Brittney’s Choice
3 years later
“Are you sure you want to do this Leena?” Mattim leaned up against the wall his arms crossed in front of him. His wife sat in a window seat looking out the window.
“I’m sure!” She replied without looking at him. “It’s what I want to do.”
“But you said –“
Leena turned to look at him cutting him short “I know what I said Mattim.” She scolded him gently but firmly. She crossed her arms in front of her. “It’s for the betterment of the planet.” She stated turning back to the window.
“You and your excuses.” Mattim said coming to stand behind her.
Leena turned around surprised. “What do you mean?”
“Come on Leena.” Matthew nudged her playfully. “You may fool the rest of the planet with that whole ‘Betterment of the Planet” speech but you aren’t fooling me.”
Leena smiled. “Your right Mattim, you see right through me.”
Mattim smiled too. “You’re right…but do you still want to do this.”
Leena’s smile broadened. “Definitely!”
The cool breeze blew through Brittney’s curly blonde hair and she closed her eyes and smiled as the wind blew a slight mist from the sprinkler into her face. She took a deep breath and tried to remember the smell of Imaginess, the feel of the early morning mist on her face, she could almost hear Shanti’s laugh, and taste the flower-nuts.
It had been 3 years since Brittney had been to Imaginess and not a day had gone by that she didn’t think of the things that had happened there. In fact she had been caught day-dreaming more and more often. She was certain Chris had noticed by now but he hadn’t talked to her about it and so she continued to dream.
“Brittney!” her little brothers shouts from the back door filled her ears and burst the dream-bubble before it had had much of a chance to grow.
“Coming!” she yelled grabbing her jacket and racing through the sprinkler toward the door. “What is it Big Guy?” She asked when she got there.
5-year-old Joseph stood at the door holding on to the doorknob above his head “Daddy says that he wants to talk to you in the livin’ room. There’s some people here who want to talk to you.”
“Who is it?”
Joseph shrugged his shoulders until they nearly touched his ears his eyes widening as he did so.
“Ok thanks Bud,” She said heading in the direction of the living room. “Hey why don’t you go and play with your cars and when I’m done we can walk down to the corner and get some ice cream, how does that sound?”
“Yeah!” Joseph shouted jumping up and down.
“Ok, now just relax. Go play with you cars and I’ll come get you when I’m done.”
“It’s really up to her.” Chris was saying. “Things haven’t been the same for any of us since Kira died. We’ve both mourned in our on way. I’ve distracted myself with Joseph, but Brittney…well I worry about her. She’s been very distracted lately she can’t focus she spends a lot of time out reading her fantasy and science-fiction novels down at the park but mostly she day-dreams. To tell you the truth I think it would be good for her to get away for awhile.”
“I’m not talking about for just a little while Mr. Baker. If it’s alright with you and of course Brittney we’d like for Brittney to stay there…forever.”
“Forever!”
“I’ve already talked it over with the Zotac she would have the best of care, an incredible education that any hard-nosed student would die to have, and she’d be working to make our planet beautiful something I’m told is a weakness of your daughter’s.”
“Yes, she’s very into nature.”
“Which is why she’s the perfect one for the job. Now I’m going to need your approval to do this Mr. Baker. If you aren’t 100% for it I won’t even offer it too her and of course it will be open for her to visit, or even for you to visit anytime.”
Chris stood to his feet and walked over to the mantle looking closely at a picture of his wife. “Kira loved nature you know. That’s one of the reasons we chose to come here when we ran from the Martians but she hated that she couldn’t do anything about her own home. I remember her constantly complaining about how we had the only dead yard in the entire neighborhood.” Chris turned back to the woman sitting in the chair by the door. “I think my wife would have been proud to have Brittney help in something like this…and so will I.”
The woman smiled just as she door opened and Brittney stepped in.
Brittney knew right away that the woman sitting in the living room wasn’t human. After all how many women did her dad know with aqua colored hair? Not very many she was sure.
“Brittney!” Chris greeted her as she entered the room. “Come have a seat this woman Dr. Jent has something to ask you.”
