Amaya's Baby by Erika M Szabo
Maria was
deeply concerned about her best friend. She had never seen Kati so withdrawn
since the first spirit had visited her during their high school days. The
memory of Kati's vibrant personality seemed like a distant echo. "We need
to pull her out of this slump," Maria said to her husband, Mike, her voice
tinged with urgency.
"What can
we do?” Mike asked, jamming his clothes into a duffle bag, his brows furrowed
with worry. “Has she told you what's troubling her?"
"No, she
shuts down every time I try to ask," Maria replied with a sigh,
frustration evident in her tone. “Fold those T-shirts, Mike! Don’t just shove
them into the bag.”
“Okay, miss
perfection! Who will see us in the woods to complain about my wrinkled
clothes?” Mike laughed, and staring into nothingness for a second, he mused.
"I know she hates camping, but suddenly, I’m getting this strong urge to
take her with us… so strange."
"It’s
strange indeed,” Maria said, glancing at her husband. “But I think that's a
great idea," Maria agreed, her spirits lifting at the thought.
"Perhaps the crisp, fresh air and an escape from the bustling chaos of the
city will be just what she needs. I’ll call her."
Kati,
reluctantly, but agreed to spend the weekend with the couple at their campsite
by the lake in the mountains. They arrived late Friday afternoon and after
parking their trailer, Mike took the firewood out of the trunk and made a
campfire. The women prepared sausages and potatoes to bake, and they prepared
salad and dessert.
After dinner,
they settled by the crackling fire, its warm glow casting flickering shadows
around them. The soothing symphony of the forest enveloped their senses: the
whispering rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze, the distant call of a night
owl echoing through the trees, and the soft chirping of crickets harmonizing
with the crackle of burning wood. The night air was cool, carrying the earthy
scent of the forest floor, and the stars above twinkled like scattered diamonds
in the velvet sky.
“It’s so
peaceful here,” Kati sighed. “I know you’ve been worried about me, and I love
you for that,” she turned to Maria. “I wanted to tell you but… okay I’ll tell
you what’s been bothering me.”
Maria silently
hugged her friend.
“I’ve been
searching for Amaya’s little girl,” Kati sobbed. “And I can’t find her.”
“Is… is she?”
Maria asked softly.
“Yes, both of
them are dead. The first time I saw Amaya's ghost happened two weeks ago. She
showed me a once magnificent house reduced to a charred skeleton by a fire lit
by her husband. I could feel the weight of the tragedy that had befallen her.
She had been searching for her baby, their once peaceful home now a chaotic
memory, but she thinks she’s been doomed to wander this earth without ever
finding her child.”
“That’s
terrible!” Mike whispered, but Maria silenced her husband with a stern look.
Kati continued,
“She could still see the fury in her husband's eyes as he accused her of
infidelity, his rage building until he snapped and ended her life and that of
their 3-month-old baby girl. Amaya had been unable to protect her innocent baby
from her husband's wrath, and now she’s left with the agony. She longs to hold
her child, to feel the warmth of her tiny body in her arms. But it was all in
vain, she can’t find her baby.” Kati cried.
“There, there,”
Maria patted Kati’s shoulder. “Did you see Amaya’s ghost again?”
“Yes, I see her
every day. She’s feeling a surge of anger and despair and lets out a mournful
wail. It’s heartbreaking to see Amaya's translucent form floating through the
charred remains, her eyes glimmering with grief and determination. The memory
of acrid smoke and the feeling of the searing heat that had consumed her flesh
is still vivid in her thoughts, but she is a ghost now, and the pain no longer
affects her in the same way. But her soul is in agony. She told me she had
heard whispers from other spirits that the baby's spirit lingers and moves from
place to place, crying for her mother. With renewed hope, Amaya searches,
calling out for her child in a voice that only the dead could hear. But as the
hours turned into days, Amaya's hope began to dwindle. She could feel herself
losing her grip on this world, the pull to the afterlife growing stronger with
each passing day. But she refuses to leave without her baby.”
“Is there any
way you could help her?” Maria cried out.
Kati grabbed
Maria’s hand, staring at the lake shore her eyes wide. “Oh, they’re over
there!” she whispered. “Amaya is holding her baby girl in her arms.” Kati
sighed, tears flowing down her face. “Amaya is smiling and showing me how her
little girl urged Mike to invite me on this trip. She wanted me to know she’s
at peace now. Oh, it’s so beautiful! They’re floating toward the brilliant
light.”
Maria and Mike turned their heads, but they only saw the full moon’s shimmering reflection on the water.
Erika M Szabo
Erika loves to dance
to her own tunes and follow her dreams, introducing her story-writing skills
and her books that are based on creative imagination with themes such as
magical realism, alternate history, urban fantasy, cozy mystery, sweet romance,
and supernatural stories. Her children’s stories are informative and
educational and deliver moral values in a non-preachy way.
