Max Hamby and the Onyx Eyes
Chapter 1
They sat with their backs against the stone crypt in the center of Hobart Cemetery. A warm summer breeze rustled the treetops in the Downs. Promises floated on the night air and beckoned the children to play in the darkness. Unafraid, they quietly talked amongst themselves and stared out over the now empty graves they had helped to fill long ago.
The raven haired girl with pale skin, scowled and sat with her arms crossed in front of her. A small boy, her mirror image, pulled weeds at his side. They were dressed in an era long since past. At one time they might have passed for average neighborhood children, but they were far from average now. They preferred the darkness and each other.
The young boy rested his head on a knee and sighed. The girl stared, intensely, into the inky blackness of the Downs; a silent dare on her lips.
“That battle was something, wasn't it?”asked the boy, ripping a large clump of grass and dirt from the earth. “Birdie, do you think they are like us?”
“No, Basil. They are not like us,” said Birdie, gritting her teeth. “No one is like us.”
She had watched the battle between the old man and the boys with growing curiosity. They were special. Their magic had rushed over her in a constant wave. It was so powerful. The need to feel it again was overwhelming. She wanted to be special, too.
“But, they can do magic just like us,” said Basil. “You saw what that boy did with the trees. I know you did.”
“Yes, I saw it, but,” Birdie paused and moved her hair away from her one gray eye. “It's just not the same.”
“No, it's not the same,” said a voice in the dark.
Basil jumped up with a start, but Birdie glared in the direction of the voice. It had a distinct familiarity. Her suspicions were confirmed when a tall, thin woman stepped out of the Downs and into the moonlight. She had the same raven hair and pale skin. Her cold gray eyes looked them over.
“Hello, Auntie Drusilla,” said Birdie. Her sarcasm did not go unnoticed.
“We thought you got blown up,” said Basil.
Drusilla's lips curved into a tight smile that did not reach her eyes. “Dear….sweet child,” she coughed. “I simply made it look that way.”
“Well, you sure look like you got blown up,” said Basil, studying her disheveled hair and tattered dress. “Did someone put you back together wrong?”
Drusilla looked down at herself and cleared her throat. “Yes, well,” she said. “I did not come to discuss my appearance.”
“I know. I know,” said Basil, excitedly. “You came to take us back to mother and father.” Birdie whipped around on her brother. One eye glared at him and the other flashed.
“Do not speak of them,” she growled. Basil put his hands up and cowered.
Drusilla clicked her teeth and put a hand on the young girl's shoulder. “You know I did all that I could with your… dear mother,” she sighed, pulling her hand away and wiping it on her dress. “It was common knowledge that my brother, your father, was never too bright.”
Birdie turned her glare on Drusilla. “Why are you here…..Auntie?”
Drusilla clasped her hands in front of her and pursed her lips. “I assumed with the recent events, that you children might need a guardian,” she said. “Someone to watch over you and keep you safe.”
Basil put his hands on his hips and scrunched up his face. “We don't need a guardian.”
“Nephew, that is where you are wrong. With eyes like that, you are sure to be noticed. How long do you think you can hide out here? Eventually, someone will come looking for you. It is not in your best interest to be alone.”
“We're doing just fine,” said Birdie.
“This…someone…is not very nice. Why don't you let me hold on to the eyes…for safe keeping,” said Drusilla. “We are family after all. You can trust me.”
Basil backed up and covered the side of his face. “No one is taking my eye,” he exclaimed.
Birdie's eye flashed at the older woman. Drusilla raised an eyebrow and held up her hands. “Alright, children. Calm yourselves,” she commanded. “Auntie would never do anything to hurt you.”
Not yet, thought Drusilla.
Basil removed his hand from his face and stepped behind his sister.
“What do you want?” asked Birdie.
“I have a proposition for you,” said Drusilla.
Birdie reached behind and grabbed her brother's hand. Drusilla shook her head and wagged a finger.
“There is no need for any of that,” she said. “Let's find a place to sit and I'll explain.”
