THOSE WHO DREAM -- criminal minds
those who dream are lucky,
and the others have insomnia
"Is it a dream, even though she is conscious? Reality is inevitable, awake or not; one way or another, you are bound to arise and s...
HE HAS BEEN SICK FOR A WHILE, VIENNA'S FATHER. When she was younger, he was a tall, strong man with white shoulder-length hair which was always pulled back into a ponytail. Vienna had gotten her very fair skin and colorless hair from him. He was a former hockey player who owned the local rink in Vienna's hometown located in Iceland. Being very active in the community, he coached others in his sport. However, now, he was a completely different person. His white skin was jaundiced. His wide black eyes were hooded as his muscles had weakened. He was no longer the man he once was.
Her father had liver cancer and was dying a slow death. The doctors allowed him to roam free and not be stuck in the hospital for the remainder of his days. And he, he chose to spend his last days with his daughter and pregnant wife. He had longed so to be able to meet his other child but all of them knew he would be gone by then.
He and Vienna decided to celebrate her birthday early. Instead of choosing to go to the rink they both see every day, Vienna chose to go to Dyrhólaey, Door Hill Island. It was the two's favorite hiking spot. A rocky peninsula with an arch at the bottom.
The two sat on the rocky ground, looking at the ocean underneath them. They watched the calm water hit gently against the rocks, enjoying their time together.
Eight-year-old Vienna knew her father was dying and it pained her that no one could do anything. Her father was her favorite person in the world. She connected to him in a which was unexplainable.
She rested her head on her father's chest, holding onto him gently. "Papa, why do you have to die so soon?" she questioned him, whispering.
"It's just the circle of life, amore. Unfortunately, nothing can really be done to prevent death," he responded, voice raspy, "My time is just about to come."
Little Vienna huffed as she tried to fight back the tears forming in her eyes. Her grip tightened around the man, placing her head in the crook of his neck. Her small beady eyes looked closely at his face.
The little girl bit her lip. "You won't be able to watch me go to the Olympics! That's not fair," she cried, tears falling down her pale face, "I wanted you to watch."
The father smiled, placing a hand on his daughter's head and rubbing it gently. He enjoyed watching his daughter skate. It made him proud she followed his path in an athletic field involving ice rinks. He loved watching her light up whenever she'd place in the top three at her competitions. The joy, receiving a medal or not, always resulted in a big smile and bear hug from both of them.
"I promise you Vinnie, I'll watch you even when I am gone. Can you promise me something?" he asked, rubbing her back.
Vienna sniffed, "What?"
"I want you to make sure that your new sibling discovers the ice rink world. They don't have to play a sport by any means, but let them be comfortable with the ice. And, make sure they understand what the actual heck your sport is about because, to be honest with you, I just clapped when everyone else did," her father joked with a smile, "Take care of them for me, okay?"
Vienna moved to look up at her father. She looked into his black eyes, the once white was now yellow. The strong, confident look they once gave was long gone. She never thought that one day she'd be stronger than her father. She never thought her father could even get this sick. But he did.
"I promise," she whimpered, "I'll make sure. I'll protect them." The little girl wiped the tears from her eyes, looking at her diseased father who was at death's door. She grabbed his hand, wrapping her pinky around his. "I'll protect them even if it costs my life."
The sickly man smiled. "That's the spirit, piccola mia," he whispered, slowly kissing his young daughter on her forehead. He rested his head on top of hers as he fought back the tears which had snuck up on him. He bit his lip, tightening his grip around Vienna when the tears finally fell. "Be a good older sister for me."
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