by Abra Ebner
I was surprised by his comment, “I didn’t know you’d seen it before.” I felt a little jealous.
He let out a soft laugh. “You have, too,” he whispered.
My eyes widened in surprise. “Really? I’ve seen it before?” I tried to remember it but there was nothing. It annoyed me that there was no memory of my life before. I still felt a certain disconnect over it, as though that girl was someone else. I was jealous of her, angry even. Hating that girl that had lived my life, a life I could not remember.
“Why didn’t you tell me about it earlier?” We were advancing toward the cube at a very slow pace.
Edgar looked over his shoulder at me, bringing his finger to his mouth. He hunched down and I followed suit, not understanding what was going on. Edgar was moving very slowly now, bearing down on the cube as he very carefully let go of my hand, motioning for me to stop.
I was a little annoyed that I didn’t understand more about what was happening, but I obeyed anyway, thinking that at a moment like this, jealousy should take a back seat. I watched him bear down on the cube as the cube changed directions very suddenly, as though sensing his presence. He stopped immediately, and so did the cube. They were both frozen, both seeming to stare each other down.
I exhaled, realizing I had forgotten to breathe. In a flash, the cube took off, dropping from the light and dodging away from Edgar. I gasped as I saw Edgar’s body become a blur, dashing after it faster than I had ever seen him move before. I stepped back until I was flush with the wall, watching as they lapped around the room. The cube stopped, and so did Edgar, again locked in staring and slowly pacing in a circle. Edgar had a smile on his face, enjoying this little game the prophecy was playing.
I was amazed. Never had I imagined that a prophecy had a personality of its own. But it did. It liked games, and I saw now how that was a bit like my own personality. I began to enjoy this, as though watching a sport.
The cube spun now, slow at first but getting faster, gaining speed as the cube blurred into an orb. Edgar stood tall, his hands at his sides as he watched it, the humor still glowing on his face. I was fixated on it now, as though it had put me in a trance. Edgar glanced at me, and without warning, he suddenly reached out with a lightning fast reflex and grabbed at it. There was a bright flash of light and I winced, looking away.
Edgar’s deep laughter filled the room then. “Gotcha.”
The light quickly dimmed, and I looked back at Edgar with hungry eyes. He rolled the cube in his grasp, his arm tight as the cube tried to move and get away. I walked up to Edgar, moving slowly though it didn’t seem as though I was in any danger.
“Why did it do that?” The cube glowed in the reflection of Edgar’s eyes.
His smile was wide. “It’s just something it learns to do. A prophecy does not want to be caught.”
I nodded. “Makes sense.”
I blinked a few times, watching it as it glowed, the light from within the cube flickering as though trying to talk. I lowered my face closer, inspecting it and seeing that the outer shell was much like glass, though watery.
“What does it feel like?” I looked up at Edgar.
He turned his palm over as the cube tried to shift its weight and get away. “You can touch it, if you want.”
I looked back at the cube, lifting my hand from my side and slowly advancing toward it. The cube’s light calmed, pulsing as I got closer.
“It likes you,” Edgar whispered.
I touched it then, feeling as the surface seemed to cool my skin, the pulsing feeling going through my hand and up my arm. The light began to dim as I felt the feeling continue to spread, filling my body with a wave of coolness. I looked at Edgar, but he was staring at the cube with a smirk on his face.
“What’s happening?” I didn’t want to let go, the feeling so euphoric that it left me wishing I felt this way all the time.
“It’s opening for you, giving you the prophecy.” Edgar’s voice was soft and distant.
“But—” I felt my body erupt with goose bumps, and then I saw:
I saw myself, standing in a field, thunder crashing around me. I saw the wind howling, the trees uprooted. I saw Edgar leaving. I saw the griffins from before, angry and resistant, receding into the caves. I saw everything die, the world a desert, my body lying dead. I saw the whole thing crumbling, and then it went black.
