Chapter Thirteen
They hurried out of the mansion, stopping briefly to catch their breath. Deep moaning and wailing came from the gothic mansion, but they didn’t dare turn back. They knew it to be the agonizing spirits of the porits.
Jesse unexpectedly hollered and jolted back. Blood spewed profusely from his ankle. Presley quickly noticed the evil blood sucking plant that caused the injury. The plant lurched forward aiming for Presley’s leg and Jesse yanked it up until he saw roots. The wicked flower lay on the ground panting, slowly dying.
As if waking from a long sleep, more evil plants began popping up by the hundreds covering the eastern pasture. The nearest flowers stretched their necks as far as possible, trying to reach fresh blood. Jesse took the girls by the hand as they ran west, away from the mansion. Traumatized, they walked for a long while in silence.
≈≈≈≈≈
Slowly, Paulette emerged from her stupor.
“So, you were Emily?” she asked. Jesse perked up by the mention of her name.
“Yes,” Presley answered. “I guess I was.”
“Well, if that don’t explain it,” Paulette giggled.
“Explain what?” asked Presley.
“It explains all the tension between you and Sarah and the sparks between you and Jesse,” she said. “Don’t pretend like you don’t feel it.”
“Feel what?” asked Presley smiling.
“Oh, girl, please! You love him and he loves you, and you felt it as soon as your eyes met. Heck, even I felt it,” Paulette rolled her eyes.
“She knows that I love her,” Jesse interjected.
“So, what are you going to do?” Paulette asked.
“What can I do?” he asked helplessly. “She has to go back. Porha isn’t a safe place for her, and Manna already told us that it’s impossible for me to go back with her. So, she will go back and I will stay here,” he reasoned.
“Doesn’t sound like a very happy ending to me,” she said.
“Me either,” Presley agreed.
“So, just how serious were you two?” Paulette pried.
“Pretty serious. She was the love of my life -you know that,” he said.
“Yeah, about that
—
what was Fiend talking about?”
Presley asked.
“Which part?” he asked.
“You know… about you and Sarah. It was like he was suggesting that you were cheating on Emily. Were you?” Presley pressed.
“No, I never cheated on Emily. I loved her too much to ever cheat on her,” he said defensively. “We had a great life together. You know, before I came here I had heard about soulmates, two people who are destined to be together. I never really gave it much thought, but now I know that it’s true. I guess maybe I took her for granted, when I had her. It took losing her to realize that she was the only person that I could ever truly be happy with.”
“I’m sure you aren’t the only one who has regrets,” Paulette said. “What made you so happy with her?” she asked as if Presley wasn’t there.
“Just the thought of seeing her made me excited. We were just so happy to be together. We shared our dreams together. I just wanted to be in her company. I loved to listen to her talk. I wanted to know everything about her. Just to be with her was enough. I miss her stories, I miss laughing with her. I don’t know. I guess it’s that agape love we had,” he said sadly.
“Wow, it sounds so perfect. Did we ever fight? I mean you and Emily
—
did you and Emily ever
not
get along?” Presley asked.
“Did we fight?” he laughed. “Yeah, we fought quite a lot, actually. I never took it serious though. She always came around. She liked the chase and I knew that, so I learned to play along. I knew she wasn’t going anywhere. I knew that she loved me. She was a passionate person. She liked excitement. If we were becoming complacent and too comfortable, she’d pick a fight with me and I’d indulge her. She acted insane at times but I realized that she just needed to feel something. It was exhausting and endearing at the same time. Making up was the best part. It was all worth it,” he winked.
Presley listened intently to Jesse’s recollection of their life together. She found the stories fascinating and intriguing. It was truly a love like she’d never experienced. She tried to recall even a single memory of this previous life. She knew that she had deep feelings for Jesse; she felt herself suffering down deep in her soul. But she couldn’t recall any experiences that she had once had with him, other than her dreams. And she wasn’t sure that even those were accurate. She was frustrated and disturbed.
Jesse came up behind Presley and placed his hand on her neck. She felt a rush of energy surge through her body. She put her arm around his waist as he bent down, closed his eyes and smelled her hair right above her ear. They walked arm in arm for the rest of the afternoon until sunset. They could see Gracie just a few yards away.
“We can either keep walking or set up camp for the night. Paulette, it’s up to you,” he said.
“I want to keep going, but I’m so tired I don’t know if I can make it much longer,” she said.
“Let’s rest,” insisted Presley.
She wanted just one more night with Jesse. She knew that one night wouldn’t do anything to resolve their impossible circumstances. She knew at that moment that they couldn’t be together. However her obsessive affection trumped her rational thoughts and all she knew was she would be with Jesse one last night in Porha.
Jesse made a small fire and they all ate the few leftovers of food that he had been carrying. They made anxious small talk, each anticipating what tomorrow would bring. Paulette was exhausted from the experience of being held captive at the Manes’ mansion. Soon after she ate, she excused herself and went up in Gracie’s branches and quickly fell asleep.
Jesse and Presley quietly gazed at each other through the dancing fire light.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“I’m thinking about how much I’m going to miss you. Again. What are you thinking?” Jesse paused as he looked deeply into her eyes.
“I’ve been trying to remember you. I feel like I know you but I can’t find the words to explain this feeling.”
“It must be really hard for you, having all of these feelings and not being able to piece it together. At least I know why I feel the way I do.”
“I’m glad that I got to see you again.” Jesse abruptly jumped to his feet. He walked over to Presley and slowly pulled her up. He drew her close to his face.
