Kiss Of Death Chronicles

Chapter 1 - The Beginning

I was born on a hot summer's day, mid June. It wasn't the hottest day of that summer, but somewhere damn near it. Least it's what my mother said, I wouldn't remember. I was too little after all.

My mother always said, I was what she had wished for. Ten fingers, ten toes, big brown eyes, and fiery red hair. Her mother had been a redhead, so had my grandma on my dad's side. Life for them then was perfect. They didn't have much, but they each other. My mother stayed at home, father working all hours of the day to keep us afloat.

The Spanish Flu on the rise while I nursed off of her, never leaving home. She refused to go out, sending other nearby relatives to get our groceries and other needs. She protected me, didn't let me leave her side. I would recall being glued to her hip, unable to bond with others due to the closeness I shared with her. Than every year or two, she would push out a new sibling. Her attention averted to them, rather than to me so much anymore. I wasn't jealous, I actually would help her. Even when I barely could form a sentence, bringing her what she needed. I had the mothering gene, much like her I was.

As I grew, our house seemed to get smaller and smaller with all the occupants. Around age of eleven, I could cook and clean, take care of what was needed. I was the eldest after all. While I would be trained at home to take care of a home, someday to become someone's wife. The boys would learn to work at an early age, going out doing what they could for pennies.

But work soon became something no one could find. Even the young boys having a hard time finding someone to pay them to help on their farms, even feeding the animals. Animals were starving, people were starving, and things were turning chaotic. Yet it wouldn't be our main focus as mother fell ill. By her side, I held her hand. Father took up drinking, that never did stop til his death.

She grew paler, colder, and smiled each day. Reminding us, she loved us and would always be here, even if we couldn't see her or touch her. She was there watching us grow, helping to guide us on our paths. I knew, she knew. She wasn't going to fight this, she was telling us goodbye in her own way. We couldn't afford a doctor, to seek medical attention without work. We did try a couple times begging a couple different ones to come see her, make sure it wasn't the plague that had returned and we would all have to fear being six feet under next to her.

There was not a damn thing we could do, just sit back and watch her go. And she had, holding my hand on night twenty three. Fingers going limp, her breaths going from harsh to quiet, and the grasp she had on me, released showing she had let go. Involuntary jerks of her muscles came, making me perk up a brow hoping and praying. She was gone, lifeless she laid after. Eyes closed and a peaceful expression rested on her. I had to be the grown up.

The other kids were in bed all sound asleep,. As I wiped a tear away, taking in a deep breath, knowing nothing be the same. I had to take care of them now, no one else would. Grabbing a sheet, I shook it out letting it fall above her. The white sheet hid her enough so the other kids might think she was napping. Heading out of her bedroom, I closed the door behind me and grabbed my shoes, pulled them on and walked a few doors down to my uncle's house. He would know what to do.. maybe he could even tell me where my father was...? He hadn't came home in days, probably passed out somewhere drunk.

For four years; Americans suffered. Jobs started to come about once more, money flowing in and people turned their frowns to a smile. We were all back on track, looking forward to a future. My father would never fully recover, he still drank while working and coming home to drink some more. The boys worked, paid the bills and took care of food. While I stayed home, played mother and wife, barely even fifteen.

As sixteen rolled around, I took on a job. Going to work at a local diner, waiting on tables. The owner took a shine to me, could've been my full figured body. I looked twenty-one, not someone who wasn't even legal yet. Age was a number after all, me having the mind of much older woman. Knowing soon as I left work, I would be home taking care of the house and other kids. Grab a bath and some sleep, repeat it all tomorrow.

It wasn't until I was nineteen, still working at the diner. I started to notice some of the things I was missing out on. Most of the girls in the neighborhood I knew, were married and having kids. Their lives were beginning while mine was an endless circle, replaying over and over. I sighed wishing things were different...

"Heather." A soft sweet voice whispered in my ear. I knew the voice before turning about on my heels, smiling as I called her out. "Valerie. It's been what? Months since I seen you!" My smile grew while I greeted her with a huge hug. We had grown up together, growing apart when my mother fell ill. It wasn't I didn't still love my best friend, I had a lot to deal with and take on. She was the only child, and couldn't understand what I was going through. Her hands touched the small of my back, embracing me in the same matter then she pulled back staring into my eyes. "Swear girl, you get more beautiful as the years go." She remarked.

My mother had same curse, got prettier with age. I shrugged. "Same ol' me." I smiled a bit more, my eyes thanking her for thinking so. "When do you get a break? We got some catching up to do?" She looked around the diner, we were dead but that was because it was late. Night had fallen outside. "I could take one now." I showed her to a booth to sit down, untying my apron, laying it next to me as i pushed wrinkles out of my skirt taking a seat. Val took a seat across from me.

Some believe life begins at birth. The moment the light hits the hues of a newly born soul. That's not always the case... We could have multiple beginning, multiple births.

But here it was, dawn of a new beginning. Valerie and me had spoken until the diner closed, having just a couple of customers after her come in after she had. By the end of our catching up, she done talked me into going on a double date with a guy, her boyfriend was friends with. Apparently, he had spoken to her asking about me. Then talked her into coming in that night, see if I would be willing to go on a date. Considering I had never been asked out before, with the fact I didn't have time with the kids and all. I made an exception, agreeing I would. Lucky for him, I had the next couple of days off. So, tomorrow would mark the grown up me. My first date, time I needed to learn who I was and what I liked.

Who knew this would change not only who I was but what I was?