Septerra Inframagus: Claim Of the Invictus. [REWRITING]

[3] An old story

My head was still brimming with pain when I got up the next day. I winced at the bright light and swung my arm out, fumbling around for my watch.

"Mom! I can't find-"

I stopped mid sentence, my hands covering my mouth, realizing what I did. I lied back down in bed and pulled the sheets over my head. Bullets of yesterday burned into me. She's not here. I heard a knock at the door, and grabbed the nearest pillow, squeezing it against my chest. Every piece of me was wrenching itself to shed tears. The growing tension against my walls threatening to break me. I screamed silently into the pillow, my fists clenched.

"Leave me alone!" I whimpered.

"Ischel, please you're 14 and I don't want you to deal with this alone" my father's voice faltered.

I let the room's silence speak to me, my breathing stuttering, as I relived the moment. My mother's voice shrieking, her last words ringing in my head, until I felt a strong hand landing on my shoulder. I yanked his arm away.

"Will you please just leave!" I screamed.

"Ischel...please, I just want to talk to you," he said.

I looked up, my eyes burning but when I saw his cheeks blazed in tears I stopped and reached for his hand, held it and nodded.

"I was right there...." he asked. He took awfully long pauses of silence.

"...How did she die?"

I shook my head, and looked down, as it felt like my chest had tightened, and my body trembled. "There was a flash, then I saw her on fire. You and Juveny were unconscious...,I tried saving her... I kept going for more water but the fire wouldn't die down and I couldn't do it Pa. I couldn't save her".

My voice broke as I said it, my mouth quivered and tears streamed down my face. I hated crying. I hated feeling so weak. So at fault. Like everyone around you had more reason to get up than you, that you just want to hurl yourself down a river and stay there. But I deserved it.

I looked up to find his eyes red and glassy.

"You tried Ischel. Don't put the blame on yourself. This is not your fault. It's mine I could have prepared better. I shouldn't have even suggested going, I knew better than that " he said.

"You know better than to say that Dad," I said.

He nodded, and wiped his eyes. He gripped my shoulders and forced a smile, while a meaningful silence followed. Soon, a squeak from the turning of my door knob broke the silence. At the door, stood a 13 year old girl with brown hair, her hazel eyes watery, and her round beige face ghostly. Juveny...I had never once seen her cry, but her travel clothes were damp on the shoulders.

"Interrupting a moment?" She sniffled and then smiled but her face was still pale.

"No. No darling." said my dad, with a gentle smile spreading across his face, gesturing for her to come in.

She walked in and sat down on the bed next to him, across me.

"You know how I first met your mother?" he asked for the millionth time.

"Well if it makes you feel any better dad, we don't mind hearing it again" said Juveny, her voice squeaky but clean.

My father's face lit up again. He began,

"It was the 23rd of December, two days before Christmas, at 8:00 in the night. I was 24 back then and had just started working. I was late from camp that day and the weather was really nice. So, I thought I'd walk home. I lived near the beach, so I thought I'd spend the night there. I loved the briny smell of the ocean, and sat there watching the waves waiting for the night boats, and the lighthouse on the edge until 11:00. The moon was high in the sky and the million stars were reflecting off the water. I was tired and I got up to leave. Suddenly, I heard footsteps. I looked around me but I couldn't see anyone. I started walking away but then I heard it again. I slowly followed the soft pats on the sand till I reached a thick, thorny rose bush. I couldn't see through it so I laid down on my stomach and tried to peek through the stems to see more clearly. On the other side, I saw a beautiful, tawny woman with a tattered, torn white dress. She literally and metaphorically glowed in the moonlight".