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March 26th, 2015
...A heartbeat. Fainter than the last one I heard, but more determination to stay alive.
I lifted my children and listened to them, but it wasn't either of their hearts making that beautiful sound.
The thunder rumbled, the lightning struck, the beat went on. Boom-boom. Boom-boom.
The power went out inside, sending us spiraling into darkness. My eyes quickly adjusted, I never said what I looked like to me in the dark. Well, sometimes its like heat vision, other times night looks like day. I put my children in their cribs and wandered down the stairs, the night was different this time, something was different.
I went outside and around to the back where the circuit box was located. I opened the rusted metal box and flipped a few switches. Nothing happened. Where the hell is one of the Cullen's when I need them?!
The beating sped up, like fear had spurred it on. I heard the house groan. Yes, something had changed, and I wasn't sure what it was.
I ran back into the house to make sure my children were still okay. I didn't know if I thought someone was playing a joke on me, I didn't know if I was over reacting, but I did know that I had to keep them safe. Then I heard the beating, faster, and faster!
BoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoom!
I followed the sound into the guest room and once I was there, amongst the red glow of the candles, the beat slowed.
Boom...boom...boom.
Johanna's body lay perfectly still...I saw the air move. Her eyes flew open and she drew in a sharp breath.
I stood in awe. She is alive. She's alive!
Slowly, carefully, I approached her.
But then I couldn't hold back, I ran to her and hugged her tightly, "JOHANNA! OH THANK GOD YOU ARE ALIVE!"
Barely even a second later she let out a loud, shrill scream. Her scream split my skull and filled me with the same emotions she felt; fear, frightened, lost.
"Johanna, its me!" I repeated while ducking again and again from her fury and throwing arm.
A pillow hit me in the chest as I lunged to stop the picture frame she threw from shattering.
"Johanna, what's wrong?" Another string of regular household items thrown at me.
The door opened and in walked Carlisle, "Alice said she saw-"
Johanna had thrown a book at Carlisle, it hit his shoulder.
"What's wrong with-"
"I don't know!" I yell back, "You're the doctor!"
"Johanna, please," Carlisle says kindly between ducking as well, "Tell us why you are angry? What has happened? We are friends, Johanna. Don't you remember?"
Ryder came strolling into the room, Johanna dropped the book and lamp and ran into his arms.
One arm around her shoulders, one hand cradling her head, "Oh, Johanna! My darling, beautiful sister!" He plants kisses on her forehead, "I thought you were dead! I thought you were gone! Well? Why don't you say something?"
She touches her throat.
Ryder's smile drops, he is gaping as he turns to Carlisle and I.
"She can't speak," he whispers.
What?! How?! Why?!
It took some coaxing from Ryder but Johanna eventually sat still for Carlisle to examine her.
"Carlisle, tell me, what has happened to her?" I beg.
Carlisle holds up his hand and asks Johanna a question, "You don't remember anything at all? Not who I am? You don't remember Gabriel?"
No hesitation. Not small sliver of hope. She shook her head and looked at Ryder.
"She wants to know if she should remember you two?"
My heart sunk. How could she not remember me? Us? How could she not remember what we went through and our children?
"Are you the brother?"
"Yup."
"How do you read her thoughts?"
"I'm a werewolf. The real kind, not the house pet that your kind was afraid of."
Ryder's threat would have had me trembling if I were Carlisle, but he didn't move.
"Tell us, Doc. What's wrong with my sister?"
"It appears that she suffered some kind of stroke. She lost her memory of the last five years and her voice."
"A stroke?! How does that work?" Ryder practically yells.
Johanna was looking back and forth between all of us, confusion and disbelief in her eyes.
"Carlisle, she was dead. I saw her. I touched her."
"Yes, Gabriel. I was there as well. My only guess," he says while looking into Johanna's grass green eyes, "is that God wasn't ready to take her away just yet. She has business here."
There were so many things I had to do. I wanted to hold her and kiss her, but I couldn't, it would scare her. I wanted to describe to her our love, marriage, and travels, but she wouldn't believe it. I wanted to tell her what I am, what Ryder is, but she would run from it all. I know she would.
'I guess you're all mine after all," Kali whispers. I can almost feel her slipping her arms over my shoulders.
Where would I begin? How would I begin? How could we get past this?
