The Immortal story and forbidden love with the Enchantress

Chapter Nine

The gallery had about five different rooms, I felt compelled to explore them all, but we were expected to go to the main room where there was a little stage for the children to perform their talents. The children had a room where their art was displayed. First was a young girl about six or seven who performed a poem about spring going into summer, it was really beautiful. Then an eighteen-year old girl called Abbie sang a song she had written and played the guitar at the same time. People had begun to explore around the place, so I took my chance to look around, there was plenty of performances and art exhibitions going on. I passed rooms filled with music pieces, I saw fashion, poetry, painting and there were other add on like cookery classes. It was beautiful to hear different stories of how people were able to heal through their chosen methods of self-expression.

I had no idea where anyone was for this place is so big, I didn’t see Hannah or Michelle anywhere.

Through a c***k of a door I could see something golden reflecting from the sunlight, curiosity seized me, before I knew it I was walking towards the room. I closed the door behind me and was surrounded by portraits that had been covered by dusty beige sheets. The frame that caught my eye was gold and thick, the edge was poking out of its cover and I could see the frame had raised patterned bumps and etches. It looked expensive. I lift my hand towards the frame the sunlight hits my hand as I pause, should I even be doing this? Oh well, I’ll just put it back.

I lift my hand grabbing the sheet and whip it off. What’s revealed is beautiful, there is a man laying on a big field like hill that overlook a small village in the night. The little small cottages are quaint and dark, there windows are dimly lit by what seems like candles, the sky is full of bright stars and a big, full golden moon. I know you’re not supposed to touch paintings but I just couldn’t help it, I reached for the moon I stroked the golden moon it felt smooth, all of a sudden I felt a big wave of peace and deep sadness as I touched it. Under a moon a man lays in the grass with a dark-haired woman over him, they are passionately kissing. My heart skips a beat, it’s as though I’m intruding in on their privacy. I pull away, I checked the date at the back before replacing its cover, it was painted in 1833.  I move to the next one, but this one isn’t landscape like the other one, it was portrait, I lift the left edge slowly, revealing a white dress that has a thin black layer of fabric over it making it appear greyish.  I lift it some more, it’s a lady with light cream skin, she’s beautiful, she has dark curly hair in big waves, her eyes are emerald green and she has dark lips. She wears a dark green marble neckless. On her left finger she wears a silver band that has a snow-white crystal. An engagement ring. She stands poised with a small smirk on her face. Her dress is off the shoulder, but her left sleeve hangs a bit lower than the other, on that same side she has faint red marks, teeth marks. She has them slightly around her neck, one is slightly hidden by the neck of her dress. I get a great sense of love, and longing when looking at this portrait, painted in 1835 it had written underneath ‘My love’.

I lift another sheet off of a portrait, it’s the same woman she’s laid out on a cream sofa her hair is spread out on a crimson pillow, and her eyes are closed. She still wears her green marble neckless, she’s nude covered in a transparent white sheet. Her hand rests on her stomach, the other rests by someone else’s hand, he wears a white sleeve that slightly puffs out at the wrists… Kind of like, kind of like- Erin. At the back it states “My enchantress” I pull off another portrait to reveal the same woman on that same field, she rests on top of a man, she gazes down at him as he strokes her hair poised to kiss her. I peer closer at the man. I get a tingly static feeling.

“I thought this room had been locked up?”  

I gasp slightly, Erin.

“I’m sorry?” I feel slightly awkward being in here, I know the gallery belongs to Erin, but I didn’t think they would hold old family portraits. Erin leans on the door frame with his arms crossed he stares at me intently. He walks over to me and starts picking up the sheets and placing them over the portraits.

“These are really old; I want to look after them which means they need to stay covered in this sheet to stop the exposure from the air and sunlight. It’s all I have left from my family.”

“Oh, I see, I’m really sorry.”

He looks at me whilst flapping out the last sheet, I go to help him place it on the portrait of the woman, but he moves away from me.

“Don’t worry about it, I’d be curious too.” He winks at me; he hesitates before throwing the sheet over the portrait.

“Was she a family member?”

“Yeah.”

“She’s beautiful.”

“Yeah she is, our family have a thing for beautiful people.”

I smile

“Erin?”

“Yeah?”

