"Sisters"

            I. Intro.

      "Fransis..."
      "Yes, Olivie?"
      "Don't leave me, Fransis..."
      The old mouse relaxed in bed. She was near white, not
from birth, but with age. She had lived a long life.
      The old lady was slowly dying. They both know that.
      Fransis, a doctor, checked Olivia's pulse. He, too,
wasn't young. His head was powdered with snow, but on him that
was easier to see, as he had been born with darker fur.
      To die from old age... a rare thing for a mouse. Even if
you are as rich a mouse as Olivia Fergusson.
      She lay in big bed, covered with a warm blanket. Curtains
sealed high windows; the only light inside was from four big
white candles in the corners of the room. One of them had
nearly burnt out. And, like that candle, Olivia was fighting
her last battle...
      "I need... to say something to you... Something I have
never, never said to anyone..."
      "Relax, Olivie." the doctor pulled her covers up.
      "No. I feel... I know... I will die soon... I can't die,
not... not fulfilling..."
      The old mouse's hand caught the doctor's hand and
squeezed it. Fransis wondered at the strength that the old lady
still posessed.
      "You have been with me for a long time... Fransis... You
have become... like a brother to me... It's hard to say...
now... Do you know,.. that I have, not only sons,.. but also a
daughter, Fransis?"
      If the doctor was shocked, he covered it perfectly.
      "Yes, Fransis... I has a daughter too... Long ago... She
was my last child... She was the most beloved of all the
children Douglas and I had... Until... Until she rose against
us... and married... that crazy little inventor..."
      Olivia become silent for a long time. Fransis dabbed the
sweat from her forehead. Then Olivia continued.
      "And now... Fransis... I want you to find her."
      "Olivie?"
      "You promise?"
      "But, Olivie..."
      "Do you promise?!"
      "Yes."
      Olivia smile sadly and relaxed.
      "I know... I needed to do it long ago... But I couldn't!"
Again she squeezed Fransis' hand.
      "You know Douglas, Francis... He can't forgive... And he
forbade me to help her too... Even her name was forbidden in
our house, Francis... I was weak... Too weak to rise... against
my... husband..."
      The old lady becomes silent. It looked as if she needed
to say more, but was afraid to. Then she continued.
      "Say... Friar Ned says... God forgives me for keeping
silent all these years... But you? Do you think I will be
forgiven?"
      Doctor smiled at Olivie.
      "Yes, Olivie... You will be forgiven..."
      "Only one... I can... remain... to her... Fransis, I...
will..."
      The old lady pulled in a sharp breath, shivered shortly,
and relaxed.
      "Olivie?"
      Fransis didn't wait answer. He breathed deeply and
checked her pulse. None. He sighed. He kissed Olivie on her
forehead for the last time, closed her eyes with his hand, and
stood up from the chair.
      "Olivie, Olivie..." He sighed. "Once again you put hard
work on my old shoulders... as you always did..."
      Pulling together all his will, he left the bedroom.

      In the hall, a large company of people were sitting and
standing. Ten old servants, stewards, and others. Few young
ones were there. A nurse. And some family members.
      "She is dead."
      One young stewardess started weeping silently. Francis
noticed that these were the only honest tears. Some of the
family members could not stop breaths of relief.

