31 - Morbid Little Mei Mei
[takes place when River is nine while at home with Simon]
"Mei Mei, that's morbid."
"It's not. It's adventageous. People should be lucky to have this already done for them." She replied matter of factly to her older brother. They had buried their Grandfather the weekend before and River had gained an odd fascination with death and the proceedings that were required for it. "Father had to do this for his Father. I don't want you to do this for me Simon. I'm being practical."
Simon paused looking up from his own homework shaking his head, "Don't you have other things to finish? You've the recital in near two days."
Her wide eyes flashed with brilliance as she glanced over to him, her bare feet hovering wilding in the air as she lay on her stomach on the floor in the Tam parlor, "Already know it." Distracted for only a moment she went back to writing on the slip of paper before her. She had wanted to committ it to something a bit more permanent, but realized that perhaps in time those things would become obsolete and that this was the only true form that would last the test of time.
Humming a bit to herself she could sense the wary from her brother. It was a bit odd that she was doing this, and even more odd that she seemed so pleasantly fufilled doing it. Setting the ink pen down to the side of the paper she exhaled satisfied that she had completed this task. "Finished." Turning around on the floor she gathered herself up into a seated position, indian style on the floor before her brother.
"River Tam was born on-" She started but was interupted by Simon slapping his text down onto the couch beside him.
"River! That's enough!"
"Simon, I have to do this. Don't be rude." She took in a breath and exhaled slowly before beginning again, "River Tam was born on Osiris on the twelth day of the eight month in 2498. Born to Gabriel and Regan Tam she was the second child of the family. Her older brother Simon was destined to be a doctor." There was a moment where she smiled proudly to him before continuing on, "River was gifted and enjoyed dance as well as all of her studies. At the age of fourteen she was accepted into a prestigious school for children gifted as herself. There she was lied to and kept away from her family."
She took note of the odd expression on her brother's features as she continued on, "For three years she was held there, in an effort to make the world a better place, or to make humans a more advanced species. Her brother Simon Tam, destined to be a doctor on a Core planet throws away everything and risks it all to save her from certain death and a lifetime of tragedy. Despite his efforts though, River Tam was found dead this past day from an aneurism at the age of seventeen. Autopsy has revealed extensive trauma, and no investigation is pending, due to the findings that she was mentally disturbed." Her expression had shifted during reading it, from one of great pride to one of absolute fear and panic. She couldn't see all the details, but she felt that it was truth in some form or another.
"Mei Mei, Father will be cross if he hears you rattling off such go-se. Stories are one thing River, but one such as that will get you in trouble, Father will say you've gone kwong-juh duh." She watched as her brother dismissed the story she told, thinking it was her overactive imagination once again running wild.
"You don't have to believe it now Simon. Things can change. I just had to do this now, I don't want you to have to do it later," she paused, "There won't be time."
"Mei Mei, that's morbid."
"It's not. It's adventageous. People should be lucky to have this already done for them." She replied matter of factly to her older brother. They had buried their Grandfather the weekend before and River had gained an odd fascination with death and the proceedings that were required for it. "Father had to do this for his Father. I don't want you to do this for me Simon. I'm being practical."
Simon paused looking up from his own homework shaking his head, "Don't you have other things to finish? You've the recital in near two days."
Her wide eyes flashed with brilliance as she glanced over to him, her bare feet hovering wilding in the air as she lay on her stomach on the floor in the Tam parlor, "Already know it." Distracted for only a moment she went back to writing on the slip of paper before her. She had wanted to committ it to something a bit more permanent, but realized that perhaps in time those things would become obsolete and that this was the only true form that would last the test of time.
Humming a bit to herself she could sense the wary from her brother. It was a bit odd that she was doing this, and even more odd that she seemed so pleasantly fufilled doing it. Setting the ink pen down to the side of the paper she exhaled satisfied that she had completed this task. "Finished." Turning around on the floor she gathered herself up into a seated position, indian style on the floor before her brother.
"River Tam was born on-" She started but was interupted by Simon slapping his text down onto the couch beside him.
"River! That's enough!"
"Simon, I have to do this. Don't be rude." She took in a breath and exhaled slowly before beginning again, "River Tam was born on Osiris on the twelth day of the eight month in 2498. Born to Gabriel and Regan Tam she was the second child of the family. Her older brother Simon was destined to be a doctor." There was a moment where she smiled proudly to him before continuing on, "River was gifted and enjoyed dance as well as all of her studies. At the age of fourteen she was accepted into a prestigious school for children gifted as herself. There she was lied to and kept away from her family."
She took note of the odd expression on her brother's features as she continued on, "For three years she was held there, in an effort to make the world a better place, or to make humans a more advanced species. Her brother Simon Tam, destined to be a doctor on a Core planet throws away everything and risks it all to save her from certain death and a lifetime of tragedy. Despite his efforts though, River Tam was found dead this past day from an aneurism at the age of seventeen. Autopsy has revealed extensive trauma, and no investigation is pending, due to the findings that she was mentally disturbed." Her expression had shifted during reading it, from one of great pride to one of absolute fear and panic. She couldn't see all the details, but she felt that it was truth in some form or another.
"Mei Mei, Father will be cross if he hears you rattling off such go-se. Stories are one thing River, but one such as that will get you in trouble, Father will say you've gone kwong-juh duh." She watched as her brother dismissed the story she told, thinking it was her overactive imagination once again running wild.
"You don't have to believe it now Simon. Things can change. I just had to do this now, I don't want you to have to do it later," she paused, "There won't be time."