Innocent Bystanders

Writers: Ang, Heather K
Date Posted: 20th January 2013

Characters: Obimi, Bomi
Description: The two children are caught in the crossfire.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 11, day 24 of Turn 6

There was a spot, at the top of the stairs, that Bomi often hid in
when her mother was on one of her rampages. It wasn't very big but
was enough for her and her brother to hide until the moment passed.
She never understood what happened to start it and it always varied as
to how long it would last. Since she didn't know, she settled as
comfortably as she could, her arms wrapped around her raised knees.

Obimi crouched next to his sister. His heart raced as he anticipated
the coming storm that was his mother's anger. Straining his ears,
he heard his father's voice come from the back of the house as he
came through the back door. Mother interrupted his father as she made
her own point which always seemed to be the right one.

"I don't like it, Obimi," she whispered and leaned her head on his
shoulder. She didn't want to listen and tried to her best to shut the
voices out but it wasn't working. At 6 turns, she didn't understand
why her parents were always yelling at each other. "Can't they just
get along?"

Obimi shook his head. He was a couple Turns older than his sister and
generally knew more about the world than she did but when it came to
their parents he was just as confused as she was. Still, that didn't
stop him from speculating. "Maybe they can. Maybe things have to change
first like Mummy is always saying."

"Maybe," Bomi whispered before she put her thumb in her mouth
for comfort. It was something she hid from her mother because it was
what babies did but at times like this, she couldn't help it. With a
soft pop when she pulled it out, she said, "But Mummy isn't always
right. Papa isn't stupid and he's always helping others when needed.
What's am ... amb ... amtion?"

Seeing his little sister's discomfort threw Obimi into protector mode. He
cared for his sister as any older brother would and when she was upset he
felt it was his job to make her not upset anymore. However, there was no
escaping their parents' fights. He listened for a moment to the words being
yelled between his mother and father before he ventured a guess to Bomi's
questions. "I think...I think it's something that makes you important. Mama
is always saying that people with ambition are important like the Steward or
a Mastercrafter. Maybe Dad should just be more like them."

Bomi turned wide eyes to her brother at the thought of their dad being
so important. "But ... then we'd never see him!" she nearly shouted,
unwilling to be parted from him that long. She loved her Papa as only
a naive little girl would. Unable to stand listening any longer, she
crawled out from the hiding hole and reached to pull him out. "Let's
go climbing. Don't wanna be here ..." If they were lucky, they could
get out before their mother turned their direction.

Obimi tugged on her arm to get her back in hiding with him. "Bo, no!
She'll see you and then she'll be mad at us too! If that happens the
noise will go on longer." Always the logical one, Obimi pleaded with his
little sister. His eyes pleaded for her to crawl back in while his ears
listened to the footsteps that were getting closer to them. Oh, why did
the one good hiding spot have to be so close to their parents' bedroom?
"They're coming. Get in, Bomi!"

Last updated on the February 2nd 2013

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Innocent Bystanders