To Be Mortal

I laid my back against the wall, gazing to the ceiling. "My childhood can only really be explained with my parents' childhood." I looked at him with a smirk, "I'm sure you've read their file?"

The inquiring man nodded and returned my smirk, "I think I have them somewhere..." He took a briefcase from the door he had entered. He must have left it there when he came in; stupid me. I was getting worse at my detective skills.

While he was filling in the lock combo I tilted my head in thought, "So, what qualifications do you have to go poking into my mind, mysterious stranger?" I asked.

"Dr. Olivier Dubois, but most people call me Oliver. I was born in Montreal but my family moved to Toronto when I was a boy." he said, now pulling out a file. "I have a Ph.D. in the study of supernatural beings and I was getting my Master of Psychology before this war started too." he studied the sheet carefully before speaking.

"Miss. Candice Mia Lynn: Born May 3rd, 1979. Died October 30th, 1996. Daughter to Michelle and Gregory Lynn, sister to Roger Lynn." he looked up from the sheet, glancing at me with a curious gaze before turning back to his papers. "Graduate of North High School with honours, accepted into the University of Toronto."

He flipped through a few pages, "Mr. Phillip Arnold Carter: Born August 24th, 1978. Son to Arnold and Anna Carter. Graduated from North High School... barely, and worked as a mechanic until his death on..."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You got the files..." I smirked a little more, "Or at least what I left of them." the doctor ignored me.

"So fill us in."

I sighed, "Fine, I suppose."

---

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the final buzzer went off. From the football field where they stood, two cheerleaders broke from their squad and ran to the middle of the field.

Candice Lynn ran into the arms of the captain, and they kissed deeply. At a high school such as this, a lot of rumors went around, but one thing everyone knew, is that Candice loved Phil.

The second cheerleader, Nicole, ran up to the two with her boyfriend, Roger Lynn; who was also Candice’s twin brother. Nicole grabbed Candice by the waist and the four friends huddled together; laughing and hugging.

Later that night all four of them took a table at a local diner, having the time of their lives in the celebration of the game.

“To Phillip Carter, a damn fine captain if I do say so myself!” toasted Roger, clinking the coke bottles together.

Phil pulled Candice into his arms and grinned, kissing her lightly on the forehead. She gave a smile and took a dainty sip from her coke.

Nicole smiled, “I gotta say, I wasn’t sure you guys would pull through.” She winked to Roger beside her, twirling a lock of her gorgeous black hair between her fingers.

Roger rolled his eyes playfully, “Oh, I marvel in the faith you have for us, darling.” pulling her in for a quick kiss as well. The thing about their group was, they didn’t mind PDA, since if any one of the group spoke out about it they’d be one of the biggest hypocrites in the universe. The two couples were in love, they didn’t feel the need to hide it.

There was a commotion and the four of them turned to see an argument at the door. A young man wearing a hood stood at the door with a woman around his arm. He was furious, but the diner employee was very firm.

“I’m sorry, but our facility does not accommodate… your kind.” The waiter was saying, but the patron could hear nothing of it.

“I’m sorry? My kind?” he spoke with a thick fae accent. He was an elemental, you could tell from the glowing tattoos that wrapped around his arms and framed his face. “My sister and I only wish to consume dinner at this restaurant.”

“I’m afraid your presence could upset our… normal customers. Please, sir, there are plenty of places you could find that might be able to serve you.”

After a few shouts of obscenity, the elemental gave up. He threw his hands in the air, muttering in his native tongue, and then shouted “You mortals all think that we are the evil; but you shun us all from your lives like garbage! One day you will all get what is coming!” then he escorted his sister out.

“Don’t worry, just continue your meals. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Later that night Candice was in her room. She was dressing into her nightgown and she heard a knock on her balcony window.

Now, the Lynn family was very wealthy, and traditional. They had a nice big house and balconies and even a maid. Candice was used to the best treatment there was, and never had to worry about scary men in the night, not to mention the rather scary argument she had witnessed, so when she heard a noise on her balcony, she panicked.

She crawled on all fours to the door, and then recognised those big shoes through the glass. She was confused, but she opened the door. Phillip immediately pulled her close, and Candice could smell alcohol on his breath. This was getting much too common, not the sneaking up to her bedroom thing; that was new, but the drinking. Candice didn’t like it, but she did love this boy. She’d have to hope it was just a phase.

To her, he was perfect. He had the proper body of a football player, broad shoulders and strong arms. His hair was a sandy, dirty blonde; verging on brown. His eyes, though, they were a beautiful ice blue that melted her heart.

He kissed her, hard. Not a tender, warm kiss like she was used to, this was completely intoxicating. Inside his arms, they wobbled together, him pushing her inside and closing the door silently behind them.

