Mad Woman Rambles

The darkness surrounds me as I float in the abyss. Time doesn’t mean anything here. ‘Is this true death? Has it finally found me? I thought I had more time.’ My mind wanders about what is next for me when light illuminates the space ahead. My consciousness feels the warmth the light offers and moves closer. I hadn’t realized this place was cold until the light invaded my space. The warmth grew as the light became brighter until I came to a still pool. I touched the surface causing ripples that started to reveal a hazy scene that I could barely make out. I heard muffled voices coming from the other side as the ripples petered out. Pulling my hand back–or what I imagined was my hand– silence gathered around me again. As the pool stilled, I couldn’t see the blurs or hear the muffled voices anymore and I desperately wanted to hear and see them. Death seemed way too lonely.

I touched the surface of the pool again moving my whole hand through the still waters and felt a slight pull. Terrified, I pulled my hand back clutching it to my person that had somehow materialized in this dark, cold place. The scene became clearer. ‘Craig? Joanne?’ I thought I could see Craig’s mother speaking to Craig with her hands on his chest as if trying to keep him in place. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but clearly something had happened. His usual mirth-filled face was stricken. Sadness consumed me. Why was he so distraught? I wanted to whip that look from his face. But the image began to blur again, fading from sight.

“No! Bring him back!” I demanded as silence once again consumed me. However, this time the light began to fade. “No, no! Bring them back!” I screamed into the void, my hands on either side of the pool as it stilled once again. Despair claimed me as the darkness threatened to overtake me. I can’t go back to the complete blackness. Even though I thought I was alone as the light slowly faded, I could feel another presence somewhere behind me.

A screech cut through the silence as a wind swooshed by me, almost knocking me away from the pool. I froze where I floated in front of the pool as another screech answered the first and more wind swooshed by me. I backed up until the pool touched me. I could feel the ripples as the pool was disturbed by my presence.

“Minerva. Come back to me, please,” Craig’s voice found me. “I need you to follow my voice and come back. You are still needed here,” his hoarse voice pleaded with me causing the light to grow brighter. I turned around to see his beautiful face marred with blood and stained with tears. Damn fae prince: even distraught he was handsome. Was this a fairy thing? I looked like death warmed over when I cried. Mentally, I sighed and reached for the pool. Touching caused the ripples to get bigger and I could feel the pressure of his hand gripping mine tightly.

“Craig,” I called out and he appeared startled, surprised by something happening.

“Minerva? Baby, that’s it. Take a breath. Come back,” he encouraged, bringing a smile to my face. With that encouragement my hand once again broke the surface of the pool and I watched him gasp as I felt my hand tighten around his.

“Nooooo,” a voice hissed behind me. I whipped around looking for the being that belonged to that voice. “You belong to ussss,” it hissed again. The light began to fade again and I could hear Craig’s muffled cries to come back.

“Who’s there?” I called out to the void and I could have sworn it smiled back at me.

“We are eternity,” it replied. “We are the never were and the always have been before time began, little djinn.”

“What do you want from me?” I asked not really wanting to hear the answer.

“Join ussss,” it lisped. “You taste of life and light.” I stepped back as another screech sounded somewhere closer to me now. “Your death has sent ripples through the strands of destiny. Your life cut short like others belongs to ussss.” It explained, much too close to me for comfort.

“It is not my time and I will be damned if I stay here with you,” I affirmed. A wicked cackle rang out through the void.

“Little djinn has no choice in the matter. The window closes. You are too late,” its cackle response came from right in front of me. I dropped in time as claws materialized and swiped the place I had been standing. And as quickly as I ducked, I sprung up, took a deep breath, and lunged for the pool I had been looking through.

The voice had been right; the pool was much smaller than it had been a moment ago. I had to squeeze through, but I made it. My consciousness dumped into a gray mist-filled land. I scrambled back from the pool as gnarled hands with razor sharp claws followed me through. I watched as the pool closed on the hand and its final warning to me. “When the soul eater finds you, we will have you back.” It professed, followed by the evil cackle that sent shivers down my spine. Then the pool winked out of existence.

‘If that is the case, I will definitely need to get this mark removed sooner than later. It will be a cold day in the seventh circle of Hells before I go back there.’ I thought as I shivered. I stood and looked around the place I ended up. Light filtered through clouds and mist hugged the ground. Gray was the only word that really described the place I found myself in now. Unfortunately, it also made it difficult to figure out where to go. At least in the void I could follow Craig’s voice and the light back to my body.

