Korveiz's POV
Death. Some people deserve it, others don't. Either way those left behind, innocent or not, have to suffer the punishment of remembrance. Remembering who they were, what they did, how they lived and how they will no longer live again.
I look down at the spotless tombstone at my feet and the beautiful woman that cried in front of it. My mother Kei.
The man she wept for, my father, was where he deserved to be. Several light years beneath the soil at her feet. Hell. Yet here she was, weeping. For a man who had cheated her, had lied to her for years.
I stood there, like I had this time every year for the last 75 years. Living for hundreds of years most certainly has its perks but this proves it has its downs.
At first, I tried to morn my father Balin Divanio. At least whenever I would think of the good times we had together. Then I would relive the memory of how my sister and I were there with my mother when my father hid a child that looked all to similar to him. Apparently the woman he had been having an affair with for the last decade or so had no idea we existed, his other family.
Rulina Collik, the other woman, had grown suspicious of my fathers whereabouts when he failed to attend work for several days. The reason? My mother had been depressed, saying he doesn't spend enough time at home. At the same time when he decided to stay to appease my mother, he was watching his other child who he had snuck into a nearby house we owned.
Rulina had followed him here and after seeing him with my mother, she had confronted him. He stuttered and denied even knowing her. Even when my sister and I came out and she saw the resemblance. She cursed him and demanded to know where her son was. That's when he brought out the young boy. At the sight of him my mother had fell and broke apart into tears, shaking her head saying 'this isn't real' again and again as if that would make it true.
My mother wanted to part with my father but she couldn't. Because we are Halluvian. A being that lives for the ecstasy that love brings be it emotional or tangible. We are gifted with long life which shows in our white hair, we have exceptional hearing of the mind, and the ability to partake in another's dreams. To leave him, the one she lives to love, would hurt her as much as it would him.
My fathers excuse was, he loved my mother but he also loved Rulina. He looked remorseful when he tried to explain that he to didn't understand how he felt. He explained that he couldn't let either woman go. This angered me beyond belief. He was no longer the man I had once loved and respected. He was a vicious man who had hurt what I was assuming was two innocent women.
Rulina did what my mother could not. She let go of my father. He tried to keep seeing her and my mother didn't stop him. We don't know if he was going crazy or if he just didn't care anymore. Rulina wanted nothing to do with him and did what I wish I could have done with my own two hands. She killed him.
Naturally the Halluvian government took her in and she suffered a needless punishment in my opinion. Her sentence was light due to my mothers plea. But we never spoke to her since.
Being what we are, a people who once we find that ecstasy of love with someone, we are bond to them in so many ways. Because of that my mother still suffers, because of that she can't move on.
It's this very feeling that makes me wish that I could pull him from the pits of hell just to kill him again and send him back.
"Stop it," said a weak voice pulling me from my thoughts.
"Sorry mother," I said. I was sorry. Sorry she had to hear my thoughts, not sorry that I had thought them.
"Forgive him," she said. "If only you knew this-this feeling, you'd know he deserves to be forgiven," she said turning to look up at me with her bright green eyes.
But I never would know this feeling. I don't want to be hurt like my mother was. Or worse, if by some slim chance my father really did love both woman, I don't want to make the same mistake he did.
"You won't," she said responding to my thoughts. I pretended I didn't hear her as I reached for her arm helping her up.
"Son," she said.
"Mother, not now. Especially not today," I said keeping my voice calm. She could see it in my face. Just forcing myself to come here at all was only because I didn't want her to go alone.
Okay, she thought. She gave the grave one last look before I pulled her gently away with me. The farther I am away from this place, the better.
***
"No," I said firmly.
"But why?," said the little boy standing by my side.
Because the last time I gave you ice cream before dinner you spilled it on the carpet and got caught, I thought to myself.
"Because your mother won't like it," I said out loud.
"That's not what you really think," he huffed as he stomped away to the living room.
Yes, we can read each others minds, but between halluvians in almost voluntary. Almost. Sometimes we'll hear what someone is thinking because it's just a natural thing we do without so much thought, but most times it's intentional. And in our house we don't just pry into each others thoughts, like he just did.
"Keilin," I said warningly as he left the room.
I finished making his sandwiches and walked into the living room to see him pouting on the long sofa.
"Keilin," I said calmly as I sat his food down in front of him.
"I know, I'm sorry," he said looking down. "Please don't tell my mother," he pleaded picking at the hem of his shirt. I smiled.
"If you eat this sandwich I won't," I said sliding the plate closer to him. His green eyes lit up in my direction as he quickly took a big bite of his sandwich.
"You're the best uncle in the world," he said through his food. I laugh at how he could easily be swayed.
I left and as I finished cleaning the kitchen, I heard the front door close. The sound of heels clicking their way in my direction helped me look up in time to see my sister as she walked into the room.
"Had fun?" I asked crossing my arms as I leaned on the fridge and watched her.
"Fun? Fun doesn't even scratch the surface Kor," she said sitting her purse down. "Next time come with me and see for yourself," she added.
"Really?" I say sarcastically. "Yeah, no thank you," I said and she raised an eyebrow.
"What? Is this about you not wanting to 'love' anyone Kor?" She said sighing.
"If you know then why are you asking?" I said rolling my eyes. She matched my pose and stared at me.
"Because you're punishing yourself and you don't have to. Enjoy this part of life," she said her voice softening.
"Punishing myself? Really Malier?" I said laughing a little.
"Yes, we can enjoy this feeling more than anyone else, that's what we are. So why fight it? Love doesn't have everything to do with it?" She said.
"I think it does," I said confused.
"I would know, right? Love can be separated from it. I enjoy the different aspects of it and you don't see me falling in love," she said but quietly her thoughts floated into the air.
Anymore.
"Mali, no I just don't want to go," I said. "It doesn't have anything to do we me not wanting to fall in love," I said to ease her mind. She looked at me for a minute and I made sure to think of something else just in case.
"How's Keilin?" She asked looking at the dishes I had just cleaned.
"He's fine. He should be quiet tonight," I said nodding my head to the living room where he was.
"Thanks for watching him for me," she said with a smile.
"Anytime," I said as I turned to leave before her thoughts could get any louder.
Mali had seen the dark side like our mother had. Only her view wasn't as dark. Mali met a man, Hamidyn about 50 years ago, 25 years after our father died. She was happy and she experienced what all halluvian experience when they fall in love. They lived a bright life. They got married and four years ago she gave birth to their son Keilin. Everything was looking up. But Hamidyn was a solider and that comes with a risk.
He died in the line of duty 3 years ago and when he did I saw my optimistic, bubbly sister fall into an abyss. A hole of sorrow and sadness. She couldn't even take care of Keilin. My mother and I helped with that. My mother knew better than anyone what Mali was going through and said we should give her space and time.
Months later she came around and after a talk she had with my mother she got a lot better. I don't know what they talked about but Mali seemed to have gotten some of her life back. She took Keilin back. She loved and cared for him with us helping here and there. Last year she even went to the human realm to help run one of our clubs.
She says that love can be separated from the ecstasy that it can bring. On one hand I want to believe her and see for myself but her thoughts always wander and think about Hamidyn. I'm always curious if she means it or if she's trying to convince herself.
I didn't entirely lie to her about why I don't want to go with her. Part of the reason is I don't want to fall in love but another reason is the human realm is much more chaotic. We can't separate their minds from ours as well and it makes us feel a little crowded inside if you can't control it well.
I go to my office and sit at my desk as I go through some of the papers from our clubs. Since we don't sleep, I occupy myself with work affairs during the night to pass by the time.