I yelped, letting go of the cube as the cool feeling was replaced with a burning one, the light in the cube returning as it shook in Edgar’s hand. He was grunting as he tried to hold on, but his strength was beginning to wane. I was breathing fast, frightened by how real it had felt, as though I was there.
I still felt the wind on my skin, the smell of desolation stinging my nostrils. I still saw the outline of dead trees littering my vision and smelled the smoke in my lungs.
“Edgar.”
He let go of the cube, watching it as it took off around the room, taking refuge in a corner where it seemed to shake with fear.
“I know, Elle.” He looked at me. “I’ve seen it.”
I shook my head. “It was horrible. Why? Why show me the future if I see that it will not work.”
Edgar traced his hand down my arm, taking my hand. “It’s not what will happen, it’s what can happen. It is showing what will happen if nothing is done. It’s showing you because it means there’s something you can do about it. It’s just a warning.”
I swallowed, finding my throat was dry and swollen. “Just a warning? It’s horrible. I will have nightmares the rest of my life.” I shook my head. “There was so much death, bodies everywhere, just—”
“Decaying?” Edgar said, with a hint of delight.
I let out a sharp breath of disgust, narrowing my eyes and whipping my hand out of his. I turned away from him. “I can’t believe you’re finding pleasure in this.”
“No. No, Elle,” he denied, walking up to me and taking my hand back as he twisted me to face him. “I didn’t mean it to come across that way. I mean, it’s just my nature.”
I thought about all the paintings in his room, trying to see his side of things. I exhaled. “I’m sorry. I understand. I just find it appalling because I see something opposite, something horrible.”
He wrapped both his hands around mine, squeezing tight. “Elle, I think it’s appalling as well. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just, I don’t know. Something inside me surfaces that I can’t control, that’s all.”
I nodded, squeezing his hand back. “I know. Just, let’s change the subject, okay?”
I tried to push the image of death from my head but it was seared into my memories. I began to wonder why, if I had seen this prophecy before, I hadn’t remembered it. Perhaps I just knew about it, but had never actually found it? Of all things, I would never forget something that horrible. Never.
I looked at the prophecy, seeing it had stopped shaking and was now staring at us, slowly twisting as though looking from Edgar to me, and then back at Edgar. I looked away.
“Elle?” I heard Margriete’s voice echo from the library below.
Edgar put his arm around my shoulders. “Come on, let’s go.”
He pulled me away, leading me back out and into the library as I focused on my feet. It was then that I saw a dim light following us into the small hallway and I looked over my shoulder, seeing the prophecy floating just behind, looking sheepish. It darted around the corner, hiding, only to peek around a moment later. A smile began to grow on my face and I stopped walking. Edgar halted as well.
“What—” He looked down at me and then looked to where I was looking. He snorted. “Great,” he muttered, shaking his head.
I pulled Edgar’s arm off my shoulder, turning around to face the prophecy. “Come on. It’s okay.” I patted my leg, calling it to me like a dog.
The prophecy was still peeking around the corner, acting timid now, a complete change from earlier.
“Come on,” I urged again, in a soothing voice.
The prophecy poppe
d out from behind the corner, seemingly excited, tilting back as though to puff its chest.
I laughed, waving it toward me. It floated up beside me then, floating just a breadth from my face. I felt its light warm my cheeks, glowing steadily.
“This is ridiculous.” I heard Edgar turn and walk away behind me.
“Don’t mind him,” I whispered, giving it a wink.
The cube’s light flickered as it bounced, as though to laugh.
I turned then, walking out to the rail. I looked down, and saw Margriete looking up at me. Edgar was across the opening on the other side, leaning against the upper rail, watching me with a humored face. I smiled, the cube floating up and hovering right next to my left ear.
“You found it!” Margriete’s face lit up. “Wow.” She paused as she took a moment to gawk. “I never thought I’d ever see one. It’s so beautiful.”
I could see the cube sway with delight from the corner of my eye.
