Descended Page 5

  “I’m sorry I don’t remember the ‘us’ part of our relationship,” Violet said.

  “But I do feel something…a connection…a strong one…but it’s like, I just can’t get the details to come through. I feel like I’m watching a video and someone hit pause on your face, but no more information is registered. I don’t understand it and I wish… Oh God how I wish it were different.” Violet began to hysterically sob.

  “Vivian don’t cry, please don’t cry!” Jeremy went into panic mode at the sight of her tears and raced to her side to comfort her.

  Crying was the only thing Violet could think to do to distract Jeremy from the interrogation he had put her under. She knew humans resorted to tears when they were sad, but also when they were frustrated. So she used her training to divert Jeremy and it worked like a charm.

  Violet looked at Jeremy and suddenly felt the need to ease his pain. Maybe she could find a way to do just that. All she needed was to somehow convince him to be patient while she inhabited Vivian’s body. I know. I need to make a compromise with him. I will just appeal to him, as a friend, for some time…time to heal; he couldn’t refuse that concept, especially coming from his uncontrollably weeping mate.

  “Jer…,” Violet started her speech. “I am sure, in time, I will remember you…I mean us.” I know this is extremely difficult for you but I just know if you give this thing some time you will see everything will be like it was with you and me. I think it would be really hard to forget someone as wonderful as you Jer.” Violet really poured it on thick. But the truth was, Violet did like Jeremy a lot and hated being the cause of his pain. He was a beautiful soul and that was clear to Violet from the first time she looked into his soft, dreamy eyes.

  Jeremy spoke back to Violet ashamed of his grilling about the amnesia. “Vivian, you don’t have to be sorry, I am a horrible person. You just had a major brain surgery and here I am making you feel guilty for something that is clearly out of your control. God, what is wrong with me?” He continued beating himself up. “I am so selfish!”

  “No Jeremy, you’re not selfish. In fact, you are probably the most selfless person I have ever met. I am glad you love me with all that you are and all I can tell you is I feel it straight down deep into my soul.” Violet put her hand on his cheek to acknowledge she felt his pain.

  “Vivian I need you to know something. I have loved you forever, Vivian Thorne and nothing, not even a bum memory can change that. I believe in our love and I know the love you have for me will be unlocked from whatever darkness it is trapped in. Just tell me what you need and I promise whatever it is, no matter how hard it is…I will do it for you,” he said.

  Violet thought that was the sweetest, most honestly pure thing she had ever heard any human being say to another. She looked at Jeremy’s distraught face and told him to keep his faith in them. Then the tears came again. They took Violet by surprise because she was not trying to cry any longer.

  “Where did that just come from?” Violet wondered as she wiped the wet tears rolling down her cheeks on Jeremy’s shirt. Darn it. These are not my tears. Violet began to piece the puzzle together. These tears belonged to Vivian and she’s shedding them for him. Why does she keep resurfacing? Am I really that weak? Violet started to second guess her ability to successfully complete the mission. What she really needed was to see her friend Gabriel again because she was starting to worry about her merge.

  This merge was not going according to plan. Entering Vivian’s vessel was supposed to be textbook. This girl should have been weakened by her cancer, not able to emerge as often as she has been. Her soul is supposed to be submissive, but instead it fights against the domination that has taken over her body. This was a problem the council feared they might encounter sending Violet in. Her immaturity and lack of experience as a Guardian were cause of grave concerns with them. Watching from above, the council began to question whether they had made the wrong decision sending Violet out too soon for such an important mission.

  Violet would not give up so easy. While she felt something was spinning out of control at that moment, she was not going to let them ruin her chances to show the council that she was worthy of being a Guardian. This mission was her chance to prove everything to them and she was not going to let Jeremy destroy everything she worked for to get here. This was her destiny and Violet needed to change course and steer Jeremy out of her way.

  Violet thought of her training with Gabriel. “Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and focus,” he would say to her just before she entered the Guardian Arena. “There is nothing you can’t do.” Violet channeled Gabriel’s voice now. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and seconds later, Vivian was gone. She opened her eyes and saw Jeremy’s sweet face waiting for her to answer his question of what is it that she needed him to do to help her?

  Suddenly everything became crystal clear. Violet knew what she had to do. Why didn’t she see it before? It was so simple. She decided to tell him the truth. She took his hand in hers and said, “Jeremy, I need you to be my friend, just my friend right now. And I promise you if you give me the time and space to do what I need to do, you will have your Vivian back. Can you do this for me…for us?” Violet asked.

  Jeremy knew he had no other choice but to honor her request. He was never able to say no to Vivian in the past and he could tell by looking into those beautiful eyes of hers, that it was something she needed him to do for her. He would not deny her request now. He spoke softly. “If this is what you want, then wish granted.”

  Once again Violet was elated by those two magic words “wish granted!” “Thank you Jeremy,” Violet said as she gave him a tender embrace before he turned and walked away, feeling defeated.

  Violet couldn’t change the path she needed to take with Jeremy to fulfill her destiny and focus on the mission. In two days she would be out of this hospital and on her way to doing just that. She was more determined than ever to move quickly now so that she could keep her promise to Jeremy and return to him. His love. His Vivian.