“Erin it wasn’t your fault- “

“I know it wasn’t all my fault, but I should have been there for her Lisa, she drowned herself. She promised me she’d never hurt herself, but I’d hurt her too much. I got my revenge when I heard how she’d slept with someone else. She had stayed at a man’s house, a young friend; he was apparently a doctor and she had fainted, so he looked after her for the night. She hadn’t told me because there was a reason.”

I say nothing I let him talk. Yesterday he just got up and excused himself, so I let him go, but eventually whatever burden he had been carrying all this time would need to come out.

“I was so jealous when I heard she’d stayed in another man’s bed; he was a handsome doctor that she could have easily been with. He had been worried about her and didn’t know what to do so he just looked after her, Lisa… She thought I hated her, Marea was the only one who believed her, but I forbid her to see her, so I did the one thing I knew would break her heart. Lisa I seduced her best friend, I broke her heart, I was too stubborn to listen or believe her, but that’s when…” He scrunches up his fists , I’ve never seen so much emotion on his face before now. His eyes appeared translucent in the setting sun. He closes his eyes turning away, I see them before he can hide them. His tears hit the floor. I cover my mouth…

“That’s when I found out she was pregnant.” The words echoed in the room.

I place my hand over my mouth, trying to absorb this information, Erin angrily walks past me, tearing down all the sheets off the remaining paintings.

“How could I have not known, originally we thought she couldn’t get pregnant, and because of me and the heart break I put her though she lost the baby. She’d always wanted to be a mother; she’d hoped she’d treat her child better than her mother had treated her.” His usual deep rich voice is now breaking he covers his face with his hands he shakes trying to hold in every ounce of emotion. I run over to him, he looks like he’s about to explode, he looks mad. It all makes sense now he’s not addressed his demons he’s not admitted his pain until this point.

 God, how long has he been holding this all in? I throw my arms around his neck letting him burrow his face in my neck and hair, thank god my blouse is black today. He feels cool against me, his hair feels really silky against my skin, his tears that touch my neck are strangely cold. I run my hand down his back to comfort him and even play with his soft curls whilst he stays nestled in my neck. There’s no telling how much time has gone by, but we stay like this for a while his sobs are quiet I didn’t realise how quick the sun had gone down. The room was now cast in dying, fading shadows. Just when it’s too dark to see he lifts his head from my neck. His eyes slightly glow in this light. I feel his breathing by my neck, I get small flickers of him by Anna’s neck that night, a memory is trying to emerge. I dismiss it, becoming distracted by his soft breaths on my ear…

“You’re so calming.”

He begins stroking my hair, something about his touch makes my soul purr inside, but why? Why would I feel like this with him? Why couldn’t I have felt like this towards the others? Why does he have to be so

“different.”

“What?” I whisper, it’s as though he read my thoughts… I feel his breath as he laughs a little

“You’re not like the others, you’re different.”

“What’s that supposed to mean Erin?”

“Most women yearn for my touch, once they feel me they want me to keep touching them. You’re not- normal”

“Excuse me? You’re not normal.” I pull away from him, it’s dark, I’m getting strange vibes from him, it’s dark but I can feel and almost see his expression. He wants me to want him…

No way in hell.

I start walking away, he grabs my hand pulling me towards him.

“Don’t walk away from me like that.” His sudden change in tone shocks me. “Thank you Lisa, I needed that.”

 “I’m always here for you, should you need to open up. I’m glad I could be there for you today Erin. It’s just hard for me to trust your intentions when I know how you can be with women… Like Anna. Only Lily could tame your heart, it makes more sense to me now.”

“How can you trust anyone if you can’t trust yourself, love comes easily but trust doesn’t.”

“You’re right.” I say already out of the room, I feel his eyes one me.

I join Michelle and the others as we give a round of applause to a girl who designed dresses for her barbie doll’s. She says when she’s older she wants me to design clothes for doll’s and give them to children who can’t afford clothes for their doll’s, it’s the sweetest thing I’ve heard all day.

Me and Michelle sit down on two white chairs together.

“Are you okay?” I feel her green eyes on me.

“Yeah, I just heard some deep stuff today.”

“Looks like you could use some cheering up, I know why don’t we get our nails done. It’ll be my treat.”

“What? But it’s ten o’clock at night Michelle.” She looks at the floor as her mouth forms an o shape. It makes me smile

“I know, I was thinking tomorrow? After work.”

