Heart Two Heart

by Dyami Nukpana

  I guess I will end up dying after all. My uncle Waylon had tried everything even magic from some old stinky book he carries around. Nothing has worked. Now my mum and pop cried constantly when they think I can’t hear them. Then pop left last night and wouldn’t tell me where he was going.

  He even let me see him cry and told me that I’d to fight real hard to stay alive until he came back. That’s why I am forcing myself to pull in the air even though I am so tired and just want to stop. I hope he hurries because I don’t think I can keep going for too long. I wish mum would tell me where he is so I know how much longer I will have to fight.

  I bet he went to find Pau. Pau has been missing for weeks, and no one, not even uncle Waylon know where he is. Maybe they think he won’t be allergic to my blood even though my pop was. Mum says Pau is different. More like me. She swears Pau will be able to do the impossible. I heard my mum take a deep breath and I looked up to see tears brimming in her eyes.

  I wanted to keep my promise to my pop. I was trying so hard to keep my lungs working even though they were fighting against me. I kept having sharp pains in my chest and I knew my heart was working against me as well. I kept telling myself that I’d to stay alive long enough for my pop to come home. It was just too hard I didn’t think I could keep this up for much longer. My pop needed to hurry. I forced my mouth open and croaked out

  “Mum, he has to hurry…I don’t want to disappoint him.”

  I felt a sharp pain in my chest and was forced to close my eyes. My head was swimming and I was so dizzy. I heard my mum shout for my uncle Waylon and I knew that my pop wasn’t going to make it home in time. I was so sorry. I tried to open my mouth and tell mum to tell him I tried my best but I couldn’t even move my mouth.

  XLVIII~~ Ulric’s Perspective

  The moment we stepped into his house I knew exactly where she was. I could hear her tiny little heart struggling to beat. I heard her lungs rattle and I knew she was dying. Then I was assaulted by the scent of Lilacs and vanilla. I looked over my shoulder at Quopil as he pointed up the stairs and we both bolted skipping more than half of the steps.

  The bedroom door opened and I saw her small fragile body lying on the bed. I was too focused on her face to see anyone or anything else in the room. I moved towards the bed and finally forced myself to look at the woman sitting across from her.

  I was here and ready to do whatever needed to be done. Then I realised no ever explained how the blood ceremony worked. When I was just a baby I remember my nan telling me about the very first ceremony that Pau had been forced to endure during the war. I remember hearing how painful and awful it was for him, but the story didn't really tell me what I needed to do. Despite that fact, I found myself racking my memory for the story.

  Pau was a small chupacabra child during the war when the Nazi’s imprisoned him. In the process of trying to make nagual, they discovered skinwalker blood was poisonous to chupacabra. Just because they liked to experiment and find out what would happen, they forced a Vaettir to create dangerous blood magic and combine both chupacabra and skinwalker blood together. Then they forced Pau to consume the blood.

  According to Geho, Pau nearly died several times that first night, but in the morning he was even bigger, stronger and faster than he'd ever been the night before. The Nazi scientist seeing Pau’s new found health and strength decided to replicate the process again. Like before Pau writhed in pain for hours on end, but also like before he got well again. This time he was even stronger and healthier than the last time.

  The scientist remarked that now he was even stronger and faster than the Vaettir. Still, the scientist wanted to push the boundaries. He wanted to see if Pau could take the shape of both chupacabra and skinwalker animals so again they repeated the process. Pau did die this time. Three times to be exact, but the Nazi scientist was able to resuscitate him. This time Pau’s senses like smell, taste and sight seemed to improve dramatically. Even odder however was his physical appearance had changed. Pau definitely had the ability to shift into multiple animals including those of the chupacabra and the skinwalkers. Despite that, the Nazi scientist insisted they repeated the process again in an attempt to push the boundaries even farther. This time the blood had absolutely no effect on Pau. No negative or positive effects.

