[Legacy of a Martyr #2] Liberation from the Masquerades (A Key Keepers novel)

Episode 0

I was missing Vanny today. I could still remember when we first met. Vanny and I had both just turned four. It was the first day of Pre-K.

Mama took me to school by herself since Dad was busy. What he was doing, I couldn't remember. Andrea thought about coming with us, but she had her hands full with bringing Audrey to kindergarten. Even as we got older, she never liked school.

I was scared in those early years, but I grew to enjoy it. Some topics I had to admit were a bit boring, but even that information could be useful one day.

I didn't know if I really understood what was going on during our car ride. I probably thought it was just a normal Monday morning. It hit me when we turned into the school.

Once we got out of the car, I clung to Mama's leg and cried. "Mama, where are we?"

"We talked about this before, Lany." She stroked the top of my head. "Remember how I said you'd get to go to preschool like Audrey did when she was your age?"

I nodded. I remembered that. Audrey liked it, because she got to play. I didn't talk to her much about it, though.

"That's where we are."

I looked up. "Is this where Audrey went?"

"Audrey went to a different preschool." Mama's smile was soft. "This one wasn't here when she was your age. They just built it."

Andrea had taken me with them a few times. That was when I realized.

I started crying again. "You have to go, don't you?"

Mama smiled. "I'll only be gone for a little while, baby."

"I don't want you to go." My lip quivered. "Mama, I'm scared."

That preschool looked so big. It towered over my tiny four-year-old self.

Mama picked me up and gave me a hug. "Mama promises it'll be okay. You'll have a lot fun, and I'll be back to pick you later."

I had more tears in my eyes. "You sure, Mama?"

"I promise." She put me down, took me by the hand, and led me to my new teacher.

When we got there, the teacher got on one knee. That way, she was at my eye level. "Hi, sweetie. I'm Miss Alice, and I'm going to be your teacher this year."

I struggled to look into her eyes. When I did, they were warm. Her eyes reminded me of Mama, except that her eyes were brown instead of silver. They reminded me of Cece looking back.

"We're going to have lots of fun together. I promise."

I was scared when I got into the room. There was so many kids. What was l getting myself into? Were the grownups right?

That was when Vanny marched up to me. She had the biggest smile on her face. Looking back, if she told me that she was the embodiment of the Ama, l probably would have believed her.e

"I'm Vanny!" She offered her hand. "Can we be friends?"

l was spooked by her blunt introduction. Still, something drew me to her.

l nodded since l was still too spooked to talk. She seemed nice, so l wanted to get to know her.

***

Thoughts on this opener? Ain and his mama? Theories? Predictions?

~Shino out!