Jibrielle Abunai
Oct 13th, 2002, 02:03:44 PM
Today, she had discovered a panel underneath the single bureau in her room. Upon opening it, there was an old book whose cover was worn from use. There were faint markings on it covered by dust, and, bringing it towards the cracked window so she could see from the light provided, Jibrielle gently ran her fingers over it and then blew on the dust. It flew up angrily in a cloud, revealing the jeweled face of a beautiful woman whose arms were raised above her head, as if reaching up towards a sun. Graceful wings protruded from her shoulder blades, but they drooped to the ground, sagging. A simple gown adorned her fair body and it reached her ankles, which were sliced open. Underneath were the words, "Let He who has no fear pass the Gates." Entranced, the Apprentice opened the book, which was stiff from age.
The pages were yellow and the ink had become faint, but the elegance in the cursive writing hadn't died away. The first page was marked, "Scarlet." She began to read the story, which was about a story of a young boy and his sister.
--
"Come, Julie, it's just a bit further!" A boy who had just reached the age of twelve dragged his eight year old sister by the hand. They were running through a forest, which was a mix of cottonwoods and willows. "Robert, I can't go on any further. My legs hurt and my chest feels like it's going to break." Julie's cheeks were flushed and her brown eyes looked imploringly at her brother.
"Nonsense! It's just a little ways from here - trust me, it's worth it." He grinned widely, reaching up to toussle his blond hair with good nature. Julie giggled and the two continued to run until they reached what looked like an old garden. Around the untamed flowers were huge, jagged stones overgrown with moss. Here, Robert perched on one and let his feet dangle while his dark, dark green eyes searched for something amusing. "Robert, what's this?"
"Don't touch it, Julie!" He yelled out. "It could be a poisonous snake!" She shrieked and he grinned, leaping off the stone and walking over to where she stood. "Now, then, show me what you've got." She pointed towards the ground and he looked, seeing a sprig of red grapes. His eyes widened and he bent down, picking it up by the stem. "By golly, these are ripe and perfect! We'll split them." So, the children split the grapes and ate them until their fingers grew sticky and their stomachs warm, and they stretched out on the ground, soaking up the filtering sunlight. "My tummy hurts," complained Julie after awhile, turning her head to look at Robert. "That's 'cause you ate too much, silly. I told you that -" Suddenly, his body began to shake violently, as if he had no control over his muscles. This went for about three minutes, with spit flecking at the corners of his lips until he went limp.
"Robert? Robert! What's wrong? Robert?" Getting no response except a shriek of pain, Julie began to cry and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him. "Robert, stop it! It's not funny!" After this, he, too, began to cry, his frail body shaking with sobs. "I can't help it - I've got this awful pain that's eating away and .. and.."
"Robert?" He had grown silent and his body no longer shook with cries. Julie used all of her strength to straighten him out, then looked at his face. He was still alive, but barely. "Tell Mum I didn't mean to knock over her spinning stool .. It was just a bit of fun. I .. I'm sorry, Julie. I promised I'd look after you...I..." His eyes had closed and his skin was cold and clammy. Julie hugged him tight and cried until the sun set, and without realizing it had fallen asleep. Her heart was broken because of Robert's death - she had been dearly attatched to him - and now she saw no reason to live.
When the sun peeked out from behind the clouds the next day, little Julie didn't stir. Her eyelids remained closed, with her dark lashes contrasting against her pale skin, and no longer did her chest move every time she drew in breath. However, it was Robert who stirred.
"Julie?" His voice was hoarse. "Julie, get off me. I can hardly breathe!" Pushing her off, he sat upright and rubbed his head. "You sleepyhead. Wake up - we need to head back home." A pause, then, "Julie?" It was in the silence that followed afterwards when he knew it wasn't just sleep his sister had entered, and very solemnly he had picked her up and stood, carrying her back home. His heart was stricken with grief at the loss of Julie, all because of his medical illnesses. It was then he decided to join her in the peaceful darkness she had entered.
Gently placing her small body on the ground, he bent down and pulled out a small knife from his boot. All boys at this time were given knives for their play, usually by their grandfathers. Placing the blade in the right side of his neck, he took in last last breath and whispered, "For whatever Grace has bestowed upon me, I ask for forgiveness in my deeds." The metal drove into his skin as Robert shoved it in his neck, then drew it in a line across his neck. His eyes widened slightly before his mouth opened in a silent plea, and then he fell to the ground amidst a pool of his own blood.