  They grabbed another chupacabra. This one an adult male and tried the experiment again. The adult male died the first night. The next day, and every day after that they tried the experiment until every chupacabra they had in the camp died. Everyone but Pau and Taini. Taini wasn’t part of that experiment because she was already the lab rat of a very different and equally as painful experiment. Taini wasn’t drinking the blood the scientist mixed. No, they were trying to convert her with Pau’s blood. It didn’t work. In fact all it accomplished was giving her that cold energy that the skinwalkers feel when they are near her. Nevertheless, when the Nazi soldiers or the skinwalkers they were rewarding for some reason or another, weren’t using her body, Pau and Taini drank nothing but each other’s blood for weeks on end.

  I heard the woman across from me clear her throat and I forced myself back into the present. She gave me a quick smile then said

  "Have you already been given the ceremony? Do you know what we need to do?"

  I shook my head indicating that I did not and the female sighed loudly then looked down at the little girl before looking back at me. Then she continued in soft voice

  "You're a doctor. The easiest way to explain this is if you think of a blood transfer. Her blood for yours. The first time, you will need to drink all of her blood until just before death. Then she will drink from you until she is replenished."

  She looked at me I assume to waiting for me to acknowledge what she said so I nodded in understanding. Then she again took the child's hand into her own hand and said

  "The second time, she will drain you and she will replace yours."

  I felt as if I’d been slapped in the face. Not only would I be converting my eternal heart who was still a very young child I would also become fully commingled with her. I felt my mouth drop open and I blurted out

  "But she is my eternal heart and she is too young to commingle her essence with me."

  That's when I heard the male voice behind me that I knew Waylon say

  "Your right Ulric, she is too young but if you don't do this now, you will never get your chance. Taini is dying again and this is the only way she will live."

  Then a male voice I assumed was Quopil's again said

  "She will remain with her mother and me until her eighteenth birthday. You will need to relocate nearby. Depending on your behavior we can decide if you will have contact or no contact. I don't know if you are aware of this but, it is possible to stay platonic with your eternal heart. I know from my experience. Just give me your word, that you will allow her to continue to have her childhood."

  I swallowed and forced myself to remember the stories I’d been told of Quopil when I was a child. I remember my mum and pop telling me he waited nearly a thirty years for his eternal heart to accept him. I also remember it was because she was a paleface that was already married with children.

  I heard she stayed with her paleface husband until he died and that Quopil stood in the shadows and remained just a platonic friend. I could do that. It would be no problem especially since my eternal heart was such a young little girl. Heck, we were only talking about a few years not hundreds of years. I shook my head yes then forced myself to say

  "Of course. I am not a monster. She's so young. I would have waited either way. I will handle it however you want. You are her parents; I will honor your wishes."

  I looked over my shoulder and saw him nod. We heard Taini take a shallow rattling breath and we knew the time for talk was over. I bent my head down to her tiny frail wrist and sunk in my fangs. The moment her blood splashed into my mouth I wondered if I really was a gentleman. I felt my heart begin to sizzle with excitement. I felt my heart rate increase and my own breathi
ng became labored. I’d the sudden desire to pull this small child into my arms and make her mine. I growled low in my throat then I felt a firm strong hand on my shoulder and I heard words penetrate through the fog that was forming in my brain.

  "You must fight your instincts. Blood is calling to blood and heart is calling to heart. Now is not the time. Remember her heart is old and thinks it is ready but her body is young and needs time to grow. Be a man not a beast."

  The words were enough for me to taper down my reaction. I forced myself to think of this as just a medical procedure. I buried my emotions and my unhealthy desires and wants deep within me. I took several more long swallows and knew I could and would do this. I would be the man my eternal heart needed me to be.

  XLIX~~ Taini’s Perspective

  “Oh Taini, you are so lucky! I wish I knew who my eternal heart was. I can’t believe your mum and pop allowed him to come and take you to junior prom. You are so lucky. Everyone is going to be so jealous of both of you.”

