Flashback

Beth Gualda

Father looked up as Vincent strode past, hiding his cheek behindhis hand, heading for his room.

"Vincent? Is something wrong?"

Disappearing into his room, Vincent's only reply was a tearfulglance back. Father rose and followed him. A small boy came runninginto the room. He reached out and snagged him as the boy attempted topass by him.

"Mouse, what's wrong with Vincent?"

"No!" the child protested. "Promised not to tell!" He squirmed,trying to wriggle out of Father's grasp.

"Mouse! Stop it!" the older man scolded. "I want to help, but Ican't if I don't know what is wrong." A crash sounded from Vincent'sroom.

The small blonde boy sighed heavily in capitulation. He facedFather. "Vincent hurt," he lamented. "Saw everything."

"I gathered as much," Father said, impatiently glancing towardsVincent's now silent room.

"Vincent took Mouse above. Showed me around." He suddenly shookhis head. "Found a girl. Nice girl we thought! When she saw Vincent,"he paused, sighing for effect and shrugging his shoulders, "Got mad.She yelled. Threw a rock! Hit Vincent. We ran. Men came." His eyesgot bigger and bigger as he told his tale of woe.

Father frowned. "A girl saw Vincent? How old was she?"

"Mmm 'bout Vincent's age. Ten. Maybe more. Maybe less." Mousenodded gravely. "Mad girl."

Releasing Mouse, Father started towards Vincent's room. "Oh shewasn't mad, she was frightened more likely." Mouse started after himbut Father shooed him away. "No, you leave Vincent alone now. Go runand play somewhere else. I'll take care of him."

Mouse reluctantly left the main chamber.

Father stood at the entrance to the chamber that was Vincent'sprivate sanctuary. His son sat dejectedly on the floor beside hisbed, still covering his injured cheek with his hand. While clearinghis throat to announce his presence, he spied the shattered clay potacross the room.

"Mouse told me what happened," he began, his heart aching with hisson's pain. "I'm sorry you had to experience that."

The boy didn't want to talk about what had happened yet. Instead,he chose to explain the broken pot. "I must be dreaming, thinking Ican get anything to grow down here. Nothing grows bycandlelight."

Seating himself on the floor next to Vincent, Father gestured atthe bloodied cheek. "May I see it?"

Hesitantly, Vincent removed his hand.

Father winced inwardly. "I'm sure she really didn't mean to hurtyou."

The young man flinched away from his father's probing fingers. "Ithought she wanted to kill me." He looked up, tears falling uncheckednow. "She was so pretty. I just wanted to talk to her." He bowed hishead. "Am I that horrible to look upon?"

Shaking his head in negation, the older man responded, "Vincent,you have to understand. The people above, they grow up hearing grislytales. Fairy tales and old wives' tales. They know in their mindsthat the stories are not true, but still, sometimes they are remindedof those horrific tales and believe that they've come true. Peoplehave always associated those who are different with evil from thosestories. The unknown, something to fear."

"Was that supposed to make me feel better?" the boy frowned.

"No," Father admitted. "But I wanted you to realize she wasfrightened because she didn't know you, not because you are sohorrible to look upon." He struggled up, turning to pull Vincent upwith him. "Come on. Let's take care of that cut."

He hugged Father. "I love you," he sniffed.

Gently rubbing the boy's shaggy blonde mane of hair, he responded,"I love you too, Vincent."

Mouse decided to go above and find something to cheer up his bestfriend. He stumbled across a demolition site. To him, demolitionsites were like stumbling across buried treasure. It seemed to bequiet now. A few men were standing around on the far side, drinkingcoffee and eating sandwiches. All the machinery stood silent. Hestrolled leisurely towards the building that was being knocked down.Looking around, he guessed it was an old courthouse of sorts. Notmuch here to hold his interest. He pawed through some rubble beforeheading toward the other side of the building. Hopefully, he wouldhave more luck there. Suddenly, he saw her. His jaw made a valiantattempt to touch the ground. She was the most beautiful woman he hadever seen. But strangely, she was immobile. He would need help.Vincent and him together. They might be able to move her. He'd haveto come back tonight. Hopefully she would still be there.

"Vincent! Vincent where?!" Mouse yelled at the top of his lungs atFather, while racing full tilt into the room.

"Mouse! You scare me to death when you yell like that. What do youwant Vincent for?"

Mouse gasped for breath. Suddenly a change came over him. Hebecame instantly calm. Nonchalantly he replied, "Just to talk."

Father eyed him warily. "Are you in trouble again?"

The boy looked indignant at the suggestion. "No!"

Sighing, the elder man settled back into his chair. "He went for aswim."

Mouse turned, walked slowly, calmly to the doorway, then burstinto a run as soon as he was through it.

The lower tunnels were located beneath a chamber known as themaze. It was flooded with fresh spring water. An ideal place toswim.

Mouse arrived breathless again. Stopping at the edge of the pool,he glanced around. He spied a shadowy figure beneath the surface ofthe water. Bending down, he slapped the water with his hand.

Vincent broke the surface suddenly. He inhaled deeply beforeshaking the water from his eyes. "Mouse," he greeted. He swam over tothe edge. "Care to join me? The water's great today."