Brittney found a seat beside Chris suddenly very nervous and a bit freaked by this unexpected visit. “What’s going on? Do I have a secret case of Quaple that you’re here to tell me about?”
The woman chuckled. “Oh no nothing like that. I actually have a proposal for you.”
“A proposal?”
“Yes, now I should probably tell you that I work for the Zotac of Imaginess. I’m a biologist specifically I study plants. Now I don’t know if you realize this but earth is the only planet with controlled plant life the rest of the planets just can’t seem to figure it out. I’ve tried for years to find a solution but I keep coming up empty.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
Dr. Jent smiled her eyes gleaming. “Brittney,” Her voice couldn’t contain her excitement as she said her name. “you are the first human to have ever stepped foot on Imaginese soil.”
“Yeah?...So?”
“What nobody not even you realized is that humans have an amazing ability to control vegetation. The places where you walked were filled with some of the most beautiful flowers any of us have ever seen.”
“What do you mean ‘were’?”
A frown creased the doctor’s forehead. “The flowers lasted only about six months after you left…and then disappeared. It’s taken us all this time to make the connection between you and the bloomage.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“I want you to come back with us.” Brittney began to protest but Dr. Jent interrupted her. “You would live on Imaginess and bring life to our land. I’ve already talked to the Zotac and she’s agreed to let you live with her.”
“But what about my family?”
“I’ve already talked to Christilone. He’s ok with your going. Your brother’s young enough not to take it to hard. The people of Imaginess would –“
“I’ll do it!”
“You will?”
“Under one condition.”
“Anything!”
“I’m free to return to Earth if I ever choose too and can come visit anytime I choose too.”
Dr. Jent stood and crossed the room holding her hand out to Brittney in agreement. “It’s a deal! I’ll pick you up tomorrow so be sure your ready.”
“Make it a week and you got yourself a deal.”
Brittney watched her brother playing with his matchbox cars. It had been nearly a week since Dr. Jent’s visit. Dr. Jent would be coming to get her any minute and she still hadn’t told Joseph about her decision “Joseph there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What?” He asked pulling himself to his knees and his hands on his knees like he had seen his sister do time and time again.
Brittney sighed trying to think of the best way to tell him. “Joseph I’m going to be going away for awhile.”
“Where are you going?”
“That lady who came wants me to work for her and I said ‘yes’”
“But why?”
“Because Joseph she needs me.” Brittney looked around and noticed a single white lily sitting in a vase on the table by the couch. “Joseph you see that lily?”
“Yeah?”
“Well the place where that lady comes from doesn’t have flowers and things like that lily and she wants me to go and help them to get beautiful flowers like that one”
“When are you coming back?”
Brittney thought about it for a minute. “I’m going to stay there for awhile but I’ll come back and visit you I promise.” Brittney stood up and sat down on the ground beside Joseph grabbing him gently by the shoulders and looked into his eyes. “No matter what Joseph I’ll always be there to take care of you.” She smiled then. “I’ll be like your guardian angel. You may not always know I’m watching you but I will somehow I’ll always find a way.”
Joseph nodded sadly still not fully understanding but knowing that somehow what his sister was saying meant change.
There was a knock on the door and Brittney could hear her dad answering it, she could hear Dr. Jent’s voice down the hall
“Here I have something for you.” Brittney stood up and raced in the direction of her room when she returned she held a small statue of an angel the inscription around the base said ‘I’ll be there’ “Here.” She handed the statue to Joseph. “This was our mothers. I want you to have it now. It could be something to remember both of us by. To remind you that we’re both watching out for you.”
Joseph took the statue gently from his sister. “I’ll miss you Joseph” She said grabbing on to him and pulling him close. “Be good for daddy.”
“Ok!”