Edgar threw himself over the rail then, and jumped down into the library below. I watched him as he walked past Sam, bumping him on the shoulder as he passed. Sam made an angry move to go after him but stopped himself, instead looking up at me from below. I shrugged.
Margriete pretended not to notice the tension. “Bring it down here.” She smiled, summoning me with her hand.
I began to walk around the upper level and toward the ladder as I heard frantic footsteps rush across the foyer, entering the room. I halted at the top, looking toward the commotion.
“Elle!” Edgar Poe sang, throwing his hands in the air. “I think I found the—” His voice trailed off as he looked up and saw me, his face sinking. “Oh, you found it already.” He had a sad look of disappointment on his face.
Sam walked up to Edgar and patted him on the back. “That’s okay, old chap.”
For the first time Edgar gave Sam a sour glare. I laughed.
Margriete exhaled dramatically. “So, now what?” She looked at me. “Elle, how was your trip?”
I had almost completely forgotten about what had happened on my trip. An image of the tree lit across my memory then, and I saw the prophecy brighten as though full of hope. The prophecy was a part of me. This I understood from what I’d seen. I supposed, then, that it also felt me, and could see what I was thinking. I saw the tree against the walls of my mind, bright green with pink flowers, motionless as the world roared on around it. If it were true that I could heal all this and the world, it seemed then that I would become stronger and more beautiful than anyone could ever imagine.
“Oh, Margriete! I almost forgot!” I finally made my way down the ladder. “The most amazing thing happened.” Everyone was watching me now, wondering what could be more amazing than finding a prophecy. “When I went to see Scott and Sarah, I had landed on this tree in their yard. You should have seen it, everything was a mess, and everything was dying. This tree, though, this tree asked me for help.”
Edgar Poe looked as though he was about to burst, having been silent for too long. I quickly continued my story, hoping it would thwart him.
“I—I didn’t know what I had done, but something happened. The tree just burst to life. Flowers, leaves, everything grew strong, and stayed that way. The next day, still, the tree was growing.”
Margriete tilted her head. “But here, I mean, it’s always been like that.”
“No, Margriete.” I took a step toward her. “This was different than that, much different.”
Edgar Poe burst then. “Show us, Elle. Show us on a tree here. I would so like to see that. I’ve heard of your talents. Your Edgar has told me many stories!” He was shaking with excitement.
I rolled my eyes. “Alright, let’s go now.” I thought now was as good a time as any, and the sooner I practiced, the sooner I would be able to get this figured out. “Sam, do you want to come?” I began walking from the room as Edgar skipped after me. Margriete looked at Sam.
“Sam?” She asked.
Sam had a blank look on his face, showing nothing of what he was thinking. Perhaps he sensed my worries, listening into my thoughts as I wondered if the thing I had accidentally done to the tree in Seattle could be repeated.
“No, that’s alright.” He smirked. “Not feeling the outdoors today.” He glanced outside, giving the field a once-over with his eyes. I also looked, seeing his point. The rain had now not only gotten heavier over the past hour, but had begun swirling into angry cones.
“Alright,” I shrugged. The prophecy floated out into the hall, feeling brave and adventurous. I could hear Edgar Poe jumping around by the front door, so I grabbed Margriete’s hand and dragged her out of the library as she waved to Sam. “See you later, then!” And with that we left, my nerves singing, but I knew it had to work.
FOR THE LAST TIME
Edgar
“Where are they going?” I sensed Sam enter as I stood looking out the window of my room. I watched as Edgar Poe ran across the field, Margriete and Elle walking after him.
“Out. To try and re-enact what Elle did while she was in Seattle.” Sam made his way through the stacks of books, standing right next to me as we watched them outside.
Elle’s prophecy followed like a pet, fighting with Isabelle as she tried to dive down on it, nipping with her beak.
“What did Elle do in Seattle?” I asked as though I didn’t know, but I had my hunches.
