CONTENT WARNING:
This content contains mature situations, violence,
and what some may consider gore and inappropriate for children.
Discretion is advised.
Chapter 11
The Maker
A new born baby. Her soft features radiate. Her fragile eyes are shut, resting heavily with a baby bonnet around her face. Her tiny fingers, blushed and warm, curled into her palms. The new mother, Ambroos lays in bed while she lovingly swaddles her daughter. With her husband Gerbin peacefully unconscious in bed beside her and her home without a single candle's flame she absorbs the intimacy of her sleeping world. Bathing in the ambiance of rainfall and strobes of lightning as it walks past her window from time to time. She is impulsive when the urge hits her to kiss her babies head. Ambroos doesn't wish to disturb the stillness in the room and elevates efforts in her small movements to peck her baby on the head quietly and slowly. Lingering over her head after to sniff the pureness. It is distinctively far from the odor Gerbin produces after he has worked all day in the fields or when he has come home from days of hunting. It is not like the odor of her clothes when they have been sullied with the prying of salty sweat nor is it like the smell of clothes that have dried from being washed. There are many scents in the world endless in delicious aroma and equally endless in putrid foulness. No, there is none greater a sensation than that of the essence that can be detected in the scent of innocence. Impossible to replicate. Devoid of toil. It is absent in their domain to be whittled with years of exhaustion carrying dreary unhappiness to the end of their day. No salt of the earth weighs on them. The notion is unfeasible to ever be drenched in the ocean of a broken heart. To be new to the world and know not of those pains. Ambroos knows there is no other smell like it in the world. It is purity.
"How long now" she wonders. How long before she can begin to feed herself? How long till she is able to crawl away from me? How much longer will my baby be a baby and the day comes when she speaks her first words that dawn a beginning of when she no longer needs me? Irrational, she knows, what a quizzical concept. She could as simply never be in such a quandary for since she can remember she was close with her mother even up to her last days. There are truly worse happenstances like those of her sister Geertrudia. She coils at the maddening thought. If her daughter was unable to be found there is no force of nature that could keep her from doing whatever it takes to find her. Her husband is able bodied now but she knows he has not seen what enablement she can be capable of. In previous years Gerbin had once fallen ill to the consumption of poisonous berries. She aided him back to health for weeks. Nurturing him as he vomited. Feeding him when he couldn't eat. Cleaning his bowel movements from his sheets. She was adamant about her consistent care sleeping at his bedside most nights. He knows her efforts are what saw his health return. He knows she would rather wither to a stalk of wheat before letting him die. She loves like she is growing an orchard with prolific trees. Unwavering with her attendance never allowing their strength to fade. She gardens with a labor of love to then patiently see in time what beauty flourishes. How she admires Geertrudia and Jacop's union. With such an example to look up to she mustn't be far off from loving in a way to keep it strong and healthy she hopes.
There is a sound of trudging feet and heavy heaving that joins the clatter of rain fall. The front door swings open. It cracks in meeting with the wall. The sound of wind and rain overwhelm the room.
Gerbin awakes and frantically leaves the bed in a terrible wildness. Quickly lighting a lantern. Victoria enters their home first leading the way with Geertrudia's arm draped over her and Bernardo's neck. Once inside Gerbin shuts the door whilst bombarding them with questions. His confused anger turns to worry and concern when he realizes the weight of the matter when he looks over Geertrudia's wound. They lay Geertrudia in the bed. She is soaked from the rain and her bleeding quickly changes the color of the white sheets. Ambroos gets up from the bed while cradling her daughter to pacify her from waking. Ambroos is launched into a grievous state.
"Geetrudia!" She wallows involuntarily, "What hath transpired?" raising the question to Victoria. "Who did this to my sister!?" Gerbin goes to her side to soothe and comfort her. Bernardo tells them about the monster in the village ending with a confused, "I don't know where it came from. I had never seen anything like it before in my life, except…" He stops and turns to Victoria. "...Except that glow." Victoria is sitting on the bed with Geertrudia. They are looking staring into each others eyes with Victoria's filled with remorse and shame and Geertrudia's burning with resentment. Their hands locked together.