Then she grabbed her bags and followed the doctor out the door. She would miss Joseph she knew that, she would miss Chris too. But she would come back just like she had promised Joseph. She couldn’t promise that he would always know when she was around after all it would be better for him if he forgot he ever had a sister. But she would watch him, she would be his guardian angel.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Brittney's Story (Chapter 6)
Wilkelm
The next morning Shanti led Brittney outside to a courtyard filled with beautiful, fake flowers. “I have something for you” Shanti said after she had shown her all the different kinds of flowers. “But you have to follow me to a special place” she led Brittney all the way to the Utavi lake there she gave her a small box. Brittney opened it inside was a small blue bug
“What’s this” she asked scrunching up her nose in disgust
“It’s a pill bug all you do is choose an animal you want, get it wet, shout it, and it becomes that animal. Blue ones turn into water animals”
“Cool” said Brittney smiling now “I’ve always wanted a dolphin”
“Great now all you have to do is say dolphin and then throw it into the lake”
Brittney did. And a couple seconds later a beautiful dolphin surfaced whistled and then dived back in “I have something else too” she pulled a suit covered in tubes and things of all sorts “It’s a water suit I made it so you can go underwater and play with your dolphin I have one too want to give it a try”
“Yeah” Brittney was really at this news she’d always dreamed of scuba diving and had liked pretending she was a mermaid when he parents took her to the beach.
She took the suit noticing that her hands were shaking slightly as she did. “Are you all right?” Asked Shanti
“I’m fine.” Brittney replied taking the suit from her friend. She tried stepping into the wetsuit but as she lifted her right leg to step into her vision blurred and she put her foot down to steady herself.
Darkness had enveloped her vision and her ears were ringing. “Shanti” She said although her voice sounded funny and a tingling had filled her entire head and was rushing down her hands and toward her feet. She heard her friend’s voice but it sounded distant and surreal. The tingling had reached her feet and had made them numb she tried to take a step forward but lost her footing. She felt herself falling. But never felt herself hit the ground
When Brittney finally came to nearly 3 hours later she awoke to about six faces peering over her. There was Mernas and Grampa Chris and Shanti and three others she didn’t know. One was a familiar Imaginese alien that she around before. Shanti had said he was a doctor. The other two were strangers: one was completely white with no color in his eyes or hair; the other had a long nose with two mouths on either side of it and no teeth in either one.
“Thank goodness you’re all right.” Grampa Chris said grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze. “This has never happened before.” Mernas, “Usually when a Neptunee heals someone they stay healed but as far as I can tell this thing isn’t really hurting her. She’s not in any danger.”
“Well that’s good to know.” Chris said letting go of Brittney’s hand and turning to the long-nosed alien. “What’s your take on it Jatar.”
The alien studied her for a moment before saying, “Well I can’t tell what’s going on in that little brain of hers.” Stated Jatar, “This girl of yours has a very tough brain I can’t seem to get inside it to find out what’s happening. Chris this little girl of yours is very special.”
“The Quaple must have been worse than my mist thought.” Put in Mernas.
“What do you mean?” asked the white man “what Quaple?” “She had Quaple when we found her. A fairly mild case that my mist were able to take care of before it got deadly. But it’s quite possible that she’s now receiving a side effect. How long did you say she’s been with you Christilone?”
“A year.”
Mernas’s skin turned white. Brittney had begun to learn by watching the Neptunee aliens that they’re skin changed color in order to show emotion. From what Brittney could guess White meant fear or worry. “What’s wrong with me Mernas? Am I gonna live.”
The color of the alien went back to blue. “Of course you’ll live dear. It seems you picked up an alien disease. We’re not quite sure what the outcome will be but Mist healed you so you shouldn’t die.”
“She should rest.” Said the white-eyed man.
Jatar nodded and the rest followed them out of the room leaving Brittney and Chris all alone.
Grampa Chris turned to her as the door closed. “So how are you feeling sweetheart?”
“Confused!” Brittney stated as she pulled herself into a sitting position. “What happened?”
“You passed out at the lake. Shanti ran back to get help. You don’t seem to be in all that bad of shape which is saying a lot considering the circumstances. Not many people can say that they’ve survived Quaple.”
“Isn’t that the disease that’s killing Gramma Kira?”
