“You’re safe in here. Nothing will happen to you.” The women tried to calm Lotte down, but had difficulty doing so. Lotte couldn’t stop shaking and jumped at any nearby noise. Both women looked at Lotte with uncertain eyes and slowly helped her ease down on the crude chair of baked clay.
“Here, have something to call your nerves.” One of them placed a steaming cup of muddy water down before Lotte. She eyed it suspiciously, wondering why anyone could drink this questionable brew.
“Don’t worry, it’s safe to drink.”
Lotte shook her head and pushed away the cup of muddy water. “If I’m actually dead and this is the underworld, then drinking it will seal my fate here. I know the myths. I won’t drink it and accept that I am dead!”
Seeing that the two women couldn’t convince Lotte to calm down, they settled on a different approach. “How about we just talk? Would that be alright with you?” offered the first one.
Looking up at them, Lotte nodded and took a proper look at them.
“My name’s Siduri. I was once an alewife,” the first woman introduced herself. Like everybody else, she wore rags for clothes, but those covered almost the length of her body. Her face, however, was hidden underneath a simple shawl and veil. Despite that, Lotte saw how beautiful she was underneath it, with her dark skin, chestnut eyes, and brown hair. Siduri held her hands towards the other woman. “And this is Shamhat.”
Shamhat waved at Lotte, who felt struck by the woman’s beauty. Her long, smooth brown hair fell over her warm, dark-skinned shoulders. Unlike the other spirits, she wore golden bracelets on her upper arms and legs, accentuating her slim body and soft lips. Even her clothes, albeit still rags, looked more refined compared to others.
Lotte had to look away—she couldn’t hide the fact she felt attracted to her. Shamhat smiled at this response. Her mischievous green eyes lit up. “Aren’t you a sweet one? I’m always glad when someone appreciates my beauty.” She held Lotte’s hand in hers. “My name’s Shamhat, and I was once a prostitute.”
Upon the revelation, Lotte choked up in shock. The two women laughed. “Don’t worry, I was a holy prostitute, which is by far different from what people nowadays think. The people and the gods held us in high regard. Especially for our singing voice and other deeds.”
“Hush, Shamhat,” Siduri hissed at the more generous-dressed woman and took a sip from her cup. “No one wants to hear about your sex life.”
“Don’t be so prudent, Siduri. You would have been quite a looker yourself, you know that,” Shamhat grinned and walked behind Siduri to massage her shoulders. Her breath brushed against her ear. “I know what you’re hiding underneath all that cloth. No need to be sheepish.”
“Shamhat, stop that!” barked Siduri, brushing off Shamhat’s hands with a flustered expression. “Not in front of our guest!”
“Relax, I didn’t plan to do anything. At least not yet.” Shamhat rested her chin on Siduri’s head and embraced her from behind. Siduri was quiet. She endured it, as she often did with her.
“Tell us, Lotte, what were your thoughts on him?” asked Siduri.
Lotte tilted her head. “Him? Are you talking about the deity?”
Shamhat nodded. “How did he look like to you? Not in terms of appearance. Tell us rather what your thoughts on him were.”
Lotte knit her brows in confusion.
“He looked sad, didn’t he?” Siduri said matter-of-factly. “I know the situation is difficult to comprehend, but know this: he wants to help you.”
“He truly does. You can trust him. He’s an honest man,” commented Shamhat. She grimaced, though. “Although he can be rather difficult.”
Slumping her shoulders, Lotte looked at her cup. The muddy brew reflected her dishevelled appearance and puffy eyes. “I’m dead, aren’t I? That’s what he said, or I think he didn’t want me to know.”
Siduri and Shamhat shared a look of uncertainty. They stood up and walked with Lotte to the crude bed and sat down with Lotte in between. “What’s on your mind? Do you want to talk about it?”
