The Two Sides of Mary Oliver Greene

Mary Oliver Greene walked calmly along the side of the winding road. She had not to far left to go before she reached her home off of Crowne street. She thought about the calm house and how the light streamed in through the old plantation shutters on the windows. The house always smelled of lemon cleaner and fresh paint. Mary Oliver’s mother was a painter, but not a successful one at that. Mary thought fondly of her mother most days. Unlike most moms and teenager daughters they were not prone to fighting. Her mom never really seemed up for fighting even when Mary purposefully pushed her to confrontation. To Mary, it always appeared as though when her mother was just about to yell, she stopped. It was as if she suddenly shrank into a small and innocent child. She returned to just wandering about the house looking for something, anything, to inspire her. The truth is she never had really made it big, and Mo (that is what everyone Mary Oliver knew called her) knew that. Mo and her mom lived off the money they received from Mo’s long gone father. Mo stopped in the road suddenly. Something was around, the air was thicker and the streets bustling around her seemed to slow to a drag. The city started seeming dull and quiet. She knew this was not the New York City she knew and loved. Mo quickened her pace and glanced around her. SoHo was dark, and she was close to her townhome on Gresin Way. Mo and her mom had always lived in the small place, but it was enough for them. She jogged up the cold stone steps and hurriedly shoved her key into the lock. It clicked and with a sigh of relief she stepped inside.
“Boo!” exclaimed Edgar.
“Edgar! Why are-When did y-How?” Mo said frightened.
“I know where your spare key is,” Edgar reminded her.
Edgar Stone had been Mo’s best friend since forever. He was always there for her, and he had always liked making a big deal of things.
“What are you doing?” Mo asked curiously.
“We are headed to the park to celebrate your 16th birthday!” Edgar seemed so excited.
Mo had never really loved birthdays. She had always thought of them as just another day in the books, just another year closer to her death. Mo decided to go along with Edgar’s plan anyways. She grabbed Edgar’s arm, and they headed out the door.
Edgar had always walked faster than Mo. He had dark almost black hair which was always straight. Mo never noticed until now just how tall he was. Edgar was not only tall he was thin, and he was very pale too. His eyes were bright green, and his clothes were normally disheveled. He never quite seemed put together like something was always a wry. Edgar glanced down at her, and flashed her a smile. Mo and him had grown up together. They had known each other ever since she can remember.
“Looks like my mom forgot my birthday again,” Mo sighed.
Edgar spoke slowly, “Mo, is everything all right with---your mom?”
“Yeah, sure, well I mean-” Mo replied
“Mo, I understand. You guys have been through a lot, and I know she has been distant lately, but I am always here,” Edgar said as he slowed to a stop.
“Yeah, I know, Edgar. I think you’re worrying too much though. Everything is fine,” Mo rolled her eyes as she spoke.
Edgar grabbed her hands.
“Mo, I’m serious. You need to talk to her,” Edgar insisted.
Mo shrugged him off, and she turned to start walking.
“Edgar, stop. I-We are fine,” Mo said as she walked forward.
Mo and Edgar walked in silence for while. Mo stared up at the large, sweeping buildings that littered the streets. They were so beautiful and intricate. The architecture on each building was so unique. Some swayed and curved while others seem to have sharp, needle-like edges. She wondered what really was wrong with her mother. She had been acting…strange. Something was wrong, and Mo knew it. Edgar was right. Just like he always was. Suddenly, Mo snapped out of her thoughts as Edgar quickly struck his arm to her. She looked down, and realized she was at a busy corner. She felt guilty for not saying anything to Edgar for saving her, but she continued on in silence.
Edgar walked briskly through the warm and windy streets. The breeze swept through each building like a maze, and pushed cold blasts up into his face. The buildings were so dull he thought. He stared up at the large, gray heaps. They used to be so beautiful. What happened? Edgar looked down to see a street quickly approaching. As they neared the corner, Edgar looked to Mo. She didn’t stop. She kept walking thinking about who knows what. He stopped her from continuing into the street. Mo may get on his nerves, but that was what was so amazing about her. She was always somewhere else he thought. She never got tied down by the dull, gray, grimy city they lived in. She saw the beauty in everything, yet she also saw the ugly. She was realistic, and she did not let living in her own world stop her from being that way. They continued on in mutual silence, but it was nice. Edgar appreciated their times together just watching.
