The Magic of the Forest

five

Ben sleeps in the worn purple armchair, baby Adeline dreaming silently on his chest as it rises and falls with each breath. The light breeze wafts through the open windows, gently swaying the curtains back and forth. His body knows not to toss or turn for fear of dropping his daughter, but his nightmares threaten to disobey this unspoken rule. He dreams of stormy oceans with one hundred foot waves crashing over him. His boat is no more than a small, one-person raft that has no life jackets or safety devices. There's no way out, is there? He wonders desperately. "Is this some kind of cosmic joke?" He cries out in fear, wishing he had Olivia with him to steady his unraveling mental state. "This isn't funny! Let me out! Let me out! LET ME OUT!" Although his throat aches from screaming, his voice sounds more muted with each fearful howl. The water submerges his raft and the current drags him underwater, further and further until he can't see the sunlight anymore. I'm so sorry, Olivia. I won't make it home this time. I'm so sorry. I'm so… 

    Ben wakes with a jump, and remembering Addie, he looks down to see her safe and sound on his chest, still fast asleep. "Oh Addie, I thought I lost you forever. I'll never leave you." He looks to the coffee table in front of him and sees a freshly made bottle of milk with a yellow post-it note attached. 

'Boss let me come home to make a quick bottle. Adeline will want this around midnight, Love you, Olive'

Ben smiles at the scrawled note and the lopsided heart she drew next to her name. I've never known anyone like her. He looks at his watch; it's ten minutes until midnight. Eh, I have time for a quick smoke, he ponders quickly before carefully placing Addie in her playpen with her head on a small pillow. He grabs a quick cigarette and heads to the window in the kitchen. Olive never lets him smoke near Adeline but he feels far enough to be safe while still keeping an eye on her. He opens the window as far as he can and then lights up the cigarette. With each breath, he feels the fear of his nightmare fade as smoothly as the smoke into the fresh forest air. Ten minutes pass hastily before Ben finishes his smoke, Adeline wakes and starts to cry. "Time for the bottle," He tells himself as he sets the remaining cigarette on the windowsill for later. 

* * * * *

    The tension between Em and Adeline feels palpable. How could she just lie? She omitted the truth which is the same as lying. How can I ever trust her again? This is too much. My birthday, dad's death anniversary, and now an aunt I didn't know existed? I need to get out of here, but there's nowhere for me to go. Iris wrings her wrists under the counter, pausing every few minutes to take a sip of cold coffee. Em realizes no one has said anything in several minutes, instead they're all staring away from each other. Okay, this isn't fair to Iris, she seems really anxious. I need to say something. Em looks over at Iris, who's now picking at her nails. What do you say to a relative you didn't know you had? Suddenly, he blurts out, "So, what's been going on all these years?" Then, immediately turning beet red, he throws his hand over his mouth in shock. Iris, looks at him apprehensively, then looks at Adeline, who nods subtly. Iris takes a shaky breath and then, in her mousy voice, says, "I was in the hospital." Adeline winces at this, though Em was sure she knew of this beforehand. He can't help but ask, "Were you sick?" Iris looks down mournfully, and with a rasp in her voice replies, "Not past tense. I have always been and always will be sick. There's no fixing me."

* * * * *

    Addie cries as Ben heats up the lukewarm bottle and grabs a freshly washed blanket out of the drier, so she can be as warm as possible on this cool, breezy night. The cigarette sits on the windowsill, slowly but steadily fuming. In this moment, as Ben picks up his daughter, wraps her in warmth and feeds her, the cigarette is forgotten. The poisonous smoke billows out of the open window and dissolves in the crisp night air. Addie feels only the soft heat from her blanket and the satisfaction of a full belly. Ben's eyes begin to droop, but he can't help feeling like he forgot something important. Whatever it is, it'll still be there tomorrow, he thinks to himself with a yawn. Adeline is tucked into her cradle with the utmost care and Ben gently kisses her head before whispering, "Goodnight, my child. I love you so much." He slowly shuts the door and tiptoes down the hall so Addie doesn't wake up, and heads straight to bed.

* * * * *

    Adeline is fifteen years old, and supposed to be a sophomore in high school. Iris is thirteen years old, and supposed to be a secret to everyone except Adeline and Mother. Iris, however, is not a secret, at least not from everyone. They have no neighbors but soon the town's kids find out about the "sick girl on the edge of town." Addie tries to keep them away, staying up most nights to fight the ones trying to get through Iris' window.

    "Let them take me to the river," Iris whispers to Adeline one night, sobbing into her pillow. "They'll never go until you let them take me." Adeline feels as if ice water had been poured on top of her head.

    "Cherry? No! No one will get close to you, I'm here to protect you for the rest of my life!" Adeline's eyes burn with red hot tears but she doesn't wipe them away. Her sister lay in a ball on the floor next to her, as far from the windows and door that they could get. "No one will ever touch you."Addie said through gritted teeth. Iris whimpered and scooted her body closer to her sister, her protector. This night was the night that Iris and Adeline broke free from Olivia, the bullies, and the entire town of Shastaberry itself.