A Light Without Dark

Who

Just as the lightning struck, thunder came with it. The two getting closer and closer in time. The lightning was blinding and the thunder was so loud it shook the Earth. 

Then suddenly it happened.

The lightning flashed and the thunder sounded and the same time. The power went out in that same moment. It frightening for the little boy, even though he knew it was coming. The parents tried to comfort him, and just then the power was back. And standing there in the kitchen with the family was young girl. Standing confidently, yet there was fear in her eyes.

And then she collapsed.

-

For several days the couple tended to the girl, who they assumed was a teenager. She rested in the guest room, that had never really been used since they never had guests that stayed the night. The little boy hid in fear. He had never expected the thunder and lightning clash to make a girl appear from thin air. Who could expect it?

She was soon awake after she collapsed, but had not spoken a word. She could understand others though, as when the father tried to call authorities, she stopped them.

She arrived in a black clothing and a choker around her neck. The girl's hair was blonde, near write. They tried to get her to speak, but she really couldn't, seeing that she'd open her mouth to say something but nothing ever came out.

The woman tried something new. She handed the girl a pen and paper. But only stared at the two. She's illiterate, the woman thought. So they decided to use yes or no questions.

"You can't write?"

The girl kept a straight face and shook her head.

The woman didn't know where to go with yes or no questions, so she turned to her husband wondering what to say. The man, knowing this would do of no use, simply asked "why?"

The girl gave him an unblinking stare and shook her head, as if "why" was a yes or no question. Suddenly, she turned her head to see an opened chest full of old baby toys.

The couple followed her eyes until they too, were looking at the chest they had meant to put in the attic, years ago, but never did. But something that caught them off guard. The chest was open, and they knew it hadn't been in a long time. The woman suddenly remembered their little boy was in here earlier.

The girl got up, and walked over to it. At the top, a toy with 26 buttons, for each letter of the alphabet. She picked it up and stared at the selection of letters, then slowly placing setting herself down on the floor. The girl looked up quickly at the two, and pointed to herself. And looked down again.

"A," the toy said. A miracle the batteries hadn't run out. And that it even still worked given how long it's been and how used it was. The couple crouched down to her, focused on what she was going to do, if it was anything at all.

"E," the toy sounded again. The boy suddenly standing in the doorway, curious as to what was happening, but still kept his distance.

"T."

"H."

The girl continued with pauses as if trying to remember.

"E."

"R."

The girl sat there for a long moment after that, staring at the letters. Then she closed her eyes and inhaled. She raised her head and stared at the couple, her eyes burning a strong amber, stronger than they were before.

Silent, but she mouthed,
"I am Aether."