Mo stopped.
“Edgar, I’m sorry,” Mo spoke softly.
“Mo, it is fine,” Edgar sighed.
Mo smiled. She and Edgar never fought for long. They continued walking until they reached Queen’s Park. Mo looked around. The park was so green for it to be early April she thought. This was always where Mo and Edgar went. Mo knew the route by heart: two blocks down Gresin Way, seven blocks down Crowne street, and right onto Queen’s Park.
Edgar looked around the park. This was their place. The park may belong to the city, but to he and Mo this was their park. They spent summers here playing with the frogs near the pond as children. As they grew older they found the best spot for tag, rock climbing, and skateboarding here. There were so many memories here that flashed before Edgar’s eyes everywhere he looked.
“Come on, Edgar!” Mo yelled. She had run down to the big rock near where the trees and pond met.
“On my way!” he yelled. Edgar glanced around to notice that the park was empty today. How strange he thought before sprinting to catch up to Mo.
Once Edgar reached the rock Mo had already scaled up to the top. As Edgar began to climb Mo began speaking.
“Do you notice how green the trees are, Edgar?”
“Yes, Mo. The trees sure are green today,” he spoke out of breath from climbing.
“Did you see how pretty the buildings seem? I swear they get prettier every day,” Mo pondered.
“Yes, Mo. The buildings look great today,” Edgar responded sarcastically.
“Edgar! I am not crazy!” Mo pouted.
“Sure, Mo,” Edgar smiled.
Edgar reached the top just as Mo turned away laughing. They sat at the edge of the rock for a while discussing what Mo wanted for her birthday.
“Oh! What about that rock album we saw at the vinyl store?!” Mo chirped.
“I think that is-”
A loud noise interrupted them. It was sudden, and the noise seemed to ring out through the empty park.
“Edgar, What was-”
“Mo, stop. It is getting late we should probably head home anyways,” Edgar quickly cut her off.
Mo looked around at the street lights flickering on. Time always flew by when they were here. Mo nodded before hopping off the rock to the ground.
Edgar noticed the thud as he hit the ground. The rock was always higher up than he thought. He began walking back toward Crowne Street. Warily, Edgar looked around the dark park.
“We can walk by your house first, Edgar.”
“You sure?” Edgar seemed worried.
“Yeah, I will be fine. Don’t worry so much!” Mo jokingly pushed Edgar and laughed.
The two continued walking down the bustling night time streets of New York. The shops began to close, and the restaurants began to open for dinner. People slowly filtered onto the main street like little streams into a river. Mo always thought the people were funny. She and Edgar always tried to make up funny stories about why they were here. Mo smiled as she looked up. The buildings were amazing at night. The city had turned to this sea of lights. Mo loved the way the buildings cast shadows here day or night. Long, dark shadows that looked as if they stretched for miles.
Edgar glanced around himself nervously as they walked. Something was wrong, and he knew it. He studied each passerby. They look familiar he thought.
When they arrived at Edgar’s house, Edgar jogged up the steps before turning to speak.
“Mo, go home quickly,” Edgar warned.
“Geez, Edgar, I am fine. You worry too much!” Mo laughed.
“Okay, Mo, just hurry home, please,” he insisted.
“Yes, sir,” Mo mimicked.
“Haha, very funny, Mo.”
“I know,” Mo smiled and laughed. “See you tomorrow!” she yelled as she turned around to head home.
“Bye, Mo.”
Edgar turned the key in the door hearing the soft click. He stepped inside, and he shut the door.
Mo heard the soft thud of Edgar’s door shutting behind her. She knew it was only a block and a half to the left further down Gresin Way to her place, but she wasn’t ready to go home. Mo took a right and headed back toward Crowne street. Mo walked forever. She walked farther and faster than she had ever gone before. The soft breeze kept the night cool in the city, and the lights and people sent energy through her. She just watched. Watched the people, the stores, the little rats that scurried down the drains, and the trash that blew like tumbleweeds down the sidewalk. Just as she saw a small newspaper blow by, she stopped. Mo jerked her head up quickly. It was silent. The streets were empty. The buildings were dark. Mo panicked, and she knew she was lost. Mo searched her bag frantically for her phone before remembering she left it in her backpack, at home. Mo turned to the street sign realizing she was not even on Crowne street anymore. Mo turned to see one store with lights on. She ran toward it.