  I’d a huge smile on my face and couldn’t stop myself from giggling into the phone. My best friend Wenona was so right. I was lucky. Not only did I know who my eternal heart was, he was a friend of the family and I’d been lucky enough to see him from a distance from time to time over the years. I was so happy I cried when my pop agreed to allow him to take me to junior prom.

  I’d begged for weeks both my mum and pop. Initially they both said no. I begged and cried but nothing seemed to change their mind. They insisted that I would get to spend time with my eternal heart once I turned eighteen. Then, I decided to write a letter to Ulric. I didn’t beg for him to come. In fact, I just told him about school and my friends. I wrote about how lots of the kids in high school were already in relationships. I even mentioned that junior prom was a great place for a first kiss.

  I guess I sort of knew what kind of reaction he would have. I see the way my parents behave. I know they are possessive of each other. I think I knew Ulric would twist my words and worry about my first kiss. Then I pointed out how lots of kids in my class were having relationships and that many of them were vying to be my first kiss.

  I left it hanging make him crazy. I could have told him I would wait but I didn’t. I would wait though; there was never any doubt in my mind my first kiss would be with Ulric. I didn’t want to kiss anyone but him. I knew he was waiting for me and I was definitely waiting for him.

  “Tell me again what your pop said” said Wenona. I took a quick breath and then said excitedly into the phone

  “Well, it was kind of odd. He called me down after school two days ago. He had this look on his face like he’d just eaten something sour. Then he barked at me to sit down. Once I did he paced back and forth a few times before he said”

  I paused and dropped my voice as low as I could so I could mimic my pop then continued

  “Ulric, your eternal heart called me this morning. He’s worried that you have been dallying with boys at school. Said he’s heard things and it’s making him uncomfortable.” I paused again and said in my regular voice

  “It was so funny Wenona. My pop was looking at me trying decided if Ulric was right or not. I think I sort of knew if I wanted to finally be able to spend more time with my eternal heart I needed to look a little guilty so I dropped my eyes and started fidgeting with my fingertips. Then my pop took a look breath and said.” I paused again and lowered my voice one more time

  “Young Lady you are an eternal heart to a nagual. For god’s sake you have already commingled your essence together. You should never even look at male other than your eternal heart. Ulric will be coming to take you to junior prom. From now on you can consider yourself a couple. I would suggest any boys that you have been dallying with you warn before Ulric gets here. Now, head to your room and think about proper behavior. Your mother and I raised you to be a better person than this.”

  I heard Wenona’s laughter and added my own. Then she said

  “Wow, I wonder if your pop knew the truth if Ulric would still be coming. You look at a boy… OMG that’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. Everyone knows that Taini is taken, and we all know there is only one male in the world that you will ever look at.”

  We both started laughing again. I looked at the clock and realised that I’d less than twenty minutes before Ulric was expected to arrive. My hair was still a bit messy and I needed to finish my makeup. I heard a knock at the door and I shouted into the phone

  “Oh God Wenona he’s here and I’m not ready. Gotta go. See you there.”

  Then I slammed the phone down and quickly put on my lipstick and fluffed my hair. I took the time to look at myself one last time before I grabbed my cardigan and headed downstairs. I saw my mum in the foyer and whispered to her

  “I heard the door is he here?”

  I could feel my heart bouncing around in my chest and I’d butterflies going crazy inside of my tummy. Mum smiled then shook her head and said

  “It’s your sister Joanne. Of course Eric and Justin are with her. She came to take pictures before you two go off to your first official date together. I would bet Waylon and Pau are on their way as well.”

  I smiled back at my mum then leaned up on my toes and placed a kissed a on her cheek before saying

  “I love you mum.”

  She smiled back the said

  “I love you too honey. Your pop is in the living room waiting for you. He brought home flowers. I know you are my youngest but remember you are his only child. He helped raise your sisters and your brother but he was like an uncle to them. With you it’s different. He’s nervous and isn’t really ready for you to grow up. So go easy on him will ya.”

