Those Fantastic Lives by Bradley Sides

Author:Bradley Sides
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: City of Light Publishing
Published: 2021-08-23T18:38:11+00:00

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From Hiemslandia

Miki was twirling atop an ice cube when Vida first saw him. Each time he leapt off the edge with his fist in the air, her heart followed. Perhaps it was too soon, but she couldn’t help it. She’d heard the stories about the children from Hiemslandia. The ice thieves. The giants. And the rescue—of course the rescue. Even with the condensation droplets in the way, Vida could see Miki’s wounded eyes shining through the chilled glass.

Vida sat down at his empty table and smiled. And Miki sat down on the ice and looked back at her. He extended his arm to the foggy covering and polished it with his sleeve. His action was nothing. But Vida, seeing his openness toward her, giggled and loosened her shoulders.

“How are you?” she asked.

“A little warm, and I’m thinking about the giants. But I’m okay. I guess,” he replied through a tiny blue straw, with his voice barely that of a whisper.

Warm? She was wearing a sweater, a coat, and a scarf, and, still, her arm hairs tingled.

“I want to help you. Is that okay?”

Miki stood up and scratched at his chin. The ice cube rocked, but, instead of wobbling, his body swayed confidently with it.

He grabbed the straw again and spoke into it. “If you know how to.”

She didn’t hesitate when she slapped the buzzer on the corner of the table. “I’ll take him!” she shouted. “I’ll take him—Miki—now!”

The adoption mixer’s hostess tottered to the table and pulled up a stool beside Vida.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

Vida looked over at the boy, who now was on his knees with his head turned down toward the ice, and her heart jumped again. “I think he’s praying. I bet he’s thanking God for me,” she said to the hostess. Then, she took a deep breath and spoke softly. “I am sure,” she said.

The hostess stared at Vida until Vida looked away.

“Very well,” said the hostess. “I’ll pack him securely for you, and I’ll even toss in a couple of extra ice cubes from his home planet. He’ll need to stay as cold as possible.”

Vida watched as the hostess took Miki to the back. She hoped this would be the only time she would not be by her son’s side.

“Good luck,” the hostess said as Vida and the boy headed home. “I think you’re going to need it.”

And the door shut.

Vida shook her head. “What a strange woman,” she whispered.

—

At home, Vida filled a glass pitcher with as many ice cubes as it would hold and poured a cup of water in it. Then, she grabbed Miki and placed him inside his new vessel.

“What do you think?” she asked, with her hands shaking against the glass.

His lips moved, but his voice wasn’t strong enough to fill the empty room.

“Oops, sorry. I forgot something,” she said, and she reached in her pocket to retrieve the same blue straw he’d had at the mixer.

“Let’s try that again. What do you think?”

“It’s spacious enough,” he said.

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