“Yes dear, but it’s a different. Quaple is any disease that you pick up from an alien species.”
“So why am I ok and Gramma’s dying?”
“Gramma got a much worse case then you.” Christilone sighed and stood up trying to figure out the best way to describe this too such a young girl. She was smarter than most her age but even still this was a hard concept for someone so young to grasp. “Most aliens when they leave their planet and go to a new planet will pick up some kind of a disease. It’s pretty much guaranteed. Most aliens get minor sicknesses like colds that are barely noticed and go away with in a couple days. Some of the weaker aliens get hit hard with diseases that, if not treated quickly and correctly will kill them in a matter of days.” He paused then and came to sit back beside Brittney on the bed. “And there are some very rare cases, like your grandma, who get secret diseases. They get a cold that goes away and they think they’re fine and then you find out years later that the cold had only gone into remission and has now become a ravaging, deadly, disease.”
Brittney was quiet for several minutes then changed the subject. “So who were those other people who were in here earlier I didn’t recognize a few of them?”
Chris shrugged relieved that she didn’t question him anymore on the Quaple subject being that he didn’t know any better way to explain it. “There all just people who work here. There was Doctor Utopia and the guy with the long nose was Jatar. He’s a Juptan who’s been living here for little over a year. He can read and control minds. But he’s very polite and would never invade other people’s privacy or freewill without permission. He lives in the palaces basement in hiding only the people who live and work here know of his existence.”
“What about the other guy?”
“What other guy?” “The guy with the white eyes.”
Chris paused for a moment staring at her and for a moment Brittney wondered if that was a question she shouldn’t have asked but then Chris spoke. “I forgot! I never told you that me and Kira had a son did I?”
Brittney was shocked. They had a son? Brittney shook her head still too shocked to speak.
“Well the Man-with-white-eyes is our son Mattim. He’s an albino Imaginese and one of the most powerful aliens on the planet. He’s married to the Zotac, Leena, who I do believe is your dear Shanti’s cousin and the most powerful Imaginese on the planet maybe even the entire universe.” Chris paused and looked at Brittney’s still shocked face that only got more shocked the more he said. “Perhaps you’d like to meet them?”
Brittney nodded mutely her mouth hanging open slightly. Chris laughed. “Brittney’s throwing a party tonight which I’m sure you’d enjoy. Shanti usually attends so I’m sure she can help you. I’ll send her up.” With that he left the room.
The party was amazing and Brittney found herself immediately swept away by the wonder of it all. Brittney and Shanti entered the big Northern Hall which was lit up by about a million lights. The room reminded Brittney of something out of the Cinderella cartoon that she had watched so many times as a kid. The middle of the room was cleared for dancing and hundreds of couple were moving across the floor in colorful costumes that matched their hair. Each person spun around the room clinging to their partner with three sets of arms and dancing dances that Brittney would never be able to dance for her lack of arms.
Shanti – who was wearing a long yellow green dress that had teeny little green flowers all over it and had her hair pilled on top of her head with more of the same flowers – had done a wonderful job of preparing Brittney in much the same way and had done a marvelous job in adding extra ruffles where the extra sleeves should have been to make the dress the most beautiful thing Brittney had ever seen.
As Brittney was still taking it all in Shanti grabbed her new friends hand and ran in the direction of the stage where a group of people stood. As they got closer Brittney discovered that Christilone was among them. “Ah there she is!” Chris exclaimed when he saw her “Brittney I want you to meet the Zotac” Brittney neared them hesitantly until Chris grabbed her and pulled her in front of him. The young woman standing before her was quite beautiful she had to admit. She had long reddish-orange hair with white streaks that was cut fairly short and spiked. She wore a bright red dress that was cut off right below the knee with slits on each side. She didn’t wear the heel-like shoes she had seen on the other woman but instead wore flat shoes that looked much like the ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz. She had a scar across the right side of her face but even still she was beautiful and Brittney noticed that she was almost as tall as her husband who, she noted, was quite tall.
