Returning to Acelan
I'm like a misbehaved child—
he knows me too well for me to close him out.
Smiling shyly, I ask him to forgive me
and hope earnestly he got the paint
off of his clothes.
This last comment makes him laugh
and even I smile, too;
I'm glad to see that somebody still loves me.
Friendship keeps me sane
and it is rare.
The stars in the sky are bright tonight—
no clouds and we go flying.
Crisp air ruffling my raven-colored-
falcon feathers
and sharpens the loud cries of delight when I
beat him in our races.
But the joy is short-lived.
Next morning, waking up
to screams of disgust,
of horror.
Baby killed last night
sprawled across the ground.
Bloody.
My mind goes blank, and
I want to fall.
Acelan is gripping my arm so tight it hurts.
"Don't go anywhere," he whispers in my ear.
And I know he means Ecl. But the
temptation is so strong; I can stand
my own pain
but not that of others.
I collapse and I'm swimming,
I'm shivering,
I'm lost. "No!" I scream,
but the words are all bubbles in the water.
I get myself out—and it's sudden.
On my knees by the baby
"There's a child-killer loose," someone
hisses, I gasp. Stop this, I mouth
as I'm reaching towards the knife stuck in its back.
Acelan—is it him?—yanks me away and there's
tears in my eyes.
Stay happy, I think.
But I
want my mother.