Reincarnation

Intro

Martha was having a bad day.

Alistair had rejected, once more, an offer for adoption. She grimaced, sitting down and poured herself a cup of very strong tea. She never did find out what the problem with the last family was- or the one before that. Or the one before that. She sipped her hot tea barely registering the scalding of her mouth as she thought hard.

 Was there something wrong with him? Twelve houses, twelve families. And he was only fourteen for mercy's sake. They dropped him off at the Orphanage, they kicked him out, he ran away, they died mysteriously etc. etc.

But...why?

He was beautiful to look at, with shocking jade eyes and black delicate hair that fell into his eyes, making his eye color more prominent. His skin shone like ivory. He didn't look like an orphan at all. Maybe that's why he never fit in..?? She knew he could be a little.....apathetic -which was a huge understatement. 

He was brilliant, yes- but expressionless. She'd watched him grow up after all. 

He was by far the quietest child in the orphanage. Even as a baby he never wailed, never protested. His eyes were bright- almost luminous like a cat's- so curious but yet so indifferent. He had an eidetic memory and a brilliant mind and could memorize almost anything he saw- not that he'd told her or anything- she had known since she saw his 1 year old self staring at an alphabets book and the next day drawing the words out in the sand outside , in the play park. 

To her, he looked as if he couldn't wait to know all the worlds secrets and already had some of his own. He reminded her of a coiled spring- waiting- waiting. 

Of course, she thought she was delusional.

 She sighed heavily, leaning back, as the memory of the day she'd adopted him as her own surfaced in her head.

She'd gone out for a minute to the yard to round up the playing kids, when a beautiful brunette around thirty years of age suddenly appeared as if she'd appeared out of thin air.  She held a bundle of blankets in her arms. 

Holding it out stiffly, she said "Just take it. Please. I don't want anything to do with this thing ever again." The woman grimaced handing her the silent baby to her.

'What? B-but you can't just- Excuse me- Ma'am! Ma'am!" But the woman just strode away and left her there with the silent bundle in her arms.

"The Lord have mercy....." She sighed heavily looking down at the child and gaped as she glimpsed the most enchanting pair of emerald eyes she'd ever seen blinking back at her. Recovering slightly, she smiled slightly and caressed his soft cheek. "My, my, my. Aren't you a gorgeous fellow?"

Slowly, she began walking back to the Orphanage she ran, hunching slightly over the tiny bundle in her arms protectively.

"Such a stunning person should have an equally stunning name, yes?" She grinned. She rarely ever got to name any of the kids before.

"I think.... Alistair will serve you well.  Alistair Hayden."