Tainted Flowers

Chapter 2: Luther

  "Mommy!" A four year-old Luther yells in excitement as he runs to Franziska's leg, hugging around it.

Franziska smiles down at him, fluffing his hair. "What is it, pumpkin?"

Franziska asks Luther as he looked up at her. "Can I go play outside?" He looked up and smiled at her, fluttering his eyelashes.

Franziska grinned, fluffing his hair even more, "Of course, my love."

Luther automatically loosened his grip on his mother's leg, running to the door before saying "Thanks mommy!" Luther ran outside to greet the other children. Franziska observed from the window before walking away and making her way into the kitchen.

-◈-

  "Luther I know you didn't mean to....it's ok." Franziska patted Luther shoulder, reassuring him. Luther sniffled as he wiped his tears on his sleeve.

"I didn't mean to hurt him, Mommy." He frowned as Franziska sighed.

"He tempted your voices, you couldn't help it." He looked to her with his red, glossy eyes from crying. 

"I want them to go away, they're mean to me."

"I know sweetie, I'm trying to get you and your brother help."

Luther nodded to his mother before reaching his arms up to hug her. Franziska picked him up, hugging tightly around him. She kissed his forehead before gently letting him down. "Go be with your brother, Luther." Luther smiled up at her before nodding, running over to Viktor who was sitting on the floor in front of the television.

-◈-

  Franziska opened the door that knocked, her sister shyly waving to her on the porch. "I'm happy you're here, Klara." Franziska smiled to her before letting her sister in. Klara sat down on the couch, beginning to light her cigarette. "So....I wanted to talk about what I said over the phone. I'm concerned, Klara." Franziska looked down as her sentence finished.

Her sister closed the zippo lighter before she looked to Franziska. "What'd he do again?" Exhaling the fumes from the cigarette, crossing her left leg over her right one. "He 'accidentally' burned a child while he was playing."

Klara nodded, observing her words. "Do you know if it was the voices that made him do that?"

"Yes I'm certain, because he felt bad right after, he looked traumatized."

Klara looked down, sighing to herself as she began to rub at her left temple. "Have you tried getting Luther and Viktor help?"

"Of course I have, it's just hard."

"How is it hard?" Franziska looked to Klara itching the back of her neck. "Business has been slow for me ever since the boys were born." She said lowly as she picked at her nails.

-◈-

  "You'll look after them for me, right?" Klara nodded, answering Franziska's question. "I can handle them, just think my powers pretty much over rule theirs." Franziska laughed before she playfully slapped her sisters bicep. "If you have any troubles, just call me ok?" Klara nodded before waving bye to Franziska and closing the door. She turned around, seeing Luther and Viktor on the couch playing with a deck of cards. Viktor slid Luther a joker card, Luther picked up the card and asked, "Why are you giving me this card?"

Viktor looked to Luther, smiling before he replied, "Because it's my favorite card, I wanted you have one too."

"But I like the red one with the hearts." Luther protested, frowning. Viktor sighed, "Keep it, you can give me one of your cards." Luther's head perked up before he smiled, picking up a red 10 with hearts. He slid the card over to Viktor, smiling.