The Pariah Child- Sarafina's Return

by Natasha D Lane

  Sarah jumped in her seat just as the bell rang. She gasped, taking in air, coming back from wherever she had been. The blue was gone and she was left with the lifeless colors of her classroom.

  She peered around, expecting all eyes to be on her.

  Instead, her peers were chatting loudly with the school bell as they left the room. She turned her attention to the front. Mr. Greensburg was gone, as well as his lists of equations. Instead, Ms. Carr stood at the chalkboard, eraser in hand, removing the lines of a sonnet.

  Where had Mr. Greensburg gone?

  Sarah stared down at her notebook. The pages were full from the day’s subjects but she couldn’t even remember Mr. Greensburg leaving. Her stomach churned.

  “Sarafina, are you alright?” Ms. Carr was now standing by Sarah’s desk, her almond brown hair tucked into a perfectly round bun. Her lips thinned as her eyes roamed over Sarah.

  “You look pale as a ghost.”

  Sarah shook her head and tried to smile. “I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, ma’am. The fresh air from my walk home will help me,” she replied. “Have a nice day.” Sarah got up to leave, though her body now seemed ignorant to the action, and she fell back into her seat.

  Ms. Carr smiled and stood faithfully by Sarah’s desk.

  “Is there something wrong, ma’am?”

  Ms. Carr shook her head. “No, not at all. The opposite actually.”

  She walked around the desk and took the seat beside Sarah. “I want to talk to you about something, Sarafina.”

  “Uh…okay.” Sarah backed into her seat. “Have I done something wrong?”

  “What? Oh, no, not at all.” Ms. Carr smiled. “I want to ask you a question, actually. Have you considered further schooling?”

  Sarah frowned. “My family wouldn’t have enough to send me to college, even if I were a boy.”

  “College is expensive but there are ways around it,” said Ms. Carr.

  “I’m not sure if—”

  “You are smart enough, Sarafina,” she corrected. “The smartest in this school, exceeding your peers in all grade levels.”

  Sarah gawked. Blinking, she leaned closer to her teacher, trying to ensure she had heard her right.

  “Really?”

  The smile on Ms. Carr’s face grew to her ears. “Yes, which is why I think you should be the first young woman from our small school to attend college. You don’t want to spend all your life here, do you?”

  Sarah pulled her hair over her shoulder. She played with the end of her braid, not really looking at Ms. Carr but past her.

  What would it be like if I could leave here? If I could go somewhere where no one knew anything about the crazy, poor girl named Sarah? The Devil Child…

  An image of her mother flashed in her mind. Suddenly, the idea of leaving seemed like the only option.

  “Just imagine New York, Sarafina. Some of the tallest buildings in the world. The brightest lights.” Ms. Carr sighed and sloped back in her chair, her eyes beaming.

  Sarah watched her curiously. Flashes of emotions darted across Ms. Carr’s face.

  “Where have you traveled, Ms. Carr?” Sarah moved forward in her seat, tapping her fingers on her knees.

  The woman grinned. She sat forward as well, and placed her face in her hand.

  “I saved up enough to spend one summer in England. It was wonderful.”

  “England! What was it like? Do you still have friends there?’

  She nodded. “I miss it very much. It’s like once you get a taste of the world, you can’t help but wish for more.”

  “Well, why did you return then?” Sarah clamped a hand over her mouth. She sat back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sass.”

  Ms. Carr shrunk in her seat and looked up at Sarah. “It is a valid question, especially since I’m encouraging you to depart, as well.”

  “Still, I shouldn’t have—”

  “I’m not really sure why I came back, Sarafina. One day I had this sudden urge to return. Have you ever had that feeling?” she asked. “A sudden desire to return to something familiar.”

  Sarah thought of Lyrica. “Very much lately.”

  “The funny thing is once you return, you want to go back to the place you had been before.”

  “You can never have both?” Sarah asked.

