A Mother's Gift (Flashback/Solo)

[Ursula Altello]

"Mommy, why did they take Ulric? I don't understand." Big blue eyes looked into those of Alaria Altello, who stared back blankly, numbly. The woman shook her head at the little girl, who's body was almost lifelessly pale from not eating for over a week. The woman, once powerful and strong, shook her head, she had no answer for her young daughter, her only surviving child. "Your brother didn't listen, this is why you must always listen, never speak, not ever." Alaria's face was stricken with pain, she bled from her arms, scratches going up and down. The Zith had taken her this morning, only a week after her young son's life was claimed. She desperately wished to be killed, wished they would end things for her, but she couldn't leave Ursula alone, she needed her. Staring back at her was her daughter, the oldest of her three children and the lone survivor of their captivity. Captured four years before, horrible things had been done here, in this dark cave she now had to call her home. She wouldn't let that happen to her beautiful little girl. "You must promise to always do as your told, do what they ask, one day I won't be here to protect you, and you must make sure you are okay. Stay alive Ursula, obedience will keep you alive." At only four years old, Ursula was confused by this, her mom was going to go somewhere? Where was there to go? She knew of no other life outside of this one, nothing else existed outside these walls. Her face clouded with wonder, obviously lost she shrugged her shoulders. "Mommy, where are you going? Where are you going to go? Can't I come with you mommy?" She didn't understand why her mother would leave her alone here, with those creatures lurking about, where could she run off to? Alaria's eyes began to sting as tears welled up in them, she couldn't explain to her that she would eventually die, that she would be consumed and they would be apart. Maybe she should come with her, Ursula would be safer in death, never having to go through what she had these past few years. Monsters that raped her, got her pregnant and forced her to have their children, who would feed off their own young, she couldn't leave her alive to this world. It would be a tragedy to do so, and she wouldn't have it. Alaria's large eyes looked over her, trying to imprint her in her memory, the best thing to do for her daughter, her sweet angel, would be to kill her before the Zith did. A lump formed in her throat, how could she kill her child? It was merciful, she knew that in her heart, but how could she do it? Take her baby's last breath away from her, destroy her hopes, would she struggle? These were things she did not know, and she wished she would never have to know. Flashes of the Zith came to her again, ripping at her skin, tearing out her right eye, now just a knot on her face, she could see through a small slit on the left side. What they had done to her, attacking her, malling her in the middle of the night, ate her children. 'Mommy! MOMMY MOMMY PLEASE HELP ME MOMMY NO I-AHHHH AHH MA----AHHH' she could hear Clayton's voice in her head, named for her father. She shuddered, they ate him alive, stripping his skin from his body and gnawing on him like he was a regular animal made meal. Her youngest son, he didn't make a sound, but she could see his dirt streaked face, tears streaming down it, they made it quick, and she had thanked the God's for that. "Mommy, are they with the God's now? Do you think they are okay? They might get cold without blankets." Small words, but so meaningful, she hoped they were with the Gods and full of happiness they didn't get to have while in the living. Such young children, such young lives to be taken it was so cruel. "Yes angel, I'm sure they are, they are happy and playing." Ursula had nodded at her mother and yawned, Alaria drew her into her lap and held her until she fell asleep. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, but it wouldn't last if the Zith were angry. She began crying, but had to do it, had to end things before her daughter got hurt, she took her shirt off and balled it up, covering Ursula's nose and mouth, after a moment the child's eyes flew up, she struggled, flailing her arms and legs around, trying to escape, Alaria tried to hold her down, she was screaming through the fabric and then she was grabbed backwards. Claws dug deep into her, Ursula ran to a corner and tried to hide herself, screaming for her mom. "No please, no she needs me please! Alaria tried to get away, kicked and screamed, bit at them but they over powered her, two of them, big and powerful. Cold eyes stared down at her, the attacked, she felt their nails digging into her arms and she screamed, the scream drown out her hearing, all she could do was look back at her daughter. The next one went for her throat, slashed it open badly. She began to choke, blood pooled from her, they left her there to die like that. Barely conscience she felt her daughters small hands on her, crying. "Mommy! Mommy no please, wake up mommy wake up! MOMMY! Mommy don't die. Please mommy I need you." Ursula was terrified, her mother coughed so much blood, she pressed her small hands onto her neck but her mother gave a final gasp and she saw her eyes roll up into her head. Sobbing she threw herself on top of her, wrapping her arms and legs around her, covering herself in her mother's blood. Pain ripped through, shock hit her and she felt numb. After a few minutes she got off her mother and scooted away, back pushed against a wall, terrified. What now? What about her? She heard them out there, laughing, but said nothing, like her mom told her, always listen. She looked at her moms wrist, a jewel played there, attached to a leather strap, her bracelet. Ursula snatched it off and slid it over her small, frail wris, it was all her mother had from her old life. She was determined to find it one day, tell people of her mom's courage. Then she heard them coming in, and she backed away from the entrance, shrinking into the shadows. Examining her bracelet she tried to remember her mother's stories from when she lived somewhere else. Wind Reach, that's what it had been called. Ursula tried to hear her moms voice in her head. She had talked so often of it, entertaining her with wonderful stories of sunshine. Great birds they had to ride, Eagles and hawks. She had never seen a small bird let alone one big enough to ride on, she had dreamed of the day that she would be able to do that, to feel wind in her hair like her mom had. They had no other family, her mom had lost them a few months before being taken, there would be no one there if Ursula ever returned, she so longed for company, family of any kind. She cried a little, the Zith dragged her mother away only moments ago, she needed this as comfort. What was she to do now? Who would care for her, she was all alone, and now she only had her mother's memories to keep her company.

