Prelude 4

Edith

Knocking on the familiar wooden door, it creaks open, revealing the person I'm here to see. The moment she lays eyes on me she can tell by my fidgeting that something is wrong. She ushers me inside quickly, and wastes no time gathering me into her arms.

"Good to see you, Edith; I’ve missed you, darling."

I take a beat to sniff the air. I inhale her comforting, almost nurturing aroma, and instantly break down. My knees wobble and hot unfallen tears begin burning my eyes. I just couldn't hold it anymore, completely breaking down in her arms. "I don't… I don’t want to die here," I stutter in fright.

"I know honey, but look at it this way. Maureen and her little one will be cared for; that's a promise." She comforts me.

Trying to get a hold of myself, I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand and sigh. "She's not even aware of the baby, nor is she ready to become a mother. She's barely eighteen!"

Saying this out loud causes me to become hysterical.

Maureen’s eighteenth birthday was just yesterday, and I did everything in my power to imitate the perfect birthday for her, not once bringing up the fact that our journey together is at its end.

"Edith!" She scolds, "your daughter is a sweet and an intelligent young woman with a purity like no other. She'll make a wonderful mother, if you’ll just believe in her." She protests.

"You're right; sorry for my outburst," I apologize. "We’ll leave tomorrow,sed, fumbling with the necklace.

"Good. The sooner the better. If you travel by boat, it's only a day's journey; I'll arrange everything with the gatekeeper." She says, "You memorized the tunnel didn't you?"

"Yes. I did," is my straightforward reply.

The tunnel is two miles from here; a hidden getaway for any supernatural being. It was created long ago by guardians who selected one of each being among species who is pure of heart to be its keeper. The gatekeeper can be anyone, as long as they have a virtuous heart, and a strong positive aura. "You do know they're tracking your energy signature, right? So, we best get going now.” I told her.

"I'll be waiting for you. Wish I was the one delegated to bring you home." She smiles, "Be strong my child, let the ancestors be on your side for once." She whispers as she hugs me good-bye. Deep down, we both know this might be the last.

It takes no time whatsoever for her to disappear without a trace. Looking around the cabin, I remember this had been the place my dying mother ran to with me in tow. This is also the place where I first meet her - my guardian. Just having her near gave me hope again, and now it's my turn to give both my daughter and grandchild the same sense of security.

------

"Hey mom, I thought you went to work," Says Maureen, with a smile.

It’s so rare to see her not looking worried lately, that one smile tells me everything. It tells me how much she loves Dante, and her unborn child. All things being equal, at the end of the day — he is a more superior being. It was only a matter of time before his true colors came to light. And now that she's carrying his child, I'd rather die if I let his family hurt it.

"Hey baby, I wanted us to have a movie day," I suggested.

"I hope you're not doing this because of me, because I really am okay mama," she tries to soothe me through her false smile. I can always tell when she’s faking it because her mouth struggles to smile, but she’s still sad behind the eyes.

"Yes, I am, because you're my daughter. One day, you'll realize you'd do anything for your child," I tell her.

"Can we watch Beauty and the Beast?" She asks, subconsciously rubbing her flat stomach.

"Sure thing, let me grab a few snacks," My ready answer.

'Keep it together', I kept saying in my head. I'll pack our bags early tomorrow so we can leave when everyone's too busy to pay much attention to what we’re doing. With this thought, I grab every snack available for our impromptu movie day and begin stuffing my pockets.

A burning sensation in my palm keeps nagging at me.

It's dark out by now, must've fallen asleep by the looks of it. Throwing off the blanket I make my way upstairs to the bedroom, but check in on Maureen first, who thankfully is fast asleep. Guess it’s time to get to work.

Just as I'm about to open the door, my palm twitches again. I look down at it, the design of the necklace imprinted like a burn mark. Then, the voices begin whispering.

"Get out now!" The voice warns, the necklace shining brightly.

Without thinking twice, I burst into Maureen's bedroom to wake her up. "Maureen!" I whisper-hiss, shaking her roughly. “Get up!”

"Mom, what's wrong?" She mumbles, disoriented. Not exactly what I need right now.

"Baby wake up,” I urge her. “We need to leave right now!" I grumble through clenched teeth. I begin rifling through her dresser drawers to gather up her clothes.

She blinks the sleep from her eyes and begins looking around her in a slight panic. Just as she is roused from her drowsy state, the house rumbles knocking over every picture frame in the room.

Damn it, she'll need more time. "Hurry up," I urged her, throwing a pair of jeans and a hoodie at her.

I zip up the knapsack and rush over the window, opening it. Then, I take off my necklace, and kiss it one last time. "Do you remember the getaway tunnels?" I ask, while slipping the necklace over her head, then smoothing it in place around her neck.

"Y-yes," she stutters. "What's happening, mom?!"

Sighing, "Run to the tunnels, get there as fast as you can, and don't look back. When you get there, tell the gatekeeper 'The Phoenix lives’, and they'll grant you access to the boat." I began to tell her. "The boat leads to Green Bay; I've got a friend there, Sara. She'll help you both, do you understand?"

