H A U N T E D

f i f t y - o n e

f i f t y - o n e

The woman behind the ticket booth hands the museum tickets over to us, counting out ten and then passing it over to Heidi. I make sure to stay away from her, after her strange looks last night. Alexis takes a photo of Nikola on her phone, at the entrance of the museum. The flash goes off, catching the attention of the woman.

"Bitte machen Sie keine Fotos im Museum", she scolds the girls. Heidi translates it to us, addressing us all at once.

"Please don't take pictures in the museum, you guys."

We all nod and excitedly move inwards, eager to see the wonderful pieces of Vermeer, Rembrandt and other artists we learned about in school. Heidi gives us permission to wander about, but to obey the rules of the museum. Alexis and Nikola excuse themselves to visit the gift shop, and I follow a group of other tourists with their guide, hoping to hear their insights on any of the masterpieces. We pass by Vermeer's The Milkmaid, where a woman is pouring milk into a jug. It's my favorite one of Vermeer, as it reminds me of simpler times, back when people paid tribute to temperance. 

"Do you remember when we had the class discussion on this?", someone asks behind me. I wince slightly in surprise and turn around to see Mr. André and Heidi standing behind me. Mr. André looks captivated by the piece, while Heidi stares at me, her irises filled with unnerving curiosity. My skin crawls like a million ants rushing across the surface, and I take an instinctive step back, feeling my heart beating in my chest like an off-tune drum. I realize my teacher is waiting on me, and I scramble to collect my thoughts.

"Oh, uh yes, sir. I liked Beatrice's view on it, romanticising the simplicity of life", I refer back to one of my classmates' perspective on the piece. Mr. André taps his chin with the back of his finger, nodding with a smile, before turning around to leave. I want to call out for him, because Heidi decides to stay and look at the artwork with me.

"It is interesting", Heidi drawls while holding her hands behind her back. Her back seems to be as stiff as a board, her heels clinking against each other, while her red lipstick doesn't seem to leave the outline of her mouth.

"How humans can take anything and make it beautiful once again, even something as plain as a milkmaid", she ponders and reaches her hand out, as if to touch the art but her hand lingers in the air, caressing nothing. I feel like she's waiting for a reply, and her eyes seem to shift to mine, almost welcoming me. The color of her eyes remind of a warm hearth on a winter's evening, and I unconsciously take a step forward before I can catch myself

"That's what so magnificent about us", I reply after a moment, clearing my throat as I turn back to the artwork.

"We're so easy to romantisize life, it's terrifying, earth-shattering but I'd never wish it away."

Heidi makes a sound of acknowledgment, not saying anything in response to my words. I glance back at her, and she seems to bite down on her bottom lip, pulling the skin tight between her teeth.

"You have a gift, Ophelia. It will be remembered."

I don't get the opportunity to ask her what she means, before she disappears with a group of Australian tourists.

-

"Today was exhausting", I whine once I fall back to my bed. Nikola falls down next to me, her head resting on my stomach. It is strange how one can grow comfortable so fast with another, although I do think it can be naïvety on Nikola's part. She yawns with an open mouth, not trying to hide it. Automatically, I reach my hand out to press my index finger in her mouth, but she shuts it closed before I can.