A Past Not Forgotten
"Crysolite, I want you to have this…" she managed to get out.
Her hand extended over her deathbed out to the young Crysolite, who was not more than six, and then opened, revealing a reddish necklace in the shape of an oval with a point at the bottom end.
Crysolite gently took the necklace with her small hand. She fumbled at the tiny clasp and fastened it around her neck. She then took the oval in her hand and examined it with her big, grayish-blue eyes. Crysolite would cherish this necklace.
The mother coughed. She looked much like her daughter, though now she was pale and sweaty. They both had green hair, but the mom's was duller, and Crysolite's had many different greens in hers.
"What's wrong, Mommy? Don't you feel good?"
The mother's eyes met Crysolite's. "I'm sick, honey, and I don't think I'm going to get well."
"Did you eat something bad?"
"Well, yes," the mother replied, but that was only part of it. She could have told Crysolite, but didn't want to hurt her. She thought it best not to.
"I'm scared, Mommy!" Crysolite cried.
She, too, was scared. Not just because so much she was to die, but was scared about Crysolite's future, and how she wouldn't be there.
"I love you, Crysolite. You may have to do things you won't understand at first, but know that I will always love you," she said and held Crysolite's hand. A tear ran down her face and her eyes closed.
Crysolite held her mother's hand tightly and cried over the bed sheets.
From the doorway, Tatl, unnoticed, watched them. He grinned slightly.
-xxx-
About a week later, the mother had been buried a few miles from their home. Crysolite and her two older brothers, Tatl and Tael, were about to enter the forest home through the front door, when Tatl jumped in front of Crysolite.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I was gonna go inside. Move, please!" she started to walk forward again.
Tatl didn't move.
Crysolite bumped into him. "Hey!"
Tatl grabbed at the neck of Crysolite's shirt. "Tael and me are the eldest here, so you listen to us now!" he yelled at her.
Crysolite struggled at his grasp. She had never seen her brother this mean before, and there was an evil in his eyes.
Tael took a step forward toward Tatl and Crys. He was about to say something when Tatl gave him a look, and he closed his mouth and had a disappointed look on his face.
Tatl let go of Crysolite and she fell to the ground. Slowly, she stood up again, trying hard to keep herself from crying and to be strong.
"Why do you have to be so mean?! You probly did that to mommy!" she screamed at her older brother.
"So what if I did?!" he yelled and slapped her hard for the first time.
Poor Crysolite fell to the ground again. Tears ran down her face this time and she looked up at him with hurt, angry eyes.
"I hate you!"
He just grinned.