Lotte hesitated. Her mouth was open, but she didn’t know what to say. Her mind was blank from processing everything. “I can’t be dead. Why am I dead?” The questions rolled out of her mouth. One more bitter and frustrating than the other. “I can’t remember how I ended up here. What should I do? I can’t be here. How did this happen?”
Holding her hands in her face, Lotte cried herself out into them. She didn’t have the emotional capacity to know what to say or do except cry.
Knowing that Lotte needed a moment, the two women held her, rubbed her back, and gave her the emotional support they could offer her. Even if it was just listening to whatever she could say in between tears.
— ☾ —
A particular car drove through the streets with a man watching a crowd getting arrested at the plaza. Opening the window, the man peered out to get a better look at the brutality the people showed against the forces of the police.
It wasn’t pretty, but the man felt amused to join the fray for a good beating.
“What are you grinning at?” his wife asked, steering the car away from the crowd and police blockade. She blared the car horn when someone cut her off and forced her to stop before the red traffic light. She angrily adjusted her hijab.
“Not much,” replied her husband. “I think I’ll go for a walk.”
“Hey, come back here!” she yelled as her husband left the car when it rolled. “Do you even know where the police station is!?”
“I’ll find it.” he waved at his wife. He waded through the moving traffic and obstructed public transportation. “Won’t take long. You can drive with Mordain to the bookstore.”
With that, the man made his way to the police, who were still trying to fight the violent mob for hours on end and utilising water cannons. Frankly, it worked semi-well.
“Hey, you’re not allowed here. Stay back-” the officer choked up when the man gave him a wide grin and went past the barrier. The officers stood back—they were too intimidated to confront him.
No wonder. The Arabic man was almost 2 meters tall and had a muscular build with tanned muscles full of scars on his burly arms. One particularly large scar ran across the base of his neck up to his mouth.
His outfit consisted of a casual outdoor military uniform with the typical camouflage design, but instead of green, the colours were all in various shades of red. It gave him a much more frightening paired with his other features.
“Need some assistance?” he asked and casually took the voice magnifier from the hands of a young officer. He gave them a warm smile before turning to the violent crowd, who was yet to be made aware of his existence.
Taking a deep breath, the man inflated his lungs before roaring, “LISTEN UP, YOU F*CKING BIGOTS!”
The crowd alongside the officers stopped, stunned and frightened by the authority of the man’s voice carried through the magnifier. “I’m here because of you and only you.” he pointed at the crowd. “If you don’t stop fighting until I pick up my niece from the police—because of the likes of you—I’ll turn you into my next meal.”
The man crushed the instrument, letting out one final shrill sound of death. “Turn yourself in because I won’t be as nice as those officers!”
With this, the man turned back to the officers, walking up to who seemed to be the lieutenant of the operation. “Mind driving me to the station? I’ve got two girls to bring home who await punishment.”
“S-sure, but who are you?”
A grin and scowl on his face deepened. He scratched his scarred chin. “Rex Uthman, not to your service as I only listen to one person… besides my wife.”
—✶—
BACK AT THE POLICE STATION
Lotte woke up in front of the green cement wall of the precinct. She spent the night there, alone and in a different cell. She didn’t want to stand up but had to use the bathroom. Her puffy reflection stared back at her. “I must have cried while I was sleeping,” mumbled Lotte and splashed cold water on her face. “What should I do?”
After confessing her feelings, Liara confided with Lotte that she was moving and would soon be gone. Lotte teared up again. “What should I do?”
Lotte was startled to find Liara before her when she opened the door. “H-hey,” Liara tried to sound nonchalant but looked away. “How did you sleep?”
“Terribly,” Lotte answered truthfully, looking away as well.
“Ah…” Liara slumped her shoulders. “Figures… I-” She didn’t know what to say. The mood turned sour when they laid their secrets bare. Yesterday, Lotte left to find a place to be alone, and Liara let her go—she needed time to process.
“Oh goodness, there you are!” the officer rushed in when she found the two girls before the restroom. She looked panicked. “You need to hide! There’s a very dangerous and scary man searching for you! This place is not safe. Hide while we hold the last stand. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you!”
