Once in a Life-Year

It was a strange enigma. She sat quietly watching Andrew. When he touched her arm it was so gentle she wasn’t sure it was actually he who was touching her. He seemed different, a darkness clouded his eyes. He remembered something. Something terrible. He pulled her arm out, his fingers brushed her hand, she could see pictures. She only got a glimpse, she could see him, he was crying and hugging a little girl he could not have been older than 10. Her arm throbbed, a stabbing pain seemed to begin so she focused on her arm. She pulled it away from him, as best she could.

“Give me your arm.”

“No.” He looked at her eyes and she stopped breathing, was she afraid? A shiver was sent down her spine. He waited patiently for a moment before he sat next to her. He trailed his hand under her arm carefully and laced his fingers with hers. It seemed to comfort her, having him sit next to her. He pulled her arm over to his lap and he didn’t do anything for a few moments. His fingers took a wet cloth, she was not sure when he had obtained it, and began to wipe the blood off of her fingers. This seemed to take forever, she closed her eyes and began to doze off. Her head sagged; You have something to do. She opens her eyes, readjusting her head. Who had said that? He was still wiping her hand; she began to sleep again. Her head drooped to his shoulder; he acted like nothing had happened. He began slowly up her arm, carefully pulling fabric out of her skin. She began to tremble.

She could see a boy running, running, running, he was crying and carrying a little girl. He could not have been older than ten, he must have been seven or eight. It was nighttime, he was in sleep trousers. Somebody was chasing him? He held his mothers hand until she was gone. Anabella looked around, Tzarms were everywhere. She could hardly see the ground. His mother got caught in the slop, he tried to make her continue, but she spoke her last words to him,
“Andew. Andrew, my love. Run. Do not look back, there is nothing for you to see here. Run! Protect Liza. I love you. Now, go!” She kissed his head. He began to run again, but he did look back. He looked back long enough to see his mother mutilated, and raped by a man. He seemed to glow with darkness, he was pale and looked weak. He must have been working with the Tzarms. The little girl whimpered, and then she took an unsteady breath. Anabella took a closer look at the girl, she was bleeding, as she had been hit or attacked by something. She watched him run for hours, until the sun came up. He tripped and he fell, and that is when Anabella realized the girl had stopped breathing or whimpering. She must have stopped a while ago, when the boy had started to cry again. He fell over her, Anabella could feel his grief and pain, tears pulled themselves out of her eyes. The boy laid over the girl for a long time, just sobbing. Anabella had no idea how long it was before she understood what he had been saying, or he had begun to speak to her legitimately,
“How could you? You cannot leave me! You were mine! Momma is gone now… You were mine. Why? Why? You should not… I cannot… How will I survive? No one is here, Liza. You said—you said—You promised me! I love… I loved you.” He had continued talking, but she no longer understood him. Something stabbed her leg and she looked down, a snake was wrapping itself around her leg. A beautiful snake, gold, with red eyes it reminded her of someone. It slithered up her leg and then it bit her arm.

She woke with tears in her eyes, a whimper, and a tug on her arm. She pulled it to her chest, removing her hand from his she hugged her arm to her chest and began to cry. Andrew had been stunned at her waking up so soon and in such emotion, she had stopped crying minutes ago, and instead seemed to tremble with fear. She looked at him differently. She seemed to look at him more deeply, almost as if she knew something. She choked back a sob. He was not sure what to do. Luke walked over; he had not quite gone to bed yet. He glared at Andrew,
“You were too rough, Andrew! Let me handle this. Learn to be nicer.” Luke reached down and touched her leg. The same leg the snake had slithered up. She knew what would happen next, he’d bite her arm. She shrieked and slapped his hand away. She turned her head towards Andrew and tried to pull his arm in front of her as if it would protect her. She shook harder, and her sobs became more violent.
“Leave.” It was an order from Andrew to Luke, Luke seemed not quite to understand, “Now.” Andrew slipped his arm out of her grasp and over her head, something protective awakened inside of him… He hadn’t been protective—consciously—for years. Since he was a little boy. He stroked her hair,
“Shhh… It’s okay.” He whispered in her ear. Eventually she calmed down to occasional hiccups. He pulled away, slipping his fingers under her chin he lifted her head, “What happened?” She looked away, fairly depressed by the thought. She frowned, Luke’s words caught up with her, Andrew? He was the boy. Tears welled in her eyes again and she looked back at him. She realized what she had to do.