Escaping Death [Watty Awards]

Chapter 43-Parents

“But that’s forbidden.  I thought that no one in all of the records have ever crossed that line.”  I couldn’t believe it.  This is the second time that I’ve heard of an immortal and a mortal’s possible love.  The first was the photograph of Peter and the girl that looked like Gwen, our past lives, as we believed them to be. 

“I know, son.  I am just as confused as you are.”  I sat down on the floor, crossing my legs beneath me.  “I’ve discovered that there are more incidents of that sort of the thing happening throughout time.  The Council just decides to bury it where someone won’t find it.”

“How did you-”

He raised a hand to silence me.  “That is a story for another time.”  He started to massage his leg and I wondered what could have happened to him.  The last time we talked was about a week ago and he was perfectly fine.  I’ll ask after he tells me about the Keeper. 

“So what about this Keeper?”  I asked.  My father always had trouble with a story because his train of thought always went of the rail.

“Ahh yes.  His name was William Levole, a British young man.  He fell in love with a girl that he rescued from a Reclic demon.  You know how they can be.  They are the most dangerous to humans.  After he saves her…well they fall in love.  That’s not very specified, although I did find some entries that he wrote.  Anyways,”  He says, clearly losing track of the story.  “He writes in one of the entries that he healed her once and that he believed it was out of love.”

“Love?”  I ask.  How could something like love have the power to…

“Yes, that is what he writes.  And you know what?  I believe it.”

My mouth falls open but I quickly close it.  “I don’t believe it.  You?  Out of all people you believe that our healing power can be tapped into if we love the person we want to heal?”  I say half laughing.  “I don’t believe it.”

I hear my father begin to laugh on his side of the looking glass.  “I’m starting to believe in things I’ve never thought I would.  Seeing you with Gwen…well its lead me to believe that love is powerful.  I’ve told your mother the same thing and she had the same reaction as you did.”

“I bet.”  I chuckled.  I willed myself to stop laughing and more seriously I asked, “Do you think love can be powerful enough to defeat death?”

He stopped laughing abruptly, his face falling out of its carefree stature.  “I don’t know, son.  But I have faith that you can save her.”

I had the sudden impulsive to go back home if it was just for a moment so I could give my father a hug.  His faith in me filled me with reassurance that I could save Gwen from Death.  I couldn’t do that as much as I wanted to.  Instead I asked, “What happened to your leg?”

A look of confusion crossed his face and he looked down at his leg as if he remembered.  “Oh, that.  There was a battle a few days ago at the Russian Council.  It’s just an injury.  It will heal in a few more days.  Demon poison takes more time for us to heal.”  I knew exactly what he meant.  I’d witness it when Gwen was bitten by the Ekdoi demon.  It took her nearly a week for her to fully heal.

“Gabriel.”  I looked up and saw the frown on my father’s face.  “Have you made your decision yet, son?”

“No.  I can’t decide, Dad.  I-I..”  Forming the words was harder than I imagined them to be.  I never gave it a second thought on what my father was asking me to do.  “It’s too soon to decide.”  I finally said, hoping that it was enough.

He nodded.  “Alright, I understand.”  He shifted in his chair.  “Just make the best decision and what you think is right.”  I nodded.  “Now, I have to go.  I hear your mother calling.  Be safe next week and…” He coughed.  He started to turn a bit red and began to fidget with his robe. “Just be safe and make the right decisions.  Don’t rush into things and don’t push her into anything she doesn’t want to do.  Protection is-”