Tempted Fate: A Fright Night Fanfic

Beginnings

She hadn't always been a slave. Her childhood had once been pleasant, a time when she had a family, and had been happy.

 
The memories of her mother had started fading the older she became. A select few had stayed with her into adulthood. 
Mama had been a kind soul and loved her children with everything she had. Her father had once doted on his wife and their children with pride.

When she had been little her mother told her of her native land how things were very different in her new home. Every night her mother spun different tales of fantasy as Abigail and her brother snuggled under the warmth of their blankets. Mama spoke of far away lands of their princes who's saved damsels in distress and rode off into the sun.

Her favorite tale was of when her parents had met. Their romance had been love at first site.  Mama had been a wealthy aristocrat's only daughter. She had claimed to her children that their father had been visiting her native land and one day when she had been with her parent's helping move their neighbours after their home had been ruined from a flood when he stumbled by. He hadn't spoke her mother's native tongue but had offered his help after locking eyes with her.

Some nights when her father was away they would sit by the warmth of the hearth flames danceing on Mama's face as she rubbed the new life growing inside of her. She spoke of a romance that Abigail could only dream of. Her twin brother Billy would make disgusted noises until their mother would give him a small smack on the back of his head explaining the importance of love.

 
When her mother spoke crowds would gather to listen. She was a hypnotic woman who had a smoothness to her voice that not many had. Mama's presence could bring even the cruelest of men together in harmony.  Many times when nomads had been passing through Mama's home their chief would have her speak in order for the men to come together in peace.

The bedtime tales and late nights soon started becoming irregular she and her brother turned seven. Mama's first pregnancy with the twins had taken a toll on her. The doctor had warned Mama that becoming pregnant again could be dangerous for both her and any future children. Mama had been content with the two little blessings she had but her Papa had dreams of a large family and got rid of those who had advised against his plans. When Mama became pregnant with her third child her health had started to decrease rapidly to the point she had become bed ridden. 

Their father's trips had started being more frequent at that point and for longer periods of time. Nights when Mama slept alone she and her brother would climb in the cold bed with the woman who looked more like a corpse everyday. Those nights Mama would hold them stroking the two's hair as she lulled them to sleep. The clearest memory she could remember was the night Mama had cried.

Papa hadn't been home in over a month and it had taken it's toll. Warm tears silently left the eyes that had lost their warmth landing on Abigail's hand where she clutched her mother. One night while the two slept soundlessly curled up in Mama's embrace they had woken up to skin that had gone cold and an embrace that was no longer comforting. Sometime when they slept Mama had slipped away. It was the last time Abigail remembered her brother crying.

The two youngsters had held onto each other hiding in the cornor as the servents let the old grey haired priest in. He had stood over Mama's still form on the bed and had grabbed her hand. Her finale rights were read in a hushed voice as the priest kissed her hand.

The old man on his way out had given the two children a pat on the head preaching to them on how their mother had been reclaimed into their lord and saviours warm embrace. It hadn't brought any peace to them. At their ages they had known what death was.