  Chapter 5

  The Other Side

  This was it. Her last night here at Weston County Hospital and Violet couldn’t sleep. Although sleep was something humans needed, Guardians did not. Merging can be difficult at the start and sometimes the vessel will need the sleep, especially in the beginning of the process. Violet was feeling tired and knew she needed to rest but was fighting it. There is no darkness in her world. Everything is bright. As part of her training with the Guardians she had to spend hours in the dark. It was extremely difficult for Violet and was the only part of the training she could not pass. No one understood the intensity of the fear she had while in the darkness and even Violet herself could not explain it. But it was real and it was something she could not overcome. It was also something she was unwilling to succumb to here in this world. She decided to take a walk rather than be alone with her fears of the night.

  She peered out the door, noticing all was calm. She saw Nurse Ivy tending to a patient in the other room and scooted past her quietly. She came to an entrance marked ICU and pushed through the door. She walked slowly past each room glancing at all of the people occupying the beds. Violet could tell the people on this floor were in need of a miracle from up above. There were loved ones sleeping on the couches in the family waiting area and a woman in the chapel lighting a candle in prayer. Violet wished she could tell them not to be afraid for their loved ones passing’s, but she knew she could not interfere in any other personal affairs here in this world. The people waiting in these halls would have to rely on their faith.

  She came to room 2705 and noticed a little girl watching her as she stood by the door. The girl was young, about seven years old, and her eyes called out to Violet. She entered the room and closed the door behind her. As she walked toward the girl she could see her fragile little body outlined under the crisp white sheet lying on the bed. She did not look frightened at all, just curious, as Violet approached her. Then the little girl invited her to come closer using her index finger as direction. She just stared at Violet almost as if she could see right into her soul. Restless, she tried to speak. Violet could not understand what she was saying because she had an oxygen mask over her face. Violet put her hand on her forehead, feeling the burn from her fever, and unfastened the clasp to remove the mask so she could speak.

  “Have you come for me?” the little girl asked as she struggled to speak.

  “No” she said, “I’m just here to hold your hand but if you decide you are ready for your journey, then that is ok too.” Violet gave her permission to let go if she needed to.

  “I am ready.” Olivia replied. “I have been ready for a long time now.”

  “But… it’s my mom. She is not ready to let go,” she said empathetically.

  “I see.” Violet saw her dilemma.

  “Well, let me tell you a secret.” Violet leaned in to whisper in little Olivia’s ear. “I happen to know for an absolute fact that your mom will understand if you decide you are ready. While she will miss you when you are gone and probably be sad for a while, she will remember that you will always be with her. Right here.” Violet touched her chest pointing to her heart. “And I can promise you that you will be going to the most beautiful place you have ever seen. Where you can run and jump and play,” she said, making the little girl smile. “Only you can decide Olivia, if you are truly ready and when you are, you need to know that it’s okay to let go,” Violet explained.

  “Why did you say you are not an angel?” the girl asked Violet.

  “Because I’m not.” Violet responded

  “Then why do I see your halo?” she said, pointing above Violet’s head.

  Violet knew what the little girl was seeing. It was not a halo above her hea
d; it belonged to the angel in the room waiting for the little girl to take her hand and journey to the other side.

  “Thank you,” she said in a cute sweet little voice.

  “For what?” Violet asked.

  “For letting me know it was okay to go.” She seemed to be calm and at peace with her decision. She closed her eyes and Violet held her hand until she took her last sweet breath. Violet could feel the force lift out of her body, filling the air with a joyous shower of love all around her room. Violet closed her eyes taking in every second of it. There was a soft wind that swept through her hair, blowing it gently across her shoulders. Violet opened her eyes in the last second, watching as she saw the girl reaching out to her Grandmother who was holding out her hand at the end of the tunnel.

  It was truly a beautiful thing to witness the journey of the little Olivia’s soul from this world into the next. It gave Violet goose bumps as she watched her soar saying, “Go in peace my little angel. Go be free!” Then in a moment, she was gone. All that remained was her tired little vessel that she had clung to selflessly trying to spare her family the pain.

  Violet couldn’t understand why so many people hang on to their lives here just so they don’t hurt the ones they love. Such a heavy burden for a young soul to carry she thought. Understandably, the notion of “Blind Faith” is a concept not so comforting to most human beings. The ability to believe in something you can’t see becomes quite a difficult task. But one they must continue to embrace blindly so that when their time comes, they too will be ready to be led from this world into the next.

  Just then Nurse Ivy entered the room. “Violet?” she called to her surprised that she was sitting beside the little girl’s lifeless body. Ivy turned off the machines that had pumped the oxygen to the little girl’s failing heart.

  “So sad,” Ivy said.

  “She was on the transplant waiting list, but you know how that goes,” Ivy said, wishing it wasn’t the case.

  “Her mom will be devastated,” Ivy continued.

  “What are you doing down here anyways Ms. Thorne? Did you know little Olivia?” Ivy questioned.

  “No, I don’t think so anyways,” she said.

  “I just couldn’t sleep and thought I would visit with some of the patients here. I figured, like me, they would appreciate the company,” Violet explained.