--
It was a somewhat sad story, and Jibrielle traced her fingers over the last sentence before flipping the page. It was the beginning of a new story, and she went away from the window over to her bed where she would read more.
The pages were yellow and the ink had become faint, but the elegance in the cursive writing hadn't died away. The first page was marked, "Scarlet." She began to read the story, which was about a story of a young boy and his sister.
--
"Come, Julie, it's just a bit further!" A boy who had just reached the age of twelve dragged his eight year old sister by the hand. They were running through a forest, which was a mix of cottonwoods and willows. "Robert, I can't go on any further. My legs hurt and my chest feels like it's going to break." Julie's cheeks were flushed and her brown eyes looked imploringly at her brother.
"Nonsense! It's just a little ways from here - trust me, it's worth it." He grinned widely, reaching up to toussle his blond hair with good nature. Julie giggled and the two continued to run until they reached what looked like an old garden. Around the untamed flowers were huge, jagged stones overgrown with moss. Here, Robert perched on one and let his feet dangle while his dark, dark green eyes searched for something amusing. "Robert, what's this?"
"Don't touch it, Julie!" He yelled out. "It could be a poisonous snake!" She shrieked and he grinned, leaping off the stone and walking over to where she stood. "Now, then, show me what you've got." She pointed towards the ground and he looked, seeing a sprig of red grapes. His eyes widened and he bent down, picking it up by the stem. "By golly, these are ripe and perfect! We'll split them." So, the children split the grapes and ate them until their fingers grew sticky and their stomachs warm, and they stretched out on the ground, soaking up the filtering sunlight. "My tummy hurts," complained Julie after awhile, turning her head to look at Robert. "That's 'cause you ate too much, silly. I told you that -" Suddenly, his body began to shake violently, as if he had no control over his muscles. This went for about three minutes, with spit flecking at the corners of his lips until he went limp.
"Robert? Robert! What's wrong? Robert?" Getting no response except a shriek of pain, Julie began to cry and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him. "Robert, stop it! It's not funny!" After this, he, too, began to cry, his frail body shaking with sobs. "I can't help it - I've got this awful pain that's eating away and .. and.."
"Robert?" He had grown silent and his body no longer shook with cries. Julie used all of her strength to straighten him out, then looked at his face. He was still alive, but barely. "Tell Mum I didn't mean to knock over her spinning stool .. It was just a bit of fun. I .. I'm sorry, Julie. I promised I'd look after you...I..." His eyes had closed and his skin was cold and clammy. Julie hugged him tight and cried until the sun set, and without realizing it had fallen asleep. Her heart was broken because of Robert's death - she had been dearly attatched to him - and now she saw no reason to live.
When the sun peeked out from behind the clouds the next day, little Julie didn't stir. Her eyelids remained closed, with her dark lashes contrasting against her pale skin, and no longer did her chest move every time she drew in breath. However, it was Robert who stirred.
"Julie?" His voice was hoarse. "Julie, get off me. I can hardly breathe!" Pushing her off, he sat upright and rubbed his head. "You sleepyhead. Wake up - we need to head back home." A pause, then, "Julie?" It was in the silence that followed afterwards when he knew it wasn't just sleep his sister had entered, and very solemnly he had picked her up and stood, carrying her back home. His heart was stricken with grief at the loss of Julie, all because of his medical illnesses. It was then he decided to join her in the peaceful darkness she had entered.
Gently placing her small body on the ground, he bent down and pulled out a small knife from his boot. All boys at this time were given knives for their play, usually by their grandfathers. Placing the blade in the right side of his neck, he took in last last breath and whispered, "For whatever Grace has bestowed upon me, I ask for forgiveness in my deeds." The metal drove into his skin as Robert shoved it in his neck, then drew it in a line across his neck. His eyes widened slightly before his mouth opened in a silent plea, and then he fell to the ground amidst a pool of his own blood.
--
It was a somewhat sad story, and Jibrielle traced her fingers over the last sentence before flipping the page. It was the beginning of a new story, and she went away from the window over to her bed where she would read more.