Halls of the Dead

~Chapter 28 - Lumb & Ceptance~

~Chapter 28- Lumb & Ceptance~

Lumb sauntered back into the cottage, walking past Deporah who had dried tears around her eyes. He walked to the backroom where his mother rested. She looked pale and deathly. She hadn't moved in so long that she was sinking into the bed. All she could really do was speak.

Once Lumb and his family had their names cleared, the doctor returned. He applied his concoctions to Ceptance, but he thought he came too late. If he had come the day after their first meeting, the potion might've been able to save her. But after all she'd been through over the last few days...

Lumb sat beside his mother, and she gave him the softest of smiles. He tried to smile back but couldn't muster it.

Ceptance rolled her eyes, "Enough of that. I'm not going anywhere just yet," she whispered, barely able to raise her voice.

Ceptance reached her hand to his, and he took it. Her hand felt so frail and weak in his. As if the slightest squeeze could break it. "It's going to be okay, mom."

Ceptance weakly nodded, "I know."

Lumb released his mother's hand and reached into his pocket, unfurling a few rolled-up pages that he'd stitched together, "I-I think I can save you."

Ceptance's interest was piqued, and she looked at the few pages he held.

"It's the book those monks had. I found it. A passage that if read, can turn you into a spirit. It's just a few paragraphs I'd have to read," Lumb tried to frantically explain his plan, "I know we'd have to figure out some sort of tribute to keep you alive, but maybe we could just target bad people. Or maybe, there's another way. We'd figure something out; I know we would."

Ceptance's eyes grew soft as she watched her son, "Come here..." she whispered, beckoning him to get closer.

"Yes?" Lumb inched closer to her bed.

"Closer."

Lumb inched even closer to her. Then he felt a thud against the side of his face and his mother's hand grabbing his chin.

"Oww! How can you still hit so hard?" Lumb groaned.

Ceptance roughly pulled Lumb closer, "Why do you have to be so damned stubborn? You know better than that!"

"B-But-"

"No. Burn those pages."

"But it kept the King alive."

"And he was so afraid of death that he became a monster."

"But... you'll die otherwise."

Ceptance was quiet. For once, even her resolve seemed shaken. "Y-yes. I know. I wish I could stay young and live forever. I wish I had more time... But I had a good life. I was blessed with you, my sweet boy. And that's enough."

Lumb cracked. He felt his throat dry up as tears formed around his eyes. He tried to hold it back, but he began to weep, clutching onto his bedridden mother. Holding her firmly yet gently. Trying to impart all the care and love he had for her in that embrace. With what strength she had, she hugged him back from the bed.

"I love you, mom," Lumb whispered, his face buried in his mother's lap.

"I love you too, my sweet boy."