Puppet (4 page)

Even the woods are weird.  It’s barren and marshy and gray.  But in a strange way, it’s beautiful as well.  A twisted, sharp beauty that you have to look a little harder to truly see.  I suppose that’s why Jed’s house is here.  He seems to be so fascinated with the odd and supposedly ugly and cold. 

I shift around on the bed and the little bird sees me and takes off, sending the branch swinging in the air, dropping what’s left of it’s shriveled brown leaves to the ground.

I close my eyes momentarily and let my body sink into the cushioned mattress surrounding me, suddenly so thankful that I’m here and no longer at the orphanage.  I smile.  I could never go back there.  I won’t.  Jed must never send me back; I’m his success and I have to work to keep it that way.  Besides, sometimes I think he might actually care for me.  Our laughing over stupid things.  Our long discussions over dinner; mostly about science or marionettes, but whatever.

I kind of feel like a kid again.  Too bad I don’t get to be one for that much longer.  Sixteen is barely a child anyway.  It’s something else entirely; an awkward stage of limbo.     

My mind stumbles back over the five demonstrations Jed and I have gone through.  All the same, but all slightly different.  Different groups of people, different reactions.  But every single time I second guess myself.  Each time, right before the curtains will open I wonder if I’ll be able to do it, if I want to do it. I’m reminded of the scientist, the slap, his head jerking violently, and I feel sick.  Afraid.  But then I see Jed’s smile, his excited chatter, and envision my life if this hadn’t happened, and I make myself go on. 

At first I hated the demonstrations.  I hated all the eyes peering up at me from the shadows; I hated the murmurs, the questions.  But after awhile it began to seem normal.  Right, even.  I wait behind the curtains, nervously adjusting my clothes and smoothing my hair, but as I walk out into the stage and people murmur in awe at Jed’s proclamations I slowly begin to feel better, appreciated; special.  I feel like nothing could hurt me.  Nothing could stand in my way of anything I wanted to do.  Anything. 

And the thought makes the wheels turn in my head like gears spinning out of control.  Like I’m more than just a little girl; a child, a person. 

More than human.       

6

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“P
enelope!” Jed’s strangled cry comes floating through the cracked, wooden doors of his study.  I look up from where I’m eating breakfast with James at the kitchen table and peer out into the hallway just in time to see the study door flown open and Jed scuttle towards us, sliding to a stop at the front of the table, waving something thin and papery above his head.  “Read it!” he exclaims, thrusting a letter into my hands.  I take it from him and start to skim its contents while Jed drums his fingers against the tabletop expectantly.

“Who...?” I begin.

“Dr. Duquesne!” Jed nearly shrieks, taking the letter and inspecting it again as if it holds newer secrets he hasn’t yet identified.

I glance over at James, startled, only to find that he has a somewhat exasperated expression painted on his face.  I turn back to Jed, sending him a questioning look.

“Some famous scientist,” James clarifies, sounding bored. 

“A highly acclaimed scientist!” Jed corrects him, looking appalled.

“Well, wait,” I interrupt, snatching the letter back from Jed.  “What about him?”

My eyes skim the paper again but I don’t get to the point of the letter before Jed interjects, “He wants to meet us!” 

He makes a noise that resembles the squealing of a little girl and then waves the letter in the air.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Jed this excited, and considering that he’s at least somewhat keyed up most of the time, he’s like one of those little wind up toys wound up a million times and then accelerated.  I have no idea who this Duquesne is but to Jed he must be some kind of idol. 

James shrugs and congratulates him halfheartedly as Jed dances in circles around the table.  Suddenly he grabs my arm and pulls me from my chair to wrap me in a hug.  “We did it,” he proclaims as he spins me under his arm and then continues to spin around on his own.  I laugh and take a step back to stand next to James who’s been pulled from his seat as well.  My eyes widen in pleased surprise as Jed beams at me, apparently including me in his victory.

“So, who’s this Dr. Duquesne?” I ask James quietly.

He shrugs.  “Like I said, some famous scientist.  Dad’s practically in love with him.”

I laugh and then remember that this letter involves not only Jed, but me as well.  I can feel the trepidation and caution starting to sink in.  “What would meeting him...entail?” I ask warily, wondering if he’s Jed’s kind of scientist or the other kind; stiff and collected.         

