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Tales of Darkstorm part 1: "Mother"This story may contain adult content. |
| Written by Eduardo Vazquez | |
| Thursday, 24 April 2008 | |
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Share it:       <p>The sun rippled slowly through the clouds as dawn unfolded. On the center of a peaceful <br /> neighborhood in Santeria, was a small humble house with no garage. Sarah woke up to the <br /> heavenly sound of birds chirping in harmony. She stretched out her arms and smelled the <br /> morning air. Then she got out of bed and made breakfast for her and her teenage <br /> daughter. The smell of oatmeal soon became almost intoxicating and filled most of the <br /> house with its fragrance. Her hair was a frizzy mess and her eyes were bloodshut, it <br /> looked as though she was an alcoholic. Which was far from what she really was; a devoted <br /> mother who has been supporting her family since her daughter Jenny was a child. Through <br /> all the problems she faced and overcame, one would believe that it made her stronger <br /> mentally. </p> <p> In reality, those problems weakened her, which is why she woke up this way, this morning. Its <br /> Jenny's birthday and Sarah is far from excited. She is afraid that now that Jenny is <br /> eighteen, she'll move out of the house. Just then her thoughts were interrupted by Jenny as<br /> she walked in unexpectedly. Her hair was tied in a neat little bun so that it wouldn't <br /> disturb her while she ate. "How long did it take for me to teach you how to make that bun?"<br /> Sarah asked. Jenny shrugged her shoulders and said "Does it matter, Mom?" Sarah sighed and<br /> rest her hand on Jenny's shoulder, "Its just that you grew up so fast, I almost lost track <br /> of time. It means that I'm getting old." "Don't say that. You're not old, you just-" Sarah<br /> cut Jenny's sentence short. "Its alright, I got over it anyway.....do you want breakfast?"<br /> "No, I'm fine, I was actually going to look for a job so that I could help around the <br /> bills." Sarah smiled proudly with a tear in her eye. "Why do you want to work on your <br /> birthday? Usually you would stay home." Jenny saw the tear roll down her mother's cheek, and<br /> tried to wipe it off with her hand gently. "Don't cry, Mom. I'll be back soon, I promise." </p> <p> Sarah turned the other way to move Jenny's hand from her face. "Its not that," Jenny <br /> continued to comfort her, ignoring her mother's gestures. Finally she calmed down, she had <br /> a feeling to tell Jenny something important, but instead she bottled it up for the moment.<br /> "Make me proud, Jenny.." she whispered. Jenny kissed her forehead and said "I will."<br /> When she left, the house felt uncomfortably silent, all that Sarah saw was the many shades<br /> of gray in walls. Just then she heard the doorbell ring, it was an old friend of hers from<br /> her youth days in college, a tall man named Sam. "Do you mind if I come in?" "Go ahead, this<br /> place would be dead otherwise." As Sam walked in, he saw the crumbs on the floor left from<br /> Sarah's breakfast. "I see that you're still the same slob as always." Sarah stared at him <br /> playfully, "You didn't give me a chance to clean the place up." she responded. Sam could<br /> see that she was being bothered by something in her mind, he wanted to ask, but he afraid of <br /> what the answer might be. Sarah was never one to share her emotions with everyone. </p> <p> She felt something deep in her throat trying to get out, it was a horrible feeling of <br /> inflamation. She quickly ran to the bathroom to spit it out, trying to cover her mouth in<br /> order to keep it in. Sam followed cautiously. Then there was a loud cough, followed by <br /> weezing. He opened the bathroom door silently and saw her cough up small puddles of blood <br /> in the sink. It dripped slowly and began to ooze down the drain. Sarah couldn't seem to <br /> stop coughing uncontrollably, soon she started to feel sharp pains down her rib cage. <br /> Suddenly she paused for a minute....then slowly turned around and saw Sam staring back at <br /> her like a confused child. Blood was still dripping out of her mouth, but she didn't seem<br /> to notice. "Sam..." she said as she caught her breath. "Can you..do something for me?" He<br /> hesitated to answer....but then he saw a serious look on Sarah's face, she almost looked <br /> like she was ready to cry. "What you just saw....was nothing. Jenny doesn't have to know."