His eyes shut, he tried to fall asleep. He was shaken by the events. The fact he couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't tormented him. Once on the bed, he could hear his heart beating loudly, but calmly. His forearm slipped from the side of the mattress.
'We didn't put it back on the exact same spot.'
The texture of the floor had worsened. The wood under his fingers was soft, and the width between the cracks became bigger. Caressing the wood with his fingertip, he felt relaxed. Keith wanted to think about something else. As simple as daytime.
He didn't dare opening his eyes, unwilling to "discuss" with Mister Show. Then he thought.
'If I explain mother I'm meeting a monster at night, she'll certainly go rampage on me. She did not understand.... Once more. Is it on purpose? Mother has been acting a lot lately. What was she talking about with Leton, have they always been this close to each other?'
He remembered their talk.
'It... died? I was supposed to have a relative? So... mother was pregnant ? It's Ned's fault. Ned killed it ! I hate him so much. I'll avenge my family one day, I swear it.'
He felt a coldness touching his hand on the floor, a chill ran down his spine. He retracted his hand and turned toward his mother, in a fetal position.
"Go away!"
He whispered with a gesture of his hand.
The coldness didn't let go of the hand, and went toward his elbow, shoulder, and near his head. He could smell a fetid stench, with the temperature dropping next to him. His eyelids pinched between his cheek and eyebrows. He heard a low growl and what seemed to be a word.
"Friends."
His breath stopped. He felt a sudden heat touching his legs. That was the usual signal sent by the sun, through the open window, meaning morning had come. He relaxed his face and saw the reddening of his close-eyed sight.
'Really? Morning already? I feel so tired and, time passed so quickly once more! It's as if I hadn't slept at all.'
Keith curled up, head touching the mattress and hands around his face to hide it from Mister Show. He opened his eyes and looked in front of him, he could clearly see the bedsheet.
'Alright. Daytime, he's gone.'
He stood up and inspected the wall. He could see a faint stain with a brownish tint. Nothing on the ground, no bits nor bones.
'Was I this hungry? I could've waited this morning, to take something in the living room, I should put some stuff in my pocket today too.'
In the living room, her mother was waiting on a chair with a grim face.
"Good morning."
"We can't water the field today because of the incident. I'm waiting for Leton today, go play outside, I have important matters to discuss."
"Okay."
Keith exited the house, he went to see his neighbours, Domi and Ublee. They were both good friends to play with. Other children wouldn't dare to adventure near the border of the village. He neared their house, walking around the rice paddy.
Sun wasn't high, but everyone wakes at its shine. Most of Kodra's population were farmers or merchants. Keith's head ached this day too.
'I must be sick, I'll ask their parents for medicine. There's nothing at home, plus Alma is an expert.'
Yotoh was on his field, dealing with weeds. If both kids weren't outside, it meant they were helping their mother inside the house. He saluted Yotoh and neared the door. It opened so suddenly he didn't get the time to back off.
Slam!
"Ublee! How many times have I told you to be careful?"
Domi picked up his sister and sat her on his shoulders, holding her legs.
"Keith! are you okay?"
Keith was on the ground, holding his forehead, he got a cut on his eyebrow, bleeding.
"Ow!"
Ublee saw the blood began to cry, hoping to not get scolded. Her mother pushed Domi aside to look after the wounded.
"Oh no!"
"Good morning Alma." Said Keith, one eye open and a slight smile on his face.
"Come inside! I'll stitch you. My little one is reckless. I'll punish her soon enough."
She answered, turning toward her daughter who stopped crying the same instant.
Alma was the village's doctor, she had a wide knowledge on flora and its medicinal virtues. She knew hot to sanitize wounds, sew them, band them. Her wisdom made her the chief of the house. She earned money, more than his husband. They could have more children at their care than most. A third one was coming soon.
She was staying home to not tire herself. Keith stared at her belly. Round shaped, the nostril about to pop out of its cavity, and purple marks alike thunder marked her hips and lower abdomen. Her skin was tense and thick.
'She must eat a lot, I'm pretty jealous. I can feel my stomach asking for more already.'
"You came here to play with them? You shouldn't move around too much with this."
Said Alma, pointing at his head.
"Yes, my mother is discussing wit the village chief today. I also have questions for you. I don't feel great those days."
"Tell us, what happened in the forest?"
"Ublee, don't ask personal matters. You both go play outside."
And so they obeyed their mother. Once they couldn't hear them, Keith spoke.
"I have very realistic dreams, I think I can see a nightmare even when I'm awake. It's very scary."
Alma nodded.
"Most of the time my head hurts, and I feel hungry."
"Typical!"
She exclaimed.
"I think you are overworking. Do you often go to the field with your mother? That's a lot of work for you two, with this much water... That's simply it. You don't have to worry, you are okay. Your head is overwhelmed by fatigue and because you don't get enough food, you get those aches. You can even have visions of something that is not happening."
Keith was somehow relieved. Mister Show wasn't much of an issue. Just a dream. He smiled and thanked Alma, got outside of the house and his smile disappeared right away.
'Then what about this bloody lizard?'
He played with his neighbours for a few hours before noon came. He was invited to share their meal and he stayed with them all day. He had a great appetite. The clay plate he was given was cleaner than before it was filled with a cheerful amount of vegetables and bird meat.
This meal was a gift to him, he never ate this much. Though there wasn't much taste in the plate it was colourful. Domi chuckled.
"You are used to pepper and spices already? My mom never go lightly with it, she says it reinforces the stomach. The spiciness doesn't seem to bother you."
Keith was pensive.
"That's not really spicy."
Yotoh laughed out loud.
"This kid can survive my wife's cooking without eating some daily! That's fantastic, take him as example!"
Keith focused on the food's taste. He could tell there was plenty of different herbs, spices. A lot of different odours entered his nose, it was almost overwhelming to distinguish them individually. He sneezed.
"Achoo!"
And snot flowed out of his nose.
"You're not invincible tough."
Said Yotoh. They were all amused and had a great time.
'I wish I was born in this family instead. I don't see Alma as a great cook, the taste seems almost bland, but the smell is powerful.'
After lunch Keith stayed with the mother and the two children. They were braiding baskets and hats with palmer leaves. He asked.
"How do you make a baby? I mean, how did it go into your belly?"
Alma was taken aback, Domi and Ublee were curious too, but they never dared to ask the question.
"Well... Well your mother didn't tell you? That's em.. her job to explain you this kind of-"
"Come on mom explain us!"
The kids really wanted an answer.
"Fine fine."
She tried her best at gesturing images.
"First you ask the father to insert you with his male stick, then father and mother shake a lot and later, maybe the baby will grow in you belly for nine moons, but you must eat a lot to have it healthy."
She looked at Keith while saying the last part, she knew his mother had lost a important mass on her belly recently. It was her job to observe the villagers.
Keith understood, somehow. But there were a lot of blanks in the explanation. He was only 6 after all.
'Damn, maybe I'm pregnant too. I'll bury this unforgivable Ned.'