The Call of the Woodland Spirit

Chapter 28

He was silent for a few, draining moments. His fingers tightened against the wheel, the skin at his knuckles beginning to whiten. His already pale face grew paler, and I could now notice how perturbingly distinguishable his high cheekbones were. He had a perfectly structured face, but it seemed quite worn out—uncanny almost. His eyes were on the road, trying their best not to meet mine. I guess the question had been spoken carelessly, and I looked down in guilt. He had been nothing but kind to me all this time, and all I ever did was remind him of his past. One that he wanted to forget.

I was about to apologize when he made a small noise at the back of his throat. His fingers were shaking as he gripped the wheel.

"I had never gotten upset—" he croaked. His voice cracked in the middle, and he winced. "I had never gotten upset with them. Even after what they did to my girls. She was only two, and they thought they could do that to such a small child."

His voice began to tremble. I, without thinking, placed a soothing hand on his arm. He was cold, and even beneath the sleeve of his coat I could feel him. "..Who's 'they'?" I asked softly. Arashi was now fighting back helpless tears, but he still refused to look at me and focused only on the path ahead.

"The men who murdered my wife and took my daughter right out of my arms." he breathed, using a finger to hurriedly wipe a stray tear away. "Jameson and Erin. They tore my family apart, right in front of me. Yet, I still didn't feel any sort of desire for anger or revenge. It.. just wasn't in my nature at the time. And still isn't. Even after all these years. I could not bring myself to hate anyone."

I was silent at that. I knew him to be kind, but how could he not feel a sudden lust for vengeance after what those men had done to his family? I.. I knew it would hurt him further to ask any more questions, but I just had to know. I didn't know what else to do. I've never wanted to know something so badly.

"Why did they kill your wife? What was the reason they took your daughter? Do you.. feel comfortable telling me?" I asked nervously. Arashi visibly swallowed and grew paler than ever. "I—" he started. Tears only welled up by the dozens in his eyes again. I fought myself not to reach over and wipe them away for him.

"I'm sorry, I—cannot drive and do this at the same time."

In one quick motion he swerved sharply to the side of the road and stopped the truck. Having now been free of the wheel, he slumped back against the seat and closed his eyes, covering his face with his hands for a brief moment. His knees touched the dashboard, and he took a couple deep breaths. I knew he felt vulnerable. He thought himself much smaller than the world around us. I gave him the time he needed, and gently patted his shoulder during the moment.

"M-Myra wasn't like me. She was human. And.. it was my fault she died." He said, his voice muffled by his hands. Eventually, he pulled them away from his face to reveal a sorrowful, melancholy look. I could tell it hurt him to speak of her.

I stayed quiet as he continued softly: "Almost.. it's been almost two decades since this happened, but it feels like it was just yesterday. The feeling won't leave me."

I swallowed. Two decades? That's quite a long time.

His face was grave. "She... we were married for about five years before we had a child. I still remember," he smiled painfully to himself. "The baby came a month or so early. She was my first child, both of ours. I was a new parent, so I took the most careful measures in order to raise her.. I'm sorry. I don't think I'm comfortable to say her name just yet." he said the last sentence guiltily, but I nodded instantly in understanding.

"It's ok. You don't have to." I said in reassurance. He looked up at me, a thousand emotions going on behind his eyes, before averting his gaze back down to his lap. "..Thank you. Anyway.. I've said before that she was two years old, not exactly a baby, but she was so sweet and loved her mother and father. She would cry had we not have been in the same room as her. And she was beautiful." His mouth trembled. "She had her mother's big, brown eyes..  big smile, and such an bright personality." I had half a mind to reach out once more to him, just in case he couldn't hold his tears back, but he did this time and resumed.