When Annabelle, a young eighteen year old is sent to her grandmothers attic to fetch something she discovers some old photographs and newspaper clippings from 1919. The dates go back to when her grandmother was a child and lived out her own teenag...
I walked until I couldn't feel my feet anymore. Every step was one closer to where I should be. I had heard rumours and whispers about a girl. One with beautiful blue eyes and luscious hair. With a smile that would captivate even the saddest of souls and one who sounded exactly like the one I had lost. It had been tow years, Almost three. Id sent her back where she came from in order to protect her. I looked after our children and told them that their mother was an angel, she was just needed more elsewhere. It almost seemed easier to tell them she had passed but I couldn't tell them that.
I scanned between the trees then I thought my eyes played the cruelest trick of all on me. There she was, standing in the black coat she had worn the first time here. The same bewildered look of confusion only this time laced with hope. I didn't stop walking. I continued until I realised the figure was a figment of my imagination once again. I stopped. Maybe it was time I should say goodbye for real. To everything? Pulling a gun to my head I sighed and pulled the trigger and let my body fall backwards onto the piles of fallen needles from the trees.
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"Thomas!" Her scream sent the hairs on my neck stand up straight and bumps raise on my skin. The shriek was so blood curdling I could have sworn it was real. Then as my head began to pound from the sound of the gun ringing in my ear fast approaching footsteps stopped and then a body collided into mine. "No, no, no, no, no! Thomas why'd you do this!?" I turned my head in disbelief staring at the crying woman. I reached out my hand and cupped her cheek. Warmth, Real warmth. She was real and crying over me. Within an instant I let out a cry and sat straight up engulfing her in an embrace. I didn't let go, I wouldn't ever again. "Your here" I began sobbing into her shoulder. "And your dying!" she cried pulling away trying to examine me.
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"Im fine" I shook my head. I had fired up towards the sky not towards myself. "Your such a bastard!" she sobbed holding my hand to her chest. "I thought you were a ghost or a memory from the past when I saw you" a laugh escaped between her cries "I promise I am real. I have no intention of leaving any time soon-" she smiled, her eyes welled up with tears. "But how did you know I was back?" She looked confused. "I heard rumours and I had people on the lookout just in case. I'd almost given up but then someone said they saw a girl wandering through the woods nearby". Sniffling she nodded her head "take me home?" I smiled wiping both hers and my eyes. I helped her stand and made a point of holding her hand and not letting go.
It took us about an hour to get back to our house. Upon arrival the maids and Aunt Poll came rushing out with excitement and a whole lot of raw emotion. Nothing had been quite the same since Annabelle had traveled back. I think it was safe to say that she was definitely meant to be here with us though. Then as Poll let go our two angels came running down out of the house and I watched as Annabelle fell to her knees overjoyed to see our children again.
She pulled them close to her and didn't let go. The children were smiling and crying a little too asking where she had been and saying how much they missed and loved her. I made sure they knew who she was whilst she was gone. I showed them her photograph every night before bed, told them stories. All the family would tell stories of how brave and lovely their mother, my wife was, still is. "What's all the bloody commotion about!?" Arthur yelled stepping out of the house with a pistol in his hands. The gun almost fell from his grip when he realised what was happening.
"Bloody ell!" He Yelled with a smile spreading across his face. The noise made the rest of the boys come rushing around to the front of the house and all instantly gathered around hugging one another and welcoming Annabelle home. "I've missed you all so much" she smiled wiping away more tears. The rest of the night was filled with drinks, food, laughter, stories and a little alone time. It was now late in the evening and the kids had been put to bed with s kiss from both their mother and father for the first time in years.
The rest of the family continued cheering and celebrating down below but the pair of us took the time to get reconnected. Cigarette between my fingers I laid against our headboard and couldn't hide the cheeky grin that would form on my face every time I looked at Annabelle. She was just as beautiful now as she was then. "What's that look for?" She smirked at the other end of the bed, a glass of wine in her hand. "Nothing I just love you that's all" I flicked my cigarette and then placed it in the glass ash tray on our bedside table.
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She placed her glass down and crawled back to my side resting her head in on my shoulder. "You promise never to leave me again?" I looked down at her "I promise". "Good because I don't think my heart could handle you being gone again" I placed a kiss at the top of her head and in that moment was so thankful to finally have the love of my life back in my arms. I finally had the whole of my family with me, whom I adored and my wife who I knew would love me and I her until the end of time.
I was finally at peace.
Authors Note:
Thank you so much to everyone who has continued to read this story over the years!
Your support has been amazing and I really appreciate you all so much.
Now I got messages from people telling me that this story was to never end so I just wanted to let you know that I have started writing a second book in the perspective of Lily, Thomas's daughter in this story so if you would be interested in that check it out! The book is called When Bullets Collide.
And who knows I might even write a book 3 if you like the second one just as much as this one!
Once again I cant thank you all enough and I hope you enjoy book 2 - When bullets collide, just as much :)
(DONT FORGET TO COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW HOW YOUR COPING WITH THE STORY NOW BEING SEMI OVER)
(ALSO Y'ALL AINT READY FOR WHAT I HAVE PLANNED FOR BOOK TWO 😂)