James shrugs.  “He probably just wants to see you and talk to Jed about his practice.”  Is that scorn I hear in his voice?  I wonder if Dr. Duquesne practices the same things Jed does.

I nod.  “Should be fun, right?” 

“Extremely exciting.”  He winks at me as we watch Jed practically skip out of the room. 

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T
he car pulls up to the large cream-colored building and I take in a shaky breath.  I look down at my lace dress, smoothing it out and making sure that no new cat hairs have found ways to entwine themselves within the fabric.  I swear it must be Clemetice’s goal in life to smother us with all her excess fur.  Jed fiddles with his tie in the front seat; both of us are nervous wrecks while James sits casually beside me without a care in the world. 

“What’s this guy’s name again?” James asks and Jed swivels around in his seat to glare at him through burning eyes.

“Dr. Duquesne!” he hisses.  “And you can’t just forget his name, he’s one of the elite, he’s important!”  Jed rambles off a few more wonderful things about the doctor while James laughs silently.

“I was only kidding.” 

Jed huffs and opens his car door while James and I follow suit.  Dr. Duquesne’s house looks more intimidating now that I stand in front of it.  There must be at least three stories; it’s hard to tell.  And vines grow up along the wall; not accidental and pointless like at Jed’s house, as if someone just forgot to maintain it for a few years, but purposeful and creative. 

Jed clears his throat nervously, quickly adjusting his tie once again, and then he lifts his chin and struts up to the front door.  He confidently bangs against the wood using the shiny gold-colored knockers and barely seconds afterward, the door is opened.  We are ushered inside by a man I’m certain is not Dr. Duquesne and told to wait in what he calls the living room, although it’s at least twice the size of Jed’s. 

James wanders over to a bookshelf in the far corner, skimming the spines and tentatively pulling them slightly out to view the cover. 

“Don’t touch them,” Jed snaps and James returns the book to its place with an annoyed glance in Jed’s direction.  He rolls his eyes as if this whole thing is a waste of time.  The room is so silent I can hear Jed fidgeting with his sleeves and coat.  I can hear the clock on the far wall ticking.  There’s a cuckoo clock beside it and I squint as I look at it.  I’ve never liked them.  I’m always afraid they’re going to pop out and scare me with their beady little eyes and startling horn-like noises.    

I see a robot marionette in the corner, similar to Jed’s puppet, Amabel, only bigger.  All that hulk of metal and circuits can do, all its lovely abilities, I possess as well.  And more.  The idea makes me shiver, although with pleasure or fear I’m not quite sure yet. 

I notice a large globe in the center of the room, almost half my size, and I walk up to it.  Continents and countries are sketched across it in a precise yet squiggly scrawl and I roll the globe in its case to see the other side.

“Penelope,” Jed hisses.

“He’s not going to care if I touch it,” I tell him.  “Just calm down.”

“You’re right,” a deep voice responds and I spin around in alarm to find a tall, dark-haired main standing in the doorway.  “I don’t mind at all,” he assures me.  His brown hair is flecked with gray and his suit looks almost exactly like Jed’s.   

Out of the corner of my eye, Jed looks petrified.  I’d be laughing if I wasn’t as startled.  I’m sure James is silently dying of the hilarity.

“My name is Dr. Aldus Duquesne,” the man says with a smile.  “I’m pleased to meet you both.”

Jed rushes forward, still slightly nervous-looking, but happy all the same.  “I’m Dr. Jed Orville,” he gushes.  “I’m a great admirer of yours.” 

“As I am of you,” Duquesne replies.  “At least if this young girl is what you claim she is.” 

Jed nods his head vehemently.  “Oh, yes, yes.  This is Penelope Trump.”

I cringe slightly at the use of my full name; as far away from elegance as you could get.  I wish I could have just introduced myself as Pen.  I step forward.  “Pleased to meet you.”  I smile.

“And my son, James Orville.”  James steps forward to shake Dr. Duquesne’s hand although his smile is tight and somewhat forced. 

Jed rushes on, completely beside himself with delight.  “Penelope, would you like to show Dr. Duquesne a demonstration?” 

I nod, only because I know he’s telling me to.  Jed hands me a deck of cards from his pocket and I look around for a table to perform the trick on.  I spot one and head over, Jed and Duquesne following me. 

It feels strange to perform a trick so trivial and juvenile for a man like Dr. Duquesne.  Card tricks and rock-crushing seem to be for carnival-goers looking for something odd and frightening to amuse them.  Dr. Duquesne doesn’t strike me as one to fall under that category.

