Power Microcosm

Chapter 26

  Clementine shifts uncomfortably where she sits on the couch with Duke, and Duke holds her hand in his as he keeps her from rushing over to us and dispersing the conversation that's about to occur.

  Rafael nods once after hearing my answer, and then begins to talk.

  "Well," says Rafael, "in order to explain anything in full, I should know what you are aware of at this moment. So, why don't you tell me what's been found out by you?"

  "Well," I say as I internally agree that I should probably let him know as that will assist in a fuller understanding, "I know that you and Azrael aren't on good terms. And, I think that might have to do with your past. Something in both of your pasts."

  I pause once, trying to think of something else that I've figured out, and Rafael also nods as he confirms what I've already said.

  "And," I recall some of the more recent understandings, "there's the strange behavior that Azrael seems to take in those pictures. Where he drifts away from everybody."

  "Also," I say as I say the final bit of information on my mind, "there's that mysterious girl in the pictures. I don't know if she's directly related to Azrael, but she seems to be so, as Azrael seemed to hide her picture after I found it."

  "Yes," says Rafael with a nod, "he did hide it yesterday."

"But," says Rafael as he continues, "I think I will start to clear up some of the other things you observed before tackling...her."

   Shelly shifts uncomfortably in her chair and ducks her head for a moment before looking back up. Everyone present looks at either Rafael or I, and I know they are not abstaining any of their attention from the two of us.

  "Azrael...detests me," start Rafael, "maybe he's justified. No. He is right in being so, as I have not treated him as a father should have, even before he was born."

  "What do you mean?" I ask, confused. How can you treat a child who's not even born wrong?

  "Well," says Rafael as he ducks his head in shame, "I wanted him to be aborted. That was what I desired."

  "Oh," I say as I realize there was that way.

  "But that decision unfortunately had ramifications on my own son who was indeed born," says Rafael as he rubs his hands together, "as, he found out eventually after my return that I had, in a sense, wanted him dead. That drove him away."

  "Is that," I say as I point to the hallway with the many pictures, "what caused the distance to form? Between him and everybody else?"

    "Yes," answers Shelly, and I can tell that she's the one who told Azrael Rafael's input, "after he learned of that he more or less pushed everyone away. Me, Clementine, Luke, the other kids, and even Duke, who might as well have been his first father."

  "It was awful," says Clementine from the couch where she sits, "it's one thing where your child who would run to you with kisses when younger gets older and then eventually distances themselves. It's all a part of growing up and becoming the self you find. But with Azrael, he pushed everyone away out of fear. He feared all of the people in his own family, his own blood. The blood that tried to kill him."

  "Several times, it got to a point where Azrael left the house for weeks, staying outdoors and only returning when school started back up or he needed clothes to change into," says Duke, "it's something to see you precious baby brother full of waking nightmares."

  "He never forgave you?" I ask Rafael.

  "I wouldn't ask for him to forgive me for that," says Rafael, "his mother chose his life instead of nothing new, and I should have as well. After what I did. The fact that I said to betray my own blood doesn't rest well with me, and I know that there's no concrete agreement about that, but I don't think it was right of me to try that."