Mattim, whom she now realized was Chris and Kira’s son, also had his hair spiked and had dyed the tips black. He had put in some creepy looking contacts that was supposed to put swirls in your pupils but being that he was pupiless it looked kind of creepy but after she got used to them Brittney had to admit that they were very cool.
“Brittney there’s someone else I want you to meet.” Christilone said grabbing her hand and pulling her over to the side of the stage where a woman stood holding something in her arms. “Brittney I’d like you to meet my grandson Wilhelm the future ruler of Imaginess.” Brittney looked at the woman in confusion and then dawning lit her face as she realized that the woman was holding a baby.
“Oh can I hold him?” Chris gave a reassuring nod to the nurse and she handed the infant to Brittney.
“He’s only a couple weeks old.” Chris gushed, “He was born right in time!” A shadow crossed over his face then and understanding filled Brittney as she remembers about Gramma Kira’s sickness. She looked down once more at the small baby with dark red skin and platinum white hair and then handed him over to Chris.
Chris realized that he was depressing Brittney and so tried to smile. “Don’t let me get you down, Sweetheart. Why don’t you go find Shanti and go have some fun.”
He watched as the little girl raced off and his shoulders slumped again as soon as she was out of sight. His life was falling apart at the seams and it was all he could do not to have a meltdown in front of the sweet little girl. He had to be strong for her and for her brother.
He looked over in the direction of his son and wife laughing and socializing with the guests. He watched as a man came up to the stage and whispered something to his son. A look of dread came over his son and Chris noted the way his grip on his wife’s hand tightened. The man stepped back and mouthed the words “I’m sorry”. Mattim turned to leave and Leena tried to stop him but he brushed her aside. That’s when Christilone knew that Kirita was no more.
Tears welled up in his eyes. He looked down at the precious grandson in his arms and the tears began to flow down his cheeks uncontrollably. He pulled the child closer and wept into his blanket. “May you never have to feel this kind of pain Wilhelm.” He whispered into the cloth. “The pain of losing someone close to you.” But Christilone knew that would be impossible. No one could escape pain and most definitely not Wilhelm who would receive more than his fair share of pain in the years to come.
The next morning Shanti led Brittney outside to a courtyard filled with beautiful, fake flowers. “I have something for you” Shanti said after she had shown her all the different kinds of flowers. “But you have to follow me to a special place” she led Brittney all the way to the Utavi lake there she gave her a small box. Brittney opened it inside was a small blue bug
“What’s this” she asked scrunching up her nose in disgust
“It’s a pill bug all you do is choose an animal you want, get it wet, shout it, and it becomes that animal. Blue ones turn into water animals”
“Cool” said Brittney smiling now “I’ve always wanted a dolphin”
“Great now all you have to do is say dolphin and then throw it into the lake”
Brittney did. And a couple seconds later a beautiful dolphin surfaced whistled and then dived back in “I have something else too” she pulled a suit covered in tubes and things of all sorts “It’s a water suit I made it so you can go underwater and play with your dolphin I have one too want to give it a try”
“Yeah” Brittney was really at this news she’d always dreamed of scuba diving and had liked pretending she was a mermaid when he parents took her to the beach.
She took the suit noticing that her hands were shaking slightly as she did. “Are you all right?” Asked Shanti
“I’m fine.” Brittney replied taking the suit from her friend. She tried stepping into the wetsuit but as she lifted her right leg to step into her vision blurred and she put her foot down to steady herself.
Darkness had enveloped her vision and her ears were ringing. “Shanti” She said although her voice sounded funny and a tingling had filled her entire head and was rushing down her hands and toward her feet. She heard her friend’s voice but it sounded distant and surreal. The tingling had reached her feet and had made them numb she tried to take a step forward but lost her footing. She felt herself falling. But never felt herself hit the ground
When Brittney finally came to nearly 3 hours later she awoke to about six faces peering over her. There was Mernas and Grampa Chris and Shanti and three others she didn’t know. One was a familiar Imaginese alien that she around before. Shanti had said he was a doctor. The other two were strangers: one was completely white with no color in his eyes or hair; the other had a long nose with two mouths on either side of it and no teeth in either one.
