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Chapter 12
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๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2024-10-02 02:02:55
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Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 13
The English Coast,1794 Mathilda paced anxiously up and down the cold floor. The others were late, and the sleeping herb she had mixed into the soup would soon wear off and Tobias would wake up. He was a light sleeper and since he had forbidden her to leave the house, this was the only way for her to meet the others. Right now he was sleeping soundly, along with Mary and Esther and none of them should know what she was planning. She opened the door. The night was pitch dark and already it was drizzling. She loved the smell of the rain mixed with that of the ocean. It always calmed her senses and brought her closer to nature. She could barely see anything in the dark for a few minutes and then she saw the glow of an advancing lantern. Finally, they were coming. They would have to be quick in getting to the church, the only place they could meet in secret.She closed the door and pulled her cloak tighter around her as the advancing figure reached her, out of breath
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-02Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 14
โIs he still in the garden? โFaye asked, as they walked into Eliโs house. The entire way there, they had barely spoken a word to each other. It was the most uncomfortable ride of her life. There was a time when even their silences had been filled with unspoken words. Now, all there was, was regret and misery. โI left him in the kitchen when I went to your place, โEli said. โWhen heโs like this, he likes to sit there and do crosswords in the newspapers.โโLike the old days, โshe added. For the first time she saw Eli break out in a genuine smile, although it was tinged by sadness. โYes, like the old days. The only time I have a glimmer of the man my dad once was.โPastor Evansโ face lit up when he saw her. He dropped the pencil he was holding and reached out with both arms towards her. โFaye, how lovely to see you, my dear, โhe said. โ Itโs been too long. Let me look at you.โHis embrace was warm and tender, bringing a fresh wave of sadness to her heart. It was so d
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-03Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 15
โWhere am I? โFaye asked. At the sound of her voice, candles flared into life and she saw she was in a church, standing at the altar. Not any church, but the one which had burnt down so long ago. She was wearing her wedding dress and when she reached up to touch her hair, it was styled as it was the day she married Nolan, pulled back in a simple, tight bun. โThis church has seen much through the years.โFaye spun around. The woman who had spoken to her was tall, with beautiful emerald eyes. She came closer to her and Faye wondered why she was not recoiling from this stranger. She felt so familiar, as if she knew her. โI am Mathilda, โshe said, reaching up to caress Fayeโs cheek. โYou have never seen me as this before.โโNever. . . . โFaye replied, โalways you are burnt in my dreams. Why am I seeing you like this now?โ โBecause your life almost ended, โMathilda said. โIf it had, I would be here to meet you for your journey into the next world.โ โAlmost? โFaye a
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-05Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 16
โPlease tell me. . . . tell me how to save your daughter, โFaye implored. The glowing embers from before were dying down beneath her feet and still she felt nothing, no heat, no burning. Mathilda looked at her and it seemed a smile was struggling to form at her deformed, burnt lips, as more blood came from within, thick and with the stench of death. โYou have all the knowledge within you, Faye, โMathilda said. โYou may not remember it now, but in time you will. โ โWhat knowledge are you speaking of? โFaye asked. โAnd why does it feel as if I know you? โ โBecause you do, Faye. You know me as well as I know you. . . . โ . โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ.. โThereโs something else, Sybil, โEli said. โSomething big you should know about.โโBigger than your confession that youโre still in love with Faye? โSybil teased, clearly trying to lighten the mood. Eli smiled at her, pulling a page from the inside pocket of his jacket. โI think so, โh
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-06Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 17
โWhat will I remember? โFaye asked, speaking to the living corpse before her. โHow will it help me protect your daughter?โThe corpse of Mathilda fell forward. Her arm had come away and it seemed as if her whole body would soon crumble to pieces as her right leg too, broke free from her body. She was suspended in a grotesque hanging motion, swaying from side to side. โYou will remember the gift within you, โshe answered, โthe gift to weather the coming storm and the evil it brings. . . . it has already begun. . . . your enemy is in your world, biding its time. โ โMust I fear it? โFaye asked. โIs it too powerful for me to stand against? โ โYou must respect your foe, and great it is, but you must never fear it, or else all will be lost, โMathilda answered. Before Faye could ask her anything more, all that remained of Mathilda, was dust blowing in the wind. โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ.โThere was a sense of finality to the dream, โFaye sa
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-07Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 18
