Choice and Consequences

Choice and Consequences

"What is life? It is a flash of a firefly in the night. It is a breath of a buffalo in the winter time. It is the little shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset."

- Ispwo Mukika Crowfoot

Prologue

December 1992

Mommy and Daddy always liked snow, the small girl thought fondly as she looked out the window that December evening. During those times, they would take long walks around the neighborhood - all three of them - and stay in the park for just a few moments so Chloe could make snow angels on the ground. Mommy and Daddy would talk as she made one; two; three of them on the ground. Finally, Mommy would shiver and say 'Come on, Chloe-babe, and let's get a cup of hot chocolate.' I jumped up and ran to them when they did, she recalled with a childish giggle emitting from her six-year-old throat.

When she glanced out the window again, she saw that snow was falling heavier to the ground, making her gasp in awe. She loved the slow and steady movement of the snowflakes as they fell. She especially liked it when she was outside, when they fell and melted on her cherub cheeks. Growing excited at the possibility of going out that day, she jumped off the chair she sat upon and ran out of her parents' room to insist they go. She stopped short, however, when she saw her mother walking up the steps. She was crying! Chloe thought in alarm. Immediately, she hurried over to the older woman and began tugging on her hand.

"Mommy, what's wrong? Don't cry, please," she pleaded as she grasped the large hand in her own two.

"Oh, baby doll," Karen Sullivan sobbed and fell to her knees to hug her only child. "I'm really sorry, but, Mommy has to go somewhere right now."

Chloe pulled away with an alarmed look on her face. "But you promised! Oh, don't go! You, and Daddy and me can go out to play in the snow! We have to! It's snowing, Mommy!"

"Sorry, my dear girl, but I have to do this. It's important. Your Dad already knows."

Having said that, Mrs. Sullivan struggled to her feet and walked to her room. Finding the fact that her father would allow such a thing to happen, the little child bounded down the stairs as fast as she could and went to the living room, where she was certain she would find her him. Lo and behold, he was there, seated on the couch, his face buried in his hands in a defeated manner. She went over to him and tugged on his sleeve.

"Daddy, Mommy's going and we still need to play in the snow."

He moved his head to give her a bleary look with one eye. "I know, kiddo, but I can't do anything about it. You're mother needs to go on an expedition right now and apparently, it determines the future of her career. We just have to be supportive. I know you shouldn't have to go through this, but this is really important for her."

Chloe didn't understand why it had to be like this. She didn't want it to be like that. Her father and she watched as her mother sat in a cab and drove off, waving frantically; hoping that she would remember them throughout the expedition. Six months later, Gabe Sullivan heard that the archaeologists in search of the Temple of Thanatos suddenly disappeared from human existence. He refused to tell his daughter the fateful news that came up on her seventh birthday.

~~ o0o ~~

She wanted to open her eyes... she could feel, that was all she could do for the moment. Her body was curled into a fetal position, and from what she touched most of her body was covered in a thin film of some sort of cloth. She could hear the hum of distant voices in the air - calm voices that made her want to drift on in her semi-conscious state. Although she knew things were wrong, there was a sense of safety kept within her.

Something rustled passed her and soon she felt a strangely warm and comforting entity by her. There was no breath of life, just the mere warmth of a body, alive and quite well. A voice - something with a timbre that was neither male nor female - rang silkily in her head. It was a statement that made complete sense and no sense at all.

Be patient, little one, for that lucky day, when love forgets to wait upon thee. In the realm of in between is where here is until that time comes. Forget not that it is only when thy love shall stop the waiting and the hoping shall thy two lives will meet again. Remember, little one... be patient...

And the voice ebbed away and she was lost to the darkness once again.

TBC