" You know I will always love you, don't you?" I nodded as the hot tears rolled down my cheeks. She smiled, hot tears of her own, rolling down her cheeks just as mine did. She leaned forward kissing both of my cheeks, then my forehead-prolonging the kiss.
" Be strong my baby. Always pray everyday and try your best to be the person you were born to be. I-" She covered her mouth and choked on her cries. My eyes burned as I watched my mother fall to her knees next to my father-using him as a support. I looked up, seeing the man that I knew all my life. He smiled at me slightly, his lips trembling a little as he spoke.
" Come here ladybug." He opened his arms, beckoning me with his strong hands. I ran to him, afraid of losing him if I didn't. I felt his brawny arms wrap around my small trembling body. Comfort is what I have always felt whenever my father embraced me.
" Daddy loves you very much and will always love you no matter what happens." I cried harder. Deep down inside I knew what was going to happen. And no matter how much I wanted to stop the tears and become strong....I couldn't. He hushed me gently, palming my hair, smoothing down the loose curls that were untamed.
" I need you to promise me and mommy something sweet heart...." he said. His voice was still strong, but trembling. I knew he was struggling, just as much as my mother.
" Promise me that you....that you will fulfill your destiny. Promise me baby that you always listen to what God tells you. Promise me that you will be the best person you can be. Be the person that we have raised you to be. Promise me ladybug...promise" I let out a loud sob and clutched his shirt. I didn't want to say 'I promise' because that would only confirm what I already knew what was going to happen. I didn't want to lose him. I didn't want to lose her. I didn't want to lose the only thing that mattered to me.
My family.
" I promise Daddy"
Nine years...
That's how long it's been since I watched my parents be buried into the ground. How they died, was always lurking in the back of my head. There was not a day that goes by,that they didn't cross my mind. Every second of every minute, my heart aches for that missing piece that I lost that day. No child, no adult, no-one should ever witness the pain I felt. No-one should ever see the things I have seen. People I loved, cherished, cared about, are gone. It was only by the grace of God that I have been kept sane throughout all these years.
"Vanessa honey come inside before you catch a cold!" Magna yelled out the window of her small cottage. She was a very tiny old woman that lived in the small village of our people. Her grey hair was always tied up into a braided knot and the wrinkles she had were gracefully sitting on the corner of her youthful blue eyes. Magna always carried a smile that was highly contagious and very bright. Something that my father inherited from her. Something that I wish I carried.
" I'm coming Magna!" I yelled back while picking up my drawing book and pencils. I was just in the middle of drawing the outline of the huge oak tree that stood in the middle of the field behind the cottage, when the rain came. Drawing was a hidden passion of mine that I found therapeutic after the death of my parents. After gathering everything, I jogged back to the cottage, catching a strong whiff of potatoes and broth.
" Whatcha making Mags? The famous potato soup?" I said cheerily, setting my things down on the small coffee table. She turned around after stirring the medium size pot- smiling amusingly.
" Oh I don't know about famous dear. The only people that I know who love my soup are you and Aaron." Magna said, chuckling to herself. I gasped loudly in objection.
" Of course not! I am absolutely sure that the whole village is obsessed with your potato soup. With noses like theirs I'm surprised that they're not running up here with their tongues all out!" She laughed loudly patting my cheek as she passed by me. I laughed softly as I finished stir the soup for her.
" Oh darling you are quite sweet....you can let it sit now. It just needs to boil now." I nodded and went to go and join her in the living room. Magna grabbed her knitting needles and a black ball of yarn, and started to work on her latest project. I sighed, relaxing my body deeply into the couch as the sound of rain and soft thunders start to cloud my thoughts.
" So...how was your day?" She glanced at me shortly before attending to her hobby. I looked quickly at the ceiling, and tried to come up with an answer that seemed decent enough for her to believe. I had no intentions on making her worry even more about me than she already had.
" It was great." I mumbled quietly under my breath. Yeah that was good. I think.
