Postby mai » Fri Sep 02, 2005 5:59 pm
Chapter 2
Nefkily, Angel's mother
Nefkily was found lying in the forest by her second son, Belear.
She was unconscious and nothing Belear did would wake her.
His feelings swayed between relief, fear and anger.
He was happy, so happy, that he had found his mother, but she had always been sickly. He couldn't ignore the hot coal in his chest that told him it was to late, that there was nothing that could be done for her.
He was angry, he felt it cruel, but he had told her it was no use to go after Angel when the Tree People had kidnapped him. Belear used what little strength he had to carry his mother home, he was very strong, for 14 years old.
Their village was still in turmoil from the raid of the Tree People.
The villagers were running backwards and forwards, trying to see what had been stolen, if their families were still alive.
Nefkily's house was mostly intact, a few of the wood shingles that covered the outside walls had been torn off.
Before Belear made it to the front door, Touk the youngest of Nefkily's five sons ran out to meet them.
Together they carried her inside and up the stairs to her husband, Gainge's room.
Gainge had been bed ridden for the past six months suffering from an unknown disease, he was pale and thin, often he didn't seem to be aware of what happened around him.
Belear laid Nefkily beside her husband, his hands shacking, he knew he had to talk to his brother.
He had to decide how their family would survive, if they had to take care of their mother and their father, now that they had to do it without Angel.
Belear left Touk to look after their parents then gathered what was left of his brothers in the kitchen, Calden and Kent.
He stood before his brothers, Kent's eyes looked strangely blank, calm, like snow falling from a grey sky.
Calden was pale and stood strangely, leaning slightly to one side.
Belear tried to speak but his voice broke, after a few tries he managed to get out, "Touk is old enough to look after our parents. The three of us will be needed in the fields, so..."
Calden interrupted, "Touk can look after our parents well enough but what about
The cow? The chickens? Or the garden?
Not to mention he would have to cook the meals, he can't tell a pot from a pan" [which wasn't really fair, Touk could tell the difference but how to use them was the problem]
Calden's voice rose several octaves, "If Nefkily or Gainge need something when he's in the garden he won't be able to hear!"
Belear had foreseen this problem and had only come up with one solution.
"Until mother is well enough [he didn't want to frighten his brothers with fact that she might die, yet some how he felt that they already knew] we will take turns helping Touk. When she is better we can hang a bell out side the window with a rope attached so she can let Touk know if she needs something"
Calden began to shake his head but before he could speak Belear did "If you have a better idea I'd love to hear it"
No one said a word.
Touk listened to his brothers raised voices coming up the crooked wooden stairs.
The wet sadness that had washed over him that day was pricked with patches of fire. "Why must they argue?" He thought as he wiped his mother face with a wet rag, for she seemed to be getting a fever.
She lay next her husband as still and as beautiful as a sleeping goddess.
Out of the corner of his eye Touk saw Gainge stir.
His fathers eyes twitched then opened and he raised his head a bit.
When he saw his wife lying beside him he gave a weak cry and tried to sit up but Touk pushed him down. "What's happened?" Gainge said struggling feebly with his son.
Touk wasn't sure if he should tell his father such news when he was so weak, but he thought if he didn't the results might be worse.
Touk spoke in a lowered voice, saying slowly, "The village was attacked by the Tree People, Angel was out getting firewood at the edge of the forest when they came. Some of the tree People dragged him away into the forest. Nefkily tried to follow but she must have fainted"
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Do you find your self worried alot of the time about things that don't always make sense?
Are you experiencing any of these?
• Persistent feelings of sadness, irritability or anxiety
• Overreaction to irritations
• Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed,
• Sleep too much, or sleep too little
• Unexpected loss or gain of weight
• Tiredness or restlessness
• Slowed movement, thought and/or speech
• Guilt, low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness
• Inability to concentrate and poor memory
• Loss of motivation
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Suicidal thoughts and/or behavior
• Withdrawal from relationships, anti-social behavior
• Physical aches and pains that seem to have no other cause
If you have a few of the symptoms on this list, you may be suffering from a form of clinical depression there are many sites that offer advice and help.