A New Time

Chapter 2

2

The long journey had begun, but Bram was right. We needed to go. The longer we stayed, the sooner they would find us. I didna want that to happen. We started walkin’. The sun set low in the sky. A few more hours and daylight would be gone. My heart wasna in it. Every step seemed heavy. Slow and no amount of energy that I had would make me move faster. I sensed Bram wanted me to, but he understood my feelin’s. Our walk was quiet. We didna say anythin’ to each other. I didna even look around. My eyes stayed downward. Seein’ the same sights as my Mother and I had ─ I didna want to know what would happen. No, I knew what would happen. I’d see somethin’ that would bring back memories of her and I’d crumple to the ground. Unable to continue. I knew this, aye. My breath caught in my throat at the verra thought.

What’s wrong?

He came nearer. He knew. He just had to ask. His arm went around my shoulder. For some reason, this closeness… his arms around me and all… made me feel whole. I dinna understand it and I dinna think to question it. For now, I’ll enjoy it, for that’s the only pleasure I have.

Goin’ back to Arabel’s, though, was harder than I thought. The lazy slopes and hillsides that once were breath takin’ only reminded me of my loss. I struggled against this. Kept tellin’ myself I needed to do this for my safety. It’s what mother would… and Da, would have wanted. I stopped walking. Froze in my steps to a gloom that presented itself solidly within my heart.

“I canna do this, Bram. Not only walkin’ makes it harder, no horse, but I… we… mother and I had just traveled this way. I’m hungry and tired. I dinna think I can go any further. In fact, I know I canna.” I sat down on the dirt-trodden path and hung my head.

“I’m so tired, Bram. We hadna gone too far, but I feel as though we have walked two days.”

We’ll stop here. I know a place.

Bram got me to stand back up and took me up the hill. As it crested, I noticed an empty cottage. It had been forgotten for some time, for the roof, though thatched, needed repair, and the shutters on either side of the windows dangled precariously.

“How did ye come about findin’ this place?”

It’s mine.

I looked credulously at him. “Yers?”

Aye.

I still didna understand.

Elspeth, I was born a human.

It was too much for me to handle. Everythin’ grew softer and blurred around the edges until all turned black.

I awoke to the sounds of cracklin’ wood and the smell of smoke.

“Where am I?”

Remember my house. Ye fainted. Here…

I pushed myself up to a sittin’ position and saw what he presented me. Meat. Berries and cheese, not to mention a tankard of ale.

“Where did ye get all this?”

I told you, this is my house. Eat.

I took a bite of the meat, rabbit. Earthy, and verra tender.

Wi’ a mouthful of food I continued to question him.

“If this be yer house, why does it look so barren then?”

He looked as though he were laughin’ and he was. I heard it in my head.

I was imprisoned.

“For what?” And continued to stuff my face.

Practicing witchcraft.

I nearly dropped my food on