  “Doesn’t seem like it.” Ms. Carr tapped her chin. “But, you know, if there’s anyone smart enough to figure it out, it’s you, Sarafina.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Carr.” Sarah didn’t want to smile yet she found her lips curving up. She didn’t receive compliments often.

  “No need to thank me. It’s a fact, not baseless praise. Will you think about what I told you?”

  Sarah nodded.

  “I’m glad. I will see you tomorrow for last period?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Good.”

  Sarah gave Ms. Carr a quick smile, before grabbing her things and leaving the school house. She walked toward the path home when the wind picked up. The books she held tumbled from her hands. Sarah bent down to gather them but froze with her hand on the spine of her English text.

  What are you doing here?

  He stood on the other side of the road, a casual look on his face, his eyes focused on Sarah. Her heart shook and she wanted to kill the bit of joy she felt from seeing him. But she couldn’t and her eyes were locked on him as his were on her.

  Then, he smiled. Sarah shook herself, before closing her eyes. She had to be hallucinating. The visions and sounds were from her head injury. That was all.

  When she opened her eyes once more, Jacob was gone. The road across from her was empty.

  Chapter 4

  “Where are you, you little snake?” Sarah’s eyes were narrowed, her brow slanted, and her lips sore from chewing on them. She had brought a book for company but found she couldn’t pretend to read. Her eyes were glued to the road, waiting for Jacob to return.

  A week had passed since her sighting of him. She had stayed late each day, waiting for him to appear again with nothing to show for her efforts. Now, perched out front on the school steps, she was spending her Saturday doing the same thing.

  Sarah rubbed the book’s spine. “Am I wasting my time here?”

  The spring sun cast the trees’ long shadows down the dirt road, and the wooden steps were warm beneath Sarah. Leaning forward, she peered into the trees, hoping to see him hiding among their shadows.

  There was laughter. Sarah shot from her seat.

  Rustling came from the woods across the road. Sarah moved down one step. She imagined her hair standing up on her head like a cat with its claws out. The rustling grew louder. She took another step down, ready to chase Jacob if he ran.

  She could see a figure, the sun moving their shadow alongside the trees.

  “Tom, come on!” said one voice.

  “My grandmother moves faster than you,” said another.

  “I’m coming. I’m coming.”

  Sarah plopped back in her seat just as Thomas and three other town boys broke through the woods and started down the road. Each boy dusted himself off when he emerged into sight. Thomas brought up the rear.

  They laughed and pushed each other around until they caught sight of Sarah.

  She snatched her book and flipped to a random page, keeping her head down but her eyes up. The boys spent a few seconds eyeing her, before continuing their march up the road. There was no friendly greeting, verbal or otherwise. It was almost like she wasn’t there. Like these boys hadn’t known her since they were toddlers.

  When Thomas looked in her direction, Sarah turned her eyes downward and prayed.

  “Hey, there, Sarah!”

  She looked up. Thomas had the biggest smile on his face as he waved his hand wildly.

  Blood rushed to Sarah’s cheeks. “H-hi, Thomas.”

  His friends glanced back at him and walked a little faster.

  “How are you this afternoon?”
He stuck his hands in his pocket and strolled.

  “I’m fine.” She chuckled. “Just doing some reading for English. And you? Enjoying the spring weather?”

  He nodded. “A lot of bugs. Otherwise it’s good. I’ll see you in school?”

  “Yup. See ya then, Thomas.” Sarah waved, wondering if she looked like a grinning idiot.

  He gave her another wave before catching up with his friends.

  Sarah watched them until they had vanished around a bend. Then, she fell back onto the school porch, sprawling out. She released the breath she had been holding. It was like someone had put a rope around her heart and wouldn’t stop pulling until the boys were gone.

  Stretching her legs out, she could feel the sun touch her skin. Tingles of warmth wrapped around her legs and moved up her body. She breathed and let the feeling move over her.