" You do know that you are an outrageously terrible liar." She singed. I sighed deeply, turning to my side so that I was facing her. She had one eyebrow raised to almost her hairline, and was knitting patiently, and like a pro. I pinched my eyebrows together, trying to come up with something else. I just sat there with my mouth slightly open-ready to blurt out anything that came into mind. She scoffed loudly, gaining my attention.
" If you're going to tell a lie at least try to make it less obvious that you are trying to think of one." She said, shooting her bright eyes to my brown dull ones. I groaned, already knowing that if I don't tell her now she'll end up finding out anyway. Seeing my hesitation for answering her very demanding question, Magna narrowed her eyes at me, shooting booth eyebrows up. I slumped over, and looked up at the ceiling-blinking away for a few seconds.
Just fucking do it.
" Fine...." I mumble under my breath. I bent over slightly, rolling up my pant leg. I didn't look up when I heard her gasp loudly. The bloodied gauze sunk to the floor when I finished from unwrapping it from around my ankle. I hissed as I felt the wound open up slightly. The house was warm but since I had it wrapped up for some time-it felt as though someone was whipping a fan directly into it.
And it hurt like a fucking bitch.
Magna slowly removed her hand from her mouth and gently grabbed my left ankle. I held my breathe as the pain increased. Magna hovered her skinny, and slightly wrinkled fingers over the three deep gashes that decorated my leg like a popcorn string on a christmas tree. I bit my lip and adjusted myself on the seat,
" It's not as bad as it looks Magna I pr-" I shut my mouth quickly when her head snapped up. I was shocked that she didn't get whiplash.
" Not as bad! Not as bad! Asteiévesai!" ( Are you joking?) She screamed, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.
" How much are going to take Vanessa? Huh? I can not stand to watch you come home beaten and tired! I sit here and pray to God that you come home safe and not dead! It breaks my soul every time I see you walk through those woods with blood somewhere on your body or bandages that are meant for someone who's been through battle!" She yelled angrily with hot tears making their way down her sunken cheeks.
" I will no longer sit here and let you continue to be abused by someone who swore on their life to protect you. So I made a few arrangements for you to leave-" my head shot up immediately.
" What do you mean a few arrangements?!" I asked, holding my throat when my voice cracked. This wasn't something I wanted to happened. This wasn't something I could even see happen.
" Magna you know Rick will never allow me to leave! He will kill you if he finds out that you helped me leave." I sniffed as the thought of being the reason for her death, started to torture me. Ignoring the physical pain I had- I got down on my knees and grabbed her hands.
" Magna...Magna please, I can't lose you. Not you. Please do not do this! I can handle the pain, just as long as it means you're safe! Just please do not make me leave!" I begged. I cried harder as she brought our enjoined hands up to her thin lips.
" My sweet sweet Vanessa" She rested her soft hands on my cheek, rubbing her fingers up and down the side of my face.
" You are my grandchild. The last of my blood. I will do everything in my power to make sure that you survive. This-" she pointed to all of me. "-this is not making sure you survive."
" But Magna I-" she held her hand up, silencing my pleads. Silent tears continued to flow as I sat there.
" I called someone I trust dearly- someone your parents trusted dearly. They will be here when the moon is at its brightest." I couldn't do it. I laid my head on her lap and cried out what felt like my soul.
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Magna sat there in her favorite chair, running her fingers through her granddaughters semi-silky strands. She cried herself to sleep and it hurt Magna. She knew that her granddaughter would react like that, but she wasn't ready for what Vanessa was willing to give up in order to save her.
" God blessed your sweet soul my love" she whispered in her ear.She leaned Vanessa over so that she laying comfortably on the floor. She wiped her face, trying to gain some strength back. This was something that she had to do. Something she should have done a long time ago. She picked the small house phone up and dialed the code number before dialing the real number.
" Hello?" A strong familiar voice ringed her old ears. She smiled softly answering the man she also raised to be her own,
" It's time." The man's eyes bulged out from it's sockets. Did he hear the woman right?
