A Reason For Risk.

Elle’s POV

Hearing the footsteps approach our porch, I knew it was the same woman. Mara. I quickly dashed out, picked up a pan from the kitchen and stood by the doorway, waiting for her and whatever plans she may have.

As soon as she got in, I wasted no time.

“Who the hell are you and what do you want from me and my father?” I asked, raising the pan to the air.

She startled back, looking at me with confusion. 

“Ugh, Elle, I don’t understand. What are you doing with that?”

My grip tightened around the pan. “I just spoke with my father, and you can imagine my surprise when he told me that he doesn’t know who you are. He never told you to call me from school and he never sent you to pick me up from town. So care to explain that?”

She closed her eyes, her palm flying to her neck as she bent halfway, drawing out a sigh of relief. 

I looked around with slight wariness, trying to catch any game she was playing.

“My goodness, girl, you scared me.”

She pulled herself back up, waving her arms in front of me. “Oh now I understand what is going on.”

She sighed deeply. 

“I wanted to tell you about it in the car, but I couldn’t just bring myself to do it.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, squinting my brows at her.

“Oh child, your father… The sickness has deeply affected him. I’m glad he even remembers you, I was scared he would forget who you are.”

“I don’t understand. What are you trying to say?”

“Drop the pan, dear and follow me. Something has changed about the man you once knew.”

I didn’t drop the pan, but I followed right behind her up the stairs until we got to my father’s room. For someone who had just given me such shaky news, I was surprised when I saw that he had fallen asleep again. He didn’t even move when we got in.

“What is going on? He was awake just a moment ago.”

She starred in silence. In pity.

“Unfortunately, child, this is what has become of your father. He’s no longer himself.”

I creased my brows. 

“I don’t understand.”

She sighed deeply again. 

“The sickness has taken a serious toll on him. He’s deteriorated by each day and what you just experienced is one of the many side effects.”

“Side effects?”

She nodded. “Yes. He’s forgetting things now, Elle. He forgets a lot of things. Sometimes, even his name. That is why I said I’m surprised he remembers you.”

Her voice dropped.

“Your father must really love you, Elle. You must be ingrained in his memory for him to still remember.”

My heart sank, the pan dropping to the ground without control.

“No, you’re lying.”

“Well, I understand why you would say that, so why don’t we try a little experiment?”

She walked towards my father, gently rubbing her palm over him as if to wake him up. “Sebastian, wake up, it’s me. Mara. I’ve brought your daughter just as you instructed and she’s really happy to see you.”

 Slowly, he flicked his eyes open, turning them towards me. As soon as he set them on me, they widened.

Not in surprise like they had a minute ago but I awe, in pure joy.

“Elle, my darling. My darling daughter,” he called out, stretching his arms out to me. 

My mouth fell open as confusion that quickly turned to sadness washed through me. 

“What?” I whispered, staring at her.

“Come on, give your father a hug. I’m sure he really misses you. He must’ve been so excited to see you and that must have shaken him up to forget some details.”

My goodness. 

Now, I was the one shaken up. 

Staring at my father act like nothing but a shadow of himself— A man whom I grew up knowing as nothing but a symbol of strength and vibrance had turned into the grey shadow of himself, it twisted something in my chest.

As I laid gently beside him, wrapping my arms around him, I couldn’t help the tears that dropped down.

“Daddy,” I called out.

He helped me close, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

“Yes, baby, daddy misses you very much. How was your trip? I trust Mara treated you right?”

I nodded, trying hard to control my tears. 

“Yes, yes, she was perfect.”

“Good. I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, daddy.”

Mara excused herself out of the room and we remained in that position for a while longer. I was unwilling to let my father go until Mara returned, reminding me that I needed to sleep if not, things could go south again. 

I laid him to sleep myself before finally making my way out of the room. The two of us found ourselves in the kitchen, a heavy silence hanging above us.

“Would you care for some tea?” Mara asked in that calm, sweet voice of hers, already walking towards the kettle.

I nodded with nothing more to say. 

She handed me the cup and we settled at the table.

“Did this just get this bad so quickly or…?” I finally managed to ask.

She shook her head. “Not really. It has been happening for a while, he just refused to tell you about it. He also told me not to say a word to you. It was only when it started getting so bad that he begged me to call you back. He was sure things would go wrong so he wanted to spend time with you. At least, that was what he said in his sane state.”

“Hah. Sure things would go bad? Does that mean he’s giving up?”

She sighed deeply. “I don’t think he’s giving up, Elle but also, there’s really no improvement. Of course, it’s normal for him to be scared.”

Silence.

“And the stone… the one you talked about. Does he know about it?”

“Of course he does. I wanted to go in and get it for him. Or at least try because it is more like a mission impossible in itself. However, he suddenly got worse and I couldn’t. It was as if he knew and they didn’t want me to go in. He’s completely against that place.”

“But why?”

“Like I said, everyone refers to them as strange people. They don’t cause trouble but they also don’t relate with others and it's kind of difficult to trust people like that. We don’t really know what is beyond that wall so it is normal to be scared.”

“Yes, it is. But you know what is worse than fear, Mara?”

She shook her head.

“My father, being a shadow of himself. That is worse than fear for me.”

Silence.

“I will go in. I don’t care what sacred thing they’re hiding in there, I will go in and get the healing stone. My father must get himself back.”

She smiled. “Good.”