A Gift

Yeah…I am not..a writer. In any way, shape or form. Not really. Though I make an attempt sometimes. & this was just demanding I try. So I did. It’s probably, & I’m sure the tense is broken somewhere because I’ve never had a good grasp on tenses at all. But I didn’t wanna just not share it. So. -tosses it at you all-

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Garret smiled at the pictures on the ground. Mommy and daddy would be so proud of him. He’d only had to fix the star two times and he’d gotten the pinetree done the first try! He’d overheard his parents discussing Alcor and his twin again. They talked about Alcor a lot sometimes. Some of what they said was strange, and the small boy, nearly six now, didn’t understand what they meant. But he knew they liked this demon. Why would they talk about him so much if they didn’t? Some of his teachers at school said that demons were nasty and scary. But if mommy and daddy like him, he had to be a nice demon! At least, the five year old boy thought so. And what he’d heard had made him sad. Alcor’s twin had gone away. Like Garret’s gramma had gone away.

The boy stood up, careful not to smudge any of his lines. That was important, he knew. He took the book he was borrowing from his parents down off his bed, setting it on the floor between him and his slightly wiggly circle. He frowned hard at the words he knew he had to say. They were long. But he had a job to do. Garret took a big breath and started to work out the words.

“Stella splenti..splendida, tea invoch…invoco. Tea innvoco out fakias volumtatem me am. Diko nomen tum:Alcor!” He smiled, he’d read it! Those were long words. He looked around his bedroom, from the circle he’d drawn as best he could on the floor, a small plastic jack-o-lantern of left over candy in the center as a gift. His parents called it something else once, but he couldn’t remember the word, and when he’d asked, they’d called it a gift. He had used some of the little candles his mommy never used but kept around the house everywhere. It had been tricky to light them, lighters were hard to use, and his fingers were sore now, but he’d managed. He purposely ignored the bit of wax he’d dripped trying to use the first candle to like the others. Everything was exactly like the circles his mommy and daddy used, he knew it. He’d done a good job. Suddenly a sharp crack sounded and he jumped eyes wide in surprise. There was a guy in his circle!

Without taking a moment to even realize the demon wasn’t happy looking, Garret grabbed the item left on his bed and rushed the circle. His arms wrapped tightly around the only part of guy he could reach, considering Alcor was floating nearly about his head, this left only his feet in reach. Garret said what everyone had told his mommy and addy when gramma had died.

“I’m sorry. For your loss. My gramma went away and I was sad. My mommy says that she’s not really gone though. She will always be with me. So you’re twin isn’t gone. Do you have anything of hers? My gramma gave me this.” He pulled back just enough to proudly show the demon what he meant. In his hands was a bracelet, made of cord, with several charms woven throughout. “Gramma made it for me a loooooong time ago. She had one too, but she kept it. I miss her a lot, but I know a twin is even bigger a deal then a gramma. I have other grammas but no twins. So I decided you can have this. My gramma wouldn’t mind. I don’t think. I have pictures of her too.” As he’d talked, Alcor had begun to drift downward, until his feet were solidly on the ground and the boy could wrap his arms around the demon’s middle. Suddenly, Alcor dropped to his knees, wrapping the boy in his arm and holding him tight. Garret gladly hugged him back. He knew Alcor was sad, the soft sobs the demon was giving were his biggest hint.

“If you want, I think I can get some ice cream. Mommy had to go to a meeting, but daddy is home and I think he’ll get me some if I ask.” Enthuesed by this plan, the boy gave Alcor a squeeze before slipping out of his arms. “Stay right there. I’ll be right back!” He set the bracelet down gently on the ground then rushed out of the room, shouting for his daddy as he went. When he returned, about five minutes had passed, and Alcor was still there, looking at the bracelet. Garret grinned wide. “Look! I got strababby ice cream!” He proudly showed the demon the bowl of pink ice cream. “I got an extra spoon too, when daddy wasn’t looking, so we can share.” He sat down next to the frozen Alcor, tugging his pant leg until the demon sat as well. He talked and talked.

Garret talked about his friends, and his family, and the funny little man who liked pixie sticks in their garden. He told the silent Alcor about the various creatures and people in his life. And tried to give Alcor a bite of ice cream after each of his own. He talked until the small candles he’d used burnt out. He talked until the ice cream was gone. He talked until his daddy’s voice came from down the hall of his room, calling him out for one reason or another. He stood up then, Alcor’s eyes followed him now. With a smile, Garret gave him another tight hug, which was easily reciprocated. “I’m sure your twin is looking out for you Mr. Alcor. Just like my gramma is looking out for me.”

His daddy’s voice called again, pulling Garret from the room. When he returned once more, the demon Alcor was gone. As was the bracelet his gramma had given him when he was four. Instead, next to the empty bowl, there was a small puppet, made in the image of Alcor, and a small note.

My sister did leave me some things. This is a puppet she made me a long time ago. Take good care of it for me. Thank-you, Garret.

~Alcor

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PS: I debated adding a bit, where Alcor gives the parents a heads up for what their son did…but I dunno. He’s a bit grief addled. I’m on the fence about how much energy he’d put into something like that in this state. 

PPS: Garret’s parents are part of a cult of Alcor. Though a smaller sect, & they’ve never used any sentient creatures as a sacrifice. Though they take part in activities, they’ve only asked for one thing in the several years since they’ve joined. & that was to heal Garret of a fairly severe case of clubfoot, to prevent pain as he grew up.