The door was old and wooden, and she didn’t know what was in the store. The bell chimed softly as she entered. Mo looked around to see shelves and shelves full of old books. Mo coughed as she opened a book, and dust flew everywhere. She ran her hand down the soft leather backs as she walked towards the back of the store. Each book had to be at least 70 years old, and they all had beautiful gold swirling writing on the cover and side.
“May I help you?” a soft voice thick with an unrecognizable accent spoke from behind her.
“I’m sorry,” Mo slammed the book shut. She shoved the book back onto the shelf, and quickly turned to the voice. “I came in wondering if you had a phone?”
“Phone? Hmm…” the man’s voice faltered and shook. Mo could tell he had had many years of loud speaking. “Yes, we have one over here,” he said as he gestured to his counter across the narrow store.
The old man guided Mo toward the glass counter. Mo stared at the man’s soft wrinkles around his mouth from many years of laughter. From what Mo could tell his dark grey hair used to be black. He was smaller, about Mo’s height.
“Here,” The old man gestured as he pulled the phone from behind the counter.
“Thank you so much. Where are you from?” Mo asked as she dialed her home phone. She glanced behind him, and she noticed all the items from different cultures.
“Beijing, China, originally,” the man spoke slowly, and turned to wave at another customer entering the store, “but I traveled all over the world disease before moving here.”
The soft dial tone rang in Mo’s ear. Mo heard the soft click of the phone being picked up.
“Hello? Who is this?” Mo’s mother asked happily.
“It’s me, Mom,” Mo said quickly.
“Where are you, Mo? Whose phone is this?”
“I am lost.”
“Mo, why didn’t you and Edgar call Edgar’s mom? You know they have a car, and can come pick you both up easier,” Ms. Greene nagged.
“I dropped Edgar at his place a while ago,” Mo sighed.
“Mary Oliver Greene! Why are you alone? Nevermind we can talk later. Where are you?” she asked frantically.
“I am-” Mo thought. She didn’t actually know where she was. Mo turned to ask the owner, but he was gone. Must have gone to the back she thought. “Hold on.” She set the phone down, and turned to walk out of the store to see the front sign.
Mo pulled the wooden door, and the bell chimed again behind her. Mo stepped out into the welcoming fresh air. All she heard was the quick sound of shoes on pavement before everything went black.
` Mo suddenly sat up. She was in a stark white room. The room was small, and it had nothing more than a small steel table and grey door. Mo stood slowly. She felt dizzy, and the bright lights did not help. She heard a loud voice through the speaker, but her ears were ringing too loudly to understand. Soon she began to listen.
“Pick an object from the table,” the voice boomed,” choose wisely you may only pick one. The objects each have a special purpose.” Mo walked toward the table as the voice continued speaking. “The earrings will enable you to read minds. The glasses will give you the ability to see into the future. The ring will help you become invisible. The bracelet will give you the ability to heal. Choose now.”
Mo laid her hand on the cold table. She was scared to chose. She did not want powers. She just wanted to go home. Mo reached for the glasses. Seeing the future could be good she thought, but then again I don’t want to see my own death. She then turned to the earrings. They were small, green studs that were light in her hand. Reading minds could be fun she pondered, but then again she did not want to know what people thought of her. This left only two items still sitting on the middle of the table. Mo picked up the bracelet in one hand, and she grabbed the ring with the other. She didn’t want the responsibility of having healing powers, so she set down the bracelet. The ring was left. It was cold in her fingers as she turned it over slowly.
“Choose now,” the voice repeated.
Mo slid the cold ring onto her ring finger, but it did not fit. She tried her middle finger, and it fit like a glove. Mo turned toward the door, and she began walking. The ring sat heavily on her finger. She listened to the slap of her shoes on the barren ground. Mo slowly reached for the door handle. It was large and awkward to grasp. She slowly pulled twisted it, and a blast of icy air rushed towards her.
