Continuation of Chapter One

This is the rest of Chapter One, after the little tease I have already given.

Her smile turned upside down as she went into labor again. My father kept one arm around me as he laid his other arm upon her stomach. I didn’t realize that I had a companion in there with me. A gush of water exploded out of her. A baby rolled out along the water like it was a leaf that had fallen from a branch hanging over a river. It was a girl. She had haunting dark-blue eyes. The fiery sensation that I had felt�"suddenly felt at peace. My father was beaming with joy as was my mother. Her smile faded. I thought it impossible and crazy�"she can’t be having another baby. She motioned to my father to take me and my sister away. When he scooped us into his arms, I noticed a strange look in my mother’s eyes. Those eyes. Frightened, yet accepting. She knew. We killed her.

My father spoke to me. “Hello there Colt.” His voice tender, soothing, unharmed by my dying mother. He spoke to my sister next as I locked eyes with my mother again. “Hello there my little Isabeau. You are a pleasant surprise.” Coldness ran through his voice as he laid us upon a blanket to the side of our mother. I watched as he held my mother’s hand, she brought his hand to her chest. Her eyes rolled back and she took her last breath. He started crying all over himself and her. We didn’t know what that kind of love was yet.

A strange figure dressed in a red cloak descended from the clouds but never made landfall. I was too young to even venture a guess as to what it was. And you wouldn’t believe me if I told you right now. Let’s just say it wasn’t anything good.

Thus was the beginning of my life.

The very first nights of my life inside my father’s house spelled constant nightmares, constant waking up screaming and crying. My poor father had to come into my bedroom to comfort me with soft rocking and a tender voice that provided no comfort. I couldn’t very well tell him that I was dreaming about Mother dying. Isabeau slept next to me in her own crib but I could poke my fingers through mine to reach into hers if I put some effort into it, which I did on numerous occasions.

We had such a strong connection, more than brother and sister. It was like I was the night and she was the day. I was death, she was life. My father didn’t leave the bedroom after this newest episode with me. He moved one of the full size beds from a guest room into my bedroom to better keep an eye on us. I think he was waiting for something unusual to happen. I became afraid to close my eyes. I’d sit there or lay there and stare up at the ceiling painted with stars. They usually glowed if the light had shined on them enough during the day. They were faintly glowing now.

I closed my eyes for maybe a minute or two. I saw my mother screaming for her life. Blood covered her face. The blood poured down like someone had a hose and was aiming it over her. I woke up screaming. My father fell out of his bed and ran to me and picked me up.

“It’s okay, Colt. It’s okay, Daddy’s here.” He rocked me and kissed my forehead. Isabeau never made a sound. Why wasn’t she having terrible dreams too?

My father took us down to the lake in our back yard. Where we could appreciate Nature and explore a bit. He set up a play area with childproof fencing. He spread a blanket to the corners so we wouldn’t be sitting on the grass. Isabeau tried to stand up with the assistance of the plastic fencing designed to keep us safe from the world. She’d always fall down on her rump and clap merrily. Success or failure seemed all the same to her. She had strong legs. I knew she’d be the first to walk out of the two of us. My attention was on the world around us. I studied everything. The way the wind would brush through the trees. The way the animals would walk amongst us. Even the way the water in the lake would never go beyond a tiny ripple. It all fascinated me. And I wanted to touch it all.

My father came over and picked me up first. Isabeau started crying. She didn’t want to be left behind. “I am not taking him far. Be still, my sweet.” He kissed her cheek and then walked away with me. I kept my eyes on her the whole time I was carried down to the lake.

“Look at the way it moves, the water. There is a lesson to be taught here. You must always respect the elements, for they will not easily give their respect if you cannot.”

I had no idea what he was talking about.

He set me down in the childlike prison, then picked up Isabeau and carried her down to the lake. She wiggled to get free.

“One day, when you are older, I shall let you go swimming in there. But be wary, for the water is not always a friend. It can swallow you whole.” He gently tapped her nose and she giggled.

I tried to stand up like my sister did, but that landed me back on the blanket and my left a*s cheek felt sore.

My father enjoyed reading his books. He had so many. I tried counting them (a baby counting is just silly but I tried). Isabeau liked rolling onto her back and shaking this toy with colorful rings attached to each other. She also liked chewing on them. I, on the other hand, enjoyed watching the fire in the fireplace. Something about the way the flames moved up and down, to the side, held my attention like nothing else. I crawled over to the fireplace and was quickly scooped up and set down by my sister.

“Colt, that is dangerous. Do you hear me? Dangerous. Stay away from the fire. Never go near it.”

It didn’t seem dangerous. I almost believed it was calling me to it.