ENCHANTING LIGHT

The photo above by my blogger friend, Jithin of PhoTraBlogger is the inspiration for the third flash fiction chain called Enchanting Light. The following work of flash fiction is a collaboration between Jithin and other bloggers around the globe. This wouldn’t be possible without them. CLICK HERE and give his site a visit for more inspiring photographs and posts.

I have written the 5th part of this flash fiction chain and below are the links to the stories for you to indulge into before reading mine.

Part 1:Soul N Spirit

Part 2: Ruth

Part 3: Saya

Part 4: Sweety

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Rebecca: Protagonist ( the main character)

Samantha: Rebecca’s mother

David Lyngdoh: Samantha’s husband and Rebecca’s father

Joe: Samantha’s childhood friend

Eda: Joe’s daughter and Rebecca’s friend

Kavin: An elderly widower who works as supervisor in the monastery

Liam A. Veratre: Rebecca’s husband

Luna: New character introduced in this part of the story.

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ENCHANTING LIGHT

Part V

Whoever said that life begins at forty is absolutely mistaken. Rebecca lays motionless on the hard floor as red thick blood from her temple seeps through the fabric of the cream coloured carpet in a corridor just outside the hall. They said that your life will flash before your eyes when you’re dying but it was Rebecca who flashed before the eyes of her murderers. She had one final glance at the thief and her murderers’ silhouettes before the artic void engulfed her completely. Aside from the glistening hammer and the locket, and the cold wild look on the culprits’ faces, she saw something else… envy.

Then she was gone.

It felt like she was flowing and being pushed down into nothingness. It felt like she’s being sucked and warped into a narrow tunnel. She is being pulled by something towards the unknown. The wristlet gave an enticing golden glow and reminded her that what happened this morning really did happen. She almost forgot about that golden wristlet.

Liam’s kiss, having his sun shaped locket in my hand and my friends’ betrayal really took place… and this golden band wrapped around my wrist, whatever this is… it just saved my life.

For a moment, she was convinced that she was dead until her body plunged into the warm water. She held her breath a second too late for the water has already entered her lungs. When she resurfaced the sea, she had to persistently cough it out until her lungs were cleared of fluids. It wasn’t too deep. She could feel the sand on her feet and the water was levelled two inches above her shoulders. She tip toed then swam her way to the shore. It was still dark but there was a distant light stationed just above the hill. She knew exactly where and when she is at. It was the fortnight of Liam’s death. Rebecca did not even sit to rest when she got out of the water.

She made her way through the trees until she found the pathway to the house. Anyone could have stumbled and tripped considering it was dark but Rebecca was not anyone. She learned by heart how every root is twisted, which steps to avoid and all the bends in the road. She knows her own way home.

“The light will guide you,” Liam said to her this morning.

I hate it when you talk in riddles Liam. It could mean anything but right now, this is the only light is see…

Rebecca turned the knob clockwise and entered her home. It’s been long since she was here but she remembers where everything should be, except for one. There was a part of her that wished she never met him. She would have chosen and settled with the emptiness in her when she didn’t know it was there. She felt the vacancy Liam left her not just in this house, but in her life as well.

She tried to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes but she could not contain them. She found herself curled up in a ball, sobbing on the bed they used to share. She hugged the sheets close to her chest and thought about Liam. She missed laughing with him and she missed their dim-witted fights too. Oh how she wished she could have another fight with him. She never fancied bickering but it was the way Liam makes up with her that she likes the most. He would always be the first one to say sorry even if it was Rebecca’s fault. He would rather willingly lose the argument than lose her.

 “I am sorry Rebecca, I am sorry I left you, there are things you will never understand, I did it for us, you have to believe me,I love you,” Liam’s words echoed from their conversation this morning.

He sounded so real. He felt so alive.

“Why did you bring me here Liam? Why am I here if you’re not? I’m so frustrated because you kept saying you love me and you care about me and that you want to prove that you’ll stay? Well, bullshit! Point proven! So much for staying Liam!,” Rebecca shouted in vexation.

A strong wind blew the curtains and the papers on Liam’s desk. Rebecca unwillingly stood to close the shutters and pick up the papers that were scattered on the floor and place them back on his desk when she saw a letter addressed to her.

