Chapter Text
It was born again.
It did not take long for my new body to take notice of the lack of maternal care extended to my person. Through keen ears and a lot of straining from this limited body, I was able to gain some idea of what has happened to my caretakers. I was not surprised really, it was a common theme for those who unfortunately wished to have me as their child.
Death was quite a disease to shake off after all.
.•.
The children in this small orphanage did not like to be around me. Not one lick.
This one understood why of course, and it did not mind the... life-long?
Yes, life-long.
It did not mind the life-long shutout.
They sensed that something was wrong with me. This one sometimes wondered how they noticed. It hadn't killed anyone in this place yet.
No human (young or old), animal (of the four-legged kind), nor friendly vegetation has been harmed by her in any intentional manner in her three years of new life.
The matrons had grown desperate in their attempt to foster a sort of amicable relationship between us toddlers.
I needed some friends they said. It's important for mental development they said.
They also said quite rude things thinking I would not be able to understand them.
Esa nena no esta bien[1] they said. Ni los bichos se le hacercan a esa cosa, yo ni siquiera la eh visto dormir [2]. Ella nunca habla![3]
A puff of air made its way out of two tiny nostrils. They were all quite rude to her. She couldn't fathom why previous lives attempted to capitalize on her 'oddness'.
.•.
She realized that the people in this orphanage were very superstitious. It was quite an interesting way she came about this realization. A bit humorous, funny.
She was four years old at the time when some of the older children had come up to her in some sort of posturing attempt of intimidation.
The head child had said something along the lines of nobody want you's and your parents left you because you're such a freak's.
Oh, and nobody would miss you if you went missing's, too of course.
This one had not been impressed when with no reactions on its part, the trio of walking fetuses had taken to stealing her precious things (my books, my fucking books) and started sullying them to the point of no return.
It had reported these incidents to the patrons of the establishment. Who, much to her annoyed chagrin, no nothing but give the children a brief 'talking to'.
She could not fathom why. She even made sure to give the 'please and thank you" at the end of her explanation.
Well, the matron had looked quite disturbed at her at the time. She had spoken in full sentences. Which apparently wasn't the right thing to do since she has "never spoken before".
They did not even bother to replace her belongings.
So, the next time the smug children came to bother her again. This one made their hair fall off.
She didn't expect such a simple thing the give them a reason to attempt to exorcise her.
.•.
My new family adopted me when this one's body was on the cusp of its fifth birthday.
I was practically shoved into their arms without a receipt to return in case we, this new family, and I also did not mesh well.
To be expected really.
These new parents had decided in raising me in the wilder town of Lares, Puerto Rico. Both of my new parents were from the Dominican Republic and started off as illegal immigrants, who, after twenty years or so became legal residents.
(This one truly did not understand the point of them being referred to as "illegal" considering the histories and atrocities the "legal" government and its "legal" people had taken a part in.)
My new mother did anyways, my dear father got into some trouble and was deported back to Santo Domingo a long time ago. All while cheating on my poor madre[4].
Truly, what a travesty.
My adopted mother was a 37-year-old, light-skinned Dominican woman, with strong features who possessed black curly hair, was a proud height of five feet and six inches and was an everyday hard worker. Her name was Luciana.
She was a spirited woman who gave me everything that she could never have. She gave me the last name Mortero.
So now I was Abiba Mortero.
She was a woman with a keen eye. Always let me 'do my thing'. Was not put off my lack of, well, anything. She did worry though.
I have always felt like she knew more than she let on.
She loved me despite all the desperation a made her go through my uncontrollable years as a child. I had lived more lifetimes wild than not. She had worried plenty about my well-being when I was a young child, I had never spoken a word to her. I was a quiet, seemingly introverted thing, and despite that, I had a tendency to wander off constantly. Luciana had a lot of heart attacks during those days.
She had taken me to plenty of doctors to inquire why I had no voice. They found no problem really. This body was truly perfect in every way.
They cited psychological issues and traumas that my subconscious has shielded me from. This one did not care for their odd reasonings nor their unwanted probing.
It never really bothered me as much as it did her, mother dearest that is.
Selective mutism was forever a stamp on our relationship.
She had gotten her citizenship not long ago and wanted to move into the US. I, of course, did not care where we lived, seen as I've lived everywhere at one point or another.
"Beba ¿Ya tienes todas tus maletas empacadas verdad?"[5]
She interrupted my musings as she popped into my room.
I looked at her and assented my head in affirmation.
"Okay, pues vente chula, yo te ayudo a moverlas a la camioneta."[6] She said grabbing one of the luggage and dragging it towards the Black ford pick-up truck outside. The car was second-hand when we got it and it has not failed us yet.
