The Toy Soldiers Trilogy: Mockingbird

Chapter 8: Lullaby

It's been one week. One week with uncle Aleks, one week without my daddy, and one week of feeling alone and confused. No one will even tell me where my father is, and I've heard St. Anthony's Hospital call my uncle's house twice. They're probably not related, but I can't help not to worry. For God's sake, I haven't seen my father's face in a week and the hospital has been talking to my current caretaker. That doesn't sound to good to me! The problem is, I'm scared to ask because what if my dad is in the hospital? What if he is sick, or dying, or already dead? I need to know these things, but at the same time I don't want to know.

My parents are pretty calm people, so where did I get this anxiety from? I started pacing back and forth in uncle Aleks' spare bedroom, which since I've been little has practically been my room. The sun was slowly fading as dark clouds moved in. Oh great! A storm! Just what I wanted! I fell on the cotton comforter and laid on my stomach, resting my forehead on my arms. A crack of lightning made me jump a bit, then I had to tell myself to calm the fuck down. 

I sat and listened to the slow pitter-patter of the rain against the window. Just relax, I told myself. It's going to be okay, dad's going to be okay. I'm sure he's just across the street, working and missing me like I'm missing him. I lightly stepped off the bed and brought myself to the window. The way the rain blurred the glass pain's was such a simple beauty. The tree's were still pretty green for it being so cold out. 

The highway that ran next to my uncle's house was very quiet. Not a car passing through, until I saw a black Chevy Camaro, and it was painted just like a race car. The side said "Bad Medicine" in what I recognized as aunt May's art style. That car felt so familiar, but I've never seen it before in my life. I watched as it drove down the wet and slippery road, slowly losing control until it crashed into the concrete median. The car went up in flames, and out of nowhere I saw ghost people running, trying to help the driver. What the fuck kind of dream is this? I'm awake as hell, but I know it's not real.

The ghost paramedics ran to the car, and I could see they were trying to hold some people back. It's hard to make out who they were, and if it weren't for the cobalt blue hair, I still wouldn't have known. That was my aunt Sophia's hair, and the leather jacket with dirty blond hair next to her was my dad. The only thing I could think about was, that was my mom in that car. It was the only reasonable explanation. 

I went to touch the window with my palm, but the second I touched the pain the car, the people, and the flames were gone. What the fuck was that supposed to be? I've heard of ghost scene's like that before, but never have I known of one consisting of people that are still alive! A knock at the door startled me, and quickly spun around to see my uncle Aleks. 

"Hey- what's wrong?" He asked. 

I shook in my spot as words wouldn't make their way out of my mouth. The look on my face of seeing a ghost was censer, because I just saw my dead mother! Uncle Aleks rushed to my side and wrapped his arms around me while the lightest of tears pulled at my waterline. 

"Victoria, what happened?" 

I sighed. "You wouldn't believe me. I don't even believe it myself."

"Try me." He replied with a sly smile.

I laughed a little while he sat me down on the bed. My breathes were uneven, and I still felt like I was going a little crazy.

"I was watching the storm, and I saw my mother's car coming down the road. I watched it crash and go up in flames, but in an instant it was just... gone. I swear I'm going insane."

"You're not going insane, although I've questioned both you and your dad at times." He joked. "Your mom did crash her car when she was younger, and I couldn't tell you what exactly you saw, but I still know you have your sanity. I know what it's like to not have a mom, and it was really hard on me because I actually remember my mom's passing. You were lucky enough to have been too young, and none of you kids had to go through that. Speaking of, I came to get you because someone's here to see you."