Chapter 39: Back to the past
~Study the past if you would define the future.― Confucius~
Isabella stepped out of her cottage with light, careful steps. Her stiff stance told a person that she was ready to flee just at the possibility of a slightest threat. She glanced behind her and sucked in a sharp breath.
When she didn't see her mother hovering near the window, watching her, she turned and hastily made her way onto the street. As soon as she saw how empty the usually busy street was, she knew something was wrong. Her conscious had been bothering her all day long.
She smoothed her long blue gown nervously and continued on her way. A sudden blast of cold wind played with her sleek chocolate brown hair. She was struggling to untangle the strands of hair wound around her delicate neck and face when she came to a halt.
First, she smelt it. Burning wood. Then, she heard them. Footsteps of large number of people. Finally, she saw them. The sight was horrible. Men and women of the village were holding huge pitchforks and long wooden sticks lit with fire.
Isabella had never seen her village people gather around with things that looked like...weapons. Her heart dropped to her stomach and she covered her mouth to stifle a gasp of shock and pain.
Seeing them all together meant only one thing. Her dear friend was in danger and she needed her.
Immediately, Isabella tugged on the hood of her black cloak to cover her head. She was most popularly known in the village for her gorgeous brown hair that no one else seemed to possess. She could not afford being recognized by her fellow villagers, who were now possibly her enemies.
She sped up and took another route, hoping to avoid them altogether. Her heart kept jumping against her ribcage and her breath was coming out in short puffs. She had to go and tell her friend what the villagers were planning to do.
Isabella ran into the huge forest bordering the village, with a heavy heart. No sooner had she entered, she heard two female voices arguing angrily.
"You do not know what you are speaking of!" The raven haired beauty shouted, hotly. "Do you dare risk your life to save mine? For God's sake woman, think of yourself for once!"
"Fie on the villagers, I say," the pretty redhead yelled back. "They do not know of the power you and I possess! They are playing with fire, those bloody bustards!"
"Alicia! Heiden! Will you please stop at once and listen to me?" Isabella cried in dismay, irritated that her two dearest friends were fighting like little children.
Alicia and Heiden looked at Isabella with wide eyes. They had been Isabella's friends from childhood, all the three girls bonding over myths and existence of magic. Isabella didn't believe in magic...till she saw Alicia and Heiden perform it before her eyes.
"Are they nearing, Isabella?" Alicia asked camly, her mouth set in a grim line.
Alicia and Heiden were very careful when they performed or experimented any new spells, but somehow, the villagers came to know about it and now they were hunting for the trio. Isabella's heart almost burst out of her chest when she saw fire flickering around them.
"Yes," she said to Alicia. "You have to go. Leave before they get hold of you."
"No, Isabella. You must leave and take Heiden along with you. I am going to stay here to provide a distraction so that you might get enough time to leave this damned village. This is no place for us to live." Alicia said firmly.
Heiden gasped, outraged. "If you think we are going to leave you to the wolves instead of fighting with you, you are no better―"
"Listen to me," Alicia cut in urgently. "I know how to protect myself. If you both make it out alive, wait for me. I'll come for you. I promise, you have my word."
Isabella's eyes started to water but before she could argue, voices surrounded them.
"Leave, please." Alicia begged. She knew she was going to die and she didn't want the same fate for her friends.
Heiden swallowed and all three of them hugged for a second. Isabella inhaled Alicia's familiar smell, which was comforting, and then she grabbed Heiden's hand. They turned and ran further into the forest without looking back.
Suddenly, an ear piercing scream cut through the air. Heiden and Isabella jerked to a screeching halt.
"I am going back," Heiden cried, her cheeks reddening. "I can't leave her."
"I am coming with you, then." Isabella said, wiping the tears away from her cheeks.
"No," Heiden shook her head. "I cannot take you with me. It is dangerous, Isabella. You might get hurt."
"But―"
"And I do not think he will be pleased if he sees you running around, trying to save your friend without any powers." Heiden hit the weak spot of Isabella.
"Alright, but if you both do not return soon, I will come looking for you." Isabella sniffled. Heiden hugged her tightly and then she ran back the way they had come before.
Isabella continued walking, mussing with her hood nervously. Out of nowhere, a large hand covered Isabella's mouth and she was pulled back to a hard chest.
"Isabella, what you are doing here, wandering alone? What is the matter?" The smooth male voice was unmistakably familiar.
"Oh, Edward!" Isabella threw her arms around her tall, handsome lover.
"Hush, love. What troubles you? Why are you weeping?" Edward touched her cheek and peered into her lovely face.
In a soft blabber, she told him everything. Edward already knew about Alicia's and Heidi's true nature and he was fine with it. However, he grew concerned when she came to the 'pitchfork' part and there was silence when she finished.
"We need to leave." Edward decided finally. "I will fetch my horse and we will―"
"No! We cannot leave them, Edward." She protested angrily.
