One Life: Episode 7 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT (last page)
babyblue1387:
I’ll never forget the sound I heard then. It was a crash and a scream, seeming impossibly loud to my heightened hearing. There was another voice, my mother’s, calling my name desperately, before she rushed in the kitchen door.
“It’s Aiden, Dahlia, come quick!”
My mind was numb, and if my heart were still beating, it’d be racing now, in this moment, when my worst fears were to be confirmed. I couldn’t help feeling outside myself. I looked to my left, and Inamorta was calm beside me. No doubt, her short lifetime of human emotions were outweighed by the centuries she’d spent, unfeeling. For me, the memories of life as a mortal were all to fresh, and the feelings came rushing, again, to the surface.
It was weird for me to think that, only moments ago, Inamorta and I had been sitting at the table, talking calmly. Life changes so quickly, and yet, time seems to move so slowly, when we want it to hurry. Whoever said time is a vampire’s to command, surely did not know of those moments! I pushed on with all of my might, but I felt like I was running through sludge, sinking ever deeper into a dark hole. It was Inamorta who pulled me back into myself. We were at the garage where Aiden had set up his work station.
It was a mess. There were broken glass tubes, and his workstation was dirty. He was covered in blood, but I couldn’t tell if it belonged to him or not. I went to his side, thankful for the warmth that feeding earlier that night brought me. His body was so cold, and he looked so old and tired, laying there in my arms. He reached a hand to my face, and I closed my eyes, praying to anyone to hear me, praying that somewhere, there is a divine being who can grant wishes.
“Oh, love, don’t cry…You know how sad that makes me.”
His voice was soft and tender, just as I’d always remember it. I held him tighter, and was vaguely aware of mom and Inamorta leaving us alone.
“I’m tired, love. I’m really very tired now, and I just want to rest.”
“You pushed yourself too hard! You shouldn’t—“
“We don’t have time for shouldn’t right now. I’m just tired, and I’m going to sleep. But I want to look into your beautiful eyes, just in case I don’t wake up.”
“You’re not going to die! Look at you, you’re strong, your young, your healthy!”
“No! I’m not young anymore, I haven’t been young for a long time! You…you’re the one who’s young, and I know you’d give everything you own to change that. That’s what I was working on.”
I didn’t understand. My mind was filled with pain and anguish. Oh, it was a feeling like nothing I’d ever felt before, and what I wouldn’t give to never feel it again! He was dieing! I could feel his heart slowing, and his breaths became pained. The strength was leaking out of his body, and I had to support him. Still, he made every effort to smile at me, and this is what I’ve chosen to remember all these years. His last smile, so sweet and caring, and full of the warmth of love that I had come to know and adore.
“You wanted to be human again. You wanted to feel your own heart beat, to walk in sunlight forever if you so desired. Sure you may walk now, but only for short periods of time. This is what I was working for. A cure. Something to make this horrible nightmare go away.”
I was floored. All those nights he’d spent awake, those hours where he’d wake up only to scribble note furiously! All this for a cure, for me! And he died for it. I could feel the last of him slipping away and never for a minute did it cross my mind to turn him. Never for a minute did I even entertain the thought. Sure, maybe we could have worked together then, fighting for a cure from this darkness, but it wouldn’t be what he wanted. He wanted to save me from this fate, not fall into it himself. And I don’t blame him for it. I can’t blame him for the unending love he showed me. I can’t blame him for dieing happy, doing his life’s work. I can’t blame him and I won’t.
My mother and Inamorta came in. My mother took Aiden, and Inamorta led me into the house. Mostly over the next few months I slept. My children came home for the funeral, and it did cheer me to see them. Bartholomew, he looks so much like his father, and it pained my heart to look at him too long. Mira was at my side once again, just as she had been before she left for college. We were all in a somber mood, Inamorta’s hair the only vibrant thing among us. I focused all I could on her hair, flaming in the night.
Mira offered to stay with me after the funeral, but I wouldn’t let her. She should go back to college, finish her degree. I’d still be waiting for her, just as I was. It was important to Aiden that his children continue with their education. He valued knowledge, and all four of our kids got that, too.
I tried to continue life. Inamorta and my mother went back to England, and I attempted to continue Aiden’s work. I knew he’d want it finished, but my heart wasn’t in it. I couldn’t find the passion for anything anymore. I don’t know why, but I went upstairs to the attic, and took the cloth off the picture that Asilda had painted of me all those years ago. I stared into my own reflection, for a long time, wondering why I hadn’t had the courage to face myself. Something inside me shifted, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to become cold and unfeeling, but I knew that’s what was happening. I couldn’t allow myself to grieve like this forever. Inamorta was right.
The year after my husband died, Bartholomew graduated from college.
Three years after my husband died, my girls graduated.
Four years after my husband died, Bartholomew got married and had a child
Six years after my husband died, Asilda got married.
Seven years after my husband died, Morrigan got pregnant.
Eight years after my husband died, I decided to take Inamorta up on that vacation.
Pandora Moon:
I had a feeling that he was working on a cure to make her human again. You did a good job in writing this as you always do.
See ya.
babyblue1387:
Thanks so much! You put a smile on my face:D. I thought that it was really sweet of him to do for someone he loved so much;). And believe it or not, he's a townie!
Sam the T-man:
Oh I know not all townies are bad :) Great story, thought that's what he was doing :)
babyblue1387:
Great to see you stopped by, Sadie!
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