A Mirror of Eden

Chapter Ten: When the Monster Rolls in the Pastures Marked of Crimson Blood

Leonardo Marce Sovrano

I loved sitting on the open window pane that looked out to the beach from the kitchen. I could hear everything sitting here. There was the sound of the seagulls that searched for areas where the sand wasn't too damp. There was the rush of the waves that got even harder with every crash as the night time came. The wind swirled over to me into the house and merged with the twirling leaf shaped fans whose beating sounds clapped in my ears louder when the wind from outside came to blow.

The white metal was pretty warm, but it wasn't too hot to touch in the evening now that the sun was on the opposite side of the house and not coming in directly through the window. The ocean seemed to go on and on big and blue. I always wanted to go and stray inside of it and never look back. I wanted to kick and swim until I reached the edge, but mama always told me that I would fade before the water did, and I didn't want to know how serious she was.

I looked back into the house as the sound of her footsteps came through the house. When she walked near me she seemed to jump not expecting me to be here, but I was always here at some point so that was weird.

"Oh, bambino! You are so quiet you scarred me! No trucks on the window today?" She laughed with a sigh, and I shook my head.

"No, mama. I just wanted to sit here and look at the water. I want to swim in it some more!" I exclaimed raising my hands up excitedly. She smiled at me before coming to the padded bench seat that sat beneath the window nook. Her warm hand rested on my back as she hummed before making a funny face that made me laugh. "Why are you looking at that?"

"I'm trying to remember if the bright boy I'm holding remembers what I said about him just swimming about the ocean," She said in a song-like voice.

"I know, I know!" I groaned making her chuckle, "I'm going to fade before the water does. What if I get a boat?"

"I thought you wanted to swim?"

"Maybe I can do both," I smiled poking out my chest having felt like I bested her. She looked at me a moment before she laughed out loud and leaned over placing her arms in my lap and then resting her chin atop it.

"You know what? You're right! Want to know something else?" She asked, and I nodded as my hands stroked her head like she did me making her smile.

"What else? Will it keep me in the water longer?" I asked excitedly.

"Well yes it can technically," She said before pausing lightly, "You are bright and full of life, and while you may not be able to swim the entire way, you can make it to the edge because your determined spirit will always allow for you to make a way to your greatest destination. Any adventure you can ever take you will make it epic my little lion. I love you so much y'a know?" She asked and I nodded eagerly.