The Curse of Behr

That Day

After Uncle laid me to rest, I asked him again if I had what mama had and if I was dyin'.

He told me no and chuckled.

The chuckle had reassured me 'til he sighed heavily and said, "At least if you had her illness I would be in full understanding of it..."

Since that comment, I've been nauseated and have to have a cold towel on my neck.

So whatever I do got, Uncle doesn't quite know what it is? I hope it ain't fatal... that cough really hurt my lungs.

I rub my chest as Uncle knocks and enters back first.

He has a silver tray with various items on it and his journal tucked under his arm.

I sit up as he sets everything down. He pulls up a chair next to me and looks me in the eye.
"Behr, dear..." He begins.

I take the towel off my neck and set it down on the nightstand housing the tray.

Suddenly, the whole platter slides away a few inches. I pause timidly before nearing my hand. It slides some more.

We both are startled by it. I can't help but cry. "Uncle, what was that?"

He pushes the tray back in place and takes both my trembling hands.

"Behr... I must come clean with you. I'm unsure." I hyperventilate. "Please dear, you must calm yourself to be able to comprehend what I am about to tell you." He places his journal on my lap and my breath hitches.

"I know you've seen this before." He says. "But you have not seen this before."

Is this really the time for riddles?

"Uncle i-."

"This is a log of everyday I have spent with you."

...

"Listen to what I tell you." He thumbs open the journal and shoves his thin frames up his nose with a wooden finger.

"' Today, my tiny niece,'" He begins to recite, "'has not said a word. I would think little children would not be able to contain their wonder about something as wondrous as snow. But she is silent at the window.

My sister used to live in a swamp region that never harbored a speck of frozen rain, so shouldn't curiosity ail little Behr?

Maybe I should accompany her outside for a minute, incase she is frightened, I can give her courage.'"

There's a brief pause.

"' Again, little behr has done something peculiar. Whilst learning, she attempted to pick up snow.

Her mittens were layered in the fluff when she examined them until suddenly her glove turned up in sickles! How? My younger sister has proven as a child she has no gene in her body to bend water as I, our cousin, aunts, uncle, grand relatives, or our gifted mother. I cannot tell you except say her genetics has shown to house a water bending trait that has skipped her generation only to be passed on to her next blood- My precious niece, who will chase a tin cup for a quarter of an hour kicked by her invisible will .'"

Ice... in the snow? A cup? A cup? What's this about... Please, no riddles... my mind is plain, don't he know? I don't understand.

Uncle pulls a yellow tab in his journal, skipping a good 'mount of chapter, and skims the page 'til...

"'My previous speculation, I have discarded. Upon speaking with my sister, I have learned, Behr's father is a fire bender, therefore she cannot be a sort of dual bender as I concluded due to the fact metal objects curiously drift away from her. Metal bending is a variation of earth bending, not fire. My hand trembles as I scribe because a dual bender beneath my care would have been much easier to accept than that my niece is an Avatar.

As today's date varified, that should be impossible because the current Avatar is an 8 year old earth bender, graced to us after water bender avatar Korra passing, residing in the New Earth kingdom under the care of monks. A demonstration of his bending was given when he was 3 years old at the world capitol. Everyone in the entire world saw the Avatar child, even I. But I am the only one in the world to witness little behr manifest ice and chase a tin cup for two whole minutes around the living room, and sneeze my mustache ablaze like a normal fire bender, knowing full well she is, by rule of genetics, is only supposed to be a fire bender. If she soon begins flying I will know for sure she is the first avatar to be present while another is still alive!'"

... Is he sayin'... I'm the Avatar?

"I'm the Avatar?"

"You're An Avatar..."

An Avatar.