Alfred woke up the next morning with no recollection of where he was but was surprisingly unafraid. He sat up, smelling something sweet being heated over a fire. Eager to see what the source of the smell was, he jumped down out of bed and ran over to the kitchen, finding Sarah pulling a loaf of sweet bread out of the oven. She looked down and smiled when she discovered Alfred by her knee. "I was wondering when you were going to wake up. You must be very tired to sleep in so late. Or I suppose you're like Adam. That man could sleep through storm," she said happily.
Alfred smiled at her and pointed at the bread. Sarah smiled. "Are you hungry? This is bread. Can you say, 'Bread please?'" she asked softly. Alfred blinked and tried out the words, finding them feeling strange on his lips. Whatever he said must have pleased Sarah because she smiled and carved a chunk of the bread off before handing it to Alfred. "You can eat this at the table with the water that's already set there," she said with a smile. Alfred nodded and raced to the table, climbing up the chair.
"Well, I was thinking that I can teach you how to speak English again. You seem to be able to understand us pretty well Franklin. Maybe, if it doesn't storm the way the sailors are predicting and I can show you the coloney. There isn't much to be honest. Just a few houses, a church, and a trading post. But it's what we have. Maybe we'll see some people out and about," said Sarah, trying to make the settelment sound a bit cheerier.
Alfred blinked before nodding excitedly just as Adam walked in. "Sarah...What's this?" he asked, looking at the bread with shock. Sarah's cheeks turned pink. "I-I know I shouldn't have but...Franklin must be hungry and I wanted to do something special to try to make him feeled welcome," said Sarah softly. Adam sighed, running a hand through his hair with a look of frustration on his face.
"Sarah we already didn't have enough flour to make us through the end of the month...How much flour did this take?" he asked. "J-Just a couple cups. Nothing too serious to set us back a lot," said Sarah, watching as Adam's face looked a bit upset. "You should have seen him last night. I asked him about his brother, remember the Jones had an older boy? He started crying and was so hurt...I-I just wanted to make him feel better," added Sarah. Adam sighed and looked at where Alfred was munching on bread.
"Sarah, I spoke to John and it sounds like he's going to call together a town meeting tonight. He was going to do it anyways but couldn't send a messenger with the wind being the way it is," said Adam, sounding defeated. Sarah frowned. "What happened?" she asked. "We're not the only ones running out of food. We're going to call a meeting to see what we can do to last through the winter, if we can make it that long. He agreed to add the boy to the agenda but things aren't looking very well," said Adam.
Sarah looked worried but ruffled Alfred's hair to reassure him that everything was fine. "We'll make it through. I'm sure the king will send someone to check up on the coloney soon. Perhaps even Sir Kirkland himself will make a trip. I know there's rumors that he's eager to take to the sea once more. I'm certain he wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity to visit an entire new land," she said.
Adam sighed. "I hope you're right. He has a way of getting people to calm down, supplies with him or not. And I'm certain he would be able to help set the settlement up a lot more properly instead of the haphazzard way the king arranged it to be. But Sarah, Sir Kirkland is a busy man and I'm sure he doesn't have time to waste on a settlement of discarded peasants. I think it's safe to say we're on our own from now on. If he was going to help, he would have been there at the launching," he said.
Sarah frowned but sighed. "I don't know Adam...For some reason I trust that the man would help us if he is able to," she said. Adam rolled his eyes before hugging Sarah. "He's just one man Sarah. He can't just single-handly undo this mess. What connection did he even say he had to the royal family? He said that his family had been advisors of some sort but never really specified beyond that," said Adam, starting to think about the mysterious bushy-eyed Brit.
Alfred had gotten down from his chair and wandered back over to Georgie's old area, finding another set of clothes already laid out for him. Alfred frowned at the strange, colorless clothing before folding it up as best as he could, aka smashing it into a ball, and set it under the bed. He climbed back onto the bed and whistled for one of his bunnies, frowning when the didn't appear. Maybe they didn't like the settlement. A lot of bunnies try to avoid Aiyanna's old camps because of the hunters.
