Parish (On Hold)

Lucan and Ariat

When people have near death experiences and they live, you hear tales of pearly gates and bright lights. I saw none of that. My heaven was in the form of a memory. In this memory I lost myself. But found my soul at the same time. I forgot about the battle or the fact that I was dead. I forgot the pain. I forgot the sorrow that sucked away at my life force daily.

It all faded into the background. Until it was nothing. Nonexistent.

I was reliving a moment in my past that I had forgotten about. Life distracted me from such an important moment. I think it was only fair that in death I would be reminded. I was sucked into this world completely. The past a distant memory to me now.

Fire crackled as flames licked away the bark on the tree limbs. Red, yellow, and orange flames danced in a ring of light. Crickets were singing in the thick forest that completely isolated us for the outside world. Across the fire sitting - like me - on a fallen log, was my mother and father.

My dad Raymond sat tall and strong with my mother Carol curled into his side with his protective arm wrapped around her waist. The two were like Yin and Yang. Dark and light, angel and demon. My father had dark black hair that started to curl up at the ends. Light and neatly trimmed stubble was forming along his jaw line and chin. Dads eyes were a dark brown that I swear turned black sometimes.

My mom on the other hand was complete opposite. Long blonde hair that cascaded down her thin shoulders, framed emerald green eyes. Where dad was built like a machine, she was petite yet still as powerful. Some would think that they were complete opposites but I knew better. They were made for each other and they could never love another as much as they do each other.

My dad was telling me a story, one that I had forgotten. A story I wish I would have remembered in life.

"Once upon a time there lived a kingdom that was stricken by poverty. The people were poor and were becoming sick at a rapid pace. The lands were under constant cloud, but there was never a drop of rain. Crops died, streams dried up, and deer and elk fled to other parts of the land." My fathers deep voice had a gloomy tone to it.

"Dad, I thought this was going to be a fun story. This isn't fun." My child self whined at my father while giving him a disapproving look.

My dad laughed at my lack of interest and quieted me down.

"Hush Neci, it will get better. Like everything in life, and even death, you have to be patient." At hearing my dads term of endearment it settled back in my seat and I waited for him to continue.

With a chuckle he started speaking again.

"Now where was I? Ohh yes... so the kingdom was slowly dying off until two strangers with a long history walked upon the dark village. The couple had moved from city to city trying to find a place to settle down but everyone turned them away due to their secret. The two people were special and had decided to keep their abilities as a secret. They wanted to fit in. Become a part of society. As soon as their secret was revealed though, they were shunned." My dad took a breath and carried on with the tale.

"The strangers had decided to move through the kingdom and find another place to stay. The strangers were afraid they would be turned away yet again. Until, one of the town's people saw the two walking through the streets. The towns person demanded they talk to the mayor of the town."

"The mayor was a very large man. He had nuscles that were overflowing and power radiated from him in waves. The woman was afraid that her husband would not be able to win a fight against the mayor because that was the only way they would get to stay." Dad was suddenly cut off, but what was surprising was it wasn't by me. It was by mom!