Vitkus Twins

1.3: Jindřiška

Jindřiška’s Mindspace

Something felt wrong... everything felt wrong, the air was cleaner for starters. Like she was an outsider and not inside, she could also feel something cold and slightly wet against her skin.

But that couldn’t be right, she was in bed, and she should have been able to smell the slight bit of dust on the window stall. Another thing that was missing was Zik’s heartbeat next to her ear and the extra warmth. Zik was slightly taller than her.

Jindřiška rolled over, she opened her eyes and she wasn’t looking at her bedroom ceiling, no, instead she was looking at the open sky and tree branches.

Sitting up, she looked around. It wasn’t her bedroom. Jindřiška was in the forest, the same forest just outside the village’s high walls, and not only that, but the snow also made her think of the forest during the coldest months of the year.

Adults didn’t chase Jindřiška and Zik during the colder months, not in the forest anyway.

This meant she and Zik could play for hours outside in the snow, neither of them getting sick or frostbite. Turning around, she spotted a metal cage with thick metal walls and there was an outline of a fox with its tail around its front two paws and staring at the spot where she was standing.

Jindřiška could read, and she and Zik were fast learners, according to them, through their rotating teachers. Walking towards the writing, she looked at it, but she couldn’t read it.

Jindřiška followed the bars, continuing to try and pick out a few words she might understand.

She could see frost at the bottom of the bars, and slowly creep up the bars. She could have to make it back to the apartment, since she was, Zik could panic, but she had also been told to stay in the same spot if she was lost and being near a large cage would make her easier to find.

Jindřiška didn’t think she was lost, but she didn’t think the Ochrana would know that and that meant Zik wouldn’t know.

That meant that Jindřiška would stay where she was.

That way, someone from Ochrana would find her before the drunks did.

“So young, I’d hoped you’d be older,” a woman said.

Jindřiška looked up.

“Jindřiška,” she greeted, holding her hand out, “but my brother calls me Ris.”

Kočka told her it was polite to give her name before asking someone else’s.

“And your name?” Jindřiška asked.

“Karolína,” she said.

“Where are we?” Jindřiška asked.

“We’re in your mind space, Jindřiška, your mind room,” Karolína said, waving her hand towards the cage, “it shows your safe place.”

“What’s in the cage?” Jindřiška asked, pointing at the bars. It sounded like something was breathing behind the bars... almost as if it was locking something away.

Something that wasn’t good, something that had hurt people.

“A burden, Jindřiška, a curse you must now bare, one that I once bore,” Karolína said.

“A curse?” Jindřiška asked.

“When you’re older, I’ll tell you,” Karolína promised, kneeling, putting her hands on her lap.

A faraway look in her eyes.

Something that told Jindřiška that she was merely there in body but not in mind, but she guessed that she was remembering something that had happened.

“You wonder understand, no ten-year-old would understand,” Karolína said.

“Okay,” Jindřiška said.

“Life is hard, má dcera, but keep your head up,” Karolína said.

“I have Zik, Zik and I can do anything as long as we’re together!” Jindřiška said.

“That’s the Ježek spirit,” Karolína said.

“Why am I here?” Jindřiška said.

Karolína looked at her sadly, pulling her into a hug. She hugged her tightly and Jindřiška could feel something wet on her neck.

Jindřiška didn’t say anything.

“There are many things you won’t understand, má dcera, about your family or your bloodline,” Karolína said running her fingers through her hair, “I’ll train you to use the Ježek bloodline.”

“Can I teach Zik?” Jindřiška asked.

“He’s part of the Ježek Clan, má dcera, of course, you can teach him,” Karolína said, hugging her tighter, “tomorrow, we’ll start your training. Even pranks can be wonderful training exercises.”

“Pranks?” Jindřiška asked.

“Stealth and planning, má dcera, stealth and training,” Karolína said.

“Okay, Lina,” Jindřiška said.

“To leave, just close your eyes,” Karolína whispered, “you’ll be back in your apartment with Zik.”

Jindřiška nodded, closing her eyes and when she opened her eyes again, she was back in her bedroom, safe in Zik’s arms.

Smiling, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Karolína was going to teach her new tricks!

Tricks that she could share with Zik!