“Welcome to the lab, Mo,” Mo recognized that this was the voice of the loudspeaker.
“Who are you? Where am I?” Mo stuttered nervously.
“You can refer to me as whatever you may please, and I already told you that you were in a lab,” The Man (That is what Mo had decided upon calling him) spoke slowly. “I see the ring works.”
Mo looked down confused, but saw nothing. She was gone. Mo looked around the science lab. She was unsure of how she got here. The research lab was cold, and it was very blank. She noticed the blank, white linoleum tiles on the floor. Carts wheeled by her quickly with people in lab coats walking with purpose. She turned to The Man, and Mo tried to speak, but no sound came out. She was sure if she could see her hands they would be trembling. The man turned to her, and told her she was free to go, but she was under observation.
“Were you watching me in the park the other day?” Mo asked shakily.
“Yes, that was me and my team,” The Man responded factually.
“Why? I mean, why did you need to follow me? Why me?” Mo inquired.
“My team and I gathered evidence of people who the testing could work on, and you fit the requirements perfectly. You have all the correct aspects: socio-economic status, age, gender, weight, environment,” The Man dragged on.
Mo began to zone out during this. She was distracted by wondering how they knew so much about her. How did they get all that information? Had they been following her for a long time? Did her mother know about this? What day was it? How long had she been here? Mo’s mind buzzed with questions, and Mo began to get anxious.
“Mary Oliver? Hello? Are you listening?” The Man questioned.
“Oh, sorry,” Mo returned to focus.
“Anyways, my team and I discovered you by chance, and we felt like you could really accomplish all the things we needed.”
“What do you need?” Mo seemed timid.
“It is simple. All you have to do is exist normally while wearing the ring, and hone your abilities to control switching between visible and invisible. It is actually very easy,” The Man seemed proud of his work.
“So I can go? I just have to wear this ring for a while, and just try to master my ummm,” Mo hesitated, “powers?”
“Exactly!” The Man exclaimed and continued on to explain how the ring worked. “All you have to do is think of being invisible to become invisible, and likewise for becoming visible. We will send you with a device to report results each day to us. We ask that you wear the ring for two weeks before coming back to the lab. At the end of this two weeks, you will have the ring removed. Until then, the ring will remain attached to your finger.”
Mo glanced down at her now visible hand. The ring was simple. It felt cold on her finger, and was tingling. It was almost as if it sent electricity through her. The silver ring was thick with simple black stones around the band. There was a slightly larger red stone in the middle of the ring. Mo tugged at the ring, but it did not move. How was it attached she wondered. She tugged again much harder. The ring didn’t move.
“You may go now,” The Man spoke loudly.
“Oh, okay,” Mo looked up from the small ring.
“Oh, and one more thing. You may not tell anyone about the ring.”
He turned Mo around forcefully. He pushed her through a set of doors, and she ended up in an alleyway.
“But-” Mo yelled as the door was slammed.
Mo turned and sat on the ground. She heard the distinctive lock of the door. Mo got up, and she walked toward the street. Once she reached the street, she looked for a street sign, and she found that she was back on Crowne street. Mo turned back toward the alley, but it was gone. She was faced with a brick wall. She turned to head back to her place when she was bombarded with a gust of wind that smelled of old street food and stale water. Mo quickly moved over toward the street sign, and she found how to get home. Mo began to walk rapidly. As she walked she began to think about the man and the lab. It was there she thought. I am not crazy. Her mind wandered to the ring when she was suddenly interrupted. A large, rather sweaty, man had walked straight into her.
“Hey, watch it!” she yelled angrily at the man.
He didn’t notice. He was hardly even fazed. Mo looked around as others began to run into her. It was like she wasn’t even there. Mo stopped. She looked down to her feet to quickly realize they were not even there. Mo panicked, and she began to sprint home. She was wildly running into people. Most people seemed confused by this sudden invisible thing running into them, but they were not as scared as she thought they would be. She began to think repeatedly to calm down and to think about being visible. She was breathing rapidly, and she was very winded by the time she made it home. She looked around expecting to not see any part of her, but she was visible again. Mo let out a sigh of relief.