"Who are you and why are you wearing my old nightgown?" asked a quiet voice. Alfred turned around and blinked at the transparent little boy behind him. "Who are you?" Alfred tried to say. The boy blinked and looked confused. "You can see me? Wait...Can you see me? Why do you talk so funny?" he asked. Alfred frowned before glancing at Sarah, wondering if she could see the strange boy as well. Sarah looked up. "Did you need something Franklin?" she asked.
Alfred pointed at the boy. Sarah looked confused. "Is there something wrong with the bed? Something outside? Does your finger hurt?" she asked as he shook his head no for each question. "Then what is it dear? Maybe you can try to puppet it with your hands?" she asked, Adama now looking on as well. Alfred frowned, frustrated. How long was it going to be until he could actually tell him what was going on? And who was the boy and why didn't anyone else see him?
"...They can't see me...but you can. Is that right?" asked Georgie. Alfred frowned, glancing at the adults who have long sinced turned ther backs on him. "They never see me...it's not just the adults before you ask. The kids can't see me either, not that there are many kids left alive. Just the other ghosts and my friends. You know what a ghost is right kid? What is your name kid?" asked the boy, sitting down next to him.
Alfred sighed and made a flying bird with his hands. "Bird boy? I'm gonna call you bird boy. My mom calls you Franklin but that's not right is it? Is it something in my language or in a different langage?" asked Georgie. Alfred frowned and shrugged. "Hmmm...Once for english. Twice for other," he asked. Alfred frowned and tapped three times. Georgie frowned. "...Both? You have two names?" he asked. Alfred blinked before nodding happily.
"That's so cool! So what's your Indian name? Is it something like, Howling Moon? Do you know anyone named Howling Moon?" asked the boy. Alfred frowned, not sure how to take that before pointing at a carving of an eagle sitting on the mantle. The boy blinked. "..Eagle? Is that right? Your name has something to do with an eagle?" asked Georgie. Alfred blinked before grinning at him. "Well that's kind of an odd name, but I like it! So you lived with the savages for a while then?" asked Georgie.
Alfred frowned before making an angry face at the boy. "What's wrong?" asked George, "Did I say something wrong?" Alfred nodded. The boy frowned. "Hmm...Wait...I called you a savage didn't I? I'm sorry...I just hear the grown ups call the natives that a lot...but it is a mean word. I promise I won't call you that again if you promise to keep talking to me now and again. It gets kind of lonely. You never did answer my question. Do you know what ghosts are?" said George quickly.
Alfred shook his head, looking slightly confused by the word. George frowned, not sure how to describe them...himself. "Well...They're what I am. What me and some of the other kids have become. We're ghosts. We got really sick or really hungry...and fell asleep. And never woke up. We died. And some us come back as spirit things and others don't come back and others only stay around for a little bit," said George.
Alfred frowned. "Died...What's that?" he asked before remembering the boy doesn't remember. "...You know I can't understand you right? Hmm...We're going to have to figure out a way to communicate until you get the grasp of learning English again. Anyways, how old are you? How did you lose your parents in the forest? Why were you even in the forest? I know you're not Martha and James's son. Frederick hangs out with me sometimes when he's not sulking in the forest," said Georgie.
Alfred frowned, not sure how to answer any of that with a hand gesture. He jumped when Sarah called his name. "Franklin, why haven't you dressed yet? Is there something wrong with the nightgown?" she asked, sounding concerned. Alfred shook his head and quickly tried putting the gown on, frowning when he put his arms and head through the wrong holes. He yelped and turned to Sarah for help. She chuckled and quickly fixed the mess he got himself into.
"There you go lad. We're running out of time. Adam slept in longer than I thought he would," she said. Adam let out a cry of protest as he ate his breakfast. "Don't whine to me. We have chores to be done and a meeting to go to after the noon meal. I also have to clean up some things so that Alfred could be comfortable here. Now Adam, if you hurry with your breakfast you will have plenty of time to lay down some more straw in the barn for the animals," she said.
Adam grumbled but nodded, taking his time with his breakfast. "You're lucky lad. As long as you see too confused over all this to do anything, you get to watch her order me around," he said good-naturedly. Alfred giggled as the nice man ruffled his hair. "Stop putting thoughts in his head. I'm sure Franklin knows hard work after all he's gone through, unlike you lazy thing. Now I hope you've gotten enough to eat...I'm going to go foraging with the ladies after the meeting," said Sarah.
