The Curse of Time

by Andreea Pryde

  “Scarlett, you can’t–”

  “I can’t what? Give up? Lose hope?” I snapped at Midnight. “It’s out of my hands, and to be honest, it was never my place to do anything to begin with. I don’t have what it takes; the power, the blood connection, nothing. I can’t be the saviour they need! I can’t be anything! I might as well walk away and never look back.”

  That was the painful truth, but hearing it out loud, it sounded as fake as it felt. Even saying all that, I still couldn’t convince myself to give up completely. I wanted to free them, to give them the chance to move on, to make the Earl pay for all the suffering he caused to Leah, but that was nothing more than wishful thinking.

  “Maybe you should go to sleep,” Midnight said coldly. “You are obviously too tired to think straight right now. We’ll talk in the morning.” And she hid under the bed.

  Good job, Scarlett, taking your frustration out on Midnight, I thought, letting my head hit the pillow. I’ll apologise tomorrow.

  Chapter 29

  “Don’t you dare give up, child,” Emma said tiredly while wiping the sweat off Leah’s forehead. “Did anyone go for the midwife?” she shouted at a young woman in the room.

  “No,” the young woman said, facing the floor. “The Earl forbid us.”

  “This is getting ridiculous.” She gritted her teeth. “Go and bring some more hot water and clean clothes.”

  “My . . . baby . . .,” Leah barely muttered, panting between the painful contractions that felt like they were ripping her body into pieces.

  “Shh . . .” Emma softened her voice. “The baby will be fine, and so will you. Now hang in there; it’s not long to go.”

  I didn’t want to see.

  I didn’t want to be here.

  I didn’t want to feel Leah’s heartbreak when she didn’t hear her baby’s cries.

  But I couldn’t leave, either.

  “Scarlett . . . my baby . . . is coming.”

  “You’re doing great, Leah.” I tried to sound encouraging. “But don’t waste your

  energy talking, alright? We can talk after. I’ll be right here.”

  The contractions became stronger and longer, each ripping cries of pain from her lips, and bringing streams of tears down her cheeks. It didn’t take long until Emma encouraged her to push, constantly changing the bloodied cloths from between her legs, preparing for the baby’s arrival. But the baby was late, and with each push, Leah was growing weaker.

  “Don’t you dare give up now!” Emma said again. “You have a responsibility to this child that you need to see through. One more big push and you’re done.”

  Gathering all the strength left, she squeezed the sheet in her hands so hard, that her nails cut through the palm of her hand and screaming at the top of her lungs she pushed one more time before falling exhausted back on her pillow. Her heavy breathing was the only noise in the room.

  Nothing else.

  Just quiet.

  My heart sank as the cruel realisation began rooting in Leah’s mind, but then the room filled with a strong, innocent cry.

  “It’s a boy!” Emma exclaimed relieved. “A strong, healthy boy. Just let me wipe him a bit, and I’ll bring him to–”

  Before Emma could finish her sentence, the Earl entered the room, looking around repulsed.

  “It’s a boy, My Lord.” She presented the still crying child to the Earl. “What would you like to name him?”

  “He won’t need a name.”

  “But–”

  “I believe I made myself clear last time. You acted over my orders, and this is your punishment. Now take this thing out of my sight,” he said disgusted.

  “No!” Leah screamed, and with a quiver shaking her whole body, she got off the bed.

  “Leah, you shouldn’t move,” I tried to reason with her, but she didn’t hear me; like my voice couldn’t reach her.

  “Please!” she took a small step, blood leaking on the inside of her tight. “At least let me hold him once,” she begged, reaching her hands out.

  “Leah! Please, you need to get back in bed.”

  “Leave,” the Earl repeated, and Emma ran out of the room with the baby.

  Leah collapsed on the floor, crying her heart out, repeating again, and again. “Only once . . .”

  I had to do something, but the more I struggled to make myself felt and heard, the further away I could feel our connection drifting apart, until I found myself pushed out–not back in my time, but outside of her body, floating aimlessly in the room.

  “Leah!” I shouted, but my voice was lost in thin air.

  Stepping closer, the Earl grabbed her hair and lifting her face from the floor, said irritated, “Get up!”, but Leah didn’t answer. He let her fall back on the floor, and with his wooden cane he hit her over the back until blood began to stain the white fabric of her nightgown.

  “Stop it!” I shout again, tears falling down my cheeks. I tried to get closer, to get back to Leah, but someone gripped my wrist holding me into place.

  Looking behind, floating next to me was Leah from among the stars. With a grave expression on her face, she shook her head.

  “Don’t,” she said to me. “This is not something you need to go through. If you want, I can send you back to your time. After all, this is the end.”

  “No. I need to get back there,” and I pointed towards Leah lying devastated on the floor. “He’s killing her! He’s killing you! I need to do something!” I was shouting desperately.

  “You can stay and see what’s about to happen, but I can’t let you go back there.” Her tone was calm and low.

  “So, you just expect me to sit quietly on the side? And do nothing?”

  “There’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing I can do. It’s starting.”

  I turned my head towards the Earl, who grabbing Leah’s hair once again, dragged her half-fainted body outside the room, like a caveman.

