Spirits

Ch. 5 Waging War

"Papa." I whispered, "what do we do?"

"You are not going to do anything."

"What?"

"You heard me."

Mother, Papa, me, and all of our spirit animals were sitting in the living room. There was an awkward silence that usually would have been filled by the hoots and chatter provided by Chet. We all just sat there. Mother was in tears, I was crying, and Papa looked like he had seen a ghost or something.

"So we are just going to sit around and wait for him to die or I don't know worse?"

"Aleah, honey there isn't much we can do." Mother said sadly.

"Either way you are just giving up on him!" I cried.

"Aleah! Respect your mother!" Papa shouted at me.

As if losing my brother wasn't enough. Papa has never yelled at me not once in my entire life. He has scolded me and told me not to do things but never has he raised his voice and yelled.

"Fine then, I hope she takes me too." I cried and ran up to my room in tears.

I layed down on the silk sheets of my bed and buried my face in the soft sheep skin pillows. I wasn't sure what to do. First of all we are obviously worried and upset, yet no one does anything about it. Secondly my Papa is yelling at me when I already feel guillty. This just isn't the time for all this drama.

I heard something like rain outside and ran to the window to look. It wasn't rain at all. It was actually little pebbles hitting the side of the house. I ran down stairs and led mother and Papa to the door. I opened it and Mrs. Elliot was standing in the doorway with everybody else in the village.

One of the little girls walked up to me and handed me a bunch of white roses. I recognized her as the daughter of my mother's best friend's daughter.

"Thanks Molly." I said with tears in my eyes.

"Don't cry." Molly said, "Primo will come back, he always does."

I could see everyone in the village surrounding our cottage, and somehow this gives me hope. Like maybe everything will be okay. I walked outside with mother and Papa close behind. I looked all around and the people were passing out candles.

Hundreds of candles were alight and the feeling of hope grew and grew. Then Molly started to sing,

(To the tune of twinkle twinkle little star)

"When all of your hope is gone

Then the sun is going down

You were once a little baby

All full of hopeful wonder

You know I would give a hand

To anyone in this land."

I could see the tears streaming down mother's face.

Then the entire village broke out in a sweet but sad song. I have never heard anything like it before. It was sad but I was enchanted by the music and the support of the people. I have never heard the song before so I could only make some of it out,

"Carry my hope Awoke now at last...............

Wont be long now have a little faith...........

A child is missing let me be the first......"

That was all I could make out. Sad I know right first that they were singing about my brother and second that I really couldn't hear all that well.