“I have to make sure that you know,” he whispered.
“Know what?” she asked.
“I need you to know that I love you. I have loved you from the beginning of time and I will love you until the end of time."
He pressed his body to hers and held her chin as he tilted her head. His lips met hers and they softly kissed. It was the sweetest kiss she had ever had. Her body was infused with warmth and her senses were intensely heightened. She wanted to capture this moment and embrace it in her mind forever, so as they kissed she began making a memory portrait in her mind.
He has a natural scent. A dirty fragrance. Dirty, but in a good way. His lips are salty
—
and sweet -sticky.
Jesse pulled Presley closer to him until they became so tangled up together that it was impossible to tell where one began and the other ended. She found her body going limp and all of her thoughts and worries were gone. As they kissed, Presley opened her glazed-over eyes and tried to focus on Jesse’s beautiful face.
“Wow,” she said softy.
“Yeah, I know,” he agreed.
“That was…. ,” she failed to find the words.
“Breathtaking,” he said.
“Breathtaking. Is that how it always was?” she asked.
“Always,” he said.
“I’ve never been kissed that way before,” she admitted.
“You have. You just don’t remember.”
They walked over to Gracie. She stretched her limbs down and swooped them up into the night sky. She wove them up in her branches to ensure their safety for the night. They both lay there in that small space on their last night together.
“I can’t believe I have fallen in love with you in a matter of days,” she said
“You have always loved me,” he said with a crooked smile.
“I don’t want to lose you now,” she said hopelessly.
“Losing you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Still to this day it haunts me, knowing that we were so right. I mean, who really ever finds that -their true soulmate? I had the perfect girl and I know that I can never be in love that way again. As much as I love you, I sometimes wish that I had never met you,” he confessed.
“Why would you say that?” she asked.
“Because if I wouldn’t have ever known what true love felt like, I wouldn’t have hurt so badly for something that I couldn’t have,” he said sadly. “But once you know that feeling, just like our kiss, once you have
that
feeling you can never forget it. And believe me I have tried,” he said regretfully.
He lifted her hand to his face and stared at her fingers. He examined her arm; taking in every freckle, every line, and then his eyes gravitated back to hers. He outlined her eyebrows with his index finger and ran his finger down her cheek until it met her lips. He gently grasped her face as he leaned towards her to kiss her neck. His breath made her shiver and he kissed her again. She felt safe. They fell asleep in each other’s arms.
≈≈≈≈≈
The sun shone through Gracie’s branches waking them both.
“The night went by too quickly,” she sighed.
“I don’t want this to end,” Jesse said as he squeezed her arm.
“Hey you guys, let’s get goin’!” Paulette yelled impatiently from the ground. “I’m leaving, right now. Gracie, please let them down,” Paulette commanded.
Gracie unfolded her limbs and lowered them to meet her. Jesse picked up his bag that he had left by the campfire the night before. Jesse and Presley quietly lagged behind Paulette, certain of their inevitable hopeless situation once they arrived at the creek.
“Speed up!” Paulette called out to them.
She stopped and waited for them as she tapped her foot. Presley and Jesse reluctantly picked up the pace in order to appease her.
“Presley, I need you to help me find my mother when we get back,” she said.
“I’m afraid that you are going to be in for a big culture shock,” Presley stated.
“Where am I going to stay? I haven’t even thought about that. I mean, I won’t have a house anymore. My brothers will all be grown,” she said as she thought out loud.
“And so will you,” said Jesse.
“What?” asked Paulette.
“You will transform into the age that you would’ve been as if you had been on Earth this whole time,” he said. Paulette stopped in her tracks.
“What are you saying?” she asked abruptly.
“Well, let’s see, you will be around the mid-fifties,” he laughed.
“What? Are you sure?” she said in disbelief. “So that’s why you aren’t coming."
“Yes. I can’t come. The transport would kill me,” he looked down at the ground as he continued to walk.
“Paulette, you would have to age. What would your parents, or anyone who knew you, think if you stayed fifteen?” Presley asked.
“I guess you’re right,” she agreed.
“Manna told me that we can never let anyone know of Porha. We must never tell anyone,” Presley said sternly.
“I would never tell anyone. I don’t want to remember. I want to forget this place. Besides, I seriously doubt that anyone would believe me anyway,” Paulette mumbled. “We’d end up in a mental institution for sure!” she laughed.
≈≈≈≈≈
The rolling hills of Porha were deceiving as they appeared calm and inviting. The valleys between the hills were pristine as if freshly manicured by hand. Presley looked around at this magnificent land and thought about the porits and how at one time they lived in a spiritual peaceful world. The flowers were vibrant, a rainbow of color changing as they strolled past.
They continued to walk through the valley and over a massive sloping hill. At the top of the hill they could see for miles. She took her cell phone from her back pocket, the battery was low. She managed to capture the moment by snapping a picture of the fantastic landscape. She handed the phone to Paulette.
“Will you take a picture of Jesse and me, please?” she asked as she took his hand.
“How?” she asked
“Just press this button here when you’re ready,” Presley instructed. Paulette snapped three pictures of them; unknowingly capturing Fiend’s piercing wicked red eyes through the forest, off in the distance. She handed the phone back to Presley. Presley snapped several pictures of Paulette before putting it away.
“It’s a shame that this beautiful world is so empty and lonely,” Presley stated sadly.
“As beautiful as it is, it’s equally as evil. You have to remember Fiend,” Jesse added.