IKC FHew 7C6110
Re-born – Suffer the children
by Soghla' Marie St. Helene & Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope
Post Details
Marie looked down at the innocent face with it's wide open, staring eyes and felt something she had not felt in a very long time; compassion. Years of cynicism fell away. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
Once she had been that child. All too many times back on Nouvelle Nouvelle Caladonie she had cringed, beaten and scarred and terrified of what new horror would be visited on her next.
She had fought her way out of that existence but it had been a bitter battle - one she did not wish on anyone.
She vowed, then and there, that that fate would not be visited on his child. The FHew might not be the ideal place to raise her but until better could be found, Marie would see to it that it became all she could make it and damn anyone who got in her way. Certainly the waif would not be abandonded at the first convenient rock they landed on even if it meant leaving the FHew behind.
Slowly, she held out her hand to the child.
The child whose eyes had seen far too much for someone their tender age stepped back. A grime streaked, flecked arm instinctively went to her dirt and blood stained face to protect it. What good would that be? she thought. This grown up who stood before her was so much stronger than she was and would overpower her in no time at all. What use is a thin stick of an arm against some one twice her size?
An involuntary step back brought her into contact with the wall and she slid down it. One of her arms wrapped itself around her knees and she pulled them up close to her chin. Her other arm still protected her head and she tried so very hard to make herself as small as possible. She used to wish as hard as she could that she could make herself invisible; she knew now that wishes never came true.
No tears came, she had stopped crying a long time ago but a small silent sob moved in her chest like the size of a mountain. She turned her head away from the stranger but surrendered to her as a larger hand took a hold of hers.
Marie felt her heart tear itself apart. She withdrew her hand. “Stay here, little one,” she said as gently as her own battered nature would allow.
She left the room but within minutes she was back. She carried a basin; steam rose from it. She also carried a face cloth. This second she dipped into the water in the basin then handed it across to the girl. “Here, clean yourself off. Then we'll find you some new clothes. You want to look your best when you meet the HoD.”
Water, warm, clear and once smelling nice. Arms, soft arms that held her once and wrapped her lovingly in a towel. Eyes, blue eyes, kind eyes that had laughed and had finally looked at her with terrified eyes. They were all the memories she had left of her.
Beneath her grime appeared clean fresh skin. She tried her best but she was supposed to have a mother to help and take care of her.
It took two more basins of hot water to get the girl clean but Marie was happy to fetch more.
She had done her best. She had looked cleaner but still felt dirty. The lady had told her to put the clothes on and she did, she had always done as she was told. She couldn't care less what she looked like only that some distant part of her wanted and longed to go home.
by Soghla' Marie St. Helene & Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope
Post Details
| Title | Suffer the children | |
| Mission | Re-born | |
| Author(s) | Soghla' Marie St. Helene & Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope | |
| Posted | Thu Nov 17, 2011 @ 4:09pm |
Once she had been that child. All too many times back on Nouvelle Nouvelle Caladonie she had cringed, beaten and scarred and terrified of what new horror would be visited on her next.
She had fought her way out of that existence but it had been a bitter battle - one she did not wish on anyone.
She vowed, then and there, that that fate would not be visited on his child. The FHew might not be the ideal place to raise her but until better could be found, Marie would see to it that it became all she could make it and damn anyone who got in her way. Certainly the waif would not be abandonded at the first convenient rock they landed on even if it meant leaving the FHew behind.
Slowly, she held out her hand to the child.
The child whose eyes had seen far too much for someone their tender age stepped back. A grime streaked, flecked arm instinctively went to her dirt and blood stained face to protect it. What good would that be? she thought. This grown up who stood before her was so much stronger than she was and would overpower her in no time at all. What use is a thin stick of an arm against some one twice her size?
An involuntary step back brought her into contact with the wall and she slid down it. One of her arms wrapped itself around her knees and she pulled them up close to her chin. Her other arm still protected her head and she tried so very hard to make herself as small as possible. She used to wish as hard as she could that she could make herself invisible; she knew now that wishes never came true.
No tears came, she had stopped crying a long time ago but a small silent sob moved in her chest like the size of a mountain. She turned her head away from the stranger but surrendered to her as a larger hand took a hold of hers.
Marie felt her heart tear itself apart. She withdrew her hand. “Stay here, little one,” she said as gently as her own battered nature would allow.
She left the room but within minutes she was back. She carried a basin; steam rose from it. She also carried a face cloth. This second she dipped into the water in the basin then handed it across to the girl. “Here, clean yourself off. Then we'll find you some new clothes. You want to look your best when you meet the HoD.”
Water, warm, clear and once smelling nice. Arms, soft arms that held her once and wrapped her lovingly in a towel. Eyes, blue eyes, kind eyes that had laughed and had finally looked at her with terrified eyes. They were all the memories she had left of her.
Beneath her grime appeared clean fresh skin. She tried her best but she was supposed to have a mother to help and take care of her.
It took two more basins of hot water to get the girl clean but Marie was happy to fetch more.
She had done her best. She had looked cleaner but still felt dirty. The lady had told her to put the clothes on and she did, she had always done as she was told. She couldn't care less what she looked like only that some distant part of her wanted and longed to go home.