Page 48 of Gift from the Source
Four elements pure and right.
Air we breathe, wise and sweet,
Earth stands strong, soil beneath our feet.
Water flows, broken and whole,
Fire’s warmth feeds the soul.
Remember these with joy and cheer,
The element becomes one, the world becomes clear.”
As the word clear crosses my lips, my mind responds.
A thick fog laces its way through my brain and attaches to me until that’s all I register. There are no thoughts, noises, or interruptions as the meaning of time becomes irrelevant.
A vicious shock shoots up my arm and I snatch my hand back as my eyes fly open.
“What the hell?” I mutter, looking around my tree to see if I fell asleep again and got caught in a storm.
Fuck, that felt like lightning just struck me.
My willow tree releases my hand and mind so gently, it’s as though it knows I can barely hold myself up. The branches wrap around my waist and all I can do to keep myself balanced is run my fingers through the leaves. The moments following what felt like electricity running through my veins start to come forth and I hold my breath, watching a memory I’m already familiar with.
I did in fact run that day.
I left my tree in a fit of rage at the fact Franklin had started my birthday morning off with taking eight bags of my blood. I was so exhausted after that, I took a nap. That’s where the memories change. What I remembered was going to my tree and falling asleep again.
The reality was what happened to CC.
Everything else after the Memoria stone took my memories stayed the same as what I’ve always recalled, though.
Due to the dizziness and pissiness of having my blood drawn, I forgot that Franklin had told me I had to attend the Governor’s Gala with him that night. So when I woke up from my nap and went to my tree, I was out there far longer than I should’ve been. I returned to the estate to find him dressed in his society best, fuming. While I was covered in dirt and tear streaks.
He verbally laid into me and promised when he returned, he’d deal with me.
That seemed to break the dam that was holding the emotional confusion and anger at bay.
In my fit of rage, I went to my room and packed a bag. From one of the guest rooms, I watched through the window as his chauffeur drove him down the driveway. As soon as the taillights disappeared, so did I.
I ran through the woods for what felt like hours. Only to emerge at a paved road on the outskirts of our land where the sheriff drove up on me in minutes. He informed me Franklin had received an emergency businesscall and returned home, only to find me gone. Half the department was out looking for me.
Despite my screaming that I turned eighteen and could make my own choices, he laughed, telling me the sooner I learned that was far from the truth, the better off I’d be.
Then he dragged me back to the estate.
That day…Trex and his brothers sealed their fate. My running signed over my next eight years of misery with Donald.
And worst of all, CC died.
“CC…”
I don’t even know what I want to say to him or ask him. That…it…
That was my last memory that was locked away. The weightlessness in my mind tells me that’s for certain.
“I will explain anything you want to ask when you get home, filia mea,”he whispers softly.
