human
Narration:  The day she first met him, Aurelia was covered in mud. Occasionally, she had dreams about that rainy day. She’d lost her parents when she was only ten, but she had to go much further back in her memories than that to recall a time when they’d showed her affection. When Aurelia was around five, she had asked her mother,
gpt
Aurelia:  “Did Grandfather hit you yesterday, Mother?”
human
Narration:  She would never forget her mother’s reaction. It shifted gradually from astonishment to fear. Young as Aurelia was, she couldn’t understand why her mother reacted like that. After many more conversations like that one, Aurelia finally learned that she should not speak of everything she saw in her mind. But by that time, her parents no longer wished to see her. They would leave her at home and rarely return. Even when she did see them, they would treat her as if she didn’t exist. But when they passed away, Aurelia cried, nonetheless. Of course she was sad. They had hardly shown any kindness to her, but she still loved them. It rained during the funeral the following day. Aurelia was hiding out under a tree in a corner of the expansive gardens, sobbing. She couldn’t take the servants’ pitying looks. After she’d cried herself out and her whole body had grown cold, Aurelia got up to go back inside… only to slip in the mud and fall over. With both hands planted in the muck, she felt fresh tears begin to roll down her cheeks. All of a sudden, a man’s voice came from overhead.
gpt
Man:  “Are you crying? Oh, you’re all muddy, too. Can’t you get up on your own?” He sounded amused, whoever he was. Aurelia didn’t recognize the voice.