“Huh?” Liara cocked an eyebrow alongside Lotte, confused by the distraught attitude of the officer. “What do you mean by that? Who’s coming-”
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“WHERE’S MY FAVOURITE NIECE!?” They heard a bellow in the halls as something red rushed past them with several officers trying to tackle him down in vain.
“Uncle Rex!?” Liara exclaimed, shocked to recognise the man but brightening her mood. “What are you doing here!?”
“Little One! Ha, got curious about prison life, didn’t you?” Rex scooped Liara up, squeezing the air out of her with how tightly he hugged her.
“Stop it,” she laughed breathlessly, clapping against his bulging muscles. “You’ll kill me and end up in prison—again!”
“You wish.” Rex let her down and ruffled Liara’s brown hair until it was a funny mess. “You should know from our stories that no prison could hold me or your mother! We’re too tough for this world!” His eyes wandered to Lotte. He cracked a low smile for her as he saw how she was in a sombre mood. “Hey, lass, ready to head home?”
Lotte dipped her head and clasped her hands. “I don’t want to go home yet,” thought Lotte. Punishment awaited her, but she didn’t care about it. She finally confessed to Liara, but she was moving away. Was the entire trip for nothing? “Was everything for nothing?”
“Why so glum, lass?” Rex’s hand suddenly went over Lotte’s head and also ruffled her hair into a mess with his big hand. He gave her a comforting smile. “You know, the friendly officer recommended a nice ice cream parlour nearby which is popular with you kids today. Want to go there and relax?”
“What do you mean you can’t give me one!?” Rex exclaimed loudly. “This is discrimination!”
The clerk wore an unamused expression. “I’m telling you, old man, this is an offer only available for young couples or teenage girls. Unless you prove you’re not twice the age or a schoolgirl, I cannot give you our special.”
“This is unacceptable!” Rex complained audibly. “I’m a grown man! I should be allowed to have the special–deluxe–forever–summer–beach–day–crêpe When. I. Want. ONE!”
“Ah, here he goes again.” Liara turned her attention back to her sundae overflowing with various toppings and enough sugar to give a horse diabetes or kill it—or satisfy someone like Liara. “That can take a while, right?”
“Mhm,” agreed Lotte, taking a bite from her waffle and watching Rex desperately bargaining for a crêpe. “Guess I know where you got your sweet tooth from.”
Liara gave her an unimpressed look and tried to adjust her sunglasses, which she forgot were broken. “Funny, my whole family knows it’s my mother’s influence.” Liara took a big bite of her sundae and fought the inevitable brain freeze that accompanied it. She shook it off like a pro. “I regret nothing. The taste is to die.”
“If you say so,” mumbled Lotte so Liara could still hear it.
Liara put down her spoon. “Yeah, I said so.”
Both were silent again. The casual chatter was gone; instead, they gnashed at each other for no apparent reason. They were not upset or angry at one another—just confused about what to do now. Their confessions weighed heavily on one another, complicating things to work through.
“That’s an awkward scene you have there.” They heard the familiar voice of a man approach their table. It was the musician they met yesterday. “Communication problems, I presume?”
Flustered, Liara and Lotte opened their mouths but didn’t say a word. They looked at each other and then away in embarrassment.
“This is awkward. Mind me taking a seat.” The man turned one chair around and sat down, resting his arms against the backrest. “Mind me taking this too.” He grabbed half of Lotte’s waffle and began eating it. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Lotte didn’t protest, even sliding over the plate with the rest of her food. The man gave her a grin underneath his hood, but Liara didn’t approve.
“What was that?” Liara grimaced at Lotte, who merely shrugged and looked down.
“It’s called, “Turn the other cheek.” Meaning, she doesn’t care,” the musician glared at the two girls, finishing the waffle and licking his fingers. He grabbed Liara’s sundae as well.