-Gabriel
...A heartbeat. Fainter than the last one I heard, but more determination to stay alive.
I lifted my children and listened to them, but it wasn't either of their hearts making that beautiful sound.
The thunder rumbled, the lightning struck, the beat went on. Boom-boom. Boom-boom.
The power went out inside, sending us spiraling into darkness. My eyes quickly adjusted, I never said what I looked like to me in the dark. Well, sometimes its like heat vision, other times night looks like day. I put my children in their cribs and wandered down the stairs, the night was different this time, something was different.
I went outside and around to the back where the circuit box was located. I opened the rusted metal box and flipped a few switches. Nothing happened. Where the hell is one of the Cullen's when I need them?!
The beating sped up, like fear had spurred it on. I heard the house groan. Yes, something had changed, and I wasn't sure what it was.
I ran back into the house to make sure my children were still okay. I didn't know if I thought someone was playing a joke on me, I didn't know if I was over reacting, but I did know that I had to keep them safe. Then I heard the beating, faster, and faster!
BoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoom!
I followed the sound into the guest room and once I was there, amongst the red glow of the candles, the beat slowed.
Boom...boom...boom.
Johanna's body lay perfectly still...I saw the air move. Her eyes flew open and she drew in a sharp breath.
I stood in awe. She is alive. She's alive!
Slowly, carefully, I approached her.
But then I couldn't hold back, I ran to her and hugged her tightly, "JOHANNA! OH THANK GOD YOU ARE ALIVE!"
Barely even a second later she let out a loud, shrill scream. Her scream split my skull and filled me with the same emotions she felt; fear, frightened, lost.
"Johanna, its me!" I repeated while ducking again and again from her fury and throwing arm.
A pillow hit me in the chest as I lunged to stop the picture frame she threw from shattering.
"Johanna, what's wrong?" Another string of regular household items thrown at me.
The door opened and in walked Carlisle, "Alice said she saw-"
Johanna had thrown a book at Carlisle, it hit his shoulder.
"What's wrong with-"
"I don't know!" I yell back, "You're the doctor!"
"Johanna, please," Carlisle says kindly between ducking as well, "Tell us why you are angry? What has happened? We are friends, Johanna. Don't you remember?"
Ryder came strolling into the room, Johanna dropped the book and lamp and ran into his arms.
One arm around her shoulders, one hand cradling her head, "Oh, Johanna! My darling, beautiful sister!" He plants kisses on her forehead, "I thought you were dead! I thought you were gone! Well? Why don't you say something?"
She touches her throat.
Ryder's smile drops, he is gaping as he turns to Carlisle and I.
"She can't speak," he whispers.
What?! How?! Why?!
It took some coaxing from Ryder but Johanna eventually sat still for Carlisle to examine her.
"Carlisle, tell me, what has happened to her?" I beg.
Carlisle holds up his hand and asks Johanna a question, "You don't remember anything at all? Not who I am? You don't remember Gabriel?"
No hesitation. Not small sliver of hope. She shook her head and looked at Ryder.
"She wants to know if she should remember you two?"
My heart sunk. How could she not remember me? Us? How could she not remember what we went through and our children?
"Are you the brother?"
"Yup."
"How do you read her thoughts?"
"I'm a werewolf. The real kind, not the house pet that your kind was afraid of."
Ryder's threat would have had me trembling if I were Carlisle, but he didn't move.
"Tell us, Doc. What's wrong with my sister?"
"It appears that she suffered some kind of stroke. She lost her memory of the last five years and her voice."
"A stroke?! How does that work?" Ryder practically yells.
Johanna was looking back and forth between all of us, confusion and disbelief in her eyes.
"Carlisle, she was dead. I saw her. I touched her."
"Yes, Gabriel. I was there as well. My only guess," he says while looking into Johanna's grass green eyes, "is that God wasn't ready to take her away just yet. She has business here."
There were so many things I had to do. I wanted to hold her and kiss her, but I couldn't, it would scare her. I wanted to describe to her our love, marriage, and travels, but she wouldn't believe it. I wanted to tell her what I am, what Ryder is, but she would run from it all. I know she would.
'I guess you're all mine after all," Kali whispers. I can almost feel her slipping her arms over my shoulders.
Where would I begin? How would I begin? How could we get past this?
-Gabriel