But I pull out the cards anyway, shuffle them quickly and deal them out on the table faster than even my eyes can barely register.  Duquesne blinks a few times, his features forming into a soft frown.  But then he smiles, a slow smile that takes its time seeping across his face.  “May I see your hands, Penelope?” he asks.

I hesitate, wondering if he has some absurd plan like the last scientist who inspected me.  I don’t want another slap across the face.  If he wants to know if I’m real, all he has to do is ask. 

I think of the scientist I slapped and how I’m sure he’ll never doubt my authenticity.  I’m dangerous, so dangerous.  All I want to do is run away – away from this feeling I can’t understand.  With a start I realize what I am – ridiculously powerful, yet so out of control.   

He takes my hands in his, turning them over a few times, feeling my pulse, and then releasing them.  But before he can comment, Jed thrusts two stones into my hands and nods encouragingly at me.  I blink, thinking about Dr. Duquesne’s nice white carpet and the gray dust the rocks will transform into, but I do what Jed asks and crush them between my fingers.  I watch the pebbles fall like dirt to the pallid floor, but Duquesne doesn’t seem to notice, and if he does, he must forgive me because his smile grows wider. 

“Dr. Orville, this is amazing!” he exclaims. 

Jed beams.  His face is redder than that bright red bird I saw the other day; he’s embarrassed, pleased beyond comprehension. 

“So she can do everything the marionettes can do?”

I cringe.  Jed nods. 

“How did you manage it?” 

“Manipulation of the cell,” Jed explains.  “I’ve been trying to perfect a working theory for years.” 

I turn around to see James standing on the other side of the room, arms crossed, watching us.  He smiles slightly when he notices me and beckons for me to walk over. 

“They’ll be at it for hours,” he says when I reach him.  “I can tell by the look on his face,” he adds with a frown.

I follow his gaze to see the same animated expression I saw the first night of our demonstration.  “At least he’s having fun,” I say, suddenly realizing that I mean it.  I feel true happiness about Jed’s success.  I can’t remember a time when I felt this happy for someone else.  It’s a nice feeling.  Comforting. 

James nods.  “I don’t know why he always insists that I come along.”  He shakes his head.  “His science gets old after awhile...”

“Well, who else would I talk to once I’m done
demonstrating
?” I ask.  “He must know I’d die of boredom without someone coherent to talk to.” 

James laughs.

Suddenly a phrase of the conversation from the other side of the room catches our attention.  I turn my head slightly in their direction while James eyes them suspiciously.  “Does Head Devere know?” Dr. Duquesne asks quietly.  I strain my ears without trying to look obvious.  I can tell James is doing the exact same thing. 

Jed pauses.  “I hadn’t given it much thought,” he admits.

Dr. Duquesne nods in contemplation.  “You know she’s all over this type of thing.  I’m surprised you haven’t heard from her yet.  I mean this...this is huge.”  He stares at Jed intently. 

My heart seems to stop beating and then plummet.  Head Devere?  Not only do I have to undergo demonstrations with scientists as crazy as Jed, public who believe I’m some product of witchcraft, but meeting the Head of Portum? 

My stomach flip flops when I think about her; her cool gaze, her icy strict command.  People are punished for the silliest things and for the first time ever, I’m no longer invisible.

I look over at James and I know he can see the worry written across my face like red paint.  He shakes his head.  “Don’t worry about it,” he tells me.  “It’s a stupid science experiment, she’s not going to care.” 

I swallow and nod, hoping that he’s right, trying to subdue the nagging feeling inside of me telling me that I’m not just any science experiment.  I’m one that worked.  Too well. 

“Benevolence Devere is nothing to worry about,” James assures me again.  “She’s not going to bother you.”

I look over at Jed and although he’s still caught up in the moment, ecstatic about being here, I can still see the worry in his eyes.  I wonder how long it will take for someone to investigate.  Because now that I really think about it, I’m shocked that it’s already taken this long.   

7

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T
he wheels on my bike squeak in protest as I ride down the long dirt road away from Jed’s house.  It’s a dark rusty red with a makeshift basket attached to the front.  Jed told me to use it to get groceries in town.  I’m guessing the bike is most likely James’s and considering its condition, he probably doesn’t ride it all that often.