โReturning to the scene of the crime? โEli asked, as he let Faye into the living room. โI was sure you would never set foot here again after what happened.โHe motioned her to sit and she smiled. After her conversation with Sybil at breakfast, sheโd decided the best course of action would be to see Eli, and find out what his dadโs mental state really entailed. โEli, whatever may have happened here, I want you to know that it doesnโt change my feelings towards your dad.โEli sat down next to her on the couch and she was surprised at how his closeness affected her. It made her feel almost shy being this close to him, the same way she felt when they shared their first kiss so long ago. โIโm glad you feel that way, โhe said, โmy dad has always loved you and Sybil as his own. It would devastate him if you were to abandon him now.โFaye shifted nervously, tucking her hair behind her ear. How would she broach the subject she had come to discuss with him? It was sheer madness and t
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-08Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 19
Days Later...โYour father was a good man. . . โ โI will always remember his kindness. . . โ โHeโs in a better place now. . . โ Faye watched as Eli greeted all the mourners on their way out, acknowledging all the things they said about his dad, with a gracious nod of his head and a mechanical smile which showed he was just going through the motions. Pastor Evans was dead and they had just come from his funeral, for which all of Kirkwood had turned out, to pay their last respects to a man, who for years had been such a visible and comforting presence in their lives. The last three days had been rough on Eli. The official story was that the pastor had gone to open the window and then had somehow lost his footing and fell out of it, but Faye and Eli both knew better. Somehow, the pastorโs death was directly linked to the spirit which had attached itself to him, for reasons as yet unknown. Mary. . . . the more Faye thought about that name, the more she
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-09Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 20
The English Coast,1794 โYour wife has raised your daughters well, โMagnus said, glancing at both Esther and Mary, where they were sitting on either side of Mathilda. โThey will grow up to be fine young women.โ Mathilda leered at Tobias as he basked in the compliment. Next to her, Esther kept her eyes downcast towards her bowl, while Mary beamed a smile of pure worship towards Magnus. It occurred to Mathilda once again how far gone her elder daughter was. Mary was in complete adoration of the murderer and she would no doubt follow him into hell if he were to ask her. Mathilda stifled back a tear. This was not the daughter she had birthed. Where was the carefree and happy child who loved nothing more than to run along the sand while the waves came crashing in, laughing spellbound every time, as if seeing it was the first? โMathilda is a good wife and mother, โTobias answered. โI am very pleased with her. โ โAs you should be, โMagnus replied. Only Mathilda saw the
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-10-10
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Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Epilogue
Faye basked in the soft rays of sunlight, streaming through the window, where she sat in the nursery. After the events of that night, she packed up and moved in with Eli, beginning their lives anew. They hadnโt gotten around to getting married yet, but they would soon.Mathilda Evans made her way into the world, two weeks before Christmas. Her birth was a joyous moment. She came into the world, kicking and screaming, a fighter from day one.Eli had been with her through it all, and when they finally held their daughter in their arms, their lives felt complete.Now, their little fighter, was peacefully asleep in her cradle. Faye smiled contentedly, gazing out the window, to the garden, where Eli, Sybil and Mark were having a snowball fight, as a light dusting of snow began to fall once more.Sybil and Mark were married soon after that night and shortly after their wedding, they had the biggest surprise of all. Sybil was pregnant and their baby would come in the summer.As for Janice L
Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 62
The English Coast, 1794 How long she sat in the darkness, Mathilda did not know. Everyone she ever loved was gone and she was truly alone in this new world, tasked with the overwhelming responsibility of keeping watch, until the day Clarissa and Magnus, would face each other for the last time. Clarissa had already been reborn. How many lifetimes would it be, before she was strong enough to defeat the demon? How many years, would she, Mathilda, wait before being granted the gift of sleeping, until it was her own time to be reborn? She was so tired. All she wanted was to rest, but the will of the Goddess had been communicated to her, clearly and concisely. She had a sacred duty, and she would see it through. When she finally had the strength, she made her way to the village square where the smoldering remains of Clarissa remained. Already the dogs had begun their feast. There were more than 10 of them, each one wanting its piece of flesh and bone. They dispersed, whimpering,
Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 61
โAre you sure Janice? Working a double shift?โTim Conway looked sheepish as he stared at her and momentarily, Janice felt a pang of guilt. He was supposed to take over her shift at the morgue, but he began complaining about stomach aches and feeling unwell. So, she offered to cover his shift, but not out of the goodness of her heart.Because they wanted her hereโฆThey said they needed her hereโฆWhen the two living corpses appeared in the morgue earlier, sheโd been shocked and astounded. Even more so when they spoke to her and it felt as if she entered a lucid dream, from which she couldnโt wake up.In all the years sheโd worked at the morgue, she always suspected someday, something like this would happen. The pills sheโd put in Timโs coffee earlier, appeared on her desk out of nowhere. Thatโs why he was feeling ill. Heโd gratefully accepted the cup from her hand, glad for the warmth away from the biting cold and rain outside. He never suspected sheโd drugged him.They didnโt want a
Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 60
