A few minutes laterm Ifrit comes back to try again. Poor sap.

"Shiva?"

"Hmmm...?"

"Feeling better?"

I laugh.

"Shiva?"

"Hmmm...?" I manage in between giggles.

"Are you feeling sane?"

"Quite. Why?"

"What was your mother like?"

"Cold, I guess. Distant. Never intentionally mean, but her distance, was creul. Thought she was with me, I always felt so..." I paused.

"Alone."

I was quiet then. Those memories, they were terrible. I hated my mother with my whole heart. She never loved me. She never cared. I don't even know her damn name! May she be rot in hell! She doesn't deserve the luxeries of heaven.