The Evolution of Alice
Page 20
“Kathy, is that you? Are you awake?” Alice said.
“I can’t sleep,” she said.
Alice walked over to Kathy and Jayne’s mattress, which rested in the middle of the bedroom. She sat down at Kathy’s side and wiped some tears away from her cheek. Jayne groaned and rolled over on her side. She never had much trouble sleeping, that one. Not so long as there was a warm body for her to cuddle against.
“What’s wrong, darling?” Alice said.
Kathy hesitated only for a moment. She took her mother’s hand.
“Are you afraid of dying?” Kathy said.
Alice squeezed her hand.
“Sure I am. Of course I am, sometimes,” Alice said.
Kathy looked away from her mother, to the bedroom walls. The colours were still moving across her walls like flames. They were dimmer now, though. They weren’t as vibrant as they were even a few minutes ago. The sun would be gone soon.
“Am I going to die?’ Kathy said.
Alice sighed. She squeezed Kathy’s hand even tighter.
“One day you’ll die. One day everybody on this earth will die,” Alice said.
Kathy cried some more. Alice wiped away more tears.
“Why?” Kathy said.
“I don’t know, honey,” Alice said. “I don’t know the answer to that. It’s just the way things are. At least we’re all in the same boat. I feel good about that sometimes.”
The room had grown much darker by now. The red and yellow and orange had been painted over by grey and black.
“Do you think you can sleep? Do you want me to stay?” Alice said.
Kathy pulled at her mother’s hand. Alice lay down beside her. She took Kathy into her arms and covered her like a blanket. Kathy opened her eyes and closed her eyes and saw the same thing either way.
“Mommy, will I wake up tomorrow?” Kathy said.
“Yes,” Alice said. “That’s one thing I know for sure.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Throughout the process of writing The Evolution of Alice, many people have helped me, inspired me, and supported me.
Warren Cariou was there right from the beginning, when Alice was just one short story. Warren has been much more than an editor to me. He’s been a friend, a mentor, a sounding board, and a fan. I’m a better writer because of him.
Penny Thomas’s incredible and haunting stories served as inspiration for some of the (perhaps) supernatural events in the novel. And whenever I asked if she had more ghost stories, she usually did.
My wife, Jill, gave me time to work on this novel. She’s my best friend and greatest supporter. And my children have always inspired me to create a better world through my writing.
Cam, Mike, and Dad have provided lifelong support, but it was my mom’s unwavering belief in me that often kept me believing in myself. I still remember, at eight, telling her that I was going to write a book one day; she never told me otherwise.
My publisher, Highwater Press, always supports my work and is like a second family to me.
Thanks also to the Manitoba Arts Council for their support.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the First Nations community that served as the inspiration for this novel. It is a place of beauty, where one person is tied to another, one family is tied to another, and they celebrate together and they grieve together, and I wish we were all like that, because nothing should ever happen in a vacuum. Not writing or anything else.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Alexander Robertson is the creator of several graphic novels, including his newest series, Tales from Big Spirit, as well as the bestselling 7 Generations series. He was a contributor to the anthology Manitowapow: Aboriginal Writings from the Land of Water (2012) and is co-creator and writer for the upcoming television series The Reckoner. David lives in Winnipeg with his family, where he works in the field of indigenous education.