  The sun was as warm as it had been on Lyrica. Its rays were like individual spotlights, shining down on each person, giving them their own little bit of comfort. But Sarah was greedy. She wanted it all. She wanted to feel all the heat, all the light, and forget about all the times she had only felt darkness.

  An intense heat spread over Sarah’s hands. She opened her eyes only to see small flames dancing in her palms.

  “Crap!”

  She blew on her hands and smashed her palms on the porch, extinguishing the flames.

  Sarah looked all around her, her neck cracking with the force of each movement.

  But there was no one. She was alone.

  She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. “Control, Sarah,” she said. “Control.”

  She took a long breath before staring across the road. Everything was quiet. There was only an emptiness in front of her.

  “I’m not wasting any more time on you, Jacob.” Sarah grabbed her book and walked down the stairs to the road.

  The dirt road was a longer distance to home. But the longer she took to get home, the more time she could spend away from her mother. The tension hadn’t eased between them over the last few days. She could see through her mother’s forced kindness.

  Sarah hummed while she walked, kicking at stray rocks. Though Lucille preferred Sarah’s hair braided, the young woman had left the house with her tresses out in all their red, curly glory.

  Moving along the road, Sarah’s hair bounced around her. She pictured Thomas walking at her side. He was taller than her and his hair much more tamed. He would smile down at Sarah, his green eyes so beautiful they made her mouth go dry. Then, he’d grab her hand and they’d talk about everything. It’d be just like before he got better, when she had been tutoring him despite his being a grade above her. Thomas was…

  A chill crawled up her spine.

  “Sarah?”

  Thomas was…

  “Sarah!”

  A hand touched her shoulder.

  “Jacob?” Sarah glanced behind her.

  There was no one there.

  Suddenly, she stumbled off the road and down the bank into the trees. She got to her knees just as a truck sped by, nearly knocking her down again.

  Sarah remained crouched by the side of the road, taking in several breaths. She hadn’t seen the truck, hadn’t heard it, but it had been close enough to touch her.

  “Maybe Mama’s right. My daydreaming is going to kill me.”

  She stood up, then peered down the road. It was as empty as it had been when she left the schoolhouse.

  Reaching a hand back, she touched her shoulder. Someone had stood behind her. Someone had pushed her off the road.

  Jacob.

  Sarah squeezed her shoulder and looked skyward, then turned away from the road and headed into the woods.

  “The road may take longer,” she said, “but apparently the woods are safer.”

  Dusting her dress off, Sarah started her way home in the opposite direction. She peered up at the woods around her, then down at her shadow. She turned her head from side-to-side and stuck out her left arm, moving it around and watching her shadow reflect each action. She did the same with her right arm and legs.

  “You’re much taller, Sarah,” she said, examining her frame with a small grin. “Much taller than you were two years ago. I wonder if Alex would even recognize me?”

  Sarah ran her fingers over the top of her head. She imagined they were Alex’s fingers ruffling her hair like he always did. Serwa would snap at him, tell him to stop coddling her. Then, after a short spat between the two, they’d all cuddle up by the campfire and sleep.

  Here heart warmed.

  Wherever you two are, I hope you’re happy.

  Footsteps crunched on sticks behind her.

  Sarah spun around and planted her feet firmly into the ground. Her eyes shifted around the forest, but she saw no one.

  “They’re coming. They’re coming!” a voice murmured frantically.

  “Hide!”

  “Run. Run, now.”

  There were voices all around her, yet Sarah was alone. A gust of wind blew in and the leaves rustled like they were trying to speak with her.

  “Shh, shh, quiet.”

  “Don’t let them hear.”

  “Axel, no!”

  The wind blew, picking up fallen leaves and blowing them in spirals that danced on the forest floor. In the spiral a light green mist formed that danced around itself, taking shape.

  The breeze came to a halt, the mist faded, and the leaves fell. In their place stood a little boy. He was no more than three feet tall with scrawny shoulders and a short haircut. And he was translucent.

