[Flashback] A Child's Nightmare. [Solo]

by **Rezin Luce** on August 5th, 2011, 7:42 pm

67th day of Winter, 500 AV, mid-night.
8 years of age.

Rezin giggled as she ran around the small, candle-lit home. The walls and floors were made of wood that her father had cut all by himself. There were two windows; one that looked out into town, and one that looked out to the icy sea. It was a cozy home, just big enough for a married couple and their child. There were three rooms in all; a bedroom for the two, a bedroom for Rezin, and a small living space. Inside her bedroom, she had a bed piled high with wool blankets to keep her from being cold, a small dresser, and a lantern for her use. Inside her parent's bedroom were the same things. The living space was filled with two chairs, a fireplace, a kettle, and a small table. There was also a cabinet for supplies, but Rezin wasn't allowed in there. She loved living here in the icy lands, where her people were. She knew that she was only half Vantha, but that was okay with her.

Rezin loved playing tag with her parents in the small home. It was her favorite game, since the other children didn't play with her at all. They ignored her, and started rumors about her because she was mixed blood. But her parents didn't do that, because they loved her for who she was. She looked back to see if her mother or father was chasing her, and when she didn't see anyone behind her, she stopped mid-stride. She crashed to the ground head-first, getting lost in her big wool dress. As she sat up, she sniffled, snot running out of her nostril. Then, she realized her mother was squatting in front of her, stroking her straight red hair, which hadn't turned to curls like her mother's, yet.

Quickly, the small girl wiped her nose on her brown dress sleeve, leaving a dark, wet stain which her mother frowned at. The woman picked her up quickly and set her on her hip, touching her nose to Rezin's. "Baby, use a towel, not your sleeve," she scolded softly. Rezin buried in head in her mother's shoulder, ashamed, and nodded. "Yes, Mama." Quietly, her mother started to hum a lullaby as she gracefully walked, rocking the child with each step, towards the small girl's room. Then, her mother opened the wooden door and sat down with her daughter on the bed. It groaned as the two sat, but quickly quieted.

Rezin crawled off her mother and into her sheets that had blankets piled high so the child wouldn't freeze in Avanthal's cold weather. She then laid back onto her soft pillow, and waited for her mother to tuck her in. Smiling, she did so, then kissed the child on the forehead. "Goodnight, my little one. I'll see you in the morning." The girl smiled, and snuggled down to sleep. She heard her mother mumble something, but couldn't make it out. She took it as a prayer to Morwen, and went rigt to sleep.

The last thing she heard before she slept, was her father's voice murmuring, "Inaya, it's time for us to leave."

by **Rezin Luce** on August 6th, 2011, 12:42 am

68th day of Winter, 500 AV, dawn.
8 years of age

Rezin woke with a yawn that brought tears to her eyes and made her jaw hurt. She lightly scratched the back of her head, fingers curling in her mop of red locks. Looking around, she didn't see her mother. She cocked her head to the side. Mama was always the one to wake her. She shrugged and came to the conclusion she woke herself up. She slowly untangled herself from the mess of blankets she was in, and jumped down to the floor. Shivering, she peeked out the window and saw the beautiful icy sea. The sun was just coming up and it hit the land just right, making it sparkle.

Rezin ran out of her room and burst into her parents. "Mama, look at the--" She stopped. "Mama...? Daddy...?" The room looked perfect. It was clean, the bed made, nothing out of place. The only thing that was missing were her parents. She chewed her lip, figuring they were already in the house. She shut the door behind her, and ran down the hall into the open space of the house and stopped. Looking around, she started to bite her lip harder. Everything was so... in place. Everything was so clean! Now was ever this clean. The chairs had no blankets strewed across them, none spilling over onto the floor. The fireplace was clean, no wood or ashes apparent. The kettle was neatly stowed beside it, clean and glistening black. Something was wrong. She flew over to the supplies cabinet and threw the wooden doors open, hoping she would find something. Them hiding, a note left for hide and seek, anything. Rezin started to cry. There was nothing. Her knees wobbled, knocking into one another, before finally, she fell to the floor. She balled up in a corner, crying her eyes out.

There was no one left.