Mo walked up the stairs to her house slowly. She thought about what to tell her mother. She grabbed the cold doorknob and slowly pulled. She twisted the doorknob slowly as it grew warm in her hand. Mo began to feel anxious again. What was she going to tell her mom? What could she do? Mo pushed the door open.
“Mom? I am home!” she yelled as cheerfully as she could muster.
“Oh, hey, Mo,” her mom said cheerfully as she appeared from around the corner holding a magazine.
“You’re not mad?” Mo questioned.
“Why would I be mad?”
“Well, I was just gone for so long,” Mo became confused.
“It was just a couple hours. You just left this morning to go see Edgar,” her mother laughed.
“No,” Mo began.
“Oh, Mo! You are always so silly,” her mom teased. “Now, why don’t you go back and hangout with Edgar. Otherwise you will be stuck here all day bored.”
Mo turned to the door. Her mother grabbed the doorknob, and she opened the door for Mo. She decided to go with it, and she walked out. Her mother shut the door behind her with a solid thud. She felt the warm sun in her face. She always loved the spring. Mo reached into her pocket before realizing she still did not have a phone. She started walking to Edgar’s place anyways.
Upon arriving at Edgar’s, Mo knocked softly on the door. The door opened quickly to reveal Edgar’s mom.
“Hey, Mo,” Edgar’s mom chirped cheerfully. “Are you looking for Edgar?”
“Yes, ma’am!” Mo responded.
Mrs. Stone turned to fetch Edgar while Mo followed her into the house. Mo glanced around at the warm colored walls and soft cream colored furniture. Edgar’s mother gestured for her to sit down on the couch. She sat down, and Edgar’s mom left the room. Mo began to notice just how different her house was from Edgar’s. His house was always neat, and her house was always a wreck. Just then Edgar appeared.
“Hey, Mo!” Edgar seemed happier than normal.
“Yeah, yeah, Edgar, we need to talk,” Mo was forceful.
“Mo, is everything alright?”
“Hush! I am fine,” Mo’s voice got quiet, “after I left your house I kept going. I got lost soon, and I went into a strange store. I called my mother, but I didn’t know where I was. When I went outside, someone hit me on the head. I woke up in a strange laboratory. I was in a room, and a voice was giving me instructions. Next thing I knew I was being pushed out, and I had this ring,” Mo said as she held the ring up for Edgar to see.
“Haha, Mo, very funny,” Edgar responded.
“Edgar, I am serious! It will turn me invisible,” Mo pleaded.
“Mo, can you stop? I am done with this joke,” Edgar seemed frustrated.
She decided there was no way to convince him. She stood up and left without a word.
Mo walked quickly down the street. Yet again, she had no where to go and nothing to do. She wondered if Edgar may come chasing after her, but with every passing step the chances seemed slimmer and slimmer. Mo arrived at her home quickly.
She entered to a dark house. Mo left the door open behind her as she entered.
“Mom?” Mo called.
There was no response. She felt how the temperature was cooler. She felt the darkness all around her. It was almost suffocating. She reached for the light switch, and she flicked the switch up. Nothing happened. The room stayed dark as night. Thud. Mo turned quickly to see the door had been shut.
“Mom?!” she called again with more certainty.
There was no response. Mo heard sudden noises around her. She began to move toward the door, but she could not see. Someone, something, had shut the door she thought. She heard more noises. They were quick and rapid. They were small thuds, but too quick to be human. It was as if there were hundreds of them. What were they? What was happening? Mo heard the noises grow closer. She began to panic. Mo then remembered the ring. Whatever this thing was it could see in the dark, but no matter how good your vision invisible was invisible. She thought hard about being invisible, and she began to feel that strange tingling from the ring. It was the same way she felt the first time she put it on. She heard the noises growing closer. You could almost hear the noises of the creature’s mouth. It sounded as though the creature was smacking. She envisioned sharp teeth and long claws. The noises seemed to be growing in numbers. There were multiple things. As her eyes adjusted she began to see small shadows flickering around her feet. Mo screamed loudly. She yelled as she felt the creature writhing around her feet. She felt the ring again.
Lights flashed on. Mo was laying on the ground in a white room. She felt cold sweat dripping from her face. Breathing heavily, she sat up. A small grey door in this large, empty,white room opened. The Man emerged slowly clapping from the door.