The Past and the...Future?

Mother hoists me into the sleek black limo then harshly yanks the back of my blue-grey dress down to cover my bottom. She slides in elegantly next to me. Father sits at the other end on his own small couch. There are no seatbelts so Mother wraps her slender arm around my shoulders. Father taps the window behind him,

"Go Decagon," The vehicle glides forward. I reach my small hand up to Mother's throat and play with her diamond necklace, she swats my hand away and whispers for me to be still. Father's light brown eyes are staring out the window while Mother stares ahead, occasionally patting my shoulder. Decagon pulls over to the curb and opens his window to Father,

"We have arrived Mr. Damini,"

"Thank you Decagon. Lara, prepare yourself and the child. The press is here." Mother immediately begins fussing with her short purple hair and smoothing her jewelry and smokey grey, strapless mermaid dress. Father tugs on his matching grey suit then steps out of the car and into the flashes of light, they startle me. Usually, when there are flashes of light there is always a great noise and crowds of people shouting questions. Mother and Father stop and smile for them, answering questions with wells of patience. I wish they'd keep walking. Mother walks out first then turns around and lifts me to her side, I cling there when she tries to put me down.

"Let go, child! You'll pull down my dress!" She shrieks.

I glumly release and blink furiously, trying not to look into the lights as they click around me. Mother pushes me away again when I try to grip her smooth fabric, claiming that I'm ruining her image. I'm scared, but I won't dare go to Father. We walk through the streets swarmed with people to Grandfather and Grandmother's house. Eyes are staring at me and I hate it, I feel like I'm in a zoo. The guards at the gate of my Grandparent's house refuse to let the media follow us, we leave the swarm behind. The butler opens the grand door and reveals a loud house filled with formally dressed bodies, I unconsciously creep closer to Mother, I hate crowds. Father clasps Mother's arm, grabs two glasses of grown-up juice, then glides into the mass, leaving me to scamper behind. Grandmother comes towards Father and embraces him,

"Son! You are the last to arrive! I've been worried sick!" Grandmother Damini gushes. Father bows slightly,

"My apologies Mother, it won't happen again," I know he's lying, it always happens. Grandmother moves onto Mother,

"My dear, Lara? Is that you? You look absolutely stunning, dear!" They embrace while Grandfather limps over and claps Father on the back,

"How's life, Son?"

"Splendid Father."

"Good, good. Ah! Lara! I didn't see you there!" Meanwhile, Grandmother has noticed me hanging back.

"Well don't be frightened child, it's not your fault your Father is always late to things! Come give Grandmother a kiss."

I walk slowly over while she compliments me. I know that it is my fault that Father is always late. The loud people and the lights are there for me.

"Look at you Raylee! You're as lovely as your Mother! You'll make a fine wife someday," I thank my Grandfather as I know I should, even if I don't see the compliment in being a "fine wife."

More family come over to greet us. Aunt Romola, who is a long and scary looking woman, comes over to squeeze my cheeks,

"Why don't you play with your cousins Raylee? They'll want to see you."

Aunt Romola looks nothing like my Father, he had a balding head while she had piles of purple hair pouring down into thick braids. Father had light brown eyes, she had light blue eyes. Father was unhappy with everything but quiet about it, she was unhappy with everything and loud about it. My Aunt Romola turned to her brother,

"Young Raylee is much too quiet, little Brother. Did you even teach her to talk?"

"She has only just turned three, Romola." Romola humphed,

"Has she shown signs of her unique abilities yet?"

"Are the others here?" Father avoids answering. The white-clothed women who come and poke at me tell my parents that I'm a "late bloomer" and they're ashamed.

"Do you think I gave birth to all of these people Root?" She scoffed, "Kerensa and Gulliver are here along with their children and partners. Freesia and Letitia are not here as usual but some of their brood is present. Scram child! It is not polite to listen in on adults' conversations!"

I take off to find someone young enough to play with me, my hopes are now deflated knowing that my favorite Aunt isn't here. She's the most fun to be around even though she's never present. A thought strikes me, at least we are not at Grandmother Theta's house, I have no cousins there.

I spend some time wandering around trying to find Romola's youngest, Whimsy. She's the closest to my age, I find her hiding in the kitchens with the cooks and other servants, she's being anti-social again. I hear giggling and follow it. My cousins Bard and Sheherazade have stolen a small cake and are running from a maid. They see me,

"Go away Raylee! You'll tattle on us! If I hear you did, I'll lock you in the closet like I did Whimsy!"

"Shut up Bard and run!" My cousins rush away leaving me to find different playmates.

In the basement, my boy cousins are sitting around a large TV throwing food at it while others are hitting each other with their ties and pretending not to drink the grown-up juice. I come in and sit on the floor, two of the boys are wrestling now, Ludovic and Osgood. I scoot farther away so as not to get kicked by a stray shoe. Soon, my Uncle Gulliver wobbles in,

"What's going on here?" He bellows. Father appears behind him,

"Raylee, what in the Three Islands are you doing down here child? Leave the poor boys alone." One of my cousins finally notices me sitting on the floor but I run out before he can do something like getting me in more trouble. As I run, I hear my Uncle demand,

"Osgood, why are you the one on the ground with a broken nose? Get your arse up and break his jaw like a man!"

I finally decided to enter an upstairs bedroom and hide for the rest of the evening. I hear giggling coming from a guest room and peek into it. My girl cousins are sitting in a circle gossiping. Morwenna must have said something funny because Jessamy is clutching her stomach with laughter. Morwenna spots me,

"Raylee! I didn't know you were here! Come, sit on my lap and laugh with us." I happily plop my bottom on her legs and listen to their conversation, before I know it I'm drifting off to sleep.

When I open my eyes, I'm standing near a border of trees that must lead to a forest. Behind me, I can hear the hustle and bustle of a town, but to my left, I only see large tents. A teenage boy with black hair is kneeling by a tree, somehow I know this is Crynn. How did he die? Is he really dead? Why would Snowbird do such a thing!? My thoughts are running and I need answers, heart pounding, I run over to him. I reach Crynn's shoulder and inhale sharply. In front of my brother is a patch of flowers and a rock. It makes more sense now, what he's doing kneeling in the middle of a forest by himself with no sound being made. My brother is mourning. The name on the tombstone is what makes my face lose all color.

Raylee S. Damini

Nov. 23, 3008-June 12, 3020