Chapter 1
They sat with their backs against the stone crypt in the center of Hobart Cemetery. A warm summer breeze rustled the treetops in the Downs. Promises floated on the night air and beckoned the children to play in the darkness. Unafraid, they quietly talked amongst themselves and stared out over the now empty graves they had helped to fill long ago.
The raven haired girl with pale skin, scowled and sat with her arms crossed in front of her. A small boy, her mirror image, pulled weeds at his side. They were dressed in an era long since past. At one time they might have passed for average neighborhood children, but they were far from average now. They preferred the darkness and each other.
The young boy rested his head on a knee and sighed. The girl stared, intensely, into the inky blackness of the Downs; a silent dare on her lips.
“That battle was something, wasn't it?”asked the boy, ripping a large clump of grass and dirt from the earth. “Birdie, do you think they are like us?”
“No, Basil. They are not like us,” said Birdie, gritting her teeth. “No one is like us.”
She had watched the battle between the old man and the boys with growing curiosity. They were special. Their magic had rushed over her in a constant wave. It was so powerful. The need to feel it again was overwhelming. She wanted to be special, too.
“But, they can do magic just like us,” said Basil. “You saw what that boy did with the trees. I know you did.”
“Yes, I saw it, but,” Birdie paused and moved her hair away from her one gray eye. “It's just not the same.”
“No, it's not the same,” said a voice in the dark.
Basil jumped up with a start, but Birdie glared in the direction of the voice. It had a distinct familiarity. Her suspicions were confirmed when a tall, thin woman stepped out of the Downs and into the moonlight. She had the same raven hair and pale skin. Her cold gray eyes looked them over.
“Hello, Auntie Drusilla,” said Birdie. Her sarcasm did not go unnoticed.
“We thought you got blown up,” said Basil.
Drusilla's lips curved into a tight smile that did not reach her eyes. “Dear….sweet child,” she coughed. “I simply made it look that way.”
“Well, you sure look like you got blown up,” said Basil, studying her disheveled hair and tattered dress. “Did someone put you back together wrong?”
Drusilla looked down at herself and cleared her throat. “Yes, well,” she said. “I did not come to discuss my appearance.”
“I know. I know,” said Basil, excitedly. “You came to take us back to mother and father.” Birdie whipped around on her brother. One eye glared at him and the other flashed.
“Do not speak of them,” she growled. Basil put his hands up and cowered.
Drusilla clicked her teeth and put a hand on the young girl's shoulder. “You know I did all that I could with your… dear mother,” she sighed, pulling her hand away and wiping it on her dress. “It was common knowledge that my brother, your father, was never too bright.”
Birdie turned her glare on Drusilla. “Why are you here…..Auntie?”
Drusilla clasped her hands in front of her and pursed her lips. “I assumed with the recent events, that you children might need a guardian,” she said. “Someone to watch over you and keep you safe.”
Basil put his hands on his hips and scrunched up his face. “We don't need a guardian.”
“Nephew, that is where you are wrong. With eyes like that, you are sure to be noticed. How long do you think you can hide out here? Eventually, someone will come looking for you. It is not in your best interest to be alone.”
“We're doing just fine,” said Birdie.
“This…someone…is not very nice. Why don't you let me hold on to the eyes…for safe keeping,” said Drusilla. “We are family after all. You can trust me.”
Basil backed up and covered the side of his face. “No one is taking my eye,” he exclaimed.
Birdie's eye flashed at the older woman. Drusilla raised an eyebrow and held up her hands. “Alright, children. Calm yourselves,” she commanded. “Auntie would never do anything to hurt you.”
Not yet, thought Drusilla.
Basil removed his hand from his face and stepped behind his sister.
“What do you want?” asked Birdie.
“I have a proposition for you,” said Drusilla.
Birdie reached behind and grabbed her brother's hand. Drusilla shook her head and wagged a finger.
“There is no need for any of that,” she said. “Let's find a place to sit and I'll explain.”