‘What to do now?’ I thought to myself as I looked around. As I contemplated where to start, I noticed something glittering in the mist. I bend down and pick up the glittering silver chain from the ground. It shone beautifully in the dim light and gave a tug, making me stumble forward. I looked down realizing it was connected to my waist.

“Holy Heavens! I exclaimed as I lurched forward again with another tug.

“Come on, Minerva,” a feminine voice I didn’t recognized called out to me. “I have never lost a patient before and I don’t plan to lose one now,” she commented. Leery, I followed the silver chain as I walked through the gray mist.

As I travelled through this bland land I noticed the light got brighter and warmth flooded my limbs chasing away the chill I hadn’t noticed sooner. My breathing became easier as I heard Joanne’s voice added to the other woman’s voice. I could even feel the healing presence of her Earth energy spreading through me. Smells of cinnamon, apple pie, and herbs filled my nose. As I noticed more of my senses awakening, I became concerned because I couldn’t feel Craig anymore. His presence is the one I wanted to feel more than anything.

Even though he wasn’t there I knew I needed to keep going because life was at the end of the silver chain. I really wanted to be alive again. The closer I ventured, the louder the voices, the warmer the light and the more my senses came alive. I even started to feel the stirring of magic. It was like receiving a hug from a close friend. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. I smiled as in the distance I saw a door. It was a beautiful Moroccan blue with ornate designs carved into the wood. It reminded me of my mother’s home.

However, the closer I got to the door the heavier my steps became. Exhaustion pulled at me to stop moving forward but I knew if I did I wouldn’t be able to get back. So I pushed on, falling a foot in front of the door. I crawled towards it, my breathing becoming more labored as if I had run a marathon. The mist clung to my body as if it were sludge. The last few inches became unbearable as I fought to keep my eyes open but were lost when they shut and I collapsed right in front of the door.

“Delphine, you have to come back. Craig needs you. He went after Mallec. I fear the worst. Please, help my son,” Joanne’s voice whispered to me. I rolled over onto my back as tears streamed down the sides of my face. I had no fight left in me to cross the threshold. My eyes shut for what I feared was the last time.

“Delphy… Delphy… My beautiful starlight,” a soft voice whispered on a breeze I hadn’t noticed before.

I gasped, “Mother?” I asked, my eyes flying open. I stared up into the same kind, dark eyes I shared with the woman I had lost so long ago.

“My starlight, what are you doing here?” she asked with a soft smile. I was transported back to my childhood when we would lounge around the pool at our home. Me asleep in her lap and her stroking my hair.

“Sleeping, mother,” I replied with a matching smile.

“There is no time to sleep, my Delphy. There is much to do before you sleep,” she would tell me as she stroked my hair and then tickled me awake.

“Alright. No time to sleep. There is much to do,” I mimicked, giggling.

“You are needed, starlight. Go save your prince. He needs you,” she told me and kissed my forehead. A flash of visions filled my mind of what is to come and I gasped arching my back as they slammed into me. They overtook me until finally after what seemed like forever they ebbed and ended all together. With renewed energy I flipped back over and struggled to my knees. Turning the knob, I was bombarded with the brightest light I had ever seen and fell through the threshold, tumbling into darkness once again.

*****

“Minerva. Minerva, are you awake?” a soft female voice asked. I tentatively cracked opened my eyes and immediately regretted it. “Oh sorry! Let me get the light,” she said realizing my discomfort. “There is that better?”

I cracked opened my eyes again relieved at the dimness that greeted me. “Where—” I croaked. My throat screaming from underuse.

“Shoot, here have some water,” the woman said. Moments later cool liquid touched my dry lips quenching my thirst and lubricating my raw throat.

Clearing my throat, I tried again. “Where am I?” I asked blinking crust out of my eyes as my vision grew accustomed to room around me.

“You are in Dr. Richards’s clinic,” Joanne’s voice answered as she came by my side. Her hair was disheveled and there were bags under her eyes as if she hadn’t slept in days.

“Who?” I asked confused. “Where is Craig? I heard him a moment ago.” I finished as a pretty black woman with shoulder length hair in a white lab coat handed me the cup of water I had just drank from. Both women exchanged a look before returning their gaze back to me.

