Running to Willow

Chapter 1: Faith May Pollock

As the early fog drifted from above the mountains in the state of Melior a bright sunrise was revealed. Of a deep magenta, blazing yellow, beautiful gold and marvelous orange reflected on the beauties of nature, the greens that covered the smoky mountains. These were the colors artists wished they could pick from the sky, take down from the heavens to recreate the sanctuary of a place the sunrise gave Melior that day. The newborn baby girl who was resting in her mother's arms, new to the world felt the light from the sun pour into her. Her scrawny twigs of limbs reaching for her mom's hand, but still not opening her eyes to the exposure of light on her face. Her eyebrows barely etched out on her skin. Fly-aways of curly dark hair already appeared like peach fuzz. Her nose as tiny as a dolls and as perfect. Her mouth a gaping hole that she would smile on so many times in her life. Her lips a light shade of purple already wanting to speak. Her skin a tan glowing from the lights of the hospital on her back. And, most importantly her eyes, a wondrous brown, reflecting all she could see. Big, wise, overseeing and wonderful eyelashes to match. The Mom looked up, "she is stunning."
"I know," the Dad whispered, "I know, just like you." He came over to the hospital bed, "May I?" he asked, reaching out his hands. The baby squirmed as she was handed over, but just as comfortable as she was in her Mom's arms once she was settled down. The Dad stroked her neck, putting her in a place of safety. "I'm always going to protect you," he whispered, "no one will ever hurt you." The baby smiled as he talked in her ear, the air whistling through her.
"Faith," the Mom said.
"Yes," the Dad answered pulling the baby closer to him, "that's it." "May for the beautiful day she was born and the words you asked so you could hold her for the first time." The Father nodded, and Faith May Pollock was born.
As the minutes stretched into hours which stretched into days, to months, to years since May was born and her capabilities grew. Crawling was the first step and the day it happened she crawled her way around the house to every toy she had. The next step was sounds at two months; yells echoed through the house as the parents covered their ears, wincing as Faith experimented with how loud she could get. Then, there came walking and running getting Faith anywhere she wanted and giving her the ability to do now one of her favorite things, circling the table as her parents ate. When the four months of maternity leave were over the Dad returned to work for the government, but Faith and her mom continued to stay home. The Mom decided on quitting her job until Faith turned two, but as that milestone came up, she decided she wanted to stay at home with Faith all the time.
    "We need someone at home Robert. I don't want Faith to go to one of those daycares where they are paid no attention to."
    "I agree Nicole," said the Dad. So, Faith continued to grow with Mom at home and Dad at work. Then, the day came when Faith could talk when she was around two years old. "Mama" was first and unexpected for it is much easier to pronounce da than ma. The Mom, although beaming said, "It's not a big deal."
The Dad sighed as he looked adoringly into the eyes of Faith, "I know, I just wonder if it's..." The Mom cut in, "it's not." as she pecked him on the cheek. A couple of nights after  Faith turned three her mom and dad both had news.
"I got a promotion," was the Dad's first report, "I have been crowned President of Melior!" he said excitedly. "This was actually a great surprise for before now I was only the Vice President's assistant, but I got the job since both the President and Vice President of Melior didn't seem to like the idea of splitting up the United States that happened a couple of years ago and they can't seem to get over that. What I don't understand though is why both of them quit their jobs..." the Dad babbled as Faith started to circle the table.
    "Oh ok, well Faith and I went to the..."
    "Do you even care?" asked the Dad, cutting in.
    "About what?" the Mom asked innocently.
    "My promotion?!"
    "Of course I do. It's just..."
    "What?" the Dad snapped. "Is it too much to congratulate me?" Faith ran under the table.
    "It's wonderful sweetie." the Mom answered as Faith pulled on her jeans.
    "No! What were you going to say before?!" the Dad yelled.
    "You need to lower your tone." the Mom said dangerously for Faith jumped under the table every time he yelled at her mom.
    "I need to lower my tone?!"
    "You need to calm down!" the Mom was yelling now, and Faith ran to her room, tears in her gorgeous eyes. "Look what you did now! She is just a baby!"
    "Yeah, cause this is only on me! Because I got a promotion, I should expect to come home to my wife yelling at me about it?!"
    "I would have done what the Vice President and President of Melior did! It might seem like the US was just split up into five states for us, but we are in the wealthier section. What about the people in Pauper, Esuriit, Fragili, and Infirmi? Think about the poverty they are living in."
    "Wha-?" the Dad sputtered. "You just don't get it!"
    "Get what?!" the Mom asked.
    "How important this job is to me, how this job would benefit us and how this job would benefit this country! How I could help our country, Quinque!"
    "And what would you do? Hire more people like you who think our country is okay the way it is?" The Dad's mouth screwed up in rage while his face turned red. "Fine! I am leaving with the baby! Nice seeing you cause what a great time it was to talk to you tonight! Oh, I got Faith a tricycle, and she rode it on the spot today, but it's not like you care because your dumb job is so important!" the Mom screamed with fury unaware that her daughter was listening upstairs. Unable to understand and frustrated with confusion, but knowing her parents were not happy with each other. This would be a night she would remember forever.