Chapter 22: IN THE LAND OF THE SHASKA: Family

"You're here," he whispered; he was still struggling to speak, and my heart continued to break at then sight of him, "And you killed her."

I nodded, "Yes, and I suspect her death will cause many of her followers to come here. That means we have to get the fuck out of here--"

He sat up, "I can fight them, Beatrice. I can--"

"No, you can't," I whispered, firmly, yet trying my best to be gentle, as he was obviously still coming to, and was suffering from lack of food and water, "We're going to get you out of here, and return to--"

And then, I cut myself off; I could hear something-- something screaming my name from another section behind the wall, "What the hell?" I asked, and Matthew shrugged his shoulders in response; obviously not able to provide me with an answer. I stood, and stared at the place in the wall where the troubling sounds were coming from, "Hello?" I called, "Is anyone there?" They continued to call my name in response, and on a whim, I repeated the spell that had melted away the wall to reveal Matthew, "Shesektra," after a few moments in which nothing occurred, the wall began to tremble, and melted to reveal strange, celestial figures, who continued to whisper my name.

"Who are you?" I whispered, realizing that they were faceless spirits of some sort, shrouded in darkness, and as soon as I had asked the question, four, in particular appeared at the front. Tears stung my eyes, and I reached out to touch each of them in turn; the long dead fiancé I had never loved, Carla, my mother, and my father. I cried out in astonishment, "How are you all here?" I whispered.

"We are the spirits of the fallen-- Jacqueline's kills-- as well as her son's…" my mother explained, and tears began streaming down my face at the sight of them there-- it was so wonderful, and yet so extremely upsetting, "I'm so sorry for what I caused for each of you," I whispered, through the heavy burden of tears, "I'm so very sorry."

"Don't be sorry for what you could have never prevented," my mother whispered, "each of us were destined to die-- and Jacqueline was destined to ultimately kill us… But now that she is dead for good, the spell that held us here is no longer applied… We are free."

I nodded, "But, still-- I'm sorry, Mom. I've missed you so much since that night…"

"And I've missed you too, my baby," she whispered, tears shining in your eyes, "I never saw you grow. I never saw you graduate from high school, and become a woman… I know how much you've needed me."

I nodded, and the flow of tears intensified; my shoulders shook with each heavy sob, and she was crying as well.

"And now, it is time for me to leave you… again."

"No, Mom… Please, don't do this to me. You can't, you--"

"It's time for us to say goodbye, my Beatrice. My baby, know that a part of me will always remain with you as long as you do good in your life, and remember me."

"I could never-- never forget you, Mom," and with that, she disappeared, and the spot where she had hovered only moments before was empty again. My father suddenly became the prominent figure; my vision swam with tears, "Dad," I murmured.

He nodded, and spoke in the same faraway voice my mother had possessed as a spirit, "I'm so sorry for letting you down," he whispered, "but I could not fight her spell-- I know how hard life was for you after the death of Joanna, and I know how much you needed me afterwards… I'm so sorry I couldn't be a real father."

"No. I don't care anymore. I always loved you-- deep down-- even when you were being so difficult."

He chuckled, "Don't be afraid as your life goes on without the ones you have lost, Beatrice. Losses are what make us stronger."

"Thank you, Dad. I love you so much…"

"Don't be afraid to move on, my baby…" And he disappeared as well.

And then, having expected it, my attention focused on the form of the Prince-- the fiancé whose name I had never known…

"Beatrice…" he smiled at the sight of me, but I could not return it.

"I'm so sorry for what I did to you-- I never loved you. I'm so sorry, but I didn't realize what would come of our engagement-- I'm sorry that Jacqueline murdered you when you were so young. I hope that you can forgive me."

"I do," he whispered, "with all of my heart…" And he disappeared as well.

Now, I could hardly breathe, and the fourth and final figure came into prominent view: Carla.

"You were my best friend, and I could not save you that night. I am so sorry. You couldn't even begin to imagine how sorry I am because of it."

"I know how sorry you are, Beatrice," her face filled with a radiant smile, "and I forgive you entirely. I loved you all my life as a sister-- so much more than a friend, and I knew when I died, that I had died for a purpose-- almost to save you, as I later learned."

"God, I love you, Carla…"

"And I love you, Beatrice… Don't ever forget that-- even though I'll be gone from your life, I'll keep on loving you, and remembering you for what you always were: my best friend," and she was gone as well.

I shuddered with tears. They were all gone now. Gone forever; they had each moved on to whatever was the afterlife. I had saved them, and yet it had destroyed me to do so. I had been forgiven by each of them, and I had to remember their love, and my love for the rest of forever-- however long that was.

I wiped the last of the tears away from my eyes, and turned to face my husband again. He had obviously been slipping in and out of unconsciousness since I had last seen him minutes before; his breath was rough, and came out in sharp, ragged gasps. I suddenly wondered if he was in mortal danger, "Matthew," I whispered, and I immediately fell beside him, "We're leaving this place-- for good. You are safe with me," I threw the second necklace around his neck, and gasped as shaskas suddenly entered the cave; obviously having been alerted to their leader's downfall, "Back off!" I screamed, as they found Jacqueline's disembodied head lying in a pool of dark blood, but they continued to rush towards me. I had to be quick about things; there were about twenty or so already. I clutched my diamond tightly, and thought of the Land of the Faerie where we would obviously be expected to return, until it emitted the blinding green light again. The shaskas gasped, and stayed away as I touched mine to his, and his emitted a light that danced upon the dark cave walls with mine, and then, everything went black…