8.7 Pinch Me
I traced the letters. HOKU, it read. A crooked star surrounded the name. Written so carelessly. Yet, it had been written. I plopped down in disbelief. Not a dream. A memory.
A gentle hum. A dance without words. Standing there. Watching him lost in the moment. Reminiscing my mother's singing. I longed to be in his thoughts - to see my mother as he did those many years ago. What song did he sing? I fought to remember the chords...the simple melody. I'd heard that song before? I opened my mouth to repeat the song - no sound.
What if I never found the truth?
Genesis Rahmani. Gone. Without a trace.
I stretched my arms, my fingertips were met with frigid air. I shivered and dragged the comforter over my head. Drafty old house, I thought. Wait? What? My eyes fluttered open. Home. Bed. I was awake. Again. I heard my aunt and uncle in the hallway through the open door.
"It's not safe here. I'm not risking my children for your pride."
"You're not, eh? If you hadn't brought that freak into our home, none of this would have happened." Gene retorted.
"She was a just a child back then. I didn't know..." She whined.
As Galen sighed, my grandmother left her seat in the corner. "I'll handle them." She told him, shutting the door behind her. Muffled sounds now,
Alone, Galen addressed me immediately. I didn't like the sternness. "Hoku, you've been out for a few days. You understand what I'm saying? You suffered a concussion when you fell."
"Con. Cuss. Shun." I repeated. My lips were cracked and my throat dry. It hurt to swallow.
"My mother is certain that some angel guided you to her and under divine grace allowed her to breathe life again. I'm under a different assumption. In her casket I found a rather unique flower. Its rumored to spawn on the graves of ancestors. But it must be plucked with care, for to touch a single petal will cause its magic to activate. This is all legend, of course. There's no medical record of this plant actually existing."
I wanted water.
"Why and how could a teenage orphan discover this knowledge, befriend and convince a spirit to assist you, and use such a rare flower on a 93 year old woman? If by some miracle, you happened upon the information yourself. Why would a spirit allow this flower used on a deceased other than his self? That's very gracious of him to help and expect nothing in return. And, why on earth would you use it on a woman who'd only reap the benefits for a few years before death came again? If you sought money, why not sell the flower on the black market. The price for such an item is beyond imagination. Anyway, I asked myself what you had to gain. Heirship. Then I asked myself what spirit of ours likes to mingle in affairs that do not concern him. Only one came to mind."
"I'm thirsty." I said.
"What did Blasius want in exchange?" I dipped my head over the side of the bed. My uncle's medical bag rested on the ground. The cup next to me was empty. Bathroom, I thought. Water. I pushed my arms beneath me to lift out of bed. He caught my shoulder with an open palm, pinning me against the headboard. "Answer me."
"Nothing." I insisted, my voice low and my eyes wide. "Let me go, uncle. I need a drink."
He breathed a heavy breath. His hands folded into fists. I focused on his hands, the knuckles white. "Either you're lying or you're an idiot." Galen's fist zipped past me into the headboard. He pulled his hand back and sucked on the side where it already began to swell. He missed on purpose. He can't hurt me. Not as heir. "My sister died because of a promise your mother made. Who's life did you sacrifice, huh? Was it mine?"
I shook my head, empowered by the immunity. I didn't have to tell him a thing. I was protected.
The door creeked open. My grandmother returned. Galen greeted her at the entrance, hiding his injury with the medical bag. "All fixed up, mother. I have to run."
"Splendid! There's dinner downstairs. Get dressed." She informed me. I nodded and both her and Galen dissappeared from sight behind the closed door. Leaving me alone.
I pinched myself, expecting to awake again. I cursed at the sting; my arm reddened. I still wasn't convinced, however I knew of nothing else that could end this dream - if it was one. Why were the voices silent? For years I prayed for relief and now their absence disturbed me. I collected the clothes laid out at the foot of the bed. A few minutes later, I headed out of the room. I learned later that it was the first time in six days I left it.
At the base of the stairs, I saw Heiro. His hair was longer than I recalled. I wonder if his hair and my grandmother's shiny new outfit were linked. I called to him and he invited me to sit next to him. The fireplace was lit; the wood crackled. The heat intoxicating. My fingers itched to touch the flame. To feel the power on my fingertips.
"I've never met a guy with hair extensions before." I remarked.
He chuckled. "Grandma decided to open a hair salon after - after what happened. She said the neighborhood needed to be beautified. No one should die ugly. I was her first victim. She said it makes me look like Fabio. Does it? I hear the girls like him."
I giggled. "You do! She should of dyed your hair blonde for the full effect."
His laughter faded. "So, we're cousins?" He drew in a breath. "Sucks."
I huffed. I hadn't expect him to be against me too. "What, am I not good enough for you either? Did your parents tell you not to hang around me anymore. Cause I'm - cause I'm - a demonchild!"
"It's not like that." Heiro frowned. "I wasn't even thinking about my parents or Harmony. I don't care what they say. You're a great girl. I'll always be there for you."
"I don't get it." I complained. "Then what's the problem."
"I was hoping you weren't." He replied.
