"Sorry dad, I just haven't feeling myself these days. Can't seem to move on from your death and I wanted to see you so I escaped again from the foster home. I'll go back tomorrow I'm just a little tired, I think I'll sleep here next to you."
Hours passed and I was kicked awake, "get out of the cemetery or I'll call the calls boyo."
I looked up and saw a middle age man who looked eager to kick me again.
I got and gave one last glance to my father's tombstone and left. Heading back to the foster home I payed little attention to my surroundings when I heard the horn of a truck and that was it, my final moment. I welcomed death waiting to see my family at the end of the tunnel once my vision went dark.
To my surpise I heard panting and instead of a tunnel I saw blurred image in front of me. It took awhile for it to clear and I saw beautiful woman, she was ginger with hazel eyes reflecting the deep green forest. Shockingly it felt like she was carrying me. That's when I looked down and saw my little hands.
Oh lord I'm a baby, wait if I am then this woman is my mother?. I looked up to her confused when she glanced at me and stroked my cheek still running. It was only then I saw her blood covered hands, good God woman she just gave birth to me.
For hours she ran in a forest from who knows who or what. My fragile body grew exhausted and I fell asleep. The next days went by in a blur, it felt like my small new born brain could barely handle or process my memories. My theory was that every time I thought of my death my brain just gave in and I fainted from my mind not understanding the concept of death.
Somehow we made it to a town where mother decided to establish ourselves. Slowly over two years my consciousness was able to fully install, I guess that word be best to describe it. Not sure how to explain, it felt as if I was finally in control of my body instead of wanting to cry at every scratch or be bought to eat vegetables with the cho cho train trick.
Now I could understand that mother was different or magical, I think she's a witch or sorceress. Throughout the day she makes potions in a cauldron she bought and at night she leaves selling I presume her potions. She's created talismans and drawn symbols all over the cabin we live in. I've been growing fond of her playfulness and genuinely enjoy when she teaches me her potions, although they never work when I do them. Mother always says I might have the gift in the future but rather hopes I didn't which upsets me however she laughs at my pouting.
Four years have passed without a change. Mother made a book with all her knowledge and gave it to me. Says it's to teach me the ABC because she's afraid of me going to school. Mother never explains why.
As I'm reading the book I turn to see mother humming over her cauldron. She looks happy but at night I sometimes hear praying or talking to her husband, father in the fire. Then there's a knocking on the door for the first time in all four years of being here. Mother and I make contact when a boom is heard banging at the cabin. I looked at the window and see fire, the symbols on the walls glow protecting the cabin.
"Elliott!" She runs to me and crouches down to my level. The takes a flask from her many pockets and throws a powder at me. Instantly my body is paralyzed and she carries me. With my eyes I see opens a hatch under a carpet that I've never seen and places me there.
Mother places a kiss on my cheek, " I'm so sorry my baby. I should have never listened to that snake. Be strong okay remember to be careful with your potions." She wipes tears from her face, "clean after your done with the cauldron like mama thought you okay." Tears begin flowing down my cheeks and she stares into my eyes with such sadness.
She finally kisses my forehead and gives me her book, closing the hatch. Once closed the hatch glows with a bright symbol and I'm unable to hear anything. It feels like eons before I can move until I open the hatch.
Our cabin is scorched by fire, the brown wood and plants are black. The cabinets are destroyed by hand, whoever did this was searching for something. I walk trembling not to alert the one who did this. Searching the room I see no sign of mother. Making my way outside I see her.
"Mother they hanged you."
Her legs were burned off completely and her body battered. I stood their lost until moonlight reached her face. Her beautiful ginger hair is unable to cover her tear scared face.
"Mama I'll, I'll, I'll get you down, down from there."
Taking measured steps to untie the rope next to the tree holding her, as if I could hurt her more. My hands are too week to untie the knot they made and I cry from rage, how could I let another parent die. Anger swelled in me and I bit the rope imagining it was the bastard who did this. After countless bites it ripped and my mother fell to the floor.
I scurried to her and placed her head on my lap caressing her forehead. I wanted to bury her instead of burning after what happened but lacked a shovel. Placing her head gently on the ground I moved to start digging a hole with my barehands.
It wasn't until morning that I managed to make a passable hole. I made my way to mother and tried to lift her or pull her into the hole but a dead body weighs a ton.
Then I heard a voice, "Olivia, it's me Fester, I know I'm not supposed to come up here to the cabin. But you didn't come and I so wanted to get a bottle of, oh, oh dear no."
"Can you help me get mother in the hole, I want to bury her."
"Did you did this kid? I haven't seen this kind of murder in awhile."
"I would never!"
"Well thats good, family first above all else. Here you grab head and I'll get the legs, oh never mind. I'll grab what I can."
We buried her and I just stood there dumbfounded as to what to do. After looking at Fester once again he seemed familiar, have I seen him a trailer. No impossible mother never bought one and as for my other life that be ridiculous. He spoke"hey ah kid you got any last words to say?"
"Love you mom."
"Sort and meaningful, good eight of ten from me and I've been to many funerals. You wouldn't believe the yap yap, I would want to trade seats with the dead to stop hearing the nuance... Didn't know Olivia had a kid. How much for the book?"
I don't know what got over me but anger rose in from me and a black sand surrounded Fester's head. He began to fall asleep when tasered me with electricity coming from him. I dropped a knee trying to recover holding my mother's book tight.
"Whooa thats a new trick I haven't seen. Ha your full of surprises."
He offered me a hand, "say kid how about I make you a deal, you do that trick on a couple of guards and you get your share of some money. Enough for a tombstone for your mommy, what do you say, deal?"