She knows Geertrudia wants her to confess to them what the monster is. "What? What is it?" Ambroos presses. Geetrudia asks her, "Why did you do it? Why did you make it?"
"Why did I do it?" She remarks. She ponders all the while sniffling and catching her breath. Shedding unwanted tears she replies, "So that… so that I may have a child again. So I may be a mother again."
"What do you mean?" Ambroos inquires, "I don't understand."
Bernardo answers Ambroos, "My god, she made that monster. In the streets, it's destroying the town. It just killed Albertus. It is a giant. Made of both the darkness and rivers of light."
"Victoria?" Ambroos poses for her to explain sharply, "Do Bernardo's words ring true? Hath thou conceived such a child?"
"Tis, true. Be forewarned, the imagination may find no tether in my explaining that in the stead of a natural womb my monster found its rearing in the cold destruction of my natural science laboratory."
Victoria stands up to face Bernardo, Ambroos and Gerbin. "I fled in fear eight years ago to share the same notions of why I flee tonight just the same. By account of my eyes of the past and the present I know of this monster to be the first of its kind in that it is the ever progressing flow of carnage that is unable to be reasoned with. Unkillable, with wave after wave it will only heal no matter not even with the deadliest blow. Still it persists for it hath most long forgotten its connection to humanity. I am afraid to face such a monster. I am afraid… of a monster that murders... with a terrible inability to reason."
Victoria goes into explaining the demise of Susanna and Madelief and all who have perished thus far leading up to their arrival to the couple's home.
All the while the rain halts despite the electrical storm still bustling with activity. Regardless of the downpour it was not enough to put out the fires. Thudding steps in the quiet streets of the village. The monster's beacon like presence can be seen from a far as it makes a destination leading out of town. In the dark of the fields it is being watched. Staying low to the ground three pairs of eyes survey cautiously from a far as the monster flattens a path toward the windmill.
Augustus whispers, "Let us move." Yvonne and Zoe shoot up from the ground. Together with haste they nimbly make flight. Their noses are numb. Their breath is heavy. Though the mud has intruded their shoes they strive back to the village with a determination unhindered in spite of the autumn's ruthless elements.
Back inside Gerbin and Ambroos home, Gerbin is frustrated and proclaims, "Surely it can be killed."
Victoria replies to him, "It's lifespan can't be measured nor have I known death to come to those who share the same disease. There was one man I studied who had been alive as long as 5000 years. There was no fatal wound he could not recover from.".
All in the room are floored and momentary silence chokes them. Gerbin stomps his foot forward, "How? In what world are such things possible?"
Ambroos steps in front of her husband still cradling their child. Her capturing look puts him at pause. Beckoning him to be of some understanding. "Love, it is our world where all things can be made possible." Ambroos says to Gerbin. She continues, "I laid splayed open upon a bed where henceforth Victoria reared our child to the light of life. My thoughts were of goodbyes. I was confident in my death for there be none a return from feeling the autumn's stony draft kiss my innards." Gerbin's eyes swell up, "She staved off death to me. Now my love, have you ever known that to be possible? Lest, I am here. An impossible… possibility." with tears beginning to shoot down his cheeks he pulls Ambroos close kissing her head repeatedly.
"Despite my words," Ambroos says turning back to Victoria, "Tis quite a feat. I myself am struggling to comprehend how it is feasible. Be there some explanation?"
Victoria starts to tear the top layer of her dress into ribbons while she says, "I concocted a mix of blood, each cursed with the same disease. What resulted was an abominable change in the main constituents genetic characteristics. Though theoretical I hypothesize that these mutations are hereditary. In some cases it was also recessive." Victoria can see she has frustrated the men but Ambroos has a set conviction to follow along and she says, "Elaborate the meaning of recessive."
