CANDLELIT CHRONICLES: HISTORIC HAUNTS

June 23 #2_Free Read 518 wc

Finding The Abandoned Child





Chapter Seven





         The natural disaster which had overtaken our city had been a terrifying and destructive event, yet thinking back, all of us-excepting the fisherfolk and shippers, whose homes and livelihoods had been destroyed-realized that the consequences could have been far, far worse. As of this morning, when I had found the baby, no loss of life had yet been reported-or not up to the point I left the Gymnasium following mother; only diminishment of the entire Harbour, the Wharf, and of course loss of the fish and marine life in the Harbour and in the nearby sea. So the fisherfolk, although still alive, were in serious danger now of having no livelihood whatsoever, as were the ship outfitters and chandlers. The shipowners who lived up on the hills on the NorthWest side could probably survive readily, unless they had gone heavily into debt. Ships, after all, could eventually be rebuilt. It was the lower class-the fisherfolk who survived on their daily catch-and the middle class-ship craftsman and outfitters-who would suffer right away.





         A sudden intuition reminded me of my mother: surely any moment she would be returning this way, heading back to the Gymnasium from our compound-if indeed that was where she had gone. And when she did, here I would be, standing at the end of Denguer Street where it encountered Swan, when she had ordered me to remain at the Shelter in the Gymnasium.  Even if she didn't find me here-if the Constable-in-Training released me to return to the Shelter, I knew the news would travel so fast that it would reach the Gymnasium before I could, and Mamma would surely find out in in an instant of her arrival, if she by some miracle had not discovered the news on her way back.





         Either way I was for it; so there was not much need in leaving the scene of my discovery and scurrying back to the Shelter. I would be just as likely to be in trouble in any event-including walking to our complex home, or heading down toward the remains of Swan Street just above the lost Wharf.  In any event, I was for it because of disobeying Mamma. Yes, the infant may have gone undiscovered had I not passed this way: perhaps even, he was placed there by someone AFTER I had appeared! So maybe I was, if not the actual cause, a corollary to his appearance, and my being here after disobeying Mamma may have meant his being found and saved! But Mamma would not see it that way-or, well, she might-but would still discipline me for disobeying, and I guess as rightly she should. At fifteen I still did not have the power, nor the responsibilities, of an adult. Although much more mature, I believed, than my cousins Nathay-lee and Jahro, due to the upbringing I had received from Mamma and Pastor Janns, both of whom were very unusual individuals, still I would not attain my majority for almost another six years-and so I was still my Mamma's to command. And disobeyed her I had.