  “What’s happening?” I asked horrified. “What’s starting?” I moved my eyes back and forth between Leah and the door through which the Earl disappeared.

  “The beginning of the end,” she said without looking at me. “Come,” and pulling my hand, she floated ahead, leading me to another room.

  Filled with simple wooden furniture, a desk, a chair and a shelf, it looked just like a workshop, except for a very strange piece in the middle of the room. A pedestal made of white marble, holding in a place of honour an object hidden from stranger’s eyes, covered with black velvet.

  Within seconds, the door flew open, and the Earl entered stomping, still dragging Leah behind him, like a ragdoll.

  Thrown against the pedestal, she didn’t react in any way. She just remained there, lying on the floor, looking away into nothingness with empty eyes; broken.

  “Do it, you useless wench!” the Earl bellowed at Leah, but when she didn’t respond, he hit her yet again, this time over the face. The spot bruised fast, but that didn’t temper his violent outburst.

  Biting my lips and clenching my fists, I wanted to look away, but before I could do so, the Earl removed the black fabric, revealing Chronos’s Watch. Carefully picking up the small artefact, he lowered himself on one knee and forcefully pulling on the night gown’s material, he ripped the right sleeve, exposing Leah’s bruised and scarred skin. Swiftly, the Earl wrapped the thin chain around her forearm, and opening the facet of the Watch, quickly, with a few steps, put some distance between the two of them.

  Still looking at the scene in front of me, I was unsure of what was about to happen. Leah lying rock-still by the marble pedestal with Chronos’s Watch wrapped around her arm, and the Earl, standing by the door, looking like he was about to flee at any moment. Several minutes passed without either of them moving a muscle. I looked at Leah by my side, but she didn’t say a word. I opened my mouth, but when I did, her expression grew pale and closing her eyes, she averted her face. Painful moans reverted my attention back to the room’s floor, getting stronger, turning into ear-s
cratching, soul-wrecking howls. The thin chain dug into her arm, feasting on her blood and flesh, while the Watch absorbed her little by little.

  As Leah’s presence in the world got painfully erased little by little, my surroundings became darker, proof that I couldn’t exist in that time without her as an anchor.

  “What is happening?” I screamed, horrified, moving my eyes from one Leah to another.

  “The Watch needs a blood and flesh sacrifice–me.”

  Chapter 30

  I found it difficult to focus on my surroundings, Leah being absorbed by the Watch and her painful howls, haunted my mind, but this was not where I was supposed to be. My room’s floor is not where I was supposed to be.

  My hair was still bright red, but I couldn’t feel her at all. I tried to focus on her, on the stars, on the Watch’s sound, but a throbbing tension at the back of my head made my effort useless.

  “Sweetie, are you alright? I heard a big thud coming from your room and–” my mother’s words stopped when she opened the door and came face to face with my red hair.

  My mouth fell open, knowing I should say something, but what could I possibly say at a time like this? My heartbeat skyrocketed, and cold sweats gathered on my palms and back. My mouth went dry, and the blood drained from my face, but with a soft smile, mother said. “When you’re ready, come to the living room. I need to show you something,” and left, closing the door behind her.

  “Midnight!” I rushed in the corner where she slept, making her give out a frightened hiss.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” she shouted at me. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

  “Can you erase memories? Or do you know a spell that can do it?” I continued in rapid-fire, ignoring her complaint.

  “No, I can’t do it, and even if I did, I wouldn’t do it.” She turned her back and sat down more comfortably.

  “What? Why not?” I asked, disappointed, wrinkling my eyebrows.

  “It’s your fault for not locking the door, so now you need to get out of this by yourself.” She didn’t even bother to raise her head.

  Thanks for nothing.

  There was no point in delaying; I had to find a way to explain things without making me sound crazy and get my mom to book me a ticket to the asylum, but it all depended on her reaction once I got downstairs.

  Taking a big deep breath, I made my way to the living room. I was half expecting to find my mother crying her heart out with the priest on the phone, while my father paced the room with a desperate look on his face, but that turned out to be just my imagination.

  There was no sign of my father, and mom was sitting quietly on the sofa, searching in a shoebox filled with old photos. I swallowed drily, and I got closer, unsure of what to expect.

  “Mom . . .,” I said, my voice shaking.

  “Come here, sweetie. Look at this.” She handed me a picture.

  “Where’s dad?” I looked around.

  “Oh, he went to pick up something from the shop.”

  Sitting next to her, I took the picture and looked at it. It was a picture of me when I was about two weeks old, sleeping without a worry in the world. I looked confused at my mother, trying to understand the reasoning behind her gesture, but she just kept smiling warmly for another few minutes.

  “You used to sleep so much back then,” she finally said after a while. “But that was to be expected since you were a new-born, yet you never cried when you woke up.” My confusion grew as she kept talking. “Maybe because you were never alone, and you knew it.”

  “Of course, I wasn’t alone. You were with me all the time.”

  “But you see, I wasn’t. When you slept, it was the only time I could do anything around the house, or take a shower, or make dinner. So, no; I wasn’t always next to you physically, but still, you were never alone.”

