Interference (ON HOLD)

Prologue

Prologue

Prologue

The little girl stood at the edge of the yard, leaning against the wrought iron lamppost. Her slight figure barely taller than the embellishment around the bottom of the post. The glow of the flickering candle bathed her in dancing light and dark of thick shadows. She shuffled in the uncomfortable button up boots and pulled at the tight collar of her dress. At eight years old, she looked out of place outside alone this time of night.

Through the window, she watched the woman lift the small baby out of the crib and hug her close. Too close. The tiny face pressed into the thick fabric covering the woman’s shoulder. The baby began to squirm as the woman held her tight. Wiggling vigorously, the tiny white dress flailing in the light from the fireplace until finally the movement stopped.

The woman held the baby tight for another moment before she pulled the little body away and stared at it. She kissed the little girl’s forehead and placed her back in the crib in front of the fire. Wiping her hands against her dress, she turned and headed out of the room. The front door to the house opened, the woman’s body silhouetted against the yellow glowing light coming from the interior. She stepped forward slowly, glancing furtively from side to side. She finally spotted the little girl in the pool of light and walked quickly down the sidewalk.

“Delores, darling, it’s done.” The woman kneeled in front of the girl, tears still streaming from her eyes. Her expression as earnest and heartfelt as any the little girl, Delores had ever seen. “It was like you said it would be. It was almost like she fell asleep. Almost.” The woman’s voice was soft and uncertain.

“It is what had to be done. You knew it was true. The child was going to grow up to do bad things. You could see it in her. You felt it in your heart.” Delores reached out her small hand and pressed it against the woman’s face. “Remember that.”

“What do I do if someone questions me? What if they accuse me of this horrible deed?” The woman glanced back towards the house.

“You must make sure that no one finds out what’s happened. They will never understand.” Delores scratched underneath the bow that tied her hair over her shoulder. It never got cold here and sweat was building beneath her thick, dark hair.

“But how? It is already…” The woman continued to stare at the house. “What I have done is right there for everyone to see.”

“The bassinette is so close to the fireplace. It’s dangerous that close. What is a spark landed on the blanket?” Delores took the woman’s hand and turned her back towards the house. The older woman looked down at her and nodded. Delores released her hand and watched her walk into the house. Through the window, she saw the woman move the crib closer to the fire and begin fanning the fire with the large bellows.

As the flames built and caught the edge of the lacy fabric, Delores reached into the pocket buried in the thick folds of the dress and retrieved her lifeline. She pulled out a small white cube, which she opened to reveal a clear glass flower. As the flames in the house grew, she held the flower in her palm and closed her eyes. It was time to go home. The orb began to vibrate and her skin began to tingle. As the feeling moved over her, she could feel her body stretching back to its normal shape. Her limbs lengthened. Her hair retracted. The heavy dress drifted away in a fine mist.

When she felt the flower in her hand dissolve, she opened her eyes and looked around at the plain white room. She brushed her palms against her thighs to rid them of the feeling of embedded dirt and gave her muscles a quick shake to release the tension from the return trip. Time to get back to work.