Why Would I?

Night-Flashes Pt.1

I can vividly remember the day the night-flashes began as if it were just yesterday but it's been almost six years since the incident. 

The day began as any other Thursday would in the Silvetto cottage. I awoke to the sound of the birds singing the night's song into the crisp morning air and golden sunlight trinkling into my room through my half open window. The day was new as the spring morning breeze found its way through my window carrying flower petals with it.

Just as I was enjoying the refreshing morning breeze, I heard stomping approaching my door. I rolled my eyes, shifting in my extremely cozy bed. As I expected, Aunt Keoriah marched into my room, as she did every morning, to force me out my bed. She always did this, no matter how much I begged to stay in bed. Could you blame me though? I mean, every single morning, without fail, she'd barge into my room the second the sun began to peek through my windows. However, every single morning, without fail, I would twist and turn and complain enough for her to go on her rant, allowing me to get an extra two minutes of shut eye. This is how we began every morning here, and although it annoyed me quite a bit, I couldn't imagine it any other way. 

Usually on Thursdays I would have lessons with Aunt Keoriah after breakfast until lunch. However, this Thursday was different. You see, on the first day of every month Aunt Keoriah would have visitors after breakfast until lunch. I'm not sure who the visitors were, or their purpose, as Aunt Keoriah had always been quite secretive about them but whenever they came she would send me to my room until they left and tell me stay quiet as if my life depended on it.

I tried asking about the guests a few times however whenever I did, Aunt Keoriah wouldn't answer a single question and took on a troubled and upset expression which was unusual considering she was rather jolly,  so I stopped asking altogether.

Anyhow, this Thursday happened to be one of those days, so on these days if we had lessons planned we would reschedule them to after lunch.

 Right after breakfast, like clockwork, I heard the clacking of horse hoofs approaching the cottage, which signaled me to run up to my room. Although I'd be alone while I waited, I never was bored as I'd usually draw the beautiful scenery through the windows. The time passed quickly and I even often caught a glance at the visitors through the window.

I wasn't able to tell if they were always the same people, but there were always three people. Two of them were male and always wore the same royal blue capes, held golden helmets, wore black boots and carried one sword each. The third was female and wore a red version of their outfits but lacked the cape and carried a bow and arrow. They each rode beautiful black Friesians, a horse I was told by Aunt Keoriah that was rather popular in the capital.

I waited till they got far enough where the wood would make them invisible then sprinted downstairs. I was extremely excited for today's lesson on climbing. I quickly ate my lunch before running back upstairs to change into my lesson wear. It consisted of my knightly boots, pants, a white cotton button-up and a weapon of my choosing which was either the weapon being used for that lesson or my sword or bow and arrow. I recently added a belt which had a twenty-five foot rope, a small knife and a water pouch to the outfit.

At last, it was time for the lesson. Aunt Keoriah decided to begin with tree climbing. The lesson began on the floor with her telling me about the practical uses of climbing a tree quickly, such as running from wolves or a brown bear. After that she taught me the proper technique to climb as quickly as possible and a bunch of other boring stuff.

Finally she finished talking and it was now time to put it to the physical. We started with a tall, wide and sturdy oak tree. I climbed as Aunt Keoriah cheered me on from the bottom. I  got to the top and sat on a thick branch to rest. Looking, down feeling accomplished, it suddenly hit me how high up I was. Although we often did crazy stunts for lessons, I had never been this high to know that I was afraid of heights. 

I began feeling woozy all the way up there as Aunt Keoriah began shouting directions for me to come down. I trembled as I fumbled at my belt trying to get the rope as she directed me. My sweaty, shaking hands made it all that much harder for me and as I finally got the rope, my unsteady hands caused me to drop it. A failed attempt of trying to grab it in mid-air made me almost fall to my doom which made me cower in fear gripping on to the tree.

Aunt Keoriah paused for a moment before telling me to try to climb down carefully using the third technique she'd taught me. For a long five minutes I sat there contemplating it. Honestly I was absolutely terrified but Aunt Keoriah was too old and frail to come save me, it was just the two of us and nothing would be worse then staying up there throughout the night.
I weighed out my options then decided perhaps climbing down was the best option.

I began ascending slowly, watching every foothold carefully. This didn't seem that bad? I'll be okay right? Just as those thoughts crossed my mind, I began basically flying down the tree as I missed a foothold in my absentmindedness. I screeched as my life flashed before my eyes, a million thoughts racing. It all went black at that moment.

Was this it? Was I really going to die at ten years of age? How could this darkness be the end? Maybe it is the end? This doesn't seem such a bad way to die.

Some say death's embrace is cold and dark, others say its warm and light, others say it's a meaningless void of souls and few even say it's rebirth. I say that death is like the fleeting of life. Life is light and death is darkness. Death is simply the absence of life, same as darkness is the absence of light. Death was utter and complete darkness in the absence of the light of life. Life was always around me, within me, apart of me. Without life I felt deprived, it was always with me and now I knew it was gone. It was worse than any cause of death. It hurt everywhere though I wasn't physically there.

~~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~~

Hey pookies! You're in for a wild ride as things are starting to get more interesting! Did you notice the Mitski reference at the beginning?

Song Referenced- 'Your Best American Girl' from the album 'Puberty 2'

Lines Referenced From Song- 'You're the sun, you've never seen the night but you hear its song from the morning birds. Well I'm not the moon, I'm not even a star but awake at night I'll be singing to the birds.'

Line Referring To Reference- 'I awoke to the sound of the birds singing the night's song into the crisp morning air'

Anyways, hope you enjoyed, check back next week for updates!