"No! I don't understand any of this, mom." She panics, just as another thunderous rumble shakes the house.

Grabbing onto her shoulders, "Sweetheart, I don't have time to explain all the details to you. Did you understand what I just said?" I ask, forcefully. She nods, and we hug.

"I love you, my baby. Get going now. Run as fast and far as you can and don't ever look back. I had a feeling that I was right about you. You are the beginning of rebuilding our family," I whisper in her ear with tears streaming down my face.

"No, I can't lose you!" She wails.

I Shush her, and try to calm her for a while. "I'll see you again, don't worry; this time will be different." I say reassuringly whilst ushering her closer to the window — the house is protected so it'll take them some time to break through the barrier.

"I love you, mama," she hugs me tightly.

"One last thing, protect this with your life you hear me? It’s the only thing representing us." I tell her, pointing at the still glowing necklace. "Now... go!"

She throws the bag out of the window then follows suit in her water transformation. She lands perfectly with a giant splash before grabbing her bag as she takes off into the woods in human form. As instructed - without looking back. I close the window, and flop onto my bed. My first thought is to comfort myself so, I line up her pillows next to me in the shape of her while chanting a dark, ancient spell. Just as the pillows turn into an exact replica of Maureen, I hear a violent crashing sound.

I lift my head toward the heavens to ask a favor of our deities: “Great and noble Ancestors, grant me the strength to guide the mother of our future to safety. One more time is all I ask.”

Barely moments later, an unknown source of power fills my body, and it’s unlike anything I've ever felt before. I can feel my power coming to its fullest expression.

The person that entered the bedroom is a fully shifted wolf, surrounding it with a large water vortex, drowning him immediately. Unfortunately, I'm so distracted that I didn't notice the shadow creeping up behind me. The next thing I feel is blunt force knocking off my feet, sending me straight into darkness.

My only thought at this point is that, I hope Maureen has made it safely to the tunnels.

-------

"Well, I never once thought you creatures had a backbone," Leona sneers at me the moment I'm awake.

"Don't be disrespectful now Lee, you're talking about the Hawthornes." The voice of Bridget mocks. "After all, they're the most powerful coven known to Nebula," she scolds, finally stepping out of the shadows.

She picks at her perfectly manicured nails while glaring down at me. "Your whore of a daughter turned my son against me, you bitch. Do you think I spent all my time grooming that boy just for her to screw it up for me and my family?" She snorts.

"Dante finally figured out his mother is nothing more than a bitter, basic bitch, who's not happy with her lot in life. So miserable, in fact that the only pleasure she has in this world is making others just as downtrodden as she is." I spit out each word with utter defiance. I'm dead either way, so I might as well speak my mind. She retaliates by smacking me hard across the face with a fully open paw, which shreds my cheek. . I felt the blood filling my mouth, so I spit it right in her face. The nasty old she-wolf hit me again, this time with a clenched fist.

"You've got a smart mouth; I wonder if Maureen's any smarter than you?" I hear the sarcastic voice belonging to Jonas retorts, chuckling. "Oh, don’t worry, we'll enjoy her company for a little while first before auctioning her off." He smirks in my direction, which makes me want to end him on the spot.

They've tied me up to Maureen's clone; rather carefully, I might add. Looks like for now, she's knocked out. If they try anything, the spell will surely break. “Come on, think!” I scolded myself before blurting out “Do your best, you'll never win!" I try to provoke them, and it works.

Jonas yanks a fist full of my hair, “We've already won, you silly old crone. We stand superior to you in every way." Jonas sneers, baring his canines.

"You're nothing but a big angry dog, calling yourself an alpha!" I cackle; a fist to my ribs knocks the air right out of me.

"KILL 'EM BOTH!" He roars.

"With pleasure," Bridget smirks.

Turning on the gas in the kitchen, my lungs begin to burn as they soak up the fumes. The curtains are set alight and the fire quickly spreads. As the flames grew higher, I knew exactly what would happen next - the torturous pain and rancid smell of my flesh as I burned to death.

"Θα σηκωθούμε και πάλι! (We will rise again!)” I scream in my ancestral language just before the flames consume me completely.

“Maureen, I love you.” Is the last thing I remember mumbling.

*****

A feeling of peace spreads all over me, and my eyes flutter open — a bright light assaulting my senses. I groan softly and look down at my hands. Fortunately, there’s no sign of burn marks.

"You won't find any,” the familiar voice says.

‘Impossible!’ I thought to myself.

I turn around cautiously seeking the source of the voice. "Welcome home sweetheart, this is only the beginning." She says smiling, with an outstretched hand. Which I accept without hesitation.

"But, how?" I ask, completely confused.

"We're in the spirit world that protects the necklace, come; we've got work to do," she tells me.

"Maureen…?" I mumble.

"My granddaughter is stronger than you think, she'll be okay." I'm reassured. With an understanding nod, I intertwine our fingers, ready to aid the next Hawthorne currently developing. I smile at the thought of being a grandmother, my heart growing full of pride knowing that my death was not in vain.

The dynasty continues.