Information

Veda has a minion!

Gryphon the Darkwing

Veda

The

Darkmatter Demi
Owner:

pisces

Age: 17 years, 3 weeks, 3 days

Born: April 14th, 2007

Adopted: 17 years, 3 weeks, 3 days ago (Legacy)

Adopted: April 14th, 2007 (Legacy)

Statistics

Level: 23
Strength: 37
Defense: 36
Speed: 33
Health: 33
HP: 0/33
Intelligence: 1
Books Read: 0
Food Eaten: 0
Job: Unemployed

I perch on the lowest branch of the evergreen tree, my spine pressed against the cool bark, hunched against the icy wind. My torn sweater leaves me defenseless to the frigid air and the flakes of white falling from the winter sky. I stare at the grimy pages newsprint clutched between my reddened fingers. I can almost hear the letters taunting me; giggling silently at my concentration. The inky symbols writhe on the page, linking together into the beginning of an idea, then falling apart again. Over and over they edge tantalizingly close to real words, then simply collapse. Despite my intense concentration, they return to streaks of ink. The few that I can decipher are useless, simple ones: "man," "news," "fork," "van." They offer a fraction of a glimpse into the real story.
With a sigh, I toss the paper aside, and sink deeper into the inviting crook of the branch. Far in the distance, a clock chimes three. There's still an hour before I have to head out, plenty of time before I need to be in line. I smile. They're serving chili today.
A silver car glides past, the windows rolled down, and blaring music loudly. I can make out the intro to a chart topping pop song, one often played on the local radio stations. My eyes drift shut, and I open my mouth, quietly singing along.

The broken condom child of a sixteen year old girl, Veda was raised largely by her grandparents. Though they disapproved of their daughter's actions, they loved their granddaughter, and doted on her with gifts and toys. They encouraged both Veda's inquisitive nature, and strong interest in fantastical creatures. With endless patience they answered every childish question, participated in every game, and cuddled away every nightmare. There were movies, zoo trips, ice rinks and dance lessons. Surprises, laughs and bedtime stores. They even brought her to audition for roles in local several local commercials. Though she was never selected, Veda was enthralled by the experience. They were supportive of her early passion for singing. Once she began attending school, it was her grandparents who drove her in the morning, and who were always waiting to pick her up.
When Veda was seven, and beginning the second grade, her mother suffered a drastic change of heart. In the middle of the night, the little girl was shaken awake, and ordered to get dressed and grab her coat. Without so much as an explanation, Veda's mother grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her out into the night, leaving behind her home, her possessions, and her family. After two bewildering nights of sleeping in a camping tent, the pair was admitted into a specialized shelter for women with young children. At first it was exciting; not having to go to school, playing with the other kids all day. But soon, Veda began to pine for home. There were no toys or bedtime stories. Her mother worked a minimum wage job at a fast food restaurant, and returned late each night. She paid little attention to her daughter. Even the shelter staff had little interest in the education of the children. They were never asked what they wanted to do as adults. Nobody wanted to hear about their dreams.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Veda ran away for the second time in her life. At the age of eleven, she hopped on a bus set for a distant area of the city, and hit streets. For over a month, she slept on park benches, singing for spare change in the subway, and doing odd jobs for households. Though she applied many times for a job, nobody was interested in an elementary school aged girl with dreams of becoming a singer. And nobody at all, was interested in someone with a grade two level education. Still, Veda tried, continually optimistic that somebody would accept her. She held on to her belief that one day, she would become an actress or even a professional singer. Every day, she practiced.
Now, at the age of fourteen, things are a little better for Veda. She's found a youth shelter, where the staff are friendly. The "youth" are alright too, but she usually keeps out of their way. She works part time at the nearby bicycle shop, and collects free meals everyday. She gets her clothes from charity and second hand shops. She still plans on learning to read, and maybe even getting back into school. Getting a real job. She still performs in the subways. It's the closest to her dream that she's ever going to get.

The last notes float softly from my lips, and I sigh, my eyes still closed. Though the car is long gone, and the song long over, I continue to hum, lost in the waves of melody. For several minutes I float; safe and liberated, the notes dancing on my eyelids. Notes are much kinder than letters. It is the powerful crunch of a heavy foot sinking into the snow, that shakes me from my reverie.
There is a guy, maybe a little older than I am, standing just a few feet away from me. My eyes easily trace the path of footprints back to the point where he left the path, to trudge through the knee deep snow drifts. To get to my tree. Swathed in a thick cocoon of warm fabric, he stares at me, shivering. For a moment, I stare back in silence. Then, his face breaks into a smile. "You're good," he says. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out two coins and flicks them at me. "Buy yourself a coffee, or something kid." Without another word, he picks the crumpled newspaper off the ground, and heads off on his way. I gaze after him for a long time, rubbing the coins together absently. Motionlessly, my eyes take in his form until he has receded from view. And still they stare off into the distance. Finally, I blink.