  Sarah looked him up and down, opening and closing her eyes. She was sure all the color had drained from her face and if she looked down, she’d find it all in a puddle at her feet.

  But as much as she was staring at the boy, he hadn’t even glanced at her. While Sarah looked at him from the south, he was gazing west. His shoulders were rising and falling at a quick pace. With every inhalation, his stomach sunk and his ribs protruded.

  Then, he ran.

  He darted right past Sarah and deeper into the woods. Without thinking, she followed and struggled to keep up. The boy was fast. Almost as if he were walking on air.

  He was panting in front of her, his body shuddering with every breath.

  Sarah waved her hands and screamed behind him. “Hey! W-wait, why are you running? I…I can help you. Just stop—"

  Suddenly, he stopped running. He glanced from left to right. Finally, he turned forward, keeping his eyes low. His body quivered like a baby bird who had fallen from the nest.

  The boy leapt and turned his eyes upward. Tears fell down his cheeks and he clutched at whatever was behind him.

  The same mist that had created the boy formed again. Strands twisted and turned around each other repeatedly until a man stood in front of the child.

  He was dressed in bright silver armor with a carved, painted symbol on his back. The symbol was in the shape of two cupped hands holding a flame. On either hand there was a bright blue arrow pointing up.

  The man was about six feet tall with shoulder length brown hair, but that was all Sarah could see.

  He took one step toward the boy, who cringed and sunk to the ground. Then, he raised his hand and a dagger formed.

  “No!” Sarah screamed. She lunged toward them.

  He brought the dagger down and they faded into nothing.

  Tremors ran through Sarah’s own body now. She reached for the earth around her, searching for a trail of the boy and man, any sign of where they’d gone.

  And then there was a torrent of screams.

  Sarah fell to the ground, clutching at her ears.

  Translucent children formed all around her. They ran in every direction with armored men chasing behind them. And the more children appeared, the more the screaming in her head grew louder.

  “Stop, stop, stop,” Sarah whispered. “Please. I can’t.”

  “Why won’t it work?”

  “What?”

  “Why won
’t it work? Stupid spellbook. Open!”

  The screams became a hollow dinging in her head with only one voice breaking through.

  “I did everything they said. Everything!”

  Sarah opened her eyes. There was a girl kneeling on the ground, no more than a yard away from her. She had puffy hair in tight curls with dark tan skin, and she wore a long purple dress. She was holding something in her hand and banging it against the ground.

  “You stupid thing. Work, work now.”

  A door creaked.

  The girl froze.

  “No,” she whispered and then she vanished.

  Chapter 5

  Sarah wasn’t certain how long she had been awake. She woke up around midnight and had been falling in and out of sleep ever since. Every time her mind relaxed and her body eased into a slumber, the horrified face of the little boy appeared.

  His eyes wide in fear, his shoulders small and shaking, his lungs gasping for air, while his ribs pushed at his skin…who was he and what had happened to him?

  Sarah wiped the sweat from her brow. She had heard her mother get up for breakfast hours ago, yet Lucille hadn’t barged into her room to wake her. It was a weekend but there was always work to be done on the farm and assistance need in the house upkeep. Sleeping in was not a privilege farm girls received.

  Still, Sarah was going to take advantage of it while she could.

  She tucked her blanket close around her and grasped the necklace she wore. Hanging from its chain was the jewel Alex had given her as a farewell gift, as well as Nettle’s tiny sword. She hummed and rubbed her fingers over their edges, pulling her knees to her chest.

  Muffled voices traveled up the stairs. Her father had left for the day, and her mother hadn’t told her to expect any company.

  Sarah scooted out of bed and made her way down the stairs. Paul and Lucille both sat at the kitchen table, surrounded by empty plates with smiles on their faces.

  “Daddy?”

  Paul turned in his chair and smiled at his daughter.

  “Hey, there. Glad to see you’re finally up.”

  “I…uh, I’m sorry,” she stumbled. “I’ll finish my chores. I wasn’t feeling well.”