  “I’m sure they would. You know, I was monitoring little Olivia’s vitals all night and she seemed agitated for the last several hours?” Ivy was heading somewhere. I knew it.

  “How long were you in her room?” she asked.

  Violet responded, “Just a little while, maybe 30 minutes or so. Why do you ask?”

  “Well because I noticed how calm her vitals were in the last thirty minutes and now I know why,” Ivy concluded.

  “Violet”, Ivy put her hands softly on Violet’s face, “you have something rare, a gift that not very many people have here in this world. It comes from deep within you and it is genuine and beautiful. You have the ability to really see into the souls of those who are frightened and make all their fears go away. Olivia was very lucky to have you by her side when she passed. I am sure it gave her great comfort. In fact, her heart monitor readings are proof of that.”

  Then Violet noticed something strange. It was Ivy, and she began to cry.

  “Ivy? Are you ok?” Violet went to her side.

  “Oh sure, I’ll be fine,” she wiped her tears embarrassed by the emotion. “You know it’s just one of the hazards of working here at the hospital,” she explained.

  “I understand,” Violet said empathizing with Ivy.

  “What about you honey, are you ok?” Ivy asked Violet wondering why she was not shaken by the death of little Olivia.

  “Sure I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” Violet said

  Suddenly Violet realized that she was human and human beings freak out when someone dies. Violet should probably act traumatized by what she just witnessed with Olivia.

  “Yeah,” she said quickly, trying to make a cover for her feelings. “I am probably just in shock from the whole ordeal,” Violet said acting disoriented and slightly freaked out now.

  “That’s ok honey.” Ivy put her arm around her and escorted her out of little Olivia’s room. She couldn’t help but notice Vivian seemed like she was a million miles away. She thought perhaps she was thinking about her mom and remembering watching her take her last breath a year ago in this very same room.

  Then Ivy said, “Is it your Mom? Is that why you were here in this room? You don’t have to answer if you don’t feel like talking about it.”

  Wow, I had no idea! I guess when you live in a small town people really do know everything about you. I couldn’t believe Nurse Ivy knew the exact day and room number where Vivian’s mom and Henry’s adoring wife had died. Actually, I could believe it from Ivy. She was an exceptional nurse and an even better person with a heart of gold. She truly was put on this earth to provide something very special to the residents here in New Castle, Wyoming. If heaven was looking for an angel…I just found her.

  So Vivian’s mom died here a year ago today. That’s it! That’s the trauma trigger for my amnesia. Surely, everyone would understand that. It makes perfect sense that I would repress those memories now on the anniversary of my mother’s death. It will be no one’s fault, no one will get hurt and I can finish what I came here to do.

  “I don’t know…maybe it is my mom.” Violet planted the seed with her nurse.

  “Well, I’m sure you will find the answers you need when you speak with Evelyn Dawson. She’s a real sweetheart. You’re gonna love her. You hang in there honey, everything is going to be alright,” Ivy said rubbing her hands up and down on my arms trying to channel her positive thoughts and sending them my way. “You know, your mother would be very proud of you and how brave you have been coping with everything you have had to go through this past year. You are a courageous young lady Vivian Thorne, and don’t you forget it.” Ivy gave her a pat on the small of her back and said, “Now scoot you, off to bed! You need to get some rest if you want to get out of here on Friday…Doctors orders!”

  “Say no more Ivy!” Violet shouted from half way down the hall. “See you in the morning!” She waved and was out of Ivy’s sight.

  Violet returned to her room and leaped onto the bed. She pulled back her crisp white sheet and hopped under it, resting her head on the soft feather pillow. She lay awake staring at the ceiling, afraid to close her eyes and enter the darkness to sleep. “Nope,” she thought, “not going to do it. Sorry Vivian, we are not sleeping tonight.” She reached over and grabbed the IPod again. It had become her passing time hobby here at the hospital. The screen read Sarah McLaughlin. Violet pushed play and began to listening to the song. Violet thought the singer’s voice was beautiful, almost angelic and then the chorus began “In the arms of an angel.” Violet thought the song seemed rather ironic given the timing, but then she thought “maybe not so ironic at all.” Violet began to smile and then yelled out “Gabriel…….Message received!”

  Suddenly, the light clicked on and there stood Gabriel illuminated by the light.

  “You summoned me?” he said laughing at Violet who had just figured out his game.

  “Very Clever Gabe.” Violet applauded him before smacking him in the arm.

  “Ouch!” Gabriel said, “you really do pack a punch these days.” He rubbed his arm.

  “Yes, I do and don’t push me Gabe or you will see just how much of a punch I can really pack!”

  “What are you doing here anyways? Shouldn’t you be getting things ready for when I get out of here instead of playing word games with my IPod?” she asked.

  “I’m just making a much needed pit stop here to see you before the big release. Actually, I have something for you,” Gabe said as he handed her a tiny white box.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Just open it,” he replied.

  Violet opened the box and inside was a delicate necklace with a beautiful gold pendant hanging from it. Violet held the necklace up and noticed the pendant was a tiny angel that appeared to be singing. She thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

  “What is it?” she asked.