“Thank goodness you’re all right.” Grampa Chris said grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze. “This has never happened before.” Mernas, “Usually when a Neptunee heals someone they stay healed but as far as I can tell this thing isn’t really hurting her. She’s not in any danger.”
“Well that’s good to know.” Chris said letting go of Brittney’s hand and turning to the long-nosed alien. “What’s your take on it Jatar.”
The alien studied her for a moment before saying, “Well I can’t tell what’s going on in that little brain of hers.” Stated Jatar, “This girl of yours has a very tough brain I can’t seem to get inside it to find out what’s happening. Chris this little girl of yours is very special.”
“The Quaple must have been worse than my mist thought.” Put in Mernas.
“What do you mean?” asked the white man “what Quaple?” “She had Quaple when we found her. A fairly mild case that my mist were able to take care of before it got deadly. But it’s quite possible that she’s now receiving a side effect. How long did you say she’s been with you Christilone?”
“A year.”
Mernas’s skin turned white. Brittney had begun to learn by watching the Neptunee aliens that they’re skin changed color in order to show emotion. From what Brittney could guess White meant fear or worry. “What’s wrong with me Mernas? Am I gonna live.”
The color of the alien went back to blue. “Of course you’ll live dear. It seems you picked up an alien disease. We’re not quite sure what the outcome will be but Mist healed you so you shouldn’t die.”
“She should rest.” Said the white-eyed man.
Jatar nodded and the rest followed them out of the room leaving Brittney and Chris all alone.
Grampa Chris turned to her as the door closed. “So how are you feeling sweetheart?”
“Confused!” Brittney stated as she pulled herself into a sitting position. “What happened?”
“You passed out at the lake. Shanti ran back to get help. You don’t seem to be in all that bad of shape which is saying a lot considering the circumstances. Not many people can say that they’ve survived Quaple.”
“Isn’t that the disease that’s killing Gramma Kira?”
“Yes dear, but it’s a different. Quaple is any disease that you pick up from an alien species.”
“So why am I ok and Gramma’s dying?”
“Gramma got a much worse case then you.” Christilone sighed and stood up trying to figure out the best way to describe this too such a young girl. She was smarter than most her age but even still this was a hard concept for someone so young to grasp. “Most aliens when they leave their planet and go to a new planet will pick up some kind of a disease. It’s pretty much guaranteed. Most aliens get minor sicknesses like colds that are barely noticed and go away with in a couple days. Some of the weaker aliens get hit hard with diseases that, if not treated quickly and correctly will kill them in a matter of days.” He paused then and came to sit back beside Brittney on the bed. “And there are some very rare cases, like your grandma, who get secret diseases. They get a cold that goes away and they think they’re fine and then you find out years later that the cold had only gone into remission and has now become a ravaging, deadly, disease.”
Brittney was quiet for several minutes then changed the subject. “So who were those other people who were in here earlier I didn’t recognize a few of them?”
Chris shrugged relieved that she didn’t question him anymore on the Quaple subject being that he didn’t know any better way to explain it. “There all just people who work here. There was Doctor Utopia and the guy with the long nose was Jatar. He’s a Juptan who’s been living here for little over a year. He can read and control minds. But he’s very polite and would never invade other people’s privacy or freewill without permission. He lives in the palaces basement in hiding only the people who live and work here know of his existence.”
“What about the other guy?”
“What other guy?” “The guy with the white eyes.”
Chris paused for a moment staring at her and for a moment Brittney wondered if that was a question she shouldn’t have asked but then Chris spoke. “I forgot! I never told you that me and Kira had a son did I?”
Brittney was shocked. They had a son? Brittney shook her head still too shocked to speak.
“Well the Man-with-white-eyes is our son Mattim. He’s an albino Imaginese and one of the most powerful aliens on the planet. He’s married to the Zotac, Leena, who I do believe is your dear Shanti’s cousin and the most powerful Imaginese on the planet maybe even the entire universe.” Chris paused and looked at Brittney’s still shocked face that only got more shocked the more he said. “Perhaps you’d like to meet them?”