  Then she squeezed my hand and smiled again. I could have sworn I saw a small tear in the corner of her eye. When I looked harder it was gone. I walked into the living room and my mum was right. Waylon, Pau, Joanne, Eric and Justin were all sitting on the couches. Pop was standing up pacing back and forth across the carpet. He had a beautiful mix of purple lilacs bunched in his hands.

  The moment I walked into the room my pop smiled at me and waved me towards him. Before I knew what he was going to do he pulled me into his arms and gave me a strong hug. I heard his breath hitch and for just a second I imagined he had tears in his eyes. Strange, both of my parents looked sad but when I double checked nothing. I must be imagining things because I am so excited to spend time with my eternal heart. Then pop said

  “Okay, honey stand still so I can pin these on your dress. Ulric is going to love them they match your eyes and your dress.”

  I watched my pop’s face as he tried desperately to attach the flowers to the top of my dress. I’d to force myself to hold in my laughter since he was obviously trying too hard and his tongue was sticking out just a little. That was my pop’s little tell as we all called it. Whenever he was concentrating his tongue managed to stick out just a little.

  Mum must have noticed since she moved towards both of us and laid her hand on my pop’s back. It seemed to have a calming effect on him since he finished pinning the flowers on and wrapped his arms around me and mum. We hugged for just a minute before pop released me but continued to hold my mum.

  “Hey squirt, you look great. Come give me a big hug”

  I looked over in Pau’s direction and smiled as I ran into his arms. He pulled me off the ground and gave me a huge hug as he swung me in the air. Pau was my favorite uncle. Sometimes it felt like I’d known him longer than anyone else in the world. He smiled and placed a kiss on my forehead before whispering in my ear.

  “I want you to have fun tonight. But if Ulric does anything that makes you unhappy or even a little uncomfortable I want to know. Just because he is your eternal heart doesn’t mean he’s perfect. We are your family and we may need to help him become the best eternal heart he can be. So no matter what you tell me. Promise?”

  I pushed back far enough to look into Pau’s face. I could tell he was not angry but he was very serious. I stared him in the eyes fo
r a few moments, and then blinked a few times before I swallowed hard and nodded in agreement. His serious face changed immediately and he smiled again.

  I managed to get advice and hugs from everyone in the room. Even my cousin Justin managed to give me his own brand of advice. His exact words were ‘get some for me tonight too’. I laughed and told him he needed to grow up. He was already double my age but still acted like a teenager. I was getting restless wondering what was taking Ulric so long when I felt the first tingles in my heart. I heard the doorbell ring and was about to run towards it when my sister Joanne put her hand on my shoulder. Then she said

  “Have him come to you darling. After all he is the man. Let him behave as one.”

  I stood stock still waiting for him to come through the vestibule and into the living room. It had been over six years since I’d seen him last. I know that he lived nearby and that he regularly checked in on me but my parents had forbid me from seeing him. Turns out my uncle Pau was hiding on purpose. I guess he wanted to make sure that Ulric was the one that finished my conversion and sealed his fate to mine. Because of the process however, we commingled our essence on the same day I took my first animal form. A vulture. Over time, I have also been able to mutate into an anaconda and a grizzly bear.

  According to my mum, the conversion process was hard on Ulric but he agreed that I was much too young to be a real eternal heart partner. They all agreed together that it was in my best interest to be kept away from him until I was much older. Whenever I complained my pop would always say I waited for your mum for thirty years, you’re only waiting for a few years. Then he would state very clearly that ‘I’ wasn’t ready and that ‘Ulric’ would remain hidden from me until my pop said otherwise.

  I lost the ability to breath the moment he walked into the living room. He was so much more handsome in person than in the pictures I kept under my pillow. He was also clearly a man where the males in my class were just boys. His body was much larger than mine and he had the best looking face I’d ever seen even if it was covered in just a little hair.