Edward sighed, already aware of Isabella's stubborn nature. He knew he could not do anything to change her when she had made up her mind. He loved her immensely and so he had no other way than to do what she wanted.
"We shall wait for them, then." Edward rubbed her back comfortingly and pulled her down with him on the ground.
Isabella stifled a smile and settled on his lap. Edward and his faimly had moved to their village about a year ago. Isabella had gone to the only huge well in their village to fetch some water when she bumped into Elizabeth, Edward's mother.
She stopped to watch the extremely handsome boy helping his mother. At first, Isabella didn't know what to make of Edward. He seemed to ignore the other girls' chatter and was helping his mother in an aloof manner.
When Isabella struggled to lift the heavy bucket of water, a strong hand lifted it for her.
"Let me carry it for you," the boy said with a shy smile. "I'm Edward Masen."
She protested but in the end, he ended up accompanying her on her way to home and finally handed over the bucket to her. While doing so, his warm hand brushed against hers and her cheeks flamed a bright pink.
"I hope we will meet again, Isabella." Edward said with an elegant bow and left. He wasn't aware that he was taking her heart with him as he walked away.
From that day onwards, he seemed to appear everywhere she went. Slowly, she became acquainted with him. She was charmed by his wits, outwordly looks and his caring and protective nature.
They couldn't stand being without each other and it wasn't long before she fell for him, hard.
Few weeks later, Edward proposed his love to her and they decided to get married soon. However, certain complications began. Isabella's and Edward's father didn't approve of their children's courtship.
To Isabella's father, Edward and his family were strangers and he had no knowledge of their previous life. One night, while walking near the border of the neighbouring village, Edward and Isabella overheard her father plotting to marry away Isabella to the village head's son.
Horrified, Edward and Isabella hid in the empty backyard of Edward's cottage. His parents had gone to the village fair. They decided to leave the village at once. Under the shimmering full moon, Isabella had never looked so beautiful to Edward.
He couldn't resist himself and he ended up making love to her.
The next day, while Isabella was on her way to talk to her friends, she had seen the villagers gather around and she immediately knew her magical friends were in trouble.
"Isa, I think you should stay here while I go looking for them." Edward interrupted her thoughts, bringing her back to the present.
"What if they do something to you too?" Isabella asked, worried about her lover's safety.
"Fear not, love. I have my hunting bow with me."
"Edward, I request you to take me with you. I feel like something awful has already happened." She pleaded, her eyes stinging.
Edward contemplated for a few seconds. Who knew what other trouble she might get herself into if he left her alone. As much as he loved her, he had to admit that she was a real pain sometimes.
"Alright, but stay behind me. They aren't far from here." He muttered, pulling her gently with him.
They walked quietly, with Isabella watching her every step and Edward looking around for any possibility of danger. The forest was very silent. There were no birds chirping, no animals bustling around the bushes, no wind.
Nature was absolutely still, as if a part of it had died.
In the distance, a body was lying on the cold ground of the forest, still and not moving.
"Alicia!" Isabella screamed in outrage.
She ran to her dear friend's side and touched her pale face urgently. Edward knelt down next to her silently.
"There is too much bleeding." He whispered to himself, mournfully.
When Isabella looked down, bile rose in her throat. A wooden stake was plunged into Alicia's delicate chest and there was blood everywhere. There was so much blood that it was even beginning to soak Isabella's gown.
"No, no! Edward, is there not something that you can do?" she cried, devastated.
Edward's father was popular in the village for using different types of herbs to heal a person.
"I do not have anything with me," he replied, flustered as he tried to press a piece of cloth against Alicia's wound.
Suddenly, Alicia moaned and opened her dark blue eyes.
"Isa?" Alicia asked, using Edward's nickname for Isabella. Edward let out a sharp breath.
"I am here, Alicia. I'm here." Isabella caressed Alicia's cold cheek.
"Do not trouble Edward. There is nothing he can do to save me. I am dying." Alicia said weakly.
"Where is Heiden? Can't she use magic to heal you?" Edward questioned, tying the cloth tightly around her midriff.
She winced. "They took Heiden away as they believe she has nothing to do with me. They suspected only me and Isabella. Edward, be quick. Take Isabella away from this wretched place."
"We cannot leave you, Alicia." Edward replied with a soft sigh. "We have to take you to my father. He will find something to heal you."
"Edward, both of us know that I do not have more than a few minutes." Alicia sat up, leaning on Isabella for support.
Tears started to run down Isabella's cheeks.
"Listen to me, Isabella, a witch's spirit never really fades." Alicia insisted firmly.
"Here," she pressed her small hand on Isabella's flat stomach. "Will you both give me permission to reside in your child's body?"
Isabella's eyes widened in shock. Edward gasped next to her at the new piece of information.
"Yes," Edward and Isabella decided at the same time.
Alicia smiled sadly. "It is done then. I will always be with you. I promise to watch over all your descendents and when time comes, I will reveal all of this to the girl who is the reincarnation of you, Isabella."