“What the heck! Now you are going too far!” barked Liara and slammed her hands on the table.
“Stop me if you want,” suggested the man. He took a large scoop of the sundae without batting an eye. His dark onyx eyes glared defyingly at Liara. She gave in without a fight, slumping back in her chair. “Cowards, both of you. I frankly can’t believe you two fought those bigots together.”
The girls looked up, surprised at what the musician had just said. “You saw that?”
Finishing Liara’s sundae, the man clasped his hands together, looking at the both of them. “To be frank, you both did well and were perfectly in sync. I was in awe at how well you complimented one another, but I have to say that I am very disappointed in both of you.”
“What do you mean by-”
“Don’t interrupt me,” the man spoke with a rough and deep baritone, intimidating both of them. “You two idiots are unbelievably stupid in understanding your hearts. You look at each other in contempt, worry and cry. It sickens me seeing how bad you are to speak your minds.”
The girls shuddered at the man’s words. Compared to his melancholic self from yesterday, it was like someone switched him out overnight.
“Then what are we supposed to do?” asked Lotte while Liara hesitated.
“Fight it out,” he answered. They looked at him puzzled. “When my partner and I were arguing, we threw fists at one another. In your case, a simple conversation will do it just fine.” Standing up, the man adjusted his instrument bag and walked away. He gave them one last look. “Talking is hard, I agree, but no matter how easy it seems to stay silent, you will regret it until the day one of you dies.”
—❂—
The musician gave them one last goodbye wave before he seemingly disappeared into the crowd of people and was out of sight—as if the earth swallowed him. Both girls looked at one another again, compelled to say something, yet their mouths simply stayed agape without making a single sound. Lotte was the first to turn away, and Liara slumped herself in her seat.
“Do you mind giving me a pen?” Liara saw Lotte turn herself towards a group of students. Curious about what she was doing, Liara watched how Lotte scribbled on her napkin and handed it to Liara.
“Hi.”
Liara chuckled at the simplicity and responded just as wittingly with: “Hey.”
“How are you?”
"Cranky, that musician wasn’t happy with the tip and took my sundae."
“Pff,” Lotte put a hand on her mouth to suppress her giggle. They kept writing silently on their napkins until there were none left, all filled with words.
“Let me get us a new one,” said Liara, and stood up before Lotte grabbed her hand. She urged her back to the seat and didn’t let go.
“I think that’s enough. Let’s continue talking face to face,” offered Lotte with a warm smile she could now master. “You said you were leaving, didn’t you?”
“...Yes, I did,” said Liara finally, finding it easier to speak now with the tension lifted. It usually was Liara’s job to do so, but she was glad Lotte did for a change. “You know how complicated the jobs of my parents are? Moving around a lot was commonplace. Military life and archaeology can be truly messy. We rarely stayed around.”
“How long until you move?” asked Lotte anxiously, unable to hide the nervousness in her voice.
Liara let out a long sigh. “One to two weeks, maybe? A month at most. My parents don’t know the final date either, so I can’t say anything for sure. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t!” Lotte reached out, trying her best to remain composed. “It’s not your fault at all! You… I don’t want you to be gone, but I don’t know what to do. I feel… powerless.”
With the touch of Lotte’s hand, Liara looked at Lotte’s eyes and how they teared up again, so close to crying before everyone. “You said you love me, right?” asked Liara, trying to hold back tearing up as well.
Lotte’s lips quivered into a warm smile. She couldn’t back a tear. “I do, with all my heart.”
Liara frowned, unsure of how to respond to this confession. She thought about it the entire night, even in her sleep. However, she still didn’t know what to do.
“For how long?” Liara asked, her hand shaking. “For how long have you been feeling like this?”
“I- I don’t know, but,” Lotte took Liara’s hand in hers to stop it from shaking. “I just think I can’t live without telling you all this. You were always there when I needed you—since the first day we met. Whenever my parents, school or anything else troubled me, you would lend me your shoulder, listen to me, and let me cry out my worries.