“Yeah that sounds nice, thanks Michelle.” She grins at me.

“What?” I say grinning wider

“There’s that smile.” She pulls one of my curls.

Anna walks in front of us, she cuts her eyes at us. Michelle looks at her with a raised eyebrow, I can’t be bothered so I just ignore her smugness as always. Michelle takes out her phone and I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket.

“Does she not understand the human language like hi or hello?”

“Honestly, I really don’t understand why she’s been cutting her eyes at us these past few weeks.”

“I do, she’s probably jealous.”

“She’s pretty enough what’s she got to be jealous of? Although some people just want an excuse to act like that.”

“It’s not about looks, she’s jealous of our friendship and you. She wants to feel better than us because she sees us as a threat.”

“To be honest I don’t even care, if she wants to act like that she’s welcome to, she’s probably just bored.”

“Haha, you’re right, I love how long her nose is, look how thin and long it is, she’d make a good witch .” I let out a laugh.

“I also reckon she’s jealous of you because of the way Erin acts around you. Did you see her face when you told me Erin took you on a tour of his room and closet. I bet that’s not the only tour he wanted to take you on that night.” Michelle’s whisper was only getting louder as she spoke. I started laughing so hard, it only causes a chain effect as we both start laughing, people all over begin looking at us like we’re psychos.

“Shut up, you’re too loud.” She starts laughing throwing her head forward and giggling like a maniac. “Michelle stop it.” I say giggling, which only makes her laugh even more.

“Oh, come on! It’s so obvious there’s a connection between the two of you! I saw it in the way you confidently spun in his arms that night. You guys danced so fast that you practically passed out in his arms. He had to carry you to your car.”

I feel my eyes widen everything else is drowned out now “What!? Why didn’t you tell me that happened!?”

“I would have if we had more time, he even drove you home, you don’t remember? Wow Lisa you were more gone then you made out.” We start giggling,

“Wow I can’t believe that happened.” But thinking about it, within the blur I could recall some of that night. I put my hands up to my face as I look over to Anna, I had interrupted her dance with Erin. I was filled with so much envy I threw it into my dancing. I spun so fast that I’m surprised I didn’t crash into her; I was so intoxicated but not to the point of passing out just yet. I just had to be in his arms again. Anna was so pissed she stormed of, me and Erin just stared into each other’s eyes through our masks, he danced with me holding me close. He had laid me on my bed that night before leaving. I remember that he had driven me home in my car and that Anna had picked him up in hers. We were laughing by the end of the night.

“Oh my god you’re right Michelle! How did I forget that?”

“You just weren’t all there, it was like your body had been taken over it’s as though your body translated what you wanted to say. It moved with such passion, one minute you were there then you were dancing with someone else. You made sure you were the centre of attention. It was fun to see actually, especially when Anna pulled a long face with her long witch nose.”

We smirk then it gradually increases till we’re hysterically laughing again. I start to hide my now burning red face into my jacket. People are watching us from all over, we look mental. I watch Michell’s green eyes fill with tears as she shakes with laughter.

“Why are you laughing like that it’s so annoying and loud.” Anna stands in front of us with her hands on her hips. She sounds like a mean girl when she talks, not to mention fake I bet her boobs aren’t even real.

I rise looking into her eyes confidently “That’s not our issue Anna it’s your ishyou.”  Anna just raises an eyebrow.

“You’re right I have an issue with colleagues who refuse to  act like adults and embarrass us all. Your behaviour isn’t normal”

“Laughter is quite contagious, even a witch’s cackle is funny, the problem isn’t us it’s you. Two friends laughing with each other is normal. You’re the only one who isn’t acting normal, even Marea laughs with us. Let each individual express themselves that is what our company is about nothing expressive is embarrassing here. Only you are. ” Michelle says smiling coolly.

Anna is just about to speak when she is interrupted.

“ Anna, come here I want you.” Erin comes closely round Anna not looking at me or Michelle. His eyes are fixated on her.

“It is always the adults who are most wanted, and it is the adults who truly govern things which is why I’m second in command from Marea and you’re not. Ciao.”  Anna gives us a smug smile before walking off with Erin. I feel Michelle’s eyes on my face I stare at the floor.

“Fancy a smoke?” I look at her wide eyed I can’t believe I actually forget that she liked to smoke sometimes.

“Sure.” I could actually use that so bad right now.