It was storming the night Ing's mother died. The trees were whipping against each other, and the rain collapsed to the ground like many exhausted parachuters [Is this a word? This should be a word. If this isn't a word, I am sorry, okay? Okay.]. Ingrid sat on her father's lap, wrapped in his arms, and stared at the lightning bolts until she saw stars.
Cabel was staring at a piece of colorful paper, and Ingrid said, "Duck."
"That's right," he told her. But it suddenly brought to mind the game he'd heard the other worlder's talking about, Duck Duck Goose. [Okay, I keep interrupting with commentary, but yeah right, Self. Why would soldiers be taking about Duck Duck Goose??] He couldn't help but think that Lucy should be shown as the goose. After all, she was the one they would chase. Of course, he didn't know.
He didn't know that today his worst case scenario was actually true. She wasn't coming back. She was indeed being chased by a bunch of green coats and golden buttons.
How many medals would her killer be wearing when she sank into the Lake? Three? Eighteen? Seven? Ten, he decided. Ten was a decent number. Ten seemed like enough to get away with murder.
He bounced Ingrid on his knee gently. He imagined what he'd tell her if Lucy didn't come back tonight. "Ingrid, your mother's went into the lake." "Ingrid, your mother's never coming back." "Ingrid, please don't follow in your mother's footsteps." "Ingrid, your mother is dead. Time for bed." "Ingrid, it's only a half life for Papa now." "Ingrid, could you go on without us both?" "Ingrid, I love you, but daddy's very tired." "Ingrid, I'm not going anywhere. You need me, and I am here. And I love you to the other side of the enchanted forest and back."
Yes, that seemed about right. The little girl in his lap had fallen asleep, her strawberry blonde hair sticking up like a sun-kissed hurricane.
Oh Ingrid, Cabel thought, I'm not sure what I'll do if you turn out to be as wild as your hair.
Notes: I really don't appreciate this one very much, but it's a drabble so it doesn't have to be perfect. That's kinda the point, right?
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