Nepenthe

. Nepenthe= A drug mentioned in the Odyssey as a remedy for grief. Something that induces forgetfulness of sorrow or eases pain.

Chapter 1

"It's too cold to be August." Adam thought distractedly.


The trees rustled guiltily, their leaves swaying with the sorrow that encompassed the day. He lifted his

Eyes to the sky, hardly hearing the preacher’s procession. " The grief of death is an overwhelming

trial, Mickey Rose was a strong, honorable man, whose legacy will be cherished by all the lives he

Undeniably touched every day....." And the words played on and on like a never-ending mantra,

running and tumbling over themselves.

Adam looked down at the black box that held his father and felt shivers go through his spine. He had

been the only thing he had left after his mother had passed away a year ago. He felt as though he was

loosing everything he had come to love, and there was nothing he could do about it. He reached

down, He wanted to touch the box, to feel the granite that would take him away from him forever,

but he pulled back. It was too real, too permanent. And it would hurt far more then hecould hold

inside of him that day.


"Come on, Adam." Mr. Slade said to me in a quiet voice. Adam turned around, Mr. Slade’s

hand steered him to the house that would become his new home. Sidney Slade had been

His father’s best friend and they had worked together for twelve years. He was like a second

father to him. Whenever they saw each other he would give Adam a hug around the shoulders, and five

dollars, saying it was compensation for putting up with his old man. Adam's father would chastise Sid

for spoiling Adam and make him give the money back. But somehow, it would always end up in Adam's
side pocket before they parted.


Uncle Slade lived in a large house overlooking the sea. When they walked up the stairs a couple of

his father's friends and business associates patted Adam on the head, their eyes full of tears,

proclaiming how much they would miss Mickey and for god to bless him, and Adam. Adam didn't want to

hear it, any of it. He wanted to be left alone, to feel nothing, especially the emptiness that was

slowly consuming Him.


When Uncle Sid finally left Adam to shake hands with the preacher he decided he had had enough. Adam

quietly walked out of the room and up the winding stairs to the second floor. The wooden floor

had been polished and the house was covered with lilacs, His father's favorite flower. He used to

buy tons of them and have the maids place them all around the house so that they would be the

first thing he saw when he came home. 'I need a little beauty in my life, ' Mickey would say. 'Why?' Adam would ask. He

never received the answer. When Adam asked he would just stare into space with such a torturous

expression that I no longer wanted to know.


Adam walked into the guest bedroom that Uncle Sid had made mine. He hadn't unpacked anything yet,

except his tooth brush and school uniform. He sat onto my high twin sized bed, letting his feet

dangle over the side. He stared into the mirror that sat opposite him. Adam Put his hand to his face. He

was the spitting image of his father. He had his green eyes and jet-black hair, although Adam's was

shoulder length and his father's had been cut short. We had the same defined chin. The only difference

was the nose. His had been larger and pointier, where Adam's was average shape and length,

like his mothers'.


Adam's self examination was interrupted by the sound of the door being pushed open. " Adam, daddy

told me to bring you some food since you haven't eaten all day." Ava said. Ava was Uncle Sid's

daughter. She was fourteen, same age as me. She had blonde hair that went down to her waist,

and hazel eyes. She was very pretty, even though she thought she looked like a corrupted

porcelain doll. they got along really well and were very close. She placed the food in front of Adam. Adam

looked at it for a couple of seconds and then looked away. " Oh come on Adam, its good, I taste

tested it for you myself."


"No thanks." He said. Feeling a little sick to his stomach at the sight of it. She started to pout,

making a cute little expression that always got her what she wanted. Adam just stared at her and

raised his eyebrow, letting her know that she wasn't going to get what she wanted that day."Adam

come on you know you want some. look." She grabbed a piece of the chicken that was on the

plate and took a huge bight out of it. "Umm, this is toooo good. oh yeah. Ummmm." She

proclaimed while making noises that made her sound like it was her last meal and the best damn

chicken in the world.

I couldnt help but crack a small smile for her efforts. Adam decided to eat a small portion just to

appease her, knowing she'd force it down his throat if she had to. They talked for a little while and

it helped Adam take his mind off of his father. Two hours later once the guest had left, Uncle Sid

came into the room and said to mind the maids, and that he was going to work. He and Adam's father

always worked late at night, into the early hours of the day. Ava used to tell Adam how she didnt like

Uncle Sid to going to work because he'd come back with cuts all over him, and he'd be in a lot of

pain. Adam's dad would come home the same way and Adam would help him to his room and quietly sit by his

bed at night. He would tell Adam not to worry about him and never cry, because crying would not

change anything.

Uncle Sid gave Ava a kiss and gave Adam's shoulder a tight squeeze. He squatted down to Adam's eye

level. " Your father loved you more than anything kid, you know that right?" Uncle Sid said

seriously. Adam just stared at him. Hedidnt know what to say. He wanted it to all just go away. Maybe He

even wanted him to go away, at the moment. Uncle Sid nodded and stood back up while buttoning his

shirt. "Be good" he said, while walking out of the door.


Night went by agonizningly slow. Adam didnt sleep,he wasnt asleep when Uncle Sid came stumbling into

through the door at five in the morning. Adam got out of his bed and quietly tip toed down the winding

stairs. Once He got to the bottom he stared at the scene in front of him. He watched as Uncle Sid was

helped onto the couch by the butler. He slightly winced as his body touched the leather.


The butler grabbed the scissors from the first aid kit and cut throuh the leg of Uncle Sid's

expensive suit. Adam had to stop myself from turning away. There was so much blood. It was coming

down hisleg in rivulets. Uncle Sid didnt make a sound as the butler poured peroxide on his leg to

clean the wound. He just clenched his teeth and squinted his eyes shut tight. Adam looked away

momentarily while the butler bandaged the wounded leg. When Adam turned back around he was

shocked to find myself staring into Uncle Sid's angry eyes.


*Authors note*: I promise there will be more action soon. I just wanted to introduce the characters and set the scene a little bit. Please review and tell me what you think.