By: Kainen
fire burn
fire bright
fire close
fire blight
Dusk was beautiful. It spread with ease over the land, softly flowing through curtains and stained glass windows. Over the horizon the little midnight elves were busy dancing about with their brushes in hand adding colours to the landscape. Purples, reds, oranges, all the colours in between and those never heard of painted the sky and turned the grass and trees a rich, dark shade.
As the sun slowly dipped behind the grand hill to let the pale moon take over, it gave one final reminder to let the people know it would return: at the last moment, at its great climax before the rays disappeared for another night, there was a burst of deep hues and a sigh of content. They rolled and tumbled over the landscape, burrowing into foxholes and pouring into nests high atop the trees and dainty hillside cottages.
As the sun winked out of sight Marrie breathed a satisfying sigh, a faint smile forming on her lips. She glanced at herself in the window pane where she sat and looked on as the last bits of the evening colours lingered on her face before they slid away into the night. But then the child?s face was illuminated in thick shadows as Mama lit the candles from behind her. As Marrie shifted to turn around, the light from the flames caught the pendant around her neck and made it sparkle with crystals of white light. Marrie?s petite hand closed around the teardrop pendant. Its smooth surface cold against her palm. Papa had given it to her before he went off on his travels. It was a promise to her that Papa would return to claim it. But that was when the snow was starting to melt into the ground, and now the leaves on the trees were just beginning to fall.
The candles blazed with soothing warmth and Marrie could feel its radiance on her cheeks. She glanced once more out the window to the horizon where the landscape had merged with sky and a small frown graced her lips.
?Papa,? she whispered. ?where are you??
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It was warm in the kitchen. The fire from the hearth radiated warmth while the fire from the iron stove kept dinner toasty sweet. The room itself was lit with dozens of scented candles. The enticing aroma circled the room filling nostrils and tickling appetites. The bread, freshly baked, sat on the wooden table where the steam could still be seen floating and swirling as it rose into the air.
Marrie sat before the loaf of bread staring at it, her eyes unfocused. She sat in her chair with her shoulders slumped forward and her hands tightly clasped in her hands. Her cheeks were rosy from the fire, but no smile decorated her face.
Mama sat quietly in her own chair sipping hot cider, feeling the burning liquid slide down her throat. She gazed at her daughter uncertainly from across the table, worried. Her child had said little in days, and when she did, it was in a monotone and only if asked a question. Mama sighed and looked out the window. Instead of drying leaves and rusty colours, there was a white blanket covering the land. Bits of flakes fell silently down from the heavens to add another stitch to the cold sheets adorning the hillsides. The snow outside was virgin, untouched by animals nor by children. Marrie had not left the cottage in days and Mama missed seeing those grinning snowmen her daughter would make each winter season.
Marrie had taken the news hard. A week had passed since Mama had received the letter from the Post. Papa was not coming home.
?Marrie,? Mama said gently. ?Let?s talk. We always used to talk. Don?t you miss talking to Mama??
Marrie was silent from where she sat. She made no movement, and she did not look up at her mother.
?Marrie?? Mama said again. ?Marrie, I know this is hard, I know how you feel--?
?No, you don?t!!? Marrie burst out loudly. She looked fiercely up at her mother, her eyes brimming with tears. ?No, you don?t!?
?Marrie!? Mama said shocked. ?This is hard on you, I know, but that is no way to talk to--?
?Talking is no good! Talking is dumb!? Marrie shouted. ?Papa talked to me. Papa promised me. But he?s not here. Papa lied.? Marrie leapt up, knocking her chair backwards. She grasped the pendant from around her neck and violently ripped it from her. The delicate chain broke and its links scattered as they fell to the hard floor.
Marrie squeezed the pendant tightly in her hand. She closed her eyes and screamed. ?Papa lied!!" Marrie threw her father?s gift to the floor and fled from the kitchen, her cheeks stained with tears.
Mama sat in a stupor. She looked after her distraught child as she ran from the room. She had been a mannequin to her daughter?s outburst. After a moment Mama rose from her chair and searched for the pendant Marrie had cast away. She found it close to the hearth. The silver metal burned her fingers as she picked it up. Looking down at it, Mama waited until the pendant cooled in her palm. When it did she held it to her heart while a single tear ran down her face.
End Chapter One
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