“Do I even need to entertain that type of question?” Sam’s hands were locked behind him.
I chuckled, knowing he was listening in. I knew what she had done because her prophecy had shown me long ago. What I also suspected was that the reason why it had happened was because she was far away from me. She was growing strong at a rapid pace; growing back into the woman she was before. In our previous life, she was just as powerful, but being that she never left my side, she had never known just how much. It is my choking personality that holds her power at bay.
“When will you leave?” Sam broke the silence, finding a place in my thoughts to interject his opinion.
“Soon. She won’t want me to leave, so don’t tell her.” I looked at Sam as he looked at me and lifted one brow.
“So you’re going to cooperate then? I’m shocked, didn’t know you had that sort of power in you. So far, it seems all you want is to foil everything.”
I looked away from Sam, a little angered by his words. I was trying, wasn’t I? Give me a break.
Sam snorted.
“When they come, then I’ll go. But until then, I want to be here. I have to.” I looked Sam in the eye once more. “I do love her, despite what you think. There will never be anyone like Elle. I want to spend all the time I can with her, before—” I felt my eyes begin to sting and I became angry at myself.
“You will do a noble thing by leaving her.” Sam put one hand on my shoulder.
“But she will—” I stopped myself again, my voice cracking.
“I know what will happen to her, but there is nothing we can do about that. In the end, I believe she will understand. She will find some peace at last.” Sam let go.
I nodded, finding I was at a loss for words. For the first time in my life I let myself be weak, allowing one tear to fall. It quickly dried against my cold skin. My eyes were locked on the field, now long vacant as they’d entered the woods and disappeared.
“She will fail today out there. It’s going to crush her.” Sam added.
I took a deep breath, hearing Henry enter the room as he fanned down and onto my shoulder. He leaned toward Sam as he gave him a discreet scratch on the head, afraid I’d get jealous, though I saw it anyway.
“What will you do?” I blinked as I said it.
I saw Sam shrug from the corner of my eye. “I suppose I’ll leave. Go back to Heaven. There’s not really much I can do here, especially if she fails.”
“She won’t fail,” my voice was low.
Sam laughed. “Well, either way, there won’t be much for me to do. Especially if she does what she’s planning.”
> I pressed my brows together. “What is she planning to do, other than save all this?”
Sam lifted his chin, gloating about the fact that he knew, and I didn’t. I was aware of how out of the loop I had become due to my stubborn nature, but I had snapped out of it, finally seeing that there was nothing I could do to stop this. Ignoring it wouldn’t make it go away. In the end I would still be without her, again.
“She’s going to strike a bargain with the gods. She will forge a contract, agreeing to save the Earth, but only if all magic leaves, forever.” He made it seem so dramatic.
I had to leave anyway, so it didn’t changed my plans, but still, it surprised me. “Why didn’t I see that in the prophecy?”
Sam took a deep breath for effect. “Why would it show you that? It doesn’t affect you. Either way you’re leaving, and I suppose it knew that.”
I agreed. “True.”
It was hard to even think about. Leaving was not something I had planned for in the end. I watched the forest, the trees swaying. I looked at the ring in my hand, glowing white and then fading to black, repeating the motion as though breathing. I had lived a long life, and though it may not have been as glamorous as I had always wanted, it was still good enough. It was time for it to be over, and time for me to go home.
FAILURE
Estella
“Here,” I trudged my way forward, the path now so washed out that it no longer made a distinct cut through the forest. Roots from the trees were exposed, and the ground packed firmly. “Let’s try this one.”
Edgar Poe set himself down beside me and retracted his wings, opting to fly in order to stay clean. His black hair was matted to his face with rain, his eyes beady as he watched me with intensity. He had calmed down since we’d gone outside and I was relieved, but also curious. It was as though the expanse of Earth was all that could calm him. A tree stood before us, bare and wet, its trunk swollen and rotting from all the water. I walked up to it, leaning in close.