#ilitask001

[blackgardensandgraves]

Date: December 27th, 2013 Theios’ Age: 13 Notes: Trigger warnings for mentions of death, blood, abuse. And an unaccompanied minor during the holidays.

It was a few days after the first Christmas he'd ever had to spend alone, and Theios was sitting silently under an awning and watching the rain come down. He wasn't sure exactly where he was, but it must've been far enough down south to have rain instead of snow at Christmastime.

He didn't like it. He missed the snow of his home, the crisp chill that made the warmth of the indoors so much better. The snow seemed to insulate the houses, trapping the laughter inside and making it brighter.

But that was over, he'd never have it again. Between what had happened and the things chasing him now, he couldn't go home even if he wanted to. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to. What was left now? His brother was dead, it was his father's fault, and his mother hadn't done anything. He was better off not going back.

And it was probably time to move again. Rain or no, he couldn't linger here. He stepped into the downpour behind two people in brown jackets. One of them looked over her shoulder at him and smiled-

-and Theios' heart stopped because normal people didn't smile with fangs. He stumbled back a step and started running. He never even noticed that the other person in the brown coat kept walking, oblivious to the monster, oblivious to him.

[sorrxwful]

Date: 20/03/2005

Image: link

Age of Abigail: 2

She doesn’t know what this place is called, but it’s filled with beautiful, vibrant colours, and everything looks like it would be delicious. Abigail is joyful as she toddles towards a stack of red circles, each looking more delicious than the last. She picks one up from close to the bottom, just in reach for her, when the red circles come tumbling down.

“Bitte, nicht anfassen!” The big person tells her, towering over her as they begin to pick them up, putting them back in their pile. She had been living with this person for what felt like a long time, and they were so mean. It was different to the other place, where the other small ones had control. Abigail frowns, throwing herself on the floor.

“Affasse?” She questions, the makings of a tantrum bubbling under the surface as she sniffles, until the big person hands her the apple she’d taken. 

“Bitte, du must sprechen im Deutsch.” Each word confuses her more than the last. How is she going to understand them if they won’t explain to her what they mean. Her bottom lip begins to wobble, and the water works begin. Abigail cries, sitting down with no regard for her dress. Suddenly, she’s being dragged up by her arm. 

“Ow! Hurt!” She exclaims, fighting to get her arm out of their grip. 

“Deine kleid is shmutzig, schau was du has gemacht!” 

“No!” Abigail’s crying gets louder, and before she knows what’s happening, she’s being dragged away from the colours and shapes. 

[odyssxamageia]

Date: 14/11/2006

Image: link

Age of Odyssia: 6 years old

Christmas was approaching, and the young girl couldn’t be more thrilled by the prospect. It was no secret that this was Odyssia’s favourite holiday, and as she bursts into the house, out of the rain, she begins to bounce up and down with excitement. Droplets of water sprinkle everywhere. “Nanny Agatha, how many days till Christmas?” The older woman began laugh softly at the girl’s enthusiasm as she follows her through the door.

“41 days, my dear. A month and a bit to go.” She announces, placing an arm on the six year old’s sodden shoulder. “And then you and your Daddy will have time off from school and work. Won’t that be fun?” Odyssia nods, still bouncing despite the fact that she’s stopped moving around the room.

“Will you be here too, Nanny Agatha?”

“No, no my child. I have my own family I’ll be spending Christmas with.”

“Oh.” She tried to hide her disappointment, but it’s harder than she anticipated it would be, and Odyssia is an awful liar. “I’ll miss you. It feels weird just having Daddy.” She mumbles quietly, her bouncing stopping now. She breaks out of her nanny’s grasp, and begins to walk towards the kitchen, where her carrot sticks await her. She leaves a trail of muddy footprints behind her.

“Don’t fret, I’ll come back in the new year. Won’t it be exciting having your Daddy all to himself without any work?” The young girl shrugs, indifferent about spending so much time with her own father. She’d become so accustomed to just being a part of the furniture, not existing until it was time for him to put her to bed. The idea of just the two of them, with no work, was a foreign one. He always had things he had to be doing.

“I guess.”

It just so happened that the 14th of November was the day Mark had decided to take off to surprise his daughter. He walks into the kitchen, not noticed by his child, and when he hears her words, he vows he’ll make more of an effort, completely earnestly too.

It’s just a shame that sometimes, even the purest of intentions fail.