Bleak Hearts

Bleak Children

Octavia Anna Hans 28th August 1895

Spyder Otto Finn 19th July 1916

Octavia hated to watch him. Yet she found herself every day outside the school, watching Spyder walk over to a woman the same age as herself and not even registering Octavia. He had died too early and she hadn't been able to join him, leaving Octavia with the painful memories and Spyder with the blissful ignorance of a fifteen year old boy. As she let her mind wander she was rather abruptly taken from her daydream by the very reason she hadn't taken her life when Spyder died 15 years ago.

"Mama!"

A tall blonde girl stood in front of her, the only resemblence to Octavia were the cerulean blue eyes that sat upon her freckled face. Adelaide chuckled a little, her eyes softening as she looked over her mother. Since her father had lost his leg in the war, her mother had never really been the same, or that was the reason she thought anyway. Taking Octavia's arm she helped the woman off the bench at which she sat. Before they finally moved away, Octavia let her eyes linger on Spyder as his mother put an arm around him, the two walking the opposite direction.

Most days the two would walk along the beach. Usually quite busy but after the war everything got a little quieter. Octavia's eyes mostly just watched the sand as it flicked up over her shoes, not paying any attention to whatever story her daughter was telling her of from school. Neither noticed the eyes of a rowdy set of boys, the two females singled out by the likes of Hugo Von Tyli. Hugo was far from being Spyder's best friend, in fact, they weren't really friends either, they just happened to hang around the same group of people. What Hugo was about to do next would only give Spyder yet another reason to dislike the boy. As Hugo's fist wrapped around a handful sand, a few members of the group could already see what he was going to do. The damp fistful, crumbled slightly as he raised it over his head and as Spyder went to grab his wrist before it was thrown, he was too late. A mix of jeers and cheers erupted from the group as they earned a menacing glare off Adelaide 

"Verpiss dich!" 

She yelled as the boys continued their laughing and joking, Spyder's dark forest eyes trailed after Octavia and Adelaide. The others didn't even notice as he walked away from the group and after them. The moment he approached, Adelaide had to bite her tongue so not to be rude. Octavia's eyes finally lifted to look over him, a lost smile growing across her lips.

"Sorry, about them, they can get a little rowdy"

Spyder chuckled a little after he spoke, paying little attention to Adelaide as she said something or other about watching himself. His eyes stay locked on Octavia and before he knew it, she was inviting him over for dinner. He didn't hesitate in taking up the offer, despite Adelaide's uproar in the matter.

"Eight, on the dot?"

Spyder asked, the half smile on his face growing almost up to his ears. After a slight pause Octavia repeated what he said, with a hint of sincerity as though it were something she hadn't heard in a long time.

He had arrived at eight exactly, beaming smile and wild flowers in his hand. Eventually the glare on Adelaide's face died down and the three had a pleasant meal. Adelaide's father however did not join them, he didn't like the idea of sharing a meal with a 'dumb teenager who incorrectly bore the name of the man who saved him'. Octavia couldn't help but laugh at the man but in a way, she understood where he was coming from.

Later after the meal, Octavia grew anxious, maybe having him around wasn't the best idea but she wasn't going to get rid of him now. She stood herself to her feet, soft cotton socks, dragging a little on the wonky wooden floorboards.

"Spyder, would you help me moving a few things, it is far to heavy for me and I am tired of waiting for my husband"

She knew Spyder would agree but the long explanation was more for her daughter. She didn't want the girl following or coming with them, she was just the unfortunate reminder that she hadn't found Spyder in time in the past life. The stairs creaked as they walked, leaving Adelaide downstairs and giving the two a moment even if she feared it would be short.

In Octavia's bedroom a large chest sat at the foot of her bed, she moved over to it, unlatching the top and pulling it open. Spyder sat beside her, curiously peering over the contents. As her hands picked up and began to flick through an old photo album, his eyes locked on one very old and worn photo. It was of ?? and Spyder in uniform, they had fought in the war together. For a moment he felt as though he had just been shot, pain searing through his body but it only lasted a moment.

When Octavia moved her hand over his, he wanted to pull it back, but he couldn't. The hand that lay on his was almost like that of an angel, telling him, everything was ok now. Their eyes locked like they had a thousand times but something felt so strange about it this time. Octavia was a mother now and Spyder was just a teenage boy, not the brightest one at that.

"I didn't know how to tell you..."

Octavia spoke quietly, a sense of reserve as though she was checking his reactions, but he just smiled. A wide smile that she had missed so dearly. She kept telling herself he was just a child but in reality the two were so much older. The chuckle on his lips, made the thoughts slip her mind, it was like a thousand memories can flooding back into their minds and the two weren't exactly sure how to deal with the situation. Spyder just laughed a little, pressing his lips against hers for a second, just to tell her it would be alright.

It would be far from alright though, as a scream and the back of a chair collided with his skull, knocking him to the ground. He had to give it to Adelaide, she was strong and wasn't going some teen take advantage of her mother. Spyder let the chair collide with his face over and over, cutting him and breaking his bones, blood pouring from the holes in his skull and all Octavia could do was watch.

Backing up, Octavia ended up at the wall, slowly making her way onto the balcony, she couldn't do this. It was too much for the woman. Her feet felt cold on the stone wall of the balcony, it wasn't a far fall but her head hitting the stone would certainly kill her on impact. Without a beat she closed her eyes and fell, fell to the ground where her body lay crumpled. Adelaide ran out screaming but the woman was gone.

"Mama!" 

Octavia Anna Hans 28th August 1895-18th March 1931

Spyder Otto Finn 19th July 1916-18th March 1931