Victoria continues to wrap the ribbons of fabric around Geertrudia's wound as she responds, "Meaning, they only have a reaction where there are two copies where as some cases were dormant, others aught bear a single copy as enough to enable a reaction. To achieve my hypothesis I was lucky enough to encounter a hand-full of generations that are carriers... in my lifetime. This is how I was able to explore the underlying mechanics of their physiology and most importantly their disease. They all share closely similar traits." Victoria is interrupted by Bernardo, "There is no time for this flapping."
Gerbin asserts, "We should listen to Bernardo. Be it we are in danger? We mustn't squander time to act. Now surely it has a weakness."
Victoria ponders briefly, "Possibly. I fell witness to it be stopped momentarily when it was hit around it's neck." Victoria temporarily looks back to make eye contact with Bernardo to see that he looks to be brewing ideas. Victoria continues speaking, "But getting close enough would mean certain death. That is how Jacop and Albertus met their fates."
"What of fire?" Gerbin exclaims, "Nothing survives fire. If thus be made our weapon, we could out number it. Surely, that could work, yes?" Gerbin presents his idea putting his hunting mindset to work. Victoria considers his ideas before responding, "Fire does slow it down. We saw it buried in a mountain of flames. Still it only allowed us but a few short minutes to elude it. Please we must make haste. Gather a few items of food to carry-" She is cut off by the sound of the front door opening once more. Agustus, Yvonne and Zoe step inside.
"Children," Gerbin says relieved, "What hath transpired?" Yvonne comes forward, "We have taken all the children to the school. Along with what elders would come."
Victoria smiles at Yvonne, "You brilliant child."
Yvonne continues, "It was I, Zoe and Agustus who heeded your cries. Our mothers trusted your warning as well. They stayed behind to gather food and blankets thus we must seek refuge."
Zoe says, "We returned to help Gerbin and Ambroos get to the school.". Yvonne asks, "What do we do now?"
Bernardo answers quickly speaking over top Victoria's answer as he says, "We fight!" and she says,"We go west." Victoria gets up from Geertrudia's side again, "No... we go west. There is a town half a days travel. Staying still is not an option."
Agustus speaks up to affirm, "The monster. It presses on towards the wind mill. We saw it as we crossed the fields not but moments ago. Let us take our leave before its return."
Victoria is the only one of the adults who acknowledges Agustus and she is the only one to respond to him, "Brillaint child, you are most correct. Let us take our leave. Shortly after I have gathered supplies I will be joining the rest of you."
Bernardo aggressively inserts himself in front of Victoria,"This is your doing! You should stay and see its end! Obey me, you shall not flee." Victoria may hold fear within her in some part but not to the same commands beheld on dogs. Though she feels angered she is a calm stone skinned presence.
"Fear not, I will stay here with you. I will fight beside you." Bernardo claims as though that is of some reassurance.
"There is no glory to be found here-" Victoria barely gets a few words out as Bernardo grabs her by the shoulders and rattles her. She has ignited in Bernardo a hysterical rage. Like not being listened to caused an outburst during a time of great frustration for him.
"You will stay! You will kill the monster!" She punches him to the ground. It doesn't end there for her as she stands over him repeatedly punching Bernardo maneuvering around his safeguarding hands. She stops when he starts to cry. In between his whimpering he says, "On my mother's love… on my mother's love... I have to do everything I can. This is my… my home. My only home. I must defend it."
"Then you are a fool and you will perish at the monster's hands."
Bernardo continues as she steps off of him, "By my god I live in Rhode Heuvals. My home is Rhode Heuvals. I will die for Rhode Heuvals. Revenge for Susanna, and Madeleif... Benji! That is foolish? I care not then, They deserve retribution." Bernardo says. Gerbin retrieves clothes and while putting on trousers he says, "I will stay and fight."
Ambroos drops her head and steps over to Geertrudia. Victoria argues with Gerbin, "You mustn't!"