Shuddering, Mouse answered, "Great for you. Too cold for me." Hesuddenly became enthusiastic. "Need your help! Found someone! Foryou! Can't move her alone though. Come with me! Tonight!"

His curiosity aroused, Vincent gazed at the towheaded boy. "Whatare you talking about?" He pushed his wet hair from his eyes.

"Surprise! For you." Mouse jumped up and down excitedly. "She'sbeautiful! Prettier than the mad girl. Oh come! Please! Please!"

Vincent frowned, pushing himself away from the edge. "I don't wantto meet any more girls ever."

"No! Ruin surprise." Mouse started to panic. "Men will take hertomorrow maybe. Can't wait! Must come tonight! Please, please,please!"

Sighing with resignation, the boy floated back to the edge wherehis friend stood. "I will. Calm down."

Now Mouse was estatic. "Okay good! Okay fine!" He turned andskipped away, cheerfully chanting, "Lady of the law! Lady of thelaw!"

Vincent watched him dance out of sight. Tilting his head, hewondered if perhaps, just maybe, he had agreed to kidnap someone.

They met secretly in Mouse's chamber. Mouse was too little to havea chamber to himself, so he shared it with several other smallchildren. Vincent was very quiet so as not to wake any of them.

Mouse lay in bed fully clothed, forcing himself to stay awake bystudying the ceiling. Gratefully, he saw Vincent wave at him from thechamber entrance. Mouse lived up to his name and quietly made his waypast several sleeping children towards Vincent. He took his friend'shand and led him away. "Thought you'd never get here," he sighed."Thought maybe you fell asleep."

Vincent shook his head. "This had better be worth all the troublewe are going to get into, if we get caught going above in the middleof the night."

Mouse grinned. "No other way to take her."

"Who is she, Mouse?" Vincent demanded. He wanted to know what hewas getting himself into.

"Lady of the law." Mouse tugged impatiently at Vincent's hand."Must hurry!"

Reluctantly, Vincent followed Mouse above, through alleys andbackroads that led to the demolition site.

Vincent peered curiously at the abandoned site. Mouse ran on,acting like he owned it, waving at Vincent to follow. Mouse led theway around the old tattered building.

Vincent wondered about the lady and why she would choose toinhabit a half demolished courthouse.

"Gone! Oh no! Took her! I knew it! I knew it! Too late!" Mouse ranin circles frantically.

"Mouse!" Vincent growled, losing all patience. "What are youtalking about?"

His small friend started to cry. "Gone, gone," he moaned. "Mentook her."

Vincent sighed heavily. Walking over to Mouse, he ruffled theboy's hair. "It's all right."

"No surprise," Mouse continued sniffling. "Wanted her for you." Hewiped at his eyes and looked up. "Most beautiful..." His expressionchanged in an instant. "There!" He jumped up and down, pointing."Rock pile, there!" He raced over to the pile of rubble with Vincentclose behind.

Vincent's jaw dropped, suddenly everything made sense. He faced astatue of a woman, clutching a scale in one hand and missing theother. Mouse, pawing through the debris, found the other hand andbrought it to Vincent. It held a sword. Vincent smiled. She had beenknocked off her pedestal and was laying at the bottom of the pile ofbroken stone. As far as he could tell, she was still intact exceptfor the missing hand.

He faced Mouse. "This is the girl you were talking about?"

Mouse nodded, running his small hands over her figure. He wasentirely enchanted. "Beautiful, see." He sighed. "Lady of thelaw."

"She represents justice," Vincent reproved, while reaching down topull on her until she stood solidly on her base.

Mouse held up the broken arm. "Fix yes? Fix no?"

Nodding yes, Vincent gazed appreciatively at the statue. "She isbeautiful." He laughed suddenly, delighted. "Thank you so much." Thenhe looked at Mouse and sighed. "How are we going to get her downthough?"

"I'll help! Can carry this!" Mouse waved the dismembered hand inthe air.

"No you don't! She's taller than me. You're going to have to helpme more than that." He carefully eased her on her side. "You carrythe shoulders. I'll take the base."

"You like?"

Vincent smiled. "I shall treasure her always."

"Vincent!" Father's voice barked, startling his son awake. He satup quickly, squinting at the man who stood open mouthed in thedoorway. "Where did that come from?" He pointed at the statue, whichstood unabashed in all her glory in the middle of the room.

"Oh," Vincent yawned. "Mouse found her. Isn't she great?"

The man approached the statue cautiously. Walking around herslowly, he asked, "Mouse didn't...take her...did he?"

Vincent shook his head. "No. We got her from a demolition sitelast night. They were just going to crush her."

"Well what are you planning to do with her?"

The boy slid out of bed. Retrieving the broken piece, he showed itto Father. "I have to fix her up a little. But I want to keep her inhere. To look at."

Father sighed. "There certainly is a lot to look at."

"Please, Father?" the boy's soft voice pleaded.

Peering down at his son, the man smiled. "Since you already wentthrough a great deal of trouble and are in a great deal of trouble,to get her here, you might as well keep her."

Undaunted, Vincent smiled. "Thank you Father."

Rubbing his son's unruly mop of hair, he replied ruefully, "You'respoiled, you know that?"

Vincent hugged him, looking admiringly at his lady and replied, "Iknow."

The End