            II. "My last will..."

      Fransis looked with disgust at all the guests who sat in
the chairs and divans in the hall.
      Yes, they all were dressed in black. Girls and ladies,
boys and gentleman. But he knew that they were here not out of
love for the now dead and buried Olivie. They were here only
for her money. He wanted to throw them all out. But he was
nothing here. An old servant; the doctor and lawyer. Less than
nobody to these "blue bloods."
      In his mind he returned to the days before the burial.
Jenny, the young stewardess, had once run into his cabinet in
tears. He had needed to give her a glass of water with a
sedative to keep her calm. Between her sobs he discovered some
interesting news about the plans that the family had for the
money, the palace, and the servants. Nothing good for them all.
But bad for him especially.
      "After the 'Last Will' is read, that old coot won't be
here any longer!" someone had sworn.
      Francis looked at her. So young, yet so sharp... As if
old lord Douglas had been reincarnated into her.
      "Okay, we all are here. There's no one else to wait for.
Start reading it!"
      That was Morris, not Mary. Of course, of all of them he
had the least right to be here, and for this Fransis, in
Morris' place, would be silent, but that young ... "Let's go,"
Francis sighed, then broke the seal and opened the packet.
      "I, Olivia Fergusson, born in Flaifhem, of sound mind and
body, and and with free will, make my last wishes...
      "To the children and grandchildren of my husband's
brother - Trifo, Janet and Gina - I bequesth 15 thousand pounds
each...
      "To my beloved Gina, and her good husband, I leave my
car...
      "I leave my collection of postage stamps to Trifo, as I
know how many times he has dreamed about it...
      "To my husband's brother's grand-grand-daughter Mary, I
leave 10 thousand pounds. When she gets married, she will get
an additional 10 thousand pounds as a wedding gift, and
documents to my house in London. She can use it until then, but
will get full ownership only after marriage...
      "To my good friend and helper Fransis McDugal, I leave my
beloved picture collection..."
      Morris cursed by himself.
      "... and 5 thousand pounds.
      "I also order all these persons whom I have mentioned to
do everything possible to find my long-lost daughter, Alice
Fergusson, or her children. If some of them are found, they
will be given the rights to live in Fergusholl castle and the
rest of my holdings, after all outstanding debts are paid. If
none of them is found alive, the castle will become the
property of the government, and the money will be divided into
three parts. One will get deposited into government bank to
keep up Fergusholl castle, another other will be given to St.
Alice hospital, and third will be divided between family
members..."
      After he said this, all Hell broke loose.
      "That old bat was out of her mind!" yell Morris.
      "Nearly everything to the poor and the government! Oh,
God!" Gina nearly fainted.
      "I won't accept this!" Janet stood up from her chair.
      Fransis put up his hand to calm them down.
      "If any of the mentioned persons refuses to obey my
orders, he or she will be removed from the testament, and his
or her share will be divided between the rest..." he read
loudly.
      Suddenly there was silence again.
      "That witch knew we would react like this," Mary declared
calmly. "Relax, mom. Is there anything else?"
      After the "robbed" family members fell silent again,
Fransis read through the rest of the testament. There were some
small sums to servants, churches, hospitals, schools...
Together less than 10 thousand.
      All looked shocked when Fransis stopped.
      "How much did that lost girl get?" Morris asked after a
long silence.
      "The rights to live in Fergusholl and the nearby lands,
and around 100 thousand pounds in bank shares and holdings."
      "And all that for a bitch who ran away with first pants-
wearer she met!" Janet shouted in anger.
      "Be careful what you say, dear," Fransis noticed coldly.
"Do not be the one to cast the first stone."
      "Where is she?" Trifo looked over the postage stamp
catalog he held in his hands.
      "I can't find her in a few days..."
      "You couldn't find her in a few years." observed Morris.
"If she likes, she will show up at the burial."
      Fransis gathered all his will to remain calm and
objective.
      "I plan to set out an advertisement, and hire the
detective company 'Max & Co.' to do research."
      Morris grinned.
      "Then, I fear, we can't stop you from tossing the old
witch's money into the wind? Good luck finding nothing."
      Gina stood too.
      "We protest. You cant keep the lion's share of the
money!"
      Janet was ready to join them, but her daughter pulled her
back and spoke first.
      "We, too, disagree with that fool testament. But WE don't
protest. Right, mom? It isn't worth it. Let's leave."
      Surely Janet had something to say, but Mary pulled her
out without giving her a chance.
      Trifo smiled at Fransis. "You know, I don't need to say
it, but I'm lucky. I can now fill all the holes and gaps in my
collection. Good luck."
      Fransis led Gina and Morris out, then sit back at his
table. He opened a drawer and got out his heart pills. He
swallowed one with some water.
      It had been hard, but he had won. The old lady has a wise
streak, to pull this joke on the family. How could she do this
unnoticed?
      He picked up the earpiece and dialed the number.
      "Alex? It's me, Fransis. Yes. I need your help. Yes,
about that one, I told... Family? No, they couldn't find any
way to refuse. Yes, they agreed. With clenched teeth, but they
agreed. Yes. Starting now. And I would like the results as soon
as possible. Next week? Excellent! So I will call a new
meeting... Okay, after you call me. Sure. Good luck. Bye."
      He stood up, locked all the papers in the wall safe, and
left the guest hall.
      "Sir Fransis?"
      "Yes?"
      It was a young mouse, Susan. One of the servants.
      "Do we still have our jobs, sir?"
      "Yes, my child. Yes. In any case, you will all remain in
your places until we find the new lady of Fergusholl. But, for
now, go."
      Susan smiled and rushed away, wiping tears from her eyes.
Fransis looked after her as she disappeared into the long
corridors.
      "Find the new lady of Fergusholl... Olivie, how can we do
this after half a century?!"