[Ursula Altello]

Ten Years Old

She could hear them rustling around just outside the entrance to where she was kept, it would be night time now, and they had worked her for a long time today. She couldn't get the stench of rotting flesh out of her nose, it seemed to fill her up, she kept shaking her head trying to dispell it from her body. Ursula's eyes stung now, they had seen to many things, to many toxins had wreaked havoc on her body. When would this nightmare end, when would they come from her. Closing her eyes she leaned against the cool cavern walls, breathing in what little fresh air she could. She was full of pain, her muscles ached and her head was pounding in agony. Cleaning up after such beasts should be something only the foulest scum on the planet should be forced to do. Her hands were caked in blood and dirt, at this point she wasn't sure who's blood it was, if it was hers from their attack on her for speaking up, or if it was the boy's she had just finished cleaning up. The boy...she looked over at him, such a young child, only seven at most, coward in the corner. He was crying, Ursula had long ago lost her ability to cry at the hands of the Zith, her body was drained of that emotional release. But the boy had not lived in this place long, he was brought in with a man, she assumed it was his father, the boy had been clinging to him all night, and all morning. "What's your name sweetie? I'm Ursula." She wanted to comfort him somehow, to make sure he wouldn't know what was coming to him, what his fate would be. He had large brown eyes and tanned skin, and he looked confused at her words. she furrowed her brow, of course, he must speak another language. That would prove more difficult for her, how could she help him if she couldn't talk to him? She placed her hand on her chest "Ursula, name Ursula."trying to use simple words was more difficult than one might think, trying to explain things to children was even worse. She scooted across to him and put her hand on him. "Name? You?" he seemed to understand that, name must be a common word people used. "Steffan"he nodded his head at her, so his name was Steffan. Ursula pointed into the other room now, where the man had been taken to. "Father?"sadness took over Steffan's face, he nodded somberly. It was his father, how sad, he wouldn't see him again, but she didn't have the heart to tell him that. She forced a smile onto her face and hugged him to her, wanting to help. "Ursula, Friend."he needed one desperately right now, she knew how he felt, knowing you would never see the one you loved again. It was horrible, her heart went out to this small child. When would they come for him? What would they do to him here, would they take him as a slave or as a meal? She prayed they would just enslave him, a particularly cruel punishment, but better then the pain of them eating someone alive. Soft breaths came from the boy, he was sleeping now and she stroked his hair gently. Poor little guy, he didn't deserve this life, he should be out with others, playing. She had learned of the outside world from the many...visitors...that came through here. They spoke of their homes and the lush grasses and trees they saw, and of the other races they had encountered in their lifetimes. Ursula had listened in fascination to them, wanting to see these things, but she could only picture them in her head. She would never get out of here, she had accepted that long ago, but she could dream about the outside, about what it would be like to flit around from place to place. Would she be truly free though? Probably not, she would be on the run forever hiding from anyone who could take her back to the Zith. It was a fear she was not proud to have, and she wished she could overcome so she could escape this place. Sighing she continued her absent minded stroking of the boy's hair, staring blankly into space at some unseen notion. She could hear a Zith in the distance, its grunts and gurggle sounds had become a familiar noise and sometimes helped her fall asleep. They were a restless race, a restlessness she had inherited from which ever one was her father. She stopped, and stared at her hands, skin that greyed and nails like talons, you could see her Zith side clearly. She was ashamed of it, a deep self loathing consumed her at all times, how could she be one of those monsters? A part of her hungered for things they hungered for, hunting, destroying, but she wasn't sure what. She wanted to destroy them, she knew that much, and she wanted to make sure they were all gone, never to hurt another person ever again. Nightmares were a common thing of new people around here, and the boy began thrashing about violently, a night terror took over his dreams. He was screaming so loudly, she shook him, hard, wanting to wake him up. The Zith didn't take kindly to children, let alone screaming ones. She was coddling him, shushing him in a motherly tone, praying he stopped before they came. Finally he relaxed, his body went limp and for a brief moment Ursula prayed he was dead, but she could still hear his soft breathing. It would be two months before the Zith took him, and once again, she was alone.