Candice swallowed, pulling away, “What are you doing here? If my dad finds you here he’ll kill you!”

“Let him.” Phillip said, kissing her neck and guiding her to the bed.

Candice pulled away a little, “No, really. He has a shotgun, Phil. He won’t stop to ask questions.”

Phillip put his finger on her lips, hushing her, “Candice, I love you; right?”

“Yes.”

“And you love me.”

“Of course.”

“Then it’s all okay.” Then he kissed her like he’d never be able to kiss her again, and all hope was lost.

--

The final bell of school rang to end. Candice was at her locker and Nicole approached. “Hey, me and Roger are going to the movies tonight. Can you come? You can bring Phil if you want to.”

Candice turned and Nicole gasped to see she was sobbing.

Out of the whole school, Candice Lynn was known for her absolute beauty, innocence and optimism. Her hair was long, blonde and luscious, like those models on the hair color bottles that you almost think are wigs made of pure silk. Her eyes were the brightest of greens, deep like a forest sparkling with raindrops. Seeing her with ruffled hair and red-tinted eyes was almost too much to bear.

“Nicky…” she sobbed, grasping her friend tightly, “I need your help.”

She took her troubled friend to the washroom; it was filled with pesky ninth graders. They were chattering like a bunch of pigeons but the entire room went silent when they saw them.

“Get lost, kids; nothing to see here!” Nicole snapped, and the crowd ran out of there in a storm. Candice pressed her back to the wall and slowly slid down wall, tears falling from her face in a silent waterfall. Nicole checked to make sure the stalls were empty before sitting beside her friend.

“Candice… what’s the matter?” she asked. Candice slowly reached into the pocket of her bag, her hand shaking. Nicole felt a tingle of fear reach her spine before a small white stick appeared in her hand with a small pink plus sign.

“I… I… I don’t know what to do…” she dropped it and sobbed, burying her face in her hands.

They were silent for a moment; Nicole didn’t know what to say. Out of all her friends she’d think to experience this problem; Candice was not even on the list.

“I… It’s okay. Don’t worry; we’ll just go to the hospital. I have a friend he can hook you up without your parents’ permission. We can fix this we’ll just have to…”

“No.” she said, her voice hoarse, “I’m not killing them.”

“Candice, you can’t just hide this! Your parents; they’ll…”

“I know; I know it’s just...” She gave another sob. “This is my baby. Phil’s baby; my baby… A living being, I can’t just…”

They stood in silence again, Candice shaking even more and Nicole feeling the prick of tears by her eyes.

“Tell Phil first; ask him what he thinks…” Nicole said, resting her head on her friend’s shoulder.

Later that day Candice showed up at Phil’s house. She was unexpected because usually he waited outside for her, never wanting her to come in. Normally she called but she was afraid that as soon as she heard his voice she’d spill the whole thing over the phone. She knocked on the door and heard chaos inside.

“Get the damn door!” a drunken voice yelled over a yowling Rottweiler, words slurred dreadfully. Phillip opened the door; a dark purple circle was seen around his eye.

He saw Candice and swallowed, quickly shutting the door behind him.

She gently touched his bruise, caressing her hand over it as he winced. “Your dad?”

“No, I uh… I got it in football.” Candice frowned but didn’t say a word. They both knew it was him, but Phil never wanted to admit it.

“C… can we go for a walk?” she asked. He nodded.

They reached the park about fifteen minutes later, all small talk used up by now. They sat on a bench and turned to him with wide eyes. “I’m pregnant.”

It could have been a second or an eternity of silence; neither would be able to tell the difference then.

“W… well… Have you talked to Nicole? She helped out Janice a few months ago. She says she knows someone who helps people in… in our situation.

“Phil, I’m not giving her up.”

“But, Candice, your future, our life together…” he clasped her hand in his, “A baby doesn’t… doesn’t quite fit.”

“We’ll make them fit!” she protested, “I’m not killing our child.”

“B…but Candice!” she got up to leave, “Candice, wait!”

“Phil, I am raising this child…” she closed her eyes and bit back her tears, “With or without you.”

--

Eight months later.

“You sure you’re okay to drive, Candice?” Nicole asked, cradling her wrist in the passenger’s seat of the car.

“’Course.” She said, “I’m not due for another two weeks, I’ll be fine.”

“I can call Roger. He’ll come pick us up.”

“And leave the car? No way, we’re fine.” Candice started the car, rubbing her belly softly.

“Okay… Just… Be careful.”

It was late on the night before Halloween in Toronto, Candice, Nicole and Roger had moved into their own apartment after she started showing signs of life in her. Her parents had agreed to care for her as long as she left before the neighbors found out. Once she came back the girl would be known as their orphaned cousin who the family had ‘graciously agreed to adopt’.