            III. Homeless.

      In the main village square a large crowd had gathered. In
the center was an open place, in which two were standing. Both
were in a rage; both were proclaiming that they were right.
      "Lawainee Lait! You have broken the laws of our tribe!
You..."
      "Bah! Laws?"
      "You cheated in the contest to become our queen! You
tried to destroy the whole village! You will be thrown out of
our tribe now! From this day, you have no rights here!"
      "Just for those light tricks I did?"
      "You can still live in your hut. But no one will talk
with you. No one will help you. We will ignore you totally!"
      "Ha! How horrible! Ignore me!" Lawainee grinned. "After
you tried to kill me three times?"
      But none answered this. Under the chieftain's look, all
turned and went away, leaving her alone. They softly taspoke
and whispered among themselves, but none looked at the "cursed"
woman.
      "All right" Lawainee shout in anger. "Ignore! Ignore me!
Do you think I need you and your stupid queen title!? Bah!"
      No one turned and answered this.

      Lawainee returned to her house, boiling with anger. She
wildly kicked the shelf with her instruments, scattering them
over all the room, and entered her food store. After few sips
of cocoa she calmed down somewhat.
      "Damn!"
      Carrying a half-shell in her hands, she returned to the
main room and stumbled over a hack wrench key lying on floor.
      "Oh, damn!"
      Lawainee's first impulse was to kick it, but then she
calmed down. Setting the shell on the table, she started
collecting the instruments.
      "Ignoring... Damn fools!.. Haba-baba did the only thing
that will hurt me more that pain. Damn fools!"
      Soon all the tools were again ordered on the shelf, and
Lawainee fell flat on the low grass bed.
      "Ignoring..." she thought out loud. "Yes, they threw me
out very effectively. No working. No shopping. No aid. Like I'm
not here. Damn!"
      Hour after hour passed as she lay on her bed and thought.
As if she was cursed, no good ideas appeared. Try and beg
forgiveness? Her?! Newer!!
      Try to live on as if nothing had happened? Damn, how
would she get food? And what if she becomes ill?
      No, the only way was to leave. As soon as possible. As
she had done a few years before, when she had tried to find a
father.
      And Lawainee looked at all her short life. Short
childhood, who ended too soon. Mother was always busy; father
liked grain spirits a little too much for a mouse. The drunkard
had poisoned all he touched. She rose alone. Her mother had had
two children, but both had died after a week or two. From the
father's drinking, the doctor had told her mother.
      Then father finally drank too much and died. Her mother
outlived him by only a few months. And from then she had
remained alone. She had been only ten years old. Yes, the
neighbors had helped a little. But all had looked at the little
girl as... with some... hmm... as if she was something less
that they. As hard as she tried, as good as she was, all
expected the proverbial apple to fall close to the proverbial
tree.
      All these years she had sworn that she would climb to the
highest heights of mouse society. And she had nearly succeeded.
Nearly...
      And now she looked at the remains. And she had to start
again from the lowest steps.
      "No! I won't remain here! I'll go crazy from all those
whispers and looks!"
      Lawainee stood up and pulled out a big coffer. Setting it
open on the bed, she started packing. A few good dresses, a set
of high quality tools - a memory of her true father. A few
small nicknacks - a memory of her mother. A few gold dollars,
some paper ones. And that was all.
      She stood straight, then she noticed a shadow slide past
the entrance.
      "Lawainee?" someone whispered.
      "Shaka-Baka?" Lawainee relaxed. "Come in. Why... Do you
dare break the orders that Haba-baba give the tribe?"
      "No, baby. I... I cant ignore you. I love you. I...
Lawainee, let me help you!"
      "Do you dare speak against the chief, Shaka-Baka?"
      "Even against the whole tribe, dear!"
      "Silence, Shaka-Baka! I don't want you thrown out too,"
Lawainee covered Shaka-Baka's mouth with her small hand.
      "But..."
      "I will return. Someday. But until then..." Lawainee
thought a little. "I want you to be my ears and eyes here,
Shaka-Baka. Will you do this for me?"
      "Whatever you want, baby!"
      Big dumb Shaka-Baka. All he waned from life was a good
weather for surfing, some food to fill his stomach, and a place
to stay at night. But he was very serious about his love for
her. Lawainee felt more comfortable knowing about this, but she
didn't show it.
      "And, Shaka-Baka... If some young fool girl like me tries
to get the title of queen..."
      "I should stop her?"
      "No. You should help her. Tell her all about me and the
true meaning of 'survival test'. Okay?"
      "Okay, but why?"
      "Maybe that will save her life, Shaka-Baka."
      Shaka-Baka tried to think about this, but soon give up.
      "Okay."
      "I'm sorry, but I cant brin you with me, Shaka-Baka."
      "I know, baby... I tried get out once... I will miss you,
dear..."
      "Bye, Shaka-Baka."
      She gave him a short kiss.
      And Lawainee left her mother's house, this time with
little hope of returning.