who gave her the uniform.
Odder and odder. Leaving the shop, she went to the train station to check the time on a clock on the wall. Around 5pm. She still had about half an hour. I might as well go home early. Maybe I can find something about that boy-I'm sure he looked familiar. She racked her brain-nothing. Maybe she had seen someone before that reminded her of him. Putting on her navy helmet, she swung her leg over the seat and began to pedal.
'Elizabeth! I'm home,' Eternity shouted down the corridor. 'I'll be there in a mo,' Elizabeth yelled back. Eternity kicked off her sneakers and jumped onto the sofa. A tinkling bell that Eternity knew only too well rang behind her.
'Malorie!' The cat purred and leapt onto the sofa.
'Hey Eternity,'
Turning, she realised Elizabeth was right behind her.
'Ummm…'
'No felines on the couch!' Elizabeth laughed. 'So, you got your uniform?'
'Yep, but I don't remember telling you I'd get my uniform…'
'I guessed. Aunt's intuition! So how'd it go?'
'I got it alright! But the uniform is pink! Pink!'
'Eternity!'
'Still…'
'You got home early!'
'Yeah, I finished quickly. By the way, do you know anyone with like, dirty blond hair, tanned skin, you know?'
'No! I don't know anyone like that! I've never seen any boy like that before!'
'Oh, I just saw him…ummm…' Eternity searched wildly in her mind for an answer. 'On…on an ad?'
'I'll…I'll get your dinner,' Elizabeth stuttered.
'You know, I'm not that hungry, I might just go to bed and read,'
'Sure.'
Five minutes later, Eternity was settled down in her pajamas, reading A History of Disguise, her favourite book.
Disguises have been used for deception, celebrations, and even film.
Disguises have been used for deception, celebrations…
Disguises have been used for deception…
Disguises…
The book slipped out of her hands and fell on the floor. Malorie hissed. Eternity's thoughts spun, spinning in her mind, as she fell asleep.
She woke up panting. The boy… who was he? It suddenly occurred to her that Elizabeth had been lying when she said she'd never seen the boy before. Wait… I never told her he was a boy! But she'd said… she'd said…
"I've never seen a boy like that before." That confirmed it. Elizabeth had been lying.
The boy… Eternity shot up. She knew who he was! She checked the time quickly: 10.07. Elizabeth wouldn't be asleep yet.
She stood up and crept into Elizabeth's bedroom. Where was the photo? She thought. Her eyes scanned the room, before coming to rest on a picture frame. Inside was a picture. Picking up the photo, Eternity could just make out her aunt, herself and a young boy. The boy from the uniform shop. Of course, Elizabeth had told Eternity who the girl was; and the women; but never had she mentioned the boy. Maybe he was a friend of Eternity's when she was younger? But then, why would Elizabeth not have mentioned him? A cousin perhaps? Or...had Eternity once had a brother? No. The boy in the shop didn't look anything like her-more like Elizabeth. Then who was the boy? 'What are you doing?!' Eternity whipped around. Elizabeth was standing in the doorway. She was the angriest Eternity had ever seen.
'Ummm...what did you have for dinner?' Eternity stammered, trying to draw Elizabeth's mind away from the unpleasant situation.
'What?' Elizabeth almost-shouted. 'The more important question is, what are you doing?!' She repeated.
Fight fire with fire, Eternity thought. 'No. That's not the question. The question is, who is that boy?'
Elizabeth inhaled. 'He...he...he was my nephew.'
'Ha! So I was right! He's my brother!'
Suddenly Elizabeth's expression changed. For the first time Eternity had seen, Elizabeth looked scared.
'You're going to find out anyways,'
'Find out what?'
'He's not your brother.'
'You have another sister?' Eternity interjected, looking confused.
'No.'
'Then…'
Another sharp intake of breath.
'You're not my niece.'