To:

Rebecca

That was the only thing written on the envelope. She gently opened her letter. She knew it was from Liam. She should have opened it a long time ago but she couldn’t gather much courage to do the task. She’s afraid of knowing what his farewell words would be.

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My Sunshine,

I will always be here even when you think I’m not. Always have faith, kindness, hope and love in your heart. Be good to yourself. Don’t be afraid of being alone and don’t be scared to make mistakes. I will always love you in all of my forms, Rebecca.

Always,

L.A.Veratre

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She looked at the paper and read the letter once more before folding it and placing it back in the envelope. Then she took it out and read it again because she could not accept that these were Liam’s last words to her. She was sure there was more to it. She paced around the room as she tries to decipher his letter.

“That man loves playing with words…” she sighed heavily and shook her head when she realised it. She took a pen and paper and dissected Liam’s note word by word and then letter by letter. She felt dejected when she couldn’t find any. Rebecca was always hopeful but at the moment she felt defeated, and all she could do was lean on the desk and cover her face with her hands, the universal gesture for  “I can’t think of anything else”.

“Why can’t you just stay with me Liam?” she pleaded the night.

“Because he is a traveler,” said a voice from behind her who broke her from her reverie. Rebecca was startled by the sudden interjection of the woman standing in the doorway. She was tall and composed. Her pale blonde hair falls freely in front of her bosom and her loose curls bounce gracefully when she moves. Her misty grey eyes scrutinised every inch of Rebecca, and she somehow found herself doing the same.

The woman inched closer to her when she reached to touch her cheeks. Her fingers were cold when she brushed her cheekbone but Rebecca did not stir. She also wore the same wristlet ornament Rebecca wears on her wrist but it only emanated a subtle glow. She leaned closer and kissed Rebecca, slowly and exhuming every breath. Rebecca strangely found herself respond to the movement of her lips.

“Aha! A taste of Life,” the woman said as Rebecca took a step back, realising who the woman is. The woman evoked her excruciating memories and tortured her mind with scenes from Liam’s unfaithfulness. Right before her eyes, the woman took the form of the red haired woman. Rebecca does not need a second to remember who the woman is. She was the harlot she caught making love to Liam.

“Your people call me Luna,” the woman said as she altered back to her true form, blonde and pale. “Before we have reached your galaxy, our souls have traveled separately from a million light-years away. We were cursed by our people to never meet again but I found him and we will be together again. I have loved him before you. I have loved him longer than you and yet he has chosen to be with you” Luna said as she looked at Rebecca, a cold wild look with a hint of envy glimmered in the woman’s eyes just like the one she saw from her murderers’ faces.

“Where is Liam?” Rebecca demanded.

“Why, Liam is right here,” she said as Liam’s sun shaped locket dangled from Luna’s grip. It emanated a rhythmic bright golden glow. “Tonight, an eclipse will take place. It will free us from the curse and you will die. It’s written in the stars that women like you and beings like him are never meant to be. You don’t…” she was cut off mid-sentence as Rebecca zapped herself at Luna trying to throw her off balance and grab the locket. That was her plan. Plan B would be to run away from her as far as possible.

As soon as she touched the locket, her wristlet tingled and glowed, so did Luna’s. Their wristlet flashed and then the house on top of the hill was empty once again. Rebecca got pulled back into the narrow tunnel and this time it occurred faster, or perhaps she is now getting used to the feeling of being warped. She fell on the floor and moaned in pain. She opened her eyes and stood. Once again, Rebecca found herself standing behind the crowd of the chanting monks in the monastery’s assembly hall. But this time, the Dalai lama was no longer amongst them.

She realised that her palm was getting warmer and there it was, she was clutching onto the other half of Liam’s golden sun shaped locket. She examined this side of the locket and etched on the surface was Liam’s secret. Her heart beat quickened at her sudden realisation. Rebecca just realised what his name meant. L. A. VERATRE is an anagram for A TRAVELER and that his full name:

LIAM A. VERATRE

is an anagram for

I AM A TRAVELER

She silently laughed to herself and shook her head because all this time, Liam told her who he is. The locket didn’t glow as it used to. She lost him. Just as she turns to leave the assembly hall, to face the fate that awaits her in the corridor, she heard someone call out her name again…

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To whom did the voice belonged to? Will Rebecca be able to find Liam and the other half of his locket before the eclipse?

Click here for part 6 by Fiction Limbo