"Hazme un favor bebe y déjale la llave a la vecina, ¿Si?" [7] She said throwing the house keys at me without sparing me another glance as she got the rest of the luggage.
I didn't bother giving a verbal answer to her, I rarely did, and skipped to the neighbor's door and knocked, I waited for the older woman to open the door.
She didn't after five minutes, and I decided to slip the key into her mailbox.
When I skipped back to the pick-up, mom was already in the driver's seat, with our dog Diego, in the back, lounging belly exposed on the seats. I slid inside with ease and fastened my seatbelt. The key was safely delivered more or less.
"En el buzón?"[8] I nodded and grinned.
She shrugged and reversed the truck into the driveway. And drove to port.
.•.
Mom had managed to find us a small Miller Ferry, that would take us to a port in Louisiana for a cheap fee.
Not really cheap, but less expensive than other places, at least that's what mom said. We stayed in a small one-bedroom room, which wasn't a big deal. Diego, stayed in the room with us, in his kennel, as per the policy of the ship.
"Ai, nena ¡Espera a que lleguemos a Bon Temps y veas la casita que cómpranos! Es de dos pisos. Bueno, ya tú vistes las fotos."[9]
Mother said as we lay there for the night.
My passive face turned to look at her. This body nodded and offered her a small smile of understanding.
Of course, I had plans for my home, I would throw a bed in the corner and let the vegetation take over. Simple, easy, not complicated.
This mother had been able to secure a small two-story home with our savings, it had an all-round yard, and the price was low too. The real estate agent had said that there had been a murder in the house and that had dropped the price value.
Mother was hesitant at first, but I convinced her to take the deal.
There aren't any spirits that scared it, nor instances that it should fear.
Mother and I hugged each other close as we closed our eyes and she drifted to sleep.
I never understood this side of her. She never minded touching me, caressing me, or playing with me. Most other people actively avoided skin-on-skin contact with this body.
This body tended to avoid it too. Not liking the memories, it surfaced from past lives, past experiences. This one did not like the odd whispers it brought. But this woman was truly special.
But for them, the mundanes, something innate in them was telling them, urging them to get as far away as possible sans something truly horrible were to happen to them.
This body took comfort in her touch as the boat rocked. A deep-rooted sensation of twisting knots in this body prevents me from finding comfort in unconsciousness.
She did not have many fond memories of boats.
It took us almost two weeks to get to Louisiana. And half a day of driving, to arrive in Bon Temps.
.•.
The vibe around Bon Temps was very otherworldly. The taste of supernatural familiarity was heavy in the air, and I smiled.
It seemed that I would be having an interesting time here after all.
Mom pulled to a stop in front of the Maroon-colored home and we both squealed, hurrying outside the car and opening the front door of the home.
The bank representative was waiting for us in the kitchen with the paperwork mom needed to sign and the keys to our new home.
"Ms. Mortero, Thank you for your business with us! I hope you enjoy your new home with your daughter."
The lady said shaking my mother's hand before departing. My mom smiled and nodded watching her leave before she turned to me.
"¿Que diablos dijo esa señora?" [10]
I snorted before grabbing my copy of the keys. "Ella dijo que gracias por hacer negocios con ellos y que disfrutemos la casa"[11] I gave the rare vocal answer.
My words were carried by the wind as we made our way back outside. The atmosphere turned a tad not normal. Truly ethereal in a completely non-human way.
My mother never batted an eye though.
I did not quite like my voice. It was odd listening to myself speak. It was a breathy low sound. Mostly from misuse. Nevertheless, she did not want to use it, nor did she wish for improvements.
"Vamos a mover todas esas bainas pa' dentro antes de que oscurezca. Dale dale."[12]
This body gave her a small, private smile as it followed her inside the home, she had chosen to station us in.
.•.
Mom had wanted to fill my bedroom up first, I, of course, didn't complain.
I had claimed the attic for myself, with no shame whatsoever.
Mom and I moved the furniture up the stairs one by one before we started building everything up. We influence had a few big pieces of furniture that we brought with us on the pick-up.
We assembled the bookshelf headboard first, and I moved my books in front of it to stack up later. Mom helped me hand a couple of tapestries and the lights I brought from PR.
I brought out this little chair hamaca to hang in the middle of the room.
Under it, I laid heavy furs, and off to the wall opposite of the bed we installed a long table, that was to be my office.
Of which she looked very hesitant and judgy about.
"Nena cuanta mardita mierda tú tiene ¿eh? Yo no uso ni la mitad de estas baina."[13]
I waved her off.
That night we slept in my room. The next day we got the rest of our furniture from the store.