<br /> she added. "Why?" "It would only make things worse than they already are. Let's just leave<br /> it at that, ok?" </p> <p> Sam studied the blood on Sarah's mouth that seemed to be drying up. He finally came to a <br /> decision, "You have my word." She sighed in relief when she heard Sam say those words. <br /> Sam finally got the courage to ask Sarah a question that has been bothering him for a<br /> while now. "For how long has this been happening.?" Sarah smiled and wiped her mouth so that<br /> she could answer more clearly. "I've had this for as long as I can remember. The doctors <br /> told me its an untreatable condition...the worst part of it is, is that I don't how long I<br /> have left." "But it doesn't matter now, after Jenny's gone, there will be nothing left for<br /> me here." An hour later, Sam left to go home. Sarah felt strangely weaker, so she decided to<br /> rest in her bed until her daughter returned home from work. When she did, Sarah seemed even<br /> weaker, to the point where her skin turned pale. On her death bed, Jenny laid on the side <br /> with her mother held closely to her heart. All Sarah could could hear was the muffled sound <br /> of Jenny crying on her chest. "Mom.....where will you go....." Jenny whispered. Sarah took<br /> in a deep breath and began to pet Jenny's soft blonde hair. </p> <p> "I didn't mean what I said!" Jenny cried as she buried face against her mother's stomach. <br /> " About work! About moving out, everything!" "I want to stay with you, Mom! Please don't leave<br /> me!" Sarah then stopped petting Jenny's hair and looked into her eyes for a moment. She <br /> remembered the day Jenny came into her world. The lightness and comfort of her warmth every<br /> time she held her. "Jenny, there's I've wanted tell you for a long time now....many years ago<br /> I was diagnosed with this illness.......because of it, the doctor told me that I could never <br /> have children...." Jenny looked back at her...she began to wonder what she meant. "What are <br /> you saying?" she asked. Sarah continued, "I still remember the day I met you....it was like<br /> a dream I never wanted to wake up from...seventeen years ago, a woman came to my doorstep. <br /> She had two little girls with her...one was seven and the other....was a few months. The poor<br /> woman was homeless...she couldn't afford to support her children..she pleaded me to take care<br /> of the baby...'Whatever you do...where ever you go....never let her go..'those were the last<br /> words she told me. Till this day I never did...." she rubbed her hand against Jenny's cheek. </p> <p> At that moment Jenny was silent, she didn't know what to say or how to react. Her lips started to<br /> move but no words came out, tears continued to run down and her face lost its expression for a <br /> moment. "I couldn't bare to tell you....I was ashamed....afraid that if I told you, you would<br /> never look at me the same way again...." "But you deserve to know the truth." Jenny was angry <br /> and at the same time sad. She felt angry of the fact that Sarah never mentioned this before,<br /> and she felt sad that even though she wasn't her biological parent, she was still her mother,<br /> and that mother was dying. "I want you to remember this.....even if you hate me now, I still<br /> love you and I always will. I also want you to promise me something.... " "What is it?" <br /> "Promise me that you will make something of yourself." Jenny held on to her hand and answered,<br /> "I will....I promise..." She kissed her forehead and saw Sarah close her eyes. Then the memory<br /> faded...She couldn't see her mother anymore...instead she saw a gravestone standing before <br /> her. The wind started to howl loudly, she could feel the Autumn leaves blow in the direction <br /> of the wind. She felt a hand touch her shoulder, it was Sam's...he was standing near her.<br /> "You miss her don't you?" he asked. "She's all I had....." Jenny answered. "When are you<br /> leaving Santeria, Sam?" Sam shrugged his shoulders, "I was actually planning to stay...maybe<br /> visit Rita in District 129A." The wind continued to blow, moving Jenny's clothes in patterns. </p> <p> Sam saw that Jenny was about to leave, he walked up to her so that he could ask her a <br /> question. "So, what are you going to do now?" Jenny looked back at him and smiled, "I'm <br /> going to find my sister." Now with her mother gone she felt a strange lightness off her<br /> shoulders. Before she always wondered 'what would she do if her mother died?' Now she knows...<br /> it wasn't the end of the world....it was one the many bumps in life. She stood up as she<br /> did every morning....with her head held up high. She started to walk out of the cemetary, <br /> buildings and cars were the only thing to greet her along the way. A large gust of pounded<br /> against her chest, it was unusually warm. She could almost have sworn to hear the wind <br /> whisper....she turned around and saw nothing but air. "Mother" she whispered to herself. </p> Copyright 2008 Eduardo Vazquez |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 16 May 2008 ) |
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