When Alicia's eyes closed for the last time, thunder roared and suddenly, the forest was full of life because nature knew that even after centuries, Alicia will keep her promise.
When I opened my eyes, a soft hand touched my cheek. I blinked, trying to focus on the person standing before me. Recognization dawned on me when her face came into view.
"Alicia?" I whispered softly. The past had been so real to see. It was like I had really lived in it.
"Yes," the witch smiled fondly. "Now, do you understand why I was always with you from the begining?"
"I think so," I managed to sneak a peek of my surroundings and I was shocked beyond words. There was nothing but white light around me and Alicia.
"You are in the passway between the past and the present. Do no be afraid, nothing will harm you here." Alicia said, referring to the Undead.
When Alice had told me that Alicia wanted to show me the past, I'd blinked and suddenly, I was standing before Isabella's cottage. I had witnessed everything.
"But...but why did you give me your diary? Why did you make me raise the Undead? I still don't understand that part." I shook my head, dizzily.
She smiled brightly. "Every century, an Isabella's descendant will meet an Edward of her own and they will be reunited. But last century, Edward never got the chance to meet his own Isabella. He died in the war. So, I waited for the right opportunity. As if by miracle, all three of you, Alice, Heidi and you were born together in this century. Alice is my reincarnation, Bella. Heidi is Heiden's. Alice may seem mistrusting to you but you three are supposed to be together till the end of time. It is destined that way. When you were born, I did some magic and came to know that Edward won't be born again this time because the cycle was incomplete last time. So, I continued to watch over you and kept waiting. Then, when I heard you all were going to the Eternal Cemetery, I placed my diary on top of my grave. I knew if Heidi read the spell, Edward would come alive and you both will be united once again, completing the cycle this time."
It was weird, knowing that Edward and I were born again and again, just to be reunited. The same thing probably happened to Romeo and Juliet too.
I cleared my throat, my heart filling with love for Edward. "Edward and Isabella were the ones who buried you there?"
"Yes," Alicia nodded with a small smile. "Isabella was the one who didn't want to mark the grave. She knew if the villagers saw it, they would destroy it completely."
"So, what happened to Heiden?" I asked curiously.
"She left the village and stopped using her powers," she snorted suddenly. "That didn't work out well, as she ended up marrying a man who shared her powers. Heiden somehow tracked Isabella and Edward. They all lived together. Nice ending, right?"
"And you kept your promise, living in Isabella's child's body." I finished, wondering if I should just write a book about this whole thing.
"Indeed," she agreed. "Now that I have done my part by fulfilling the promise, it is time for me to take my final journey that my two dear friends took a long time ago."
"But..." I started to protest. Somehow in the process, Alicia had become more important to me than anything else. Excluding Edward.
Alicia came forward and hugged me tightly. I was surprised at the familiar feel of holding her, even though I had never held her before. Then I realized something. I was the reincarnation of Isabella. I had been with Alicia all my life.
I was overwhelmed by the tears that suddenly filled my eyes.
"Bear this in mind, Bella, Alice is my reincarnation. She might have done a few things that doesn't make you like her but she has a beautiful soul. She longs to be your friend again, Bella. Have a forgiving heart, just like my Isabella had." Alicia let out a sigh.
I wondered how much she missed Isabella and Heiden. It was terrible just to imagine the amount of pain she was going through. Every time she looked at me, Heidi and Alice; we reminded her of her short life.
"Okay, so...you won't be coming back?" I swallowed, longing for the comfort of Edward's arms. I missed him very much.
"I'm afraid not." Alicia hugged me again. "Goodbye, Isabella."
I opened my mouth to correct her and then I paused. My name was Isabella and everyone around me had shortened it into Bella.
"Goodbye, Alicia."
Suddenly, colorful lights danced around me and I felt like I was being sucked down a hole.
"Bella! Bella?"
I opened my eyes and gasped when Edward's exquisite face appeared before me. I started to cry and threw my arms around him.
"Love, what's wrong? What happened?" Edward cradled me in his chest, holding me gently.
I shook my head, unable to speak and buried my head in his shoulder. He kissed my forehead and ran his hand on my back comfortingly. That gesture produced another set of tears. I had seen the past Edward do the same to Isabella.
"She's overwhelmed, Edward. Let her be." Alice's voice reached my ears. She had Alicia's voice.
I got up from Edward's arms and found Alice instead. I hugged her tightly without a word, silently forgiving her for everything that she had done to me and my friends. Alice and I were supposed to be best friends from the beginning. At least we could start from now on.
"Oh!" Alice gasped in surprise. I could feel her smile against my neck.
I found Sasha's, Heidi's and Edward's hand and squeezed it. I had everyone by my side.
The only thing I had to do was live my life to the fullest.
Hey guys,
I feel like crying right now. One more chapter and this story ends. I am going to miss writing this story. I am going to miss writing period. So, I have decided to start another creepy story on Halloween and the floor is open for suggestions. If you have any interesting ''creepy'' idea, message me. I would love to start a new story.
-BEJL
