You Don't Exist (Maylor)

'B' Is For 'Breakable'

Chubby fingers picked up and, after examining the small space ship, started flying it through the air. Giggling all the while, running on just strong enough legs to carry him around the small space they called home. The parents of the adorable baby sat at the table, Harold reading the news paper with a concentrated look on his face and Ruth sipping at her coffee. She had made breakfast, simple eggs and toast, that had gone untouched by her husband.

'Whoooooooosh,' Another squeak as the boy ran on wood floors, wild curls bouncing, the little patter of feet being audible around the house.

'Love, you know you can't run around the house.' Ruth picked Brian up and placed him in her lap. 'You have to be careful or you could fall and hit your head.' Her nibble fingers brushed curls from the boy's face, smiling all the while as she watched him play with the toy space ship. The two adults carried on as they were, with Ruth playing with untamed curly locks.

Then the toy dropped, a cry of pain following it. Both parents looked at their son, Ruth bouncing him in her lap and her hand rubbing soothing circles into his back. 'What's wrong, Lovey?' Harold, at this point, had put his newspaper down and started making the short distance to crouch beside his wife and son.

Another wail, his chubby hand shooting back to touch at the nape of his neck. Fat tears trailing down his face and wetting his favorite shirt with plenty of stars on the navy fabric to have the boy dreaming. Harold took Brian's hand and squeezed it in comfort.

'Baby, you have to move your hand so Mommy can take a look.' Ruth soothed, placing her hand over Brian's. It took a moment before the small boy moved his hand with a whimper. The older women couldn't help the gasp that left between her lips. 'Harold... Harold look!' The excitement in her voice had his heart rate slowing from his panic.

'What is it, Ruth?' He moved beside her, never letting go of the boy's hand who was still whimpering. Squinting he could just make out what looked like an ink marking. A soulmate mark to be more exact. 'I-I thought...' There at his nape was a beautiful 'R' written neatly in cursive.

'He's got a soulmate.' She was bouncing him in excitement, wrapping her arms around Brian's smaller body and squeezing him. 'Baby, you have a soulmate.' Harold crouched once more, gathering the two into his arms and surrounding Brian in their warm embrace.

'soul.. mate?' Brian's voice was small, still sniffling when his parents slowly pulled away with big smiles on their faces.

'That's right, son. A soulmate.' Harold was shaking in excitement, smile growing bigger when his eyes met with Ruth's. 'You see a long long time ago humans were born with two heads and four arms. But the gods thought us to be too strong in that state so, they spilt us apart. One soul two bodies. Luckily, there was one god who thought this spilt to be a bad idea and thus gave us a way to find each other once more. So, when we're born a mark is inked into our skin with the first letter of our soulmate and the closer we get to meeting them the more letters are revealed.'

Ruth looked at her wrist than at Harold until he got the hint and uncovered the skin. Showing their son their soul marks. 'See, your dad and I have each other's names and they're in the same place.' Big eyes looked on in wonder, the tears drying away and curiosity filling hazel orbs. He reached out and touched their wrists, tracing his fingers over the inked names.

'But, how will I know what my letter is. I can't see it?' Brian looked up at them, face still tear stained. 'And how will I find my soulmate if I can't see their mark?'