Happy Holidays!

I want to give a special thank you this holiday season to the many friends out in blog land. I hope you Kim, Kathleen, Ange, Thema/Louise, Corina, and Stephanie all have a wonderful holiday. May the light of the world encompass you all.

Now for a fiction piece. This is told in the perspective of Maka, Hanai's husband. He is Tikaani's strong willed and stern uncle. I am sure parents of autistic children will understand this story very very well. I also have a question this is important. Do you think I am portraying Tikaani correctly? Do you think I am not portraying an autistic character correctly? I would like to know. Anyway here is the special fiction piece for the holidays

A Heartbeat Lost

(an Avatar the Last Airbender fanfic with Tikaani) 

Dear Father,

It's been years since I have written to you. I guess the last time we've talked is when Hanai was still pregnant with Rahmet. I don't know why I stopped writing, maybe since momma died I just didn't have the heart. Now that Rahmet is ten and I am raising another child, my nephew; I decided to actually spent the time to write you about him and the crazy event that happen during Solstice. 

My nephew is an odd one. Some say that the gods took his soul away. My wife just claims he was born different. I am more likely to believe the latter, though this kid is really an odd one. He's four years old and not toilet trained, though we're not to worried though since Rahmet wasn't trained until he was what? Almost five? However Tikaani, doesn't talk. He screams and bites and does occasionally act like a man possessed. I thought Tikaani was just empty-headed, but I was wrong. Kid is smart as an water-whip but stubborn like a buffaloyak. He loves puzzles, kid is four and can already solve some Rahmet's games. However he can't dress or feed himself, he freaks out when we're off schedule, he pulls his hair and bites his hands. Kid acts insane but he smarter than most people realize which is creepier than him being just plain dumb. 

Anyway, Hanai had been preparing Tikaani for the Winter Solstice which was also Rahmet's tenth birthday. We planned to partake of the ritual outside of the palace walls and then have small dinner with some gifts. Every Solstice, Tikaani has been at home with my brother in law Amana; but this year. We're going to take him with us. Hanai says we should expose him more to the sounds of a festival if he going go to more of them. However, Tikaani doesn't like crowds very much. He freaks out over loud noises and people and smells. He will either thrash about or cry. Hanai thinks he has hard time understanding the noise. Rahmet hated crowds too, but he grew out of it. Tikaani will too hopefully. Hanai figured preparing him by explaining the noise and taking him for walks around the square, will make him less ornery around the festival. 

The day of the festival arrived and Rahmet was announcing to everyone at five minute intervals that it was his birthday, much to our amusement and annoyance. We tried to keep to the routine that we do every morning since Tikaani was two, but I knew something was going to go wrong, you know that feeling don't you dad? That cold chill feeling. I got it that morning while eating breakfast. Hanai had Tikaani fed, changed and dressed. It was perpetually dark of course, but we were use to it. I got Tikaani bundled up and headed out for the ritual that coming afternoon. 

Hanai was with Rahmet and the other children and Amana and I had Tikaani, he was ok at first but as the crowds thicken near the canals to the center of the fortress. Tikaani started to sob. I tried to calm him, "Shhh shhh, Tik it's ok. It's just people. Remember. Big Party. Maka and Amana are here ok?" Tikaani didn't seem to hear my words though. He calmed down when we showed him the stalls of carved ivory and bone ornaments. We even let him pick one for himself. I turned my head for a second to barter for the price, Amana was looking a bone dagger, when someone let off some fire works. BLAM BLAM! The noise shocked us for a split moment. I nearly dropped my money, but everything was in order until Amana shouted. "MAKA! Tikaani's missing!" I spun around to find that Tikaani was indeed not at my side. I shouted for him. Until my voice was raw. I ran down the walk aways and canals, but I didn't see him. 

I swear dad, my heart just stopped. 

(See the continuing tomorrow)