Saint Bernard given human form, wrapped in filthy cast-off sweaters with newspapers stuffed in his boots. Daddy said Fido looked like a homeless person, which confused Lethe somewhat, because Fido had always lived in their house. She knew it took a lot of energy for Fido to maintain his physical form, and that he would be a lot happier if he could go around without his body slowing him down, but it was important for him to remain manifested on the physical plane, at least for as long as she required protection. Which wouldn't be much longer.
Fido was kind of excited about the prospect of being able to rejoin his brother-sisters, but part of him was sad, too, because this meant Lethe was growing up and wouldn't need him anymore. Lethe tried to cheer him up and told him she'd always need him, but they both knew it wasn't true.
Growing up was scary, but then everything really important is kind of scary, once you think about it. Soon she wouldn't be able to turn to Daddy for help, or rely on Fido for protection.
Her success or failure was totally up to her, and nobody else.
Part of her cringed at the thought of so much responsibility.
But, at the same time, growing up meant she would finally be free to see the world and everything in it firsthand. She could go to town, if she wanted - or anywhere else on the face of the planet. Thinking about growing up made her scared and excited all at once, mixing her up inside.
Lethe padded down the hall to the bedroom Daddy shared with Auntie Blue whenever she was home. The door was shut but not locked, so Lethe was able to get in. The room was very dark and stiflingly hot. No one human could possibly sleep in such a sweatbox, but Auntie Blue lay on the bed, covered by a sheet.
Lethe moved to the bed while Fido hung back. Auntie Blue didn't like Fido. She said he made her nervous. What she meant was that the Other was scared of him. Lethe sent Fido to go and scare the Other away the other night because she could tell it wanted to hurt Daddy. Lethe knew Auntie Blue loved Daddy,
but she sometimes had a hard time controlling the Other.
Auntie Blue lay cold, white, and silent on the bed. She wasn't wearing any clothes under the sheet. She wasn't breathing and she wasn't sweating, although the room's temperature must have been over ninety degrees. There was what looked like blood smeared on the pillowcases and sheets and the room smelled like stinky socks. Lethe looked back at Fido, who shuffled back and forth at the threshold.
'It's okay, Fido. The Other's asleep, too.'
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer ( http://www.novapdf.com ) Lethe gently brushed aside a lock of dark hair from her stepmother's forehead and kissed her brow. Sonja's skin was cool and dry under her lips.
'Bye, Auntie Blue,' she whispered. Thanks for helping me get born.'
Palmer decided to fix Lethe's favorite meal as a peace offering and went to her room to tell her to wash up, assuming she was either playing with her dolls or reading books to Fido.
'Lethe? Time for dinner! I made pigs-in-a-blanket - how does that sound? Lethe?'
Fido looked up from his guard post at the foot of Lethe's bed, his eyes unreadable as ever. Palmer's eyes went automatically to the bed, but there was no sign of Lethe amongst the jumble of dolls and stuffed animals. In the space where she normally slept was what looked like a sleeping bag made of semi-opaque yellow plastic.
'What the--?' Palmer stepped forward, frowning. Maybe it was something Sonja had brought back for Lethe from New Orleans...
As he got closer, he could tell that whatever it was, it sure as hell wasn't a sleeping bag. Almost four feet long and two feet around, the thing seemed to pulse and glow from within.
And even though he could not see enough of her to make a positive identification, he knew whose small, slender body it was hanging suspended at its amber core.
'Lethe!'
Palmer lunged at the cocoon to tear it open
Fido was kind of excited about the prospect of being able to rejoin his brother-sisters, but part of him was sad, too, because this meant Lethe was growing up and wouldn't need him anymore. Lethe tried to cheer him up and told him she'd always need him, but they both knew it wasn't true.
Growing up was scary, but then everything really important is kind of scary, once you think about it. Soon she wouldn't be able to turn to Daddy for help, or rely on Fido for protection.
Her success or failure was totally up to her, and nobody else.
Part of her cringed at the thought of so much responsibility.
But, at the same time, growing up meant she would finally be free to see the world and everything in it firsthand. She could go to town, if she wanted - or anywhere else on the face of the planet. Thinking about growing up made her scared and excited all at once, mixing her up inside.
Lethe padded down the hall to the bedroom Daddy shared with Auntie Blue whenever she was home. The door was shut but not locked, so Lethe was able to get in. The room was very dark and stiflingly hot. No one human could possibly sleep in such a sweatbox, but Auntie Blue lay on the bed, covered by a sheet.
Lethe moved to the bed while Fido hung back. Auntie Blue didn't like Fido. She said he made her nervous. What she meant was that the Other was scared of him. Lethe sent Fido to go and scare the Other away the other night because she could tell it wanted to hurt Daddy. Lethe knew Auntie Blue loved Daddy,
but she sometimes had a hard time controlling the Other.
Auntie Blue lay cold, white, and silent on the bed. She wasn't wearing any clothes under the sheet. She wasn't breathing and she wasn't sweating, although the room's temperature must have been over ninety degrees. There was what looked like blood smeared on the pillowcases and sheets and the room smelled like stinky socks. Lethe looked back at Fido, who shuffled back and forth at the threshold.
'It's okay, Fido. The Other's asleep, too.'
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer ( http://www.novapdf.com ) Lethe gently brushed aside a lock of dark hair from her stepmother's forehead and kissed her brow. Sonja's skin was cool and dry under her lips.
'Bye, Auntie Blue,' she whispered. Thanks for helping me get born.'
Palmer decided to fix Lethe's favorite meal as a peace offering and went to her room to tell her to wash up, assuming she was either playing with her dolls or reading books to Fido.
'Lethe? Time for dinner! I made pigs-in-a-blanket - how does that sound? Lethe?'
Fido looked up from his guard post at the foot of Lethe's bed, his eyes unreadable as ever. Palmer's eyes went automatically to the bed, but there was no sign of Lethe amongst the jumble of dolls and stuffed animals. In the space where she normally slept was what looked like a sleeping bag made of semi-opaque yellow plastic.
'What the--?' Palmer stepped forward, frowning. Maybe it was something Sonja had brought back for Lethe from New Orleans...
As he got closer, he could tell that whatever it was, it sure as hell wasn't a sleeping bag. Almost four feet long and two feet around, the thing seemed to pulse and glow from within.
And even though he could not see enough of her to make a positive identification, he knew whose small, slender body it was hanging suspended at its amber core.
'Lethe!'
Palmer lunged at the cocoon to tear it open
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