The Lightning lit up the den as I crept through the house, I was careful not to trip over anything in the darkness. The fire had died out and so I depended on the few seconds of light to find my way. I soon found the stairs and began to climb them. I took each step hesitantly so I would not fall in the darkness and revive old wounds left by my husband. As I finally reached the top of the stairs, I heard an odd sound coming from Nicole's room; it wasn't of her cries as I would have guessed.
Laughter? She was laughing; I couldn't believe what I was hearing as I stood outside her door, listening in awe at the joy derived from such a terrifying sight.
As each lightning bolt tore the ebony sky, as every roll of thunder became stronger like a tidal wave slamming against the sandy shore, and as every drop of rain dove from the charcoal clouds and exploded on our roof like a cannon ball, her laughter grew.
I opened her door silently to find her standing in her crib, laughing as lightning shone itself through the only window in the attic. She held onto the sides of her crib to balance herself as she watched in utter joy as another lightning bolted graced the sky with its presence.
I smiled as she saw me in the doorway.
"Light!" she cried out as she pointed to the window.
Another word... My goodness, she learning so fast.
"Yes, the lightning makes light." I said as I picked her and walked a little closer to the window, not going to close for fear of being struck. As I inched closer to the window, the thunder rolled ever louder, sending Nicole into a fit of giggles.
"You are an odd child." I said smiling as she stared in amazement as the rain pelted against the window and the lightning raced across the dark abyss of rain and clouds.
About a year and three months has passed since then and Nicole is becoming ever smarter. She is now talking in complete sentences and is a bucket load of questions. She now learned how to walk and is into everything she can possibly get her snow white hands on. She is now up past my knees and her ghost white hair is past her slim shoulders. Her eyes gleamed a blood red as she stared out on of the kitchen windows.
"Mum, why can't I go outside?" she asked as I cleaned up the breakfast plates; her voice very meek but clear and crisp in her articulation
I knew this day would come. I hated locking her inside but ever since one of my neighbors saw her I never let her go past the garden again.
My neighbor, Madame Cassandra, saw my daughter one day as she was sitting on the front steps of her home and screamed out in the streets that a monster lived next door to her. I knew what had happened the moment my daughter came in crying. She never cried... Never...
Madame Cassandra was a busy-body and the most outrageous woman in all of England. After sending my crying daughter upstairs into the attic, I went over and had a word with her. Cassandra looked at me as if I was the most repulsive creature in the world. She said if she ever saw that thing again she would call the police... The wretch... She wouldn't have to worry for if she did, they'd think she was insane, most people already do.
Stuck in my thoughts, my daughter repeated her question which shook me from a haunted sort of memories and I answered hesitantly,
"Because... I said so, that's all you need to know. Besides today is your birthday." I did not know of anything else to say, as I put the cake batter into the oven.
I knew that this day was not close to her birth... It was actually close to a month after her truth date of birth... She was two October 17th and now it is November 5...
I did not have a party for her first birthday and I was hesitant about this one... I did not hold her party on her birthday for a reason. That day was to reflect on the challenges of raising her that I had gone through... Not a day to celebrate exactly, but a day to ponder why she born the way she was... Why my beloved husband changed so suddenly...
"But why Mum? I want to go play with the other children. I don't care if it's my birthday... Wait... Mum? What is a birthday?"
"It is the day of your birth." I said.
She became silent for a moment and an eerie feeling of fear swept into her red eyes.
I went over to try and hug her but she stopped me as she asked again, "Why can't I go out and play."
"Because I said so. Why don't you go play with your little piano?" I asked hoping to deter her without success.
"NO I will not play with that anymore. I want to play with something else. Not that little box that has only six keys." She cried folding her arms and staring at me with her blood red eyes.
I sighed heavily for I knew that what I said meant nothing and I would never win this battle. She was so stubborn; one her father's traits...
"I know of something you can play with." I said with a sly smile on my face.
"What?!" she cried, a hint of intrigue washed over her pale face.
"Come with me." I said as I walked out of the kitchen, she was right on my heels.
I crept into the one of the many closets and pulled out a small box. I carried it into the den as Nicole began to ask a billion questions.
"What is in the box Mum? What?! What?! Is it for me?!" she cried as I sat on the couch. She climbed up next to me and stared at the small box as I ran my fingers over the engraving.
I saw her glittering red eyes never leaving the box as I slowly began to open it. I removed the lid gently and set it to my side, revealing a small flute.
"My first instrument." I told her as I brought the mouthpiece to my lips and blew, playing a lovely note that echoed across the room.
After a few moments of explaining and answering a billion questions that Nicole dished out, she was off. After an hour or two of silence, I went to check on her. As I walked up the stairs, I held a soft melody coming from inside the attic. As I came upon the door the melody began ever clearer. I became entranced by the longing song that was seeping through the floor boards of the attic.
The song beckoned me as I slowly opened the door. I looked inside to find her sitting on the window sill playing the flute as if she had been playing for years.
The song was so beautiful that I became lost within its melody for a moment. She noticed my staring and finished her song.
"What do you think Mum?" she asked.
"It's... I...It's beautiful." I said breathless.
As I went to sit by her, I heard the front door slam and heavy foot steps in the kitchen.
OH God... He's back...
