When life gives you lemons….hopefully you have some sugar around for making lemonade.
That is not how the saying goes, but when someone dies due to ill luck, you can not really make any lemonade. And for one such person, luck rolled him snake-eyes. Oh well, what else can you say. It is not like anyone cares about said person, since nobody really knows him. So there really is no need to care.
But, oh, when there is "sugar" around, what sweet lemonade that can be made.
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March 15 1979
In a surgically clean birthing ward, a new life came into the world, screaming like a banshee. After nine months of being in a womb, and then being subjected to the "cold" air of a hospital room, that is, after being squashed through a hole barely large enough for it, it is natural. The bright lights, the noise of all the people and machines, and all the other stimulus now subjected to this new being, is all too overwhelming. Of course a newborn baby would cry out to the world in pain. That is true even if that newborn was also housing the soul and memories of its previous life.
"Congratulations, your son is healthy." This was said by the nurse that was swaddling this infant in a blue blanket. "Here, let me give him to you…"
And with an exhausted smile, the new mother reached towards her new son, happily.
"Welcome to the world Robert Dresden," the new mother said. And then the happiness that was in her voice, sadness replaced it. "Your daddy would have loved to meet you. But, he's no longer with us. It's just going to be us two from now on." And with tears in her eyes, and the exhaustion of giving birth, she fell asleep with her son in her arms, cradling him from all harms of the world.
Both mother and son oblivious to all around them, in sleep…
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When Robert finally woke up and looked around, all he could see and hear were babies, as if he was in a nursery. In the air above him, plastic in the shapes of animals slowly spun above him, the colors all in pastels. And with these indications, this newborn baby realized something…
Fuck, I'm a baby?!?
Yes, this newborn baby was cognizant that he had just been born. And he knew and he remembered everything from his past life. All those years of life that he had once lived, all the information he knew, all the events he lived through, he remembered. And, yes too, all the people that he knew and cared for, he remembered. The memories of all the times he spent with friends and family alike brought this tyke to a realization of his knew situation, they were gone.
"Waaaaaaaaa," from his small mouth, came his cry. Tears of frustration poured down his face. Snot came out of his nose, like his emotions pouring out from him. And he did not care an iota. His lose of those he cared for, the lose of the life that was his, and every other thing just washed over his whole being.
Everything he cared for was taken away from him.
There was no logic causing this emotional outburst, it was just his emotions. Even if he could have controlled himself, he would not have done anyways. Why should he? Too him, everyone was dead. And he was alone.
"Are you hungry?" Came a saccharine sweet voice from the nurse that picked him up to cradle him. "Come now Robert, let me get you a bottle. You don't have to cry."
The nurse, ever so gently, smoothly, rocked him, as she walked to get a bottle of formula for her temporary ward. Ever so gently, she was attempting to comfort Robert in whatever ways she could. Unknown to her, though, that this young being cared not, in his old soul, for the things that we was doing for him.
The grief of his being prevented him from comprehending the good that the nurse was trying to give him. Even when the bottle was brought to his mouth, and then inserted, the cries of anguish refused to cease. When his body was being worn down from his exhalations of emotions, he still refused to calm down. For him, he did not care about anything but himself for the time being.
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For a doctor, there is no easy way to tell a parent that there is anything wrong with their child, especially one that had recently been born. What is harder to tell them that their child is physically healthy, in all the ways they can test. How hard it is to tell the new parent that there is something wrong with their child, and they have no idea what or why it is.
No comfort to give the parent that they can latch onto. No words of encouragement that everything will be alright. Not even that the child will not survive.
Robert by all accounts, was perfectly healthy, for a newborn baby. He responded to foreign stimuli. His eyes responded to lights. He reacted to sounds. He ate drank milk when it was given to him. But, showed no signs of trying to engage. Yes, he was able to grab, for whatever an infant can grab, and all other reflexes were working.
It was as if he was catatonic.
There was no explanation for any of this. And that baffled, and worried the doctors in the infancy ward.
And his poor mother, whose husband had died not long before, who had no family to comfort her. How can you explain to her what is wrong with her son? Should you be blunt and just rip the band-aid off? Or should you slowly let things be introduced? There is no good way for anyone to receive such a dreadful report on their child, let alone in this type of situation.
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Multiple days since Roberts birth had happened. And with the problems persisting with him, the doctors had not brought him back to his mother since his birth. After dragging their feet for a while, hoping something would change with him, the doctors finally revealed the problems facing him.
In tears, the new mother cried. Finding out that there is something wrong tore a hole in her already wounded heart. She had already lost the love of her life. And now, to find out that the one hope in her life, that had already started to heal said wound, was ill. Started to break her.
"LET ME SEE MY SON!!!!" The new mother cried out. "Please, let me see him. I don't care if there is anything wrong with him, he's mine. He is all I have left. Please…"
With a doctor and a nurse in the mothers room. Looking at each other, as if questioning, the doctor nodded to the nurse, indicating the bring Robert to his mother.