Night had fallen and Faye was happy to be back in her own body. As exhilarating as the experience was, of merging with Whisper, it wasnโt something she planned to do again anytime soon. How Clarissa managed it, and enjoyed it, all those years ago, was beyond her understanding. It was a complete reality shift which defied all logic. Beyond belief, her spirit had left her body and merged with another living being.And considering their bloody return when Whisper killed the demon in her roomโฆ She could still taste its foul blood in her mouth but was happy that no harm came to the people she loved. If anything, ever happened to them, because of her and the situation they found themselves in, she would surely die.Sybil and Mark seemed fine. Mathilda explained to her that it was some sort of sleep spell the demon performed on them, and it would have no lasting effect on them, or August. They were a bit groggy and disorientated after waking up from their impromptu slumber, but copious amoun
Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 59
โThink about it, my dear boy. Only by killing the witch, will you ever be free from her temptations. The evil in her soul is too powerful. She will corrupt you and you will never enter the gates of Heaven. You will never be reunited with us, the people who love you more than life itself. Kill her, Elijah. It is the will of God that she must dieโฆโListening to it speak, in his motherโs sweet voice, turned Eliโs stomach. How was this foul creature so good at playing its part? Had Mary and Magnus become stronger, instead of weaker? Their hijacked bodies would soon decay completely, yet they had enough power to cast this illusion.โIโm no killer,โ he said coldly. โI will never take another life, especially the woman I love. My mother would never ask such a thing of me.โMomentarily, just for a split second, he noticed how its eyes changed color. It went from the radiant green of his motherโs, to pitch black. Lord, was this a demon? He wanted to call out to Mark and Sybil, but the house ha
Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 58
July 31, 2016โHarold, I feel the chemotherapy is helping. I feel a bit stronger today. All the doctors say my chances are waning, but I donโt believe them. I feel God is answering my prayers and soon I will be well again. You and Eli have been so good to me during this trying time. Our family is truly what keeps me going.โNancy took a deep breath and leaned into her cushions. Speaking had exerted her and the rasp in her breathing, was evident for all to hear. โI canโt wait to get in the kitchen and cook Eliโs favorite meal. Itโs one of the things I look forward to, the most,โ she continued. Pastor Evans swallowed back his tears. They were sitting in their room, on a small little couch by the window, overlooking the garden. This was Nancyโs favorite spot. She always told him it gave her so much peace to sit there and read, while he and Eli were out for the day. It also gave her the perfect vantage point, to see them come home. The minute they walked through the door, she would be
Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 57
โMy darling boy, I have missed you every moment of every day, since Iโve left this world. Yes, Eli, itโs me.โEli let go of Fayeโs hand and made sure she was still comfortable, before slowly rising to face the woman before him.Nancy Evans, his mother, who died 9 years ago.Rationally, it occurred to him it was impossible for her to be standing in front of him. Heโd been the one to find her, that horrible night, when sheโd drowned in the tub, when the pain from her cancer had become unbearable and ultimately ended her life.He remembered pulling her up from the water where she was submerged. Her eyes were open and she was slowly turning blue. Even as he administered CPR, he knew she was gone. She was limp in his arms and he gently laid her out on the floor, her emaciated form bearing almost no weight. Heโd wrapped her in a towel, before breaking down in absolute defeat and agony, his tears scorching his cheeks.When he was done, when he could finally find a semblance of composure, heโ
Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 56
She was acutely aware of everything around her.As Whisper raced through the woods, kicking up mud with her powerful legs, Faye felt as if it was her, as if she were the one running at breakneck speed. Whisper barely stopped to breathe, hurtling over logs and puddles, not once missing a beat. Her power was primal and it surged through Faye, in a current of strength and instinct. โI sense your awe,โ Whisper said whimsically. โWe have done this before, young witch. Clarissa was the only one ever brave enough to merge with me. That is why it feels so natural to you.She did it purely for pleasure though. She wanted to know what it felt like.โFaye was surprised. It seemed Clarissa was quite the adventurer in her day. Was that why she always wanted more from life? Why she packed up and moved to London? Was a part of Clarissa always awake within her? It would explain so much, if indeed that was the case.Seeing through Whisperโs eyes, Faye recognized the area they were in. They were close
Shadows In The Fireย ย ย Chapter 55
โDo not be afraid, Faye,โ Mathilda said gently, as Faye leaned back into her pillows. โThis will bring no harm to you or your baby.โFaye inhaled deeply and protectively placed her hands over her abdomen. Even with all the assurance from Mathilda and Whisper, a part of her still felt nervous for what was to happen. It seemed unreal that she was about to eject her soul from her body, to track down Magnus and Mary. Next to her, Whisper lay outstretched, appearing as if in a deep slumber.โI canโt help it Mathilda. This was something Clarissa used to do, and those memories havenโt come to me yet. I could fail and place all of us in even greater danger. Even Esther. How can I protect her, if Iโm dead?โโYou carry the weight of a great burden, young witch, but your salvation and the survival of your family, lies in you freeing yourself from fear. We can all only help you to a certain point, and from there you must shoulder this alone. The path of a witch, is not an easy one.โโNor one I as