" Are you sure?" Magna looked over to her sleeping grandchild and nodded. It was the only thing to do.
" Yes be here by nightfall when the moon is at its brightest" and she hung up. Magna knew the cost of helping her grandbaby was death. But she didn't care.
" As long as you're safe" she whispered before going up the stairs to pack Vanessa's clothes.
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" Honeybee get up...get up child!" I groaned feeling someone shaking me. I opened my eyes and saw Magna above me. I looked around and saw that I was on the floor.
How long was I asleep?
" Come on we don't have much time" she helped me up and ushered me into the kitchen. I sat down and watched as she moved quickly back and forth, collecting all different kinds of items. Even though Magna was up in age, she was very active.
" Magna what is all this for?" I asked while she dumped the objects in a sheet, folding and tying it close.
" This is for the trip to where I am sending you. It's almost a day's worth to get there and I don't want my honeybee to starve." She answered. My heart fell, remembering that she was making me leave. As much as I hated it here and wanted nothing more than to leave and forget about this place, I had Magna to think about. Who was going to stay and take care of her? I jumped slightly when I felt a soft hand wipe away my stray tears. She set both of her hands on my cheeks and lifted my head up.
" I will be fine honeybee. I have nothing to fear but your safety. Now chin up and go and put your shoes on I will take you to where they are waiting." She kissed my forehead and popped my leg. I jumped off and dragged myself across the living room.
" Here " I looked up to see magna holding a black knitted bag. I glanced at the bag before looking back up to her. She pushed the bag forward again,
" Take it..please" She said almost desperately. I took the bag and saw that it was filled almost to the brim with big knitted sweaters. All in various colors. I smiled widely taking a black thick sweater out. I stood up and pulled the old and worn out sweater that I had on off, and slipped the knitted sweater right on. It was soft, and warm, and it smelled like cookies. I looked over to Magna and smiled.
" I love it Mags....thank you" She held her arms open and I rushed over to her.
" You are most welcome my dear.....now let's go, we won't have much time before the guards take their patrols" she rushed. I grabbed the medium size duffel bag and slung it across my chest. I took the knitted bag and attached it to the duffel bag as Magna opened the door with a flashlight. She looked over her shoulder, " are you ready?"
" Do I have a choice?" I mumble. She scoffed loudly," no." I laughed quietly and walked out of the house with her beside me.
" Shush...do you hear that?" Magna asked as I slung the bag further up my shoulder. We have been walking for about two hours and twenty minutes. I glanced at her the to the ground-shaking my head.
" No wha-" She shushed me again, jutting her arm out to stop me from walking out any further. My body tensed up, thinking that something was about to happened. We stood there in complete silence for about thirty seconds before her ears twitched.
" The river...we're close" I gasped loudly as she tugged my hand roughly. We walked faster going towards the direction of the sounds.
" There it is....I see them" She whispered. The pressure on my heart got heavier as we got closer. The stinging of my eyes burned as the pebbled rocks came into view. My body started to ache as the sounds of softly streaming water amplified.
Man this was depressing. How did my life come to this again?
Nevermind. I rather not think about it.
"What?" I asked, not quite hearing what she said. Magna rolled her eyes and flicked my forehead. I hissed loudly,
" OUCH! I'm sorry I didn't hear you!" I groaned out. She crossed her arms and shook her head.
" I said you have to cross the river on your own, the territory ends right here. They will be waiting for you on the other side." I nodded, rubbing the spot she flicked. That shit hurted. What happen to 'no more injuries'?
I turned to give her one last tight hug. It hurt me badly to leave her. It more than any physical pain that I ever had. I looked into her eyes and silently pleaded, but like always her words were final.
" Go and live." with that she turned and left with tears streaming down her face.
" Goodbye grandmother...I love you....."
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Okay I'm so so so so so so sorry it took so frickin long to update this but I had to recreate a whole new setting and plot for this story. So forgive me please. Oh and also I changed and added some new characters and kind of altered some of them. But anyway, IT'S GOOD TO BE BAAAAACCCK!!!!