Alfred frowned. It was winter. What were they doing foraging? There wasn't anything out there except shriveled roots and berries. If even those were still out. Alfred tugged on Sarah's dress and gave her a questioning look. Sarah sighed. "I know it's ridiculous but we must keep trying to find ways to survive. Maybe we're lucky and we find some animals to take back for meat. We're getting desparate….but don't you worry dear. We're going to figure this out. I promise," she said.
Alfred frowned. All of the game animals had migrated away. These people were going to starve. Didn't they know that? But...Sarah said that they would be fine. She promised. She wouldn't lie to Alfred...not after being so nice to him and making him bread and taking him in and being his new mom. Wow, that makes like...three mom's. I already have one more mom than Mattie. Take that Matthew!...If you haven't already replaced me and stole dad...
Alfred felt his eyes tear up and he roughly wiped his tears. Sarah and Adam blinked, Adam picking him up and setting him on his lap. "Where are all these tears coming from? Is the roof leaking again? Sarah, I think the roof is leaking again. Frankie shouldn't be crying right? Our little guy is a tough ole lad. Strong as a bull and twice as fast. If not faster. Isn't that right little eagle?" asked Adam, gently tickling him.
Alfred giggled and squirmed as the man tickled him. Sarah found herself smiling. "I suppose every little boy falls victim to that trick. I'm going to go do the laundry. Adam, don't forget to fix that front gate. It's squeaking drives my senses insane," she said before pulling out the laundry tub. Alfred blinked at her in curiousity before wiggling his way out of Adam's grasp. The boy sat by Sarah, peering into the tub. Sarah smiled as she started washing clothes and Alfred nearly fell in as he attemped to get a closer look.
Sarah chuckled and picked him up. "Careful lad, don't want you falling in and getting a cold. How about this? You can hand me the soap and clothes that need to be cleaned. I might even let you play with the bubbles as we work. Can you be my little helper?" she asked gently. Alfred nodded excitedly and immediately picked up the bar of soap and held it out to her. "Thank you dear. You know, you seem to have no problem understanding me. I'm sure you can speak the language as well as you understand it. Could it be that you haven't spoken to someone in a long time?" she asked.
Alfred hesitated. He had never heard this language before but he did understand ever one of Sarah's words. Sarah smiled softly at his hesitation. "Dear boy, I'm not going to make fun of you or mock you. I am just sure that a sweet boy like you has an equally sweet voice. Plus I would like to know that I'm not talking to the wall every now and again," she said, chuckling slightly. Alfred nodded and played with his nightgown. He cleared his throat, sneaking a peek at her face. She gave him another smile.
"M-My name is Alfred...B-But I like Franklin too…" he said softly. Sarah paused as she washed clothing before smiling at him. "Well I think that is a lovely name, Alfred. Tell me, where have you been all these past years? You don't have to tell me if it makes you upset. I'm just so curious about you. It's not every day that Adam comes home with a child wearing animal skins and speaking in a language I've never heard of before," she said with a smile, turning back to her laundry.
"...I was with the Native Americans...one of them raised me after my Mama died. ...My brother left me a little bit ago and I'm all by myself now. Well, it's just me and the bunnies now. They keep me warm at night and I gave them all a name. They all left when Adam found me though. I haven't seen them in days. It's really weird. They usually come with me places unless it's dangerous. But I know it's not dangerous because you guys look like me! This settlement is filled with my people!" said Alfred with a grin.
Sarah raised an eyebrow as she was swept under the wave of his enthusiastic ramble. "Is that so? Well bunnies are very sweet, they look after innocent children, but they're too fluffy to be much help in dangerous situations. You said your name was eagle when we first met. What did you mean by that?" she asked, scrubbing a shirt of Adam's. "My Native American mom called me Dyami. It means eagle. You can call me that if you like. I don't mind it at all!" he said.
