The Mother

The rain never stopped at Greystone Orphanage. It fell in sheets, drenching the courtyard and turning the dirt paths into rivers of mud. Inside, the air smelled of damp stone and old wood, and the creaking of the floorboards was a constant reminder of how many years had passed since the building had been new.

Lily sat at her small window, her fingers tracing the cold glass. Her eyes followed the raindrops as they slid down, joining with others to form tiny rivers that streaked down the pane. The other children were downstairs, laughing and playing, but Lily didn't feel like joining them today.

She never really felt like joining them.

There was only one person who ever made her feel truly safe, truly seen. The Mother.

Lily's heart fluttered at the thought. She had been with her for as long as she could remember. She was always there, sitting on the windowsill or beside her bed, her presence comforting and soft.

"Are you hiding from the others, Lily?" The voice came from the corner of the room, gentle but firm.

Lily turned. The mother was standing in the shadows, her tiny figure barely visible in the dim light. She wore a faded green dress, her hair braided with a thin golden thread that shimmered even in the gloom. Her eyes, dark and knowing, fixed on Lily with an intensity that always made her heart skip a beat.

"I just don't feel like playing today," Lily murmured. "The others don't understand me."

The mother smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I understand you, Lily. I always have."

Lily felt a warmth spread through her chest at the words. The mother was her only friend, her only constant. Whenever Lily was sad or afraid, the mother would be there, offering comfort and safety. She could trust her. She had to.

"You know, Lily," the mother said softly, stepping closer to her, "there's more to the world than what you see here. More than just this life."

Lily frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

The Mother's smile deepened, her eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Life doesn't just end, Lily. It continues. We are all part of something bigger. Some of us, we come back."

"Come back?" Lily asked, her voice small and uncertain.

The mother sat down beside her, her tiny hands folding neatly in her lap. "Yes. We are reborn, Lily. It's called reincarnation. Our souls live again, in new bodies, with new lives. But we remember. We remember who we were and what we've done. All of it stays with us."

Lily's brow furrowed, her childlike innocence making it hard to grasp the weight of what the mother was saying. "So… we get to live again?"

The Mother's voice grew softer, more coaxing. "Yes, but not everyone does. Some souls get trapped, like me." She paused, her dark eyes focused on Lily's face. "That's why I need you, Lily. You have something special inside you. You can help me."

Lily blinked, her small hands clutching the edge of the window. "Help you? How?"

The Mother's smile curved just a little wider. "I've been waiting for a long time, Lily. Waiting for you to understand. You see, not all souls are free. Some need to be… released. I need you to help me with that. To help me finish what was started."

Lily's heart raced. "But what do you want me to do?"

The Mother's voice dropped to a whisper. "When the time comes, I will guide you. You just have to trust me, Lily. You have to do what I ask."

Lily didn't fully understand, but the warmth in the Mother's voice made it hard to question her. She had always been there, guiding her, protecting her. The thought of not doing what the mother asked made her uneasy, like something important would be lost.

"I trust you," Lily said softly, without a second thought.

The Mother's eyes glowed with satisfaction, and Lily felt a strange warmth spread through her chest. "Good, Lily. Good. You will be my light. And when the time comes, you will help me escape the trap of this world."

Lily smiled, though the words didn't completely make sense. All she knew was that the Mother had always been there for her, and now, the Mother needed her.

But as the days passed, a creeping feeling began to grow inside Lily. Something was off. The Mother's presence was always comforting, but now, it was heavier, more insistent. The whispers in the night no longer felt soothing. They were demands, promises of something dark, something big.

One night, the storm raged outside, and Lily lay in bed, her blanket pulled up to her chin as the wind howled. The others had already fallen asleep, their breathing slow and steady in the silence of the orphanage. But Lily couldn't sleep. Not tonight.

She sat up, her gaze drawn to the corner of the room where the shadows seemed darker than usual.

The mother was there, her small form almost hidden by the darkness. Only her eyes shone, two dark orbs watching Lily intently.

"I've been waiting for you, Lily," the Mother whispered.

Lily's breath caught in her throat. "Waiting for me?"

The mother stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with something unfamiliar. "You've always been mine, Lily. And soon, you'll be ready to come with me."

Lily's heart raced. "Where are we going?"

The mother smiled, but it wasn't the warm, comforting smile Lily had always known. It was something darker, something that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Home," she said softly, the word hanging in the air like a promise.

But the feeling in Lily's chest grew heavier. Something was wrong.

As the storm raged outside, Lily realized that the mother might not be the friend she thought she knew.