A Fractured Fairytale

Chapter 1-Bittersweet

Friday 31st July 2000. There are many days to write about, but this is the one, which stood out for me the most because it changed my life forever. The pale sky, once caked in ebony black clouds was now a blaze of fiery colours as the sun rose before us. The grass had changed from colour-drained and damp with rainwater to an apple green signifying a beautiful new beginning. It was the end of winter for sure, but ends are always the beginnings of something new.

The shadows of the taupe, mottled trees grew narrow, gaining height as the sun kissed the horizon. The hospital bathed in the warm glow of the sunlight, which also resulted in flowers blossoming everywhere. The birds recited their song high up in the treetops, each tune unique, but collectively they all contributed to the sound of summer. Summer was the one who kissed the dew-laden grass goodbye for another year and with it bought the radiance back to the country.

The hospital was fairly empty this time in the morning and a small cry touched my ears. Her tiny fingers curled around my thumb, which was as big as her whole fist. When she awoke, she stared up at me, her eyes a mysterious tunnel of blue, showing all innocence. When her eyes met mine an instant sisterly bond began to form and grow as if a magnetic force field was sucking us closer and closer by the second. I pictured her as being slightly bigger in size as she was so small weighing only five pounds.

I was the first one to see her apart from my parents who were both present at the birth of Belle. My sister Belle.

There was a feeling of pride simmering around my body like all other children who are suddenly classed as big sisters. It was as if all along the other half of the equation had been missing and the final piece of our family jigsaw had been slotted into place. If I could pause my life and live in one moment forever I would pause it now, on this day.

I was six years old when Belle was born and I was in awe of her, staring fixedly at her with fascination. I had never seen anybody so small!

The sun flooded through the gap in the typical pale blue hospital curtains, plunging the whole room into light. Dust danced around in front of Belle’s nose like little fairies fluttering back to their masters. Belle’s nose was so tiny it just seemed to blend into the rest of her face and her hair was an ash brown, almost black. She had the same azure eyes as mum and a thick frame of black eyelashes bordering each eye, which was a beautiful contrast to the exotic blue in her eyes.

Almost camouflaging with the curtains, the main nurse wore a pale blue tabard, which was buttoned down the front and had her light hair scraped back into an immaculate bun. The nurse helped mum up from the bed knotting arms with her and seating her back in her wheelchair comfortably. It was almost time to go home. Mum had a medical condition where the veins in her body could not pump enough oxygen back to her heart. It also affected the limbs in mum’s legs, leaving her disabled since the age of eight. She was more than used to the condition now, but it still affected her daily life no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

There was another nurse opposite me who scared me a bit and had wispy cobweb hair, which was receding around the front. She had the darkest inky black eyes and her forehead was creased with wrinkles almost like an old t-shirt. When I closed my eyes, the nurse’s eyes remained imprinted behind my eyelids.

Dad left the room to get something for mum from home and I stepped out of the room to get away from the nurse.