Brittney nodded mutely her mouth hanging open slightly. Chris laughed. “Brittney’s throwing a party tonight which I’m sure you’d enjoy. Shanti usually attends so I’m sure she can help you. I’ll send her up.” With that he left the room.
The party was amazing and Brittney found herself immediately swept away by the wonder of it all. Brittney and Shanti entered the big Northern Hall which was lit up by about a million lights. The room reminded Brittney of something out of the Cinderella cartoon that she had watched so many times as a kid. The middle of the room was cleared for dancing and hundreds of couple were moving across the floor in colorful costumes that matched their hair. Each person spun around the room clinging to their partner with three sets of arms and dancing dances that Brittney would never be able to dance for her lack of arms.
Shanti – who was wearing a long yellow green dress that had teeny little green flowers all over it and had her hair pilled on top of her head with more of the same flowers – had done a wonderful job of preparing Brittney in much the same way and had done a marvelous job in adding extra ruffles where the extra sleeves should have been to make the dress the most beautiful thing Brittney had ever seen.
As Brittney was still taking it all in Shanti grabbed her new friends hand and ran in the direction of the stage where a group of people stood. As they got closer Brittney discovered that Christilone was among them. “Ah there she is!” Chris exclaimed when he saw her “Brittney I want you to meet the Zotac” Brittney neared them hesitantly until Chris grabbed her and pulled her in front of him. The young woman standing before her was quite beautiful she had to admit. She had long reddish-orange hair with white streaks that was cut fairly short and spiked. She wore a bright red dress that was cut off right below the knee with slits on each side. She didn’t wear the heel-like shoes she had seen on the other woman but instead wore flat shoes that looked much like the ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz. She had a scar across the right side of her face but even still she was beautiful and Brittney noticed that she was almost as tall as her husband who, she noted, was quite tall.
Mattim, whom she now realized was Chris and Kira’s son, also had his hair spiked and had dyed the tips black. He had put in some creepy looking contacts that was supposed to put swirls in your pupils but being that he was pupiless it looked kind of creepy but after she got used to them Brittney had to admit that they were very cool.
“Brittney there’s someone else I want you to meet.” Christilone said grabbing her hand and pulling her over to the side of the stage where a woman stood holding something in her arms. “Brittney I’d like you to meet my grandson Wilhelm the future ruler of Imaginess.” Brittney looked at the woman in confusion and then dawning lit her face as she realized that the woman was holding a baby.
“Oh can I hold him?” Chris gave a reassuring nod to the nurse and she handed the infant to Brittney.
“He’s only a couple weeks old.” Chris gushed, “He was born right in time!” A shadow crossed over his face then and understanding filled Brittney as she remembers about Gramma Kira’s sickness. She looked down once more at the small baby with dark red skin and platinum white hair and then handed him over to Chris.
Chris realized that he was depressing Brittney and so tried to smile. “Don’t let me get you down, Sweetheart. Why don’t you go find Shanti and go have some fun.”
He watched as the little girl raced off and his shoulders slumped again as soon as she was out of sight. His life was falling apart at the seams and it was all he could do not to have a meltdown in front of the sweet little girl. He had to be strong for her and for her brother.
He looked over in the direction of his son and wife laughing and socializing with the guests. He watched as a man came up to the stage and whispered something to his son. A look of dread came over his son and Chris noted the way his grip on his wife’s hand tightened. The man stepped back and mouthed the words “I’m sorry”. Mattim turned to leave and Leena tried to stop him but he brushed her aside. That’s when Christilone knew that Kirita was no more.
Tears welled up in his eyes. He looked down at the precious grandson in his arms and the tears began to flow down his cheeks uncontrollably. He pulled the child closer and wept into his blanket. “May you never have to feel this kind of pain Wilhelm.” He whispered into the cloth. “The pain of losing someone close to you.” But Christilone knew that would be impossible. No one could escape pain and most definitely not Wilhelm who would receive more than his fair share of pain in the years to come.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)