“Uh, why don’t you drink up and let Dr. Richards examine you,” Joanne encouraged me with a smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes. Though fear ran wild through me I listened and drank my water, feeling better after having done so.

“Hi, Minerva, I am Dr. Natalie Richards. I am Joanne’s neighbor. Her and Craig got you to me just in time. We thought we lost you but I’ve never lost a patient before and you weren’t going to be my first,” she said by way of introduction as she began her examination of me.

“I am glad I was able to keep your streak alive, doctor,” I joked to cover the discomfort from her poking and prodding of my body.

“It’s good to know you have a sense of humor. It looks like your wound is almost completely healed. Honestly, I’m impressed with how quickly you have healed. It normally takes months to heal a gunshot. Especially, one to the gut.” Dr. Richards comments as she replaces the bandage over my wound. “However, it looks like the couple of weeks you have been asleep have sped up your healing.”

“I told her you have always been a fast healer. It must be something in your blood,” Joanne commented emphasizing the word ‘blood’.

Nodding I replied, “Yes, my family has always been fast healers. Thank you, doctor.”

“You’re welcome, Minerva. I will release you to Joanne’s care for now. But I want to check up on you in a week to make sure everything is healing appropriately.” Dr. Richards says as she removes her gloves. “I will write you discharge instructions and pain meds for you to take in case you need them.”

The doctor smiled at me and I could see a light purple aura surrounding her. I blinked and it was gone. I looked up to Joanne as she patted my shoulder knowingly. We would discuss this as soon as Dr. Richards left the room.

“Okay, I will let you get dressed and you two will be able to go. I will go get the wheelchair,” the doctor said, rising to leave the room. We watched as she left and closed the door behind her. Tentatively, I sat up swinging my legs over the side of the small cot I had been lying in for the past couple of weeks. Joanne passed me a pile of clothes that were clearly not the couture I usually wore. I would wager that it was better than putting on a top with blood and a bullet hole in it.

“Natalie is a natural witch. She doesn’t know it, though. That is what aids in her healing abilities as a doctor. Between her innate ability and me offering you my healing gift, as modest as it is, we were able to cut down your wound healing from months to weeks,” Joanne explained.

“That’s why you look so weary,” I stated, knowing the price it cost her. Healing abilities aren’t as common as fairytales would have you believe. If you weren’t born a witch with that specific gift or are a were-animal or an angel, it costs you time off of your long life. I would be indebted to Joanne for what she gave up to help me stay on this side of the void.

She nodded to my statement. “I would say I did it because I am an altruistic being but I would be lying.” She sighed and nested her fingers together.

Aw, there it was. She did need something from me after all. “Craig?”

Tears shone in her eyes, on the verge of spilling over the edge. “Bring him home,” she pleaded as only a mother could plead for the life of her child. The sad part was she didn’t have to beg me to go after him. He brought me back from oblivion. I would bring him back from wherever he was being held.

Squeezing her hand, I nodded and she inhaled a shaky breath. “You never had to ask,” I told her as I placed the shirt over my head.

“I will go grab the wheelchair from Natalie,” she said and left the room.

Alone in the strange sterile room I stood and looked into the full-length mirror hanging on the wall. Lifting the borrowed shirt and peeling back the bandage, I could see the wound was barely a scar. A few more days and it would completely disappear. I inhaled a deep breath as a tear rolled down my cheek. In all my centuries on this Earth this was the closest I had come to death. ‘Definitely not a fan. Zero stars. Would not recommend.’ I mused as I dropped the shirt that smelled faintly of the man I was about to go to war for.

I lift the sweatpants sitting next to me on the counter, and a clunk sounds as the relic– still hidden in its pendant form–hits the floor. Gingerly I put the sweatpants on and with a grunt of pain from the tightness of the wound I pick it up.

Rubbing my thumb over the pendant, it resonates with my magic. Determination sets in as I place it over my head and it settles against my chest. Mallec will wish he had completely finished the job of ending my life. “I am coming for you. And we are going to finish this dance, you bastard,” I proclaim as I clench the relic and a portal with its swirling lights winks into existence behind. “I am done running.” I vow to my reflection before turning and marching through the portal towards my destiny.