A Boy Washed Ashore

Sitting on a bank of sand a cloaked figure was sitting. The cloak was balck and had rips, tears, and holes all over. There he sat until a small raft caught his sight as it was drifting in from the tide. The cloaked figure had grown curious and ventured towards where the raft seemed to be landing. When it had finally reached this raft was a little boy. 

How did he get here? Thought the figure, as the boy stirred and opened his eyes. The boy coughed water out of his mouth and started to shiver from the cold, it was late evening. The figure took off its cloak and revealed a skeleton underneath. The sight of this skeleton normally brought dread over those around it, but the boy's eyes pierced this skeleton even though it had no heart. He covered the boy in his cloak and carried him into the jungle trees behind them.

What shall I do? The skeleton thought. Madame Vita will be furious. The boy opened his mouth trying to speak but the only thing that exited his mouth was a croaking groan. "Hush small one save your strength for healing, no need in dying here." said the skeleton. Arriving at a small den within a cave the skeleton entered and set the boy in front of his lit hearth. A pot of stew was hung  above the fire, the little boy stared at it longingly. "Wait a moment while it cooks, not even I want to eat cold stew, heh heh." The skeleton was still puzzled about what he was going to do about this boy.

Minutes later the skeleton could see the steam coming from out of the pot and he took it and poured two bowls. The little boy's eyes widened as he tried to eat one big bite and ended up burning his tongue. This amused the skeleton reminding him of all the other kids he's met in his existence. "You can blow on the food to cool it down before you eat it." said the skeleton. The boy looked up and smiled at him, the skeleton was surprised. Only Madame Vita had ever smiled at him.

"Who are you? My name is Rarus," said the little boy. 

"How do you know that?" asked the skeleton.

"I don't know, it was on the boat I was on." Rarus said, beaming wide since he had eaten his stew. Sitting in thought as to how to handle his predicament the skeleton remembered that Madame Vita was coming to see him that day. "Well small one, my name is Obitus."

"That's a funny name, how 'bout I call you Obi?" replied Rarus.

"I wouldn't mind that much at all," Responded Obitus.

The sudden knocking on the door brought Obitus back to the situation at hand. He looked around and saw that Rarus was gone. Where could he have gone? I hope somewhere Madame Vita couldn't see him. There was a second round of knocking as Obitus put on a different cloak. He opened the door and there stood a tall woman with ebony skin, emerald green eyes, and hair the color of green moss and leaves. "It's been a while Obitus, how have you been doing?"

"It's been terribly boring, this island is beautiful but there isn't much to do but gaze and watch the animals." Madame Vita looked straight back at Obitus with soft eyes and gazed around the small room. Obitus took notice, "If you wish to come in and talk then we can."

"You know I don't do well in small spaces." She turned around and walked out of the cave followed by Obitus. 

Where is that boy! Obitus was getting increasingly frustrated that he had just lost Rarus. Madame Vita had found a little sunny patch of grass to sit on. From the tree line Obitus could see Rarus looking at Madame Vita star struck. Madame Vita felt Rarus' gaze and turned to look at him. She smiled and waved and turned back to Obitus. All Obitus could feel was dread looking back into Madame Vita's eyes. 

They went from emerald green to a fierce red. Madame Vita stood up and walked toward Obitus and said in a quiet voice, "Seems like curiosity got the best of you," she looked furious, "Get rid of him before he destroys something or it will be your bones that will be growing flowers." She was referencing Obitus' old friend who had tried to fight against Madame Vita's rule. Obitus' friend's name is Mors. The issue about being stuck in Madame Vita's flowers is that nobody dies from it, they're just stuck listening from underground and unable to do anything as the roots would grow into the skin and or bone. 

She always hides the burial place but given the length of time she's ruled just about any place with large amounts of flowers is an eternal cemetery. Obitus nodded his head in compliance and took Rarus back to the shore. This was the most empty Obitus has ever felt. It was as if his bones had become completely hollow and brittle. He turned around to see that Madame Vita never followed. She's likely off checking on another person, Obitus had thought. So he looked around and made a small raft he sent out into the water, but there was no passenger.