  “I don’t understand,” I said, looking from the picture to my mother.

  “It happened on the same day I took this picture. You were sleeping soundly in your room, and I was cleaning the kitchen. I came to check on you, to see if you’d woken up, but when I got in the door frame, I saw this beautiful woman bent over your cot, caressing your little head. I somehow knew that she didn’t mean any harm and that she wasn’t human, either. When she touched your head, your hair turned bright red, just to return to its regular colour almost instantly. Just like this morning.” She finally raised her face towards me. “When she saw me, she smiled, bowed, and disappeared. The whole thing happened as fast as I could blink, but I remember it like it only happened minutes ago. Your father said I must’ve fallen asleep and it was all just a dream, but I knew better.”

  “Mom, I–”

  “You don’t have to explain a thing, and probably you can’t even do it.” She smiled.

  “No . . . I wouldn’t even know where to begin to make any sense.”

  “And that’s perfectly fine.” She placed a hand over mine, smiling. “It’s just, I always knew there was something special about you, and I’m not saying that just because I’m your mother. But, seeing you like this this morning, it was just like a long-awaited confirmation.”

  “This might sound a bit weird, but do you remember what the woman looked like?”

  “Sure, I do! How could I forget my daughter’s Guardian Angel?”

  “Guardian Angel?” I asked, confused, frowning.

  “Well, that’s the only thing she could’ve been.”

  “Right. . . So, what did she look like?”

  “I remember her long hair being a very peculiar colour, it looked like cappuccino foam. She had very white skin, and her body looked very thin. Oh, but her clothes were really something else,” my mother continued, excited. “Her dress looked just like those in the Victorian dramas I like so much. But . . .”

  “But what?”

  “There was something on her face. Although she was smiling so warmly, her eyes looked sad and lonely, at least that’s how it looked to me.”

  There was no place for questions; that was no Guardian Angel–that was Leah, who waited for me long before the day I was born.

  If only I were stronger. . .

  A tightness pressed on my chest, remembering her last painful moments in this world, and my inability to do anything. Out of all the people in the world, why did it have to be me?

  “I’ve been thinking for a long time,” my mother broke the silence. “Why would a celestial being as herself, let others see her? Everyone knows that Guardian Angels work from the backstage of life. For her to come out in plain sight, perhaps she’s the one who needs help; perhaps there’s something only you can do, so she came to you.”

  I looked at my mother with round eyes.

  “Listen to me, what am I blabbing about?” She laughed. “If your father could hear me, he would say I watch too much TV.”

  No, mom. You have no idea how close you are to the truth, and how far in the same time.

  “And speaking of the Devil–” Just then my father’s noisy old car pulled in the driveway. “Shouldn’t you get ready as well?”

  “What time is it?” I jumped, realising I’d lost any notion of time. I couldn’t risk losing the train if I wanted to be back in London in the evening.

  “It’s 10 a.m., but you still need enough time to eat something and maybe take a short shower. Don’t worry about the time. Your dad will drive you to the train station.”

  “I’ll do what?” my dad asked as he just entered through the door caring four grocery bags, full to the brim.

  “Drive your daughter to the train station,” my mom replied casual. “I’m quite sure I didn’t stutter.”

  “Yeah, fine,” my father said under his breath.

  The remaining time flew fast. I kissed my mother goodbye and got in the car. Once at the train station, dad stayed with me until the train arrived, and hugging me gently, he said in my ear.

  “Take care honey and try to visit a bit more often.”

  “I will, dad. I will.”
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  I left the small station with a slightly lighter heart, somewhat encouraged by my mother’s words.

  Something only I can do, huh?

  Chapter 31

  “Are all the preparations ready?”

  “Almost My Lord,” Matteo answered mechanically, bowing his head. “I found a few homeless individuals who have no relatives of any kind but have an abundant life-force to provide you with long lifespan years.”

  “Well done. What’s left?”

  “The blood and flesh sacrifice.”

  “Nothing to worry about. She’ll do just fine.”

  “Understood” he nodded.

  “Any sign of that woman?” his voice turned icy.

  “I’m afraid not, My Lord. Since the day you activated the Watch, it’s like her entire existence was erased from the surface of the Earth. Like she never existed.”

  “No. I know she’s out there somewhere. She’s after something.”

  “Excuse my ignorance, My Lord, but what is she after?”

  “If I’d knew I wouldn’t be in this situation right now. If I’d known that all she said was lies, now I would’ve been by Julia’s side in the afterlife.”

  Chapter 32

  Restless couldn’t even begin to describe the way I felt. My mind constantly flew to my last visit in the past, and something about it was bothering me to the extreme. Apart from being unable to do anything other than look, there was something else that didn’t add-up quite right.

  Pacing around the house, I couldn’t gather my thoughts, and I knew I was missing something.

  Something important.

  Something vital.

  And there was also the fact that no matter how hard I tried, I failed time and time again to reach Leah, which added a niggling tension at the back of my head as soon as my hair turned red and I opened myself to the energy flow. I looked again over the notes I’d made about everything I’d learned so far, but nothing in there provided me answers.