"It was not long ago she was with child! She is not able to make such a voyage." He exclaims gesturing to Ambroos. They continue to argue as Ambroos kneels down after looking over her sister. Now crying she presses her head against Geertrudia's listening to her struggling to breathe now.
She holds her baby up, "Geertrudia… her name is Geertrudia. We chose it today." Ambroos tells her older sister. She takes a look at her sister to see a faint smile as she learns her niece's name. Ambroos realizes she will soon lose her. She presses their foreheads together, "I love thee. There is a paradise in knowing sisterhood. I… I love thee." Ambroos soon contemplates that her husband will meet a similar fate. That notion is as devastating to her as the sky falling. What a shame for if there is no return of Gerbin then their daughter will have to grow up never knowing either of her parents. She thinks to herself, "For I will be a hollowed out woman and not even the ghost of me will come to rise. We will walk and with one hand I will hold her hand and the other will be resting on his gravestone. How will my beloved rest in death if I am crying over his grave forever."
Bernardo has since gotten up from the floor and continued in the conversation with Victoria and Gerbin. Victoria sees on his face he is crafting some kind of plan. He asks her in a quiet voice up close, "What if I drink the vial? The twin?"
"Then you risk dying." Victoria whispers back.
"Would it allow me the same strength?"
"There is no telling what it would do to you. You will not take it."
Ambroos walks up but her vision is narrowed to only Gerbin. She tells him, "I have lost my brothers, my nieces. Soon to be my sister. We will flee our home in refuge. I... will not... forfeit you. I will not submit all of my given love for a foolish gallant act. I will not allow you to die." She tells him, "What joy will come in watching our daughter grow up if it is only accompanied by the sadness of your absence. Food will be flavorless. You said that to me, remember? I will fall deaf to the beauty of music without you. How dare you not suspect that I love thee at the same or just as much. I never knew you to be a cruel man. Lest you fight, and perish, you will be void of a kind legacy as you will perform the cruelest act upon me. To take my heart with you to the grave." She sobs.
"Vi...Victoria… Vi...Vi...Victoria." Geertrudia almost inconceivable, calls out for Victoria. The room turns to Victoria and they all idle to watch her go to Geetrudia's bedside. The air is thick with turmoil that now is anticipated to worsen. With the oil lamp resting against the wall the room is a flames orange that stretches itself to reach the dark corners with its bouncing light. Ambroos can not contain herself and collapses into weeping. Victoria kneels down beside the bed and all in the room move in closer. Victoria gently holds Geertrudia's hand. With her chest weak and her face warm from concealing the dam of tears Victoria asks, "Yes Geertrudia? What is it?"
"Zum donnerwetter. Zum donnerwetter." She mutters which is Dutch for 'god dam you" she says it again faint, soft even but still the clearest she has said it, "Zum donnerwetter." As immediately as after the spoken word she quickly inhales and spits a mouth full of blood in Victoria's face. The room moans with dismayed surprise. When Victoria has wiped her eyes and is able to look up again Geertrudia is unmoving. Slumped slightly with her eyes lazily hanging open. Ambroos wails as the quiet of the room reinforces the passing of her sister.
Victoria's thoughts tare into her, "It is I. I am the wretched maker. It is the cruelty of my negligence. I have let my ego drown to the bottom of the ocean to see this woman take what resentment she had and get her last say. I have no hate to give. Only lament, regret and shame that I have made myself worthy of recompense."
With a thud and rushing feet the front door swings open. Victoria gets up to investigate. Her journal lays on the floor sprawled open face down. She drops to her knees, flipping over her journal. The vial… the twin, it's gone. Gerbin announces, "It's Bernardo. He has left us."
Victoria quakes and utters under her breath, "Bernardo... no."
THANK YOU FOR READING!
For updates and news about the Dread Legacies follow us on Instagram
http://www.instagram.com/the_dread_legacies
You can check out the playlist for The Dread Legacies to listen to the music that inspired the story on Spotify and Youtube.