"Beth, I'm sorry I couldn't give you better news. But we were hoping that something would change with him. I wish I could give you something comfort in this time, but I'm sorry. There is nothing physically wrong with him. We just don't know." All this was said from the doctor, in as soothing of a tone as he could.
"Is there anyone that we can contact for you? Anybody that we can get for you for your own support?"
These questions had been asked before towards her. But everyone she knew lived so far away, that they were having trouble getting to her. Almost half a world away.
She had moved here with her husband not long before they found out that she was pregnant. And with the death of her husband, she had made no real friends. Nobody that she felt fully comfortable with, not enough for now.
"Just let me see my son, he's all I need. Please doctor…let me see Robert."
"He'll be here in a second. The nurse is bringing him right now. I will warn you, with how you are acting, I can not leave him here with you alone. I know you won't hurt him. But you are beside yourself right now."
In a short manner, Beth, the new mother, said "That's fine. As long as I can hold him."
A few minutes later, the nurse brought in Robert Dresden, Beth's son. Ever so slowly, she laid the young child in his mother's arms. With a mournful smile towards the mother, she slowly backed away let the two beings to themselves. Watching to make sure nothing adverse happened to the young child.
"Oh Robert, my precious child. I'm sorry for you. I'll do anything for you. I don't care if there is anything wrong, I will take care of you. You're all that matters to me. Just don't leave me. Please, for mommy, don't leave me. I can't take it if anything happens to you."
Tears slowly poured out of the young mother's face as she poured out all her love for her son. She was afraid, afraid for her son, afraid for herself, afraid of what might be. She was afraid for the both of them, that her love would not be enough.
Pulling Robert ever closer to herself, as if she was trying to bring him closer to her feelings. Bringing him ever closer to cover him from the world. Trying to protect him from world.
And for the first time since Robert broke down in the nursery, he looked at the being, realizing that someone else, like him, needed comfort. And, with all his effort, reached out and grabbed her hand, well finger. Pulling him out of his stupor, to comprehend, that though, those he had lost were now gone, there was someone here that needed him. Just as much as he needed someone else.
With all the effort a newborn can extract from their body, he smiled at his new mother. His old life was gone, and unreachable. But now, he had a new life to live, and new people to care for.
And like that, both mother and child smiled at each other. For as much as can be, in this type of situation, all was right in this world. And they would see it through, together.
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October 1984
"Robbie, get your butt down here right now." Beth bellowed to her son. She was not in the slightest bit mad at her son, but at times, uggh, he tuned out from the world.
She knew he was a strange child. There was nothing wrong with him, but still, what kid at age 5 would prefer to read books than go outside and play. And the books he read, he was already reading books much to old for his age. Reading The Silmarillion? She could not get through that book, and she loved Tolkein. Ok, well not all Tolkein, just The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Silmarillion was just a slog to get through.
And then there all the other books he read, Dune, Starship Troopers, Ringworld, and The Colour of Magic. Seriously, all those books that he read, and just lapped up, and then moved on to another. He was just too smart for his age.
She knew he was a genius for his age, but he never tried. His teachers never realized he was as smart as he was. It was like he new how much effort to put in to not put excess attention on him. A little over mediocre.
Her son pretended to act around others as if he was just like a normal child his age, even though she knew how smart he really was. God, it was just so frustrating. She wanted to brag about him to the other parents, but no, he was just so annoying. And she loved him for that.
A secret between mother and son.
"What'ca want?"
"Speak properly young man."
"But, maham (think Eric Cartman)."
"Don't try to trick me."
And with a pouty face, that only a young child's face can pull off, Robert looked at his mon.
"If you say so."
"You cheeky little brat." Saying that, Beth pinched both of his cheeks. "That's what you get for acting like that."
After finally getting released from his mother, Robert let show his true smile show. For only Beth, would Robert show his true colors. While a young man in body, he still had the soul of his over 40 year life.
"Alright, alright. What did you want, mom?"
"You have everything packed, young man?"
"Everything's a-okay. Readily to leave whenever you are."
"Good. You've said good-bye to everyone?"
"I haven't said bye to you yet."
"You stupid git. We're leaving together. So why would you say bye to met?"
"But you asked if I said bye to everyone. And, I haven't said bye to you yet"
"Argghh!!!!"
And with a laugh, Robert blew a raspberry towards his mother.
"Alright, we're leaving America, and going back to where I grew up."
"London, right?"
"Yes. We'll be living with my parents until I find a place for us. You'll just love England. It's such a beautiful place."
"Sure, sure…"
"You'll change your mind soon enough. And we'll get you to sound like a proper Englishman soon enough. Enough of your stupid American accent."
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Ok, end of chapter. Still planning out what I want to do with this story. I will try to do at least one chapter a week, but no promises, I work a lot of hours a week. This is just a hobby and nothing else.
MC will not act like a child. I'm putting someone around my age in this story, as a template. And I know I can't act like a child, and I'm sure most others wouldn't be able to either. He will starting learning magic early but will NOT learn occulmancy as a child.