“If I had to guess, my feelings only grew stronger for you. You’re my best friend, the only person I can trust this much. I feel horrible for confessing and fear you might reject me, but I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I’m sorry for being selfish. This is so wrong in what I am doing.”
“Wrong? What was so wrong about it?” Liara asked herself, watching how Lotte was withdrawing and trying to hide her crying face with her midnight blue hair. “Why would it be so wrong for you to love me?”
Liara knew about Lotte’s troubles, her thoughts, and how she struggled with the misconceptions others put on her. How she was told to behave. What kind of person she should be. What thoughts she should have and how she should love. She was struggling with all of this for years, and Liara was the only thing that held her together.
“I didn’t know there was more to it… so much more.” Liara smiled uneasily. “Love, Lotte loved me, but what kind of love is this supposed to be? After all, we can’t be together, anyway.”
“Oh look, the girls are here.” Lotte and Liara turned to the voice of a cheery woman walking up to them. In fact, there were two cheery ones. “How are you?”
It was the couple from the raided marriage. “Thank you for standing up for us. It meant a lot.” The taller one of the two put a hand on her chest and bowed slightly.
“We were worried sick that something happened to you two, but we’re glad you are alright,” laughed the other woman, who was wearing a flowy summer dress and shook their hands vividly.
“No, there’s no need, it’s alright. They had it coming those party poopers!” Liara shouted with a fury, shaking her fist and drawing out a laugh from the couple and Lotte.
“I am sorry for how they ruined your wedding,” Lotte chimed, trying to hide her red eyes with a smile.
“Nah, it’s nothing. We’re used to it by now. Doesn’t mean it should stick around, but we were happy to see like-minded girls like you.”
“Especially from beauties like you, such an adorable couple,” laughed the one in the summer dress full heartily and earned a light jab from her spouse.
“Don’t make me jealous, you hear? Oh, that reminds me,” The tall woman went back to the car they parked on the site, the motor still running as they only stopped for a moment. She came back with a set of luggage in tow. “A weird hooded man gave these to us, saying they belonged to you. We’ve wanted to return them to the police station, but seeing you are here, we couldn’t miss the opportunity.”
“Right, we are also on our way to our honeymoon! We hope we didn’t interrupt anything.”
“No, it’s quite alright,” answered Lotte, brushing a loose strand of hair back. “It was nice seeing you again. Thank you.”
“That was nothing. Have a nice day you two. I wish your relationship the best ending. Bye-bye.” The couple waved their goodbyes to Liara and Lotte before they drove away.
Lotte kept on waving and gazed after them wistfully. They were so content; it made her happy. Whatever happened yesterday didn’t remain in their hearts, as they were too merry to even think about it.
“How I wish that was me,” thought Lotte, and noticed Liara’s hand squeezing hers. “Liara?” Lotte turned around to her friend, whose eyes gazed at her with determination. One Lotte rarely saw in her. “What’s wrong?”
“Let’s do it,” said Liara, their hands intertwining and her face burning brightly. “Let us be a couple like them!”
Character Profiles
Name: Rex Uthman
Age: 57 ; Height: ~200cm ; Gender: Male
Rex Uthman, a man who served in several wars and rebellions in his home country. Despite his rough and intimidating appearance, he always opts for the most logical solution in fights and supports negotiating peace. Always there to pack a punch. Wants to support war-torn countries to find peace.
Whenever he comes home, he brings gifts to his children and niece, Liara. Has great respect for Liara’s mother, who is also his commander.
He changed his first name but kept his family name when leaving his country.
Hobbies: MMA, Shooting Ranges, trying out alcohol from every country and rating them, movie nights
Likes: The colour red, his dog, Liara and her mother (respectfully), fighting, headbutting people
Dislikes: Shopping, book shopping, small bathroom windows, warmongers and radicals
Ethnicity: Syrian, born in Damascus