Sarah smiled and ruffled his hair. "I'm sure you don't lad. I'll call you Alfred if you don't mind it. That's the name your original mama gave you correct?" she said. Alfred nodded. "Mama called me that, said the name made my dad happy. She and Daddy weren't around...I don't remember her very well," said Alfred sadly. Sarah sighed. "I know. It's sad how some of the most important things, like memory, fade after someone dies. But I'm sure she'd be proud of the way you got yourself back here," she said.
Alfred sniffled. "I think so...I don't see her anymore," he said. Sarah pulled him into her arms. "You poor child. Well, I'm sure you'll be excited to meet everyone at the town hall meeting. Maybe you will even recognize someone there! At the very least, I think there's a couple of other children you might be able to play with. I'm sure they'd love to hear all the stories you must have about your adventures. I'm guessing you've seen a lot more of the new world than we have," said Sarah with a smile.
Alfred's eyes widened. "You're from another world?! Is that why I'm the only one here that has that kind of skin? But Aiyanna said that you were just from another great big island that is across the giant lake!" said Alfred, head swimming with thoughts of other beings flying in to build houses on his land. Sarah blinked before bursting in laughter, covering her mouth in an attempt to be polite. "No Alfred, we're not from another planet! I suppose it is a very strange concept to someone who's never heard of it before," she reassured him, laughing.
Alfred pouted. It would have been really cool if she was from another planet. Maybe then she would have let him borrow a space canoe to go and visit the lights he saw in the sky. "Then why are you calling me, I mean the land, the New World? You're from the same world. It doesn't make any sense," he said, sounding very confused. Sarah chuckled as she gently poked his jutting bottom lip. "It's because even though this land is on the same world as ours, it is very different from what we're used to," she said.
Dyami blinked. "It is? How? Aren't all the lands covered in grass and forests?" he asked. Sarah sighed and turned back to her chore. "Not all of them, though ours does have grass and forests. It's just that the people here are...different than us. They don't have towns like we do or little shops or a written language. They aren't as developed as us," she said. Alfred felt his imaginary hackles raise a little at that. "What does that mean? Just because they're different doesn't mean they aren't developed!" he said.
"Oh dear, I meant that it's just different. They don't have some of the technologies or advances we have. Their culture is very different from ours. But the people aren't the only thing that's different. The animals are different as well. You have different birds than we do. There's a gigantic brown bear that comes and tries to steal food from us every now and again. It's a lot more dangerous than we're used to. Usually the animals in our homes don't veer toward villages but here they don't mind the fences," she said.
Alfred never even considered that the animals will be different. "What else is different!? I know you wear strange clothes. And you speak a different language. What is your language called again? Are there any other types of languages?" he asked curiously, tugging on her dress in excitement. "Our language is called English and yes there are many different languages. Almost every country at home has a different language," she said. "Country?" asked Alfred slowly. She ruffled his hair.
"We'll have to have a geography lesson at some point little one. But yes, there's a lot of different countries out there. The one I'm come from is called England," she said with a smile. Alfred blinked. "England...England is my father country!" he said excitedly. Sarah smiled. "You mean motherland, and yes, yes it is. Maybe after we get the settlement up and running properly we can take yout with us to go and see it. How does that sound?" she asked, smirking as his eyes lit up.
Alfred starting jumping up and down in excitement. "That would be amazing! Yes, yes I want to go and see it! Do you think I will find him?" he asked. Sarah frowned. "Find who?" she asked. "My dad. England!" he said. Sarah smiled. "Well, England isn't your father dear. Your father was James Jones. But I'm afraid he is with your mother now...as for England, if we make it through this mess alive I assure you that I will get you to England. We'll even splurge and get you some tea as a treat," she said.
"...What's tea?" asked Alfred. Sarah blinked. "We're definitely getting you that tea someday my boy. It's very good, calming. Could you hand me the pants behind you? Wait, first check to see if Adam tore the knee on it again. That man can't wear an article of clothing without somehow ripping it or tearing it. If it's ripped I'll show you how to sew. What am I saying, I'm sure the man has something ripped somewhere. With your help, I'm sure we can finish laundry before the meeting starts," she said.
So how long will it be before everyone from Roanoke will be brutally killed off? Soon, very soon. Reviews are appreciated to keep me sane!