"How is he", asked Graham worriedly.
"He is alright now just a fever. He will be alright by tomorrow ", said Dr Desmond.
"But he was alright this afternoon how did he suddenly fall ill", asked Martha coming out of Alieo's room after checking up on him.
"You told me he came just from the woods we he became ill maybe he saw something in there causing him utter distress and anxiety leading to this state", said Dr Desmond pointing at Alieo's door.
"But the woods are safe for us citizens of this town, aren't they? There are no wild animals in there except foxes and if they are even there they are in the deeper parts of the woods.", said Martha as she along with Grahan led Dr Desmod downstairs towards the door. "What could have possibly been there to cause my child to have such distress"
"We don't know for now what it was there", answered turning toward Martha now also worried as he held the door handle ready to open it. "Maybe when Alieo wakes up he might answer it but if he doesn't want to then don't force him into doing so. In this situation, if some pressure is applied on the patient's mind it may cause him great pain. And also the fact that given Alieo is different from others it might affect him more severely."
"We'll take care of him", said Graham agreeing to Dr.'s advice.
"Take care", with a nod Dr. Desmod went out.
Marth looked at Graham and said, "I'll make some chicken soup for him in the meantime you should go and sit beside him he might need your help." Then she went to the kitchen to cook the soup meanwhile Graham went upstairs to look for Alieo.
He enters the room only to find Alieo struggling on his bed and mumbling something. Graham quickly made his way towards Alieo only to hear him say words like 'Don't kill me', and I won't tanyoneone' in his sleep. Soon those mumbling starts to become screaming as the tears start to run down his face.
Graham shakes him to wake up for some time till finally Alieo opens his eyes and starts crying again as he is in the backyard.
"What did you see alien? Did someone want to kill you son?", asked Graham lightly as his own eyes were now filled with tears. But Alieo's crying didn't stop for a whole minute. Maybe he was exhausted from crying but he again fell asleep after five minutes or so.
He finally woke up one hour later but this time he didn't cry maybe this time he didn't have a nightmare. He looked around his room. The lights were off only the table lamp on his bedside was on. When tried to move his hands he felt something pressing on it. He looked down to see Martha and Graham sleeping peacefully on their chairs with their head on their hands lying on his bed.
As he looked at their white hair and wrinkled face he felt guilty and sad feeling it was all because of him that they had to suffer this much. Maybe he should be a better grandson to them. He doesn't know how to be a good son but he should try to be better at the only thing he is now, a grandson.
He looked at the photo frame lying on the bedside table. It was a photo of a young woman in her twenties smiling at the camera as she held a three-year-old toddler in her hand. Whoever looked at this photo felt calm and at peace for some reason. Maybe it was because of the woman in it that brought the calmness to the beholder. Alieo smiled at that thought. Only his mother held such power to do that even if he was just in a photo doing nothing but just smiling. His mother. Amber Kane.
He felt some moment at the other end of the bed, turning his head he saw Graham and Martha looking at him with a smile on their faces.
"What happened?", he asked." Why are you both looking at me like that?"
Martha shook her head as she stood up from the chair and went towards the door and said," Nothing, just nothing, you must be tired from all this. I made you some chicken soup, let me heat it a bit and then you can have it."
"Thanks, Grandma", said the lien with a smile as he didn't press further on his question earlier.
He ate two bowls of soup before he went to freshen himself.
When he came back even though he felt a little tired he didn't feel sleepy as he slept all evening. Martha was sitting on the edge of the bed holding the photo frame looking at the picture of the mother and son.
"You should go to sleep now grandma. Staying up this late is not good for your health.", said alieo."
"I know", said Martha as she put the photo frame back in its place. "Your grandpa insists on taking you to London to start a new one. He says this town is not ours anymore. Bu-"
"But this town is our home", also completed Martha's sentence." This is a place where you both lived all your life, where Ma grew up and the place where I'm supposed to grow up. A place where I belong to. This is not just a town grandma." As he sat on his knees right in front of her placed his chin on her lap encircled his arms around her and looked up at her. "As you both always said this town is our home where are we supposed to find a place better than this? You don't have to change anything to accommodate me. You should enjoy your golden age now. I'm young it's on me to help myself to live here Grandma. We are not going anywhere."
Martha stroked his hair with her fingers and said, "All alright we'll do as you say. We'll stay here and not move anywhere else."
Martha looked into his eyes, "You truly are your mother's son, young but sensible, kind but brave, never to give up, just like her"
Alieo smiled at that, "Let me sing you her lullaby so you can sleep."
Martha chuckled at that, "alright"
"Just because you two sent me to sleep doesn't mean I would fall asleep too and you both grandmother and grandson can have your time", entered Graham with an accusing look on his face."I'll only go to sleep when you sing me the lullaby too"
Alieo laughed at that and agreed to it.
In the old couple's bedroom also sat in the middle of the bed against the headboard meanwhile both Martha and Graham lay on either side of him as they looked at him one last time before closing their eyes.
Alieo closed his eyes and imagined his mother singing it to him~
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you.
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do.
Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfilment of
Their secret longing
Like a bolt out of the blue
Faith steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true.
Alieo slowly closed his eyes and looked at his grandparents to find them sound asleep.
He slowly and carefully got off the bed and looked towards the window only to tremble a little as he watched a dark figure watching him from the woods as if he was staring at his soul.
He rubbed his eyes to see if he was hallucinating or not. When he opened them again and looked outside, the figure was not there.
Maybe he was seeing things caused by the fever which has yet to subside after the fright this evening.
He shook his head went outside and closed the door slowly so as not to wake up his grandparents.
YOU ARE READING
The Rise of the Fallen Kingdom: The tale begins
FantasíaWill the fallen kingdom of Oneirsileia ever be able to rise again to its former glory? Alieo Kane was just 16 years old when he was expelled from high school due to his unusual abilities, which led people to accuse him of practicing witchcraft. Des...
