Dead and Departed

Chapter One:

The halls of the house were quiet. Charlotte Thatcher lay in her bed, unable to sleep.

It was too quiet. No bugs, birds, no animals, could be heard outside, for it was winter. No other living thing called this place home.

How Charlotte longed for a noise. The longing dug into her bones, settled itself into the deepest corners of her body. She couldn't bear the eerie silence. It was too much, yet too little.

. . .

"Xander," Charlotte said, hands poised over the keyboard to her computer.

"Yes, Char?" Xander scooted closer to her on the bench they were sitting on. A little girl bounced on his knee, giggling. "What is it?"

"How do you find emotion in an unexciting moment?"

"You're thinking too narrowly." He slid off the seat. "Vega, my eagle, I believe you have to do your chores now, before we have to leave."

"But! Daddy!" The little girl protested, but couldn't seem to think of a reason. "Okay. Promise to video me at my dance recital?"

"I promise," Xander laughed, showing his dimples, as she skipped away. Charlotte smiled.

"Look at these tense muscles," Charlotte felt his warm hands on her shoulders. "You need a break."

"I need to get this paper done. It's due tomorrow."

"College can wait a few minutes."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, but she grinned. He hadn't needed to worry about college, he wrote and drew for a living. It was all that paid the bills, but it was enough.

"Just come outside." Xander pleaded. Charlotte sighed and reluctantly stood up. He took her arm and soon they were out in the countryside. The breeze blew Charlotte's hair and the long grass tickled her feet. Xander and Charlotte were both barefoot, just the way they liked it. The sun was bright and warm.

"What is it?" Charlotte asked. "This day is like any other day out here. What's different?"

"Nothing's different," Xander said. "But what's life if you can't get out once in a while? It's no life at all if you're stuck inside. Spread your wings."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." They kissed and Xander spun her around, Charlotte's heart finally easing.

"It's almost time for you to take Vega to her recital." Charlotte reminded him, the thought bringing her down from the clouds.

"I know," Xander said, embracing Charlotte. "But you have to promise to remember that all you need to do is fly."

"I don't have any wings."

"Nonsense. You just haven't learned how to use them." He took Charlotte's cheek in his hand, looking her straight in the eye. "But in the meantime, I can be them for you." Charlotte leaned forward and they kissed once again.

"Grrooossss," Vega stood at the door, sticking out her tongue. "Mommy, daddy, it's time to go!"

"Have fun, Little Eagle," Charlotte said lovingly, hugging her daughter. "You too, Xander."

He gave her a peck on the cheek, causing Vega to stick out her tongue again, and smiled. "I'm sure we will."

Xander led Vega toward the car, looking back and miming flapping wings. "Fly free, Char!", making Charlotte smile and shake her head. Then he buckled Vega into her seat, got into his own, and drove off.

. . .

But now it was quiet. Suffocating, yet empty. Charlotte shivered in her bed, unnerved by the chilling silence. It had been a year since the accident, yet she still wasn't used to the absence of sound, of laughter, of anything, really.