They had been at a Halloween party when Nicole sprained her wrist and asked to go home. She had a brace there to use, so no hospital visit was necessary.

Candice and Phil had broken up, leaving her heartbroken. The only thought that got her through was the little baby growing inside her.

“Candice, can I tell you something?” she asked, biting her lip with a smile.

“Yeah?”

“I… I think Roger is going to pop the question!” she burst, her eyes shining. “I found a ring in his sock drawer.”

Candice beamed; her and Nicole really would be sisters… by law… “That’s amazing!” she turned to her, “Really, I can’t believe...”

“Candice, watch out!”

Head on they hit a truck, metal flew and the air bags popped out.

Nicole moaned, blood flowing from a cut on her lip. She turned to see Candice writhing, screaming in pain. The air bag had hit her right in her gut and something had banged her head. Nicole scrambled out of the car, running to her door and yanking on the handle. It wouldn’t open.

“Hang on, Candice!” she cried, tears also falling down her cheek. She ran out onto the sidewalk and into the nearest store, “Please! Someone call 911!”

At the hospital, Nicole had to be sedated. She was simply frantic trying to get to Candice, to make sure she and the baby were okay. When she awoke a doctor waited, “Nicole Queen?” he asked, “You came in with Candice Lynn, correct?”

Nicole had to fight against the drugs in her system; she shot up, “Yes! Is she okay? Is the baby okay? Did you call her brother, Roger?”

“We saved both the baby and the mother, but neither is looking too good.”

“Is she… is the baby… out? I mean, she’s been born?”

“Yes, you can come see her if you like.”

The doctor led Nicole out to Candice’s room where Roger sat. He looked up to her and gasped, “I… I’m sorry. I wanted to see you but they said you were fine, just resting. They said Candice was…”

“Shh, it’s fine; I know. I’d have killed you if you weren’t here for your sister anyway.” He smiled and they sat beside Candice. She began to stir.

“Nicky! I’m so sorry! I… I didn’t mean to, I…” her voice was more of a groan than anything.

“Don’t worry; it’s not your fault.” Nicole saw a crib beside her and gazed at the tiny infant girl in there. “Have you thought of a name?”

Candice was silent.

“Are… are you okay?”

The new mother sighed, she didn’t really look well. Her face was pale and covered in scratches from the windshield and there was a large wad of gauze over her face on her eye and cheek. Her leg was in a cast and her movements were slow.

“Avianna.” She said quietly. “Her name is Avianna Nicole Lynn.” Nicole began to cry. “If… if I don’t make it… I want her to…” her eyes gave way and Candice went silent. Her heartbeat monitor beeped and Nicole cried out, rushing to her side.

A crash cart team rushed in and Roger had to hold Nicole back as they tried to save her. Little Avianna began to wail.

--

“No, I should have her! Candice would have wanted me to have her!” cried Nicole. She had died, just like that. Yesterday she had been there, alive and well, now she laid in the morgue; her body cold and lifeless.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry, but the baby is supposed to go to the father in absence of a mother.”

“But the father didn’t want the baby! He left her because she was having the baby. He’ll never take her. My partner, Roger, he’s Candice’s brother. We can raise her; she’d be like our own.”

“The father has already claimed his child.”

“What?!”

“Mr. Carter is already with her, we called him as soon as his child was born.”

Nicole left the office and the stupid woman, she needed to raise Ava. She’d never be stable with Phil, never. She couldn’t let him take her. She burst into Candice’s empty room where a nurse looked over the ex-football player.

He was terrible. His face had a rugged texture and pale skin. His eyes had a deep purple around them and his entire being reeked of liquor. “Nicky.”

“Phillip.” She countered, glaring at him. “What’s this about you now suddenly wanting her?”

“She’s all I have left of Candice.” He muttered.

“She’s all I have left of Candice.”

“She needs to be with family.”

“Roger is her family.”

“She needs a father.”

“She needs a mother!”

“She had one! And you let her die!” Phil roared, getting up to stand in between her and the baby. Ava cried. “It is my legal right to raise her, she is my daughter!”

“I’m not giving her up without a fight!”

“I never expected you to.”

Nicole held his gaze, then gave up and stomped off angrily. Phil turned away from her and to his child, he whispered “Don’t worry; I’ll never let you go.”

---

"How do you know all this? Did Phil tell you?"

"Of course not. When I had the chance, I tracked down as much as I could about that night. Traffic records, nurse interviews... I even found my mother's old diary at the Lynn mansion." I shrugged, rubbing my neck. "Want me to continue?"

Oliver shook his head, checking his watch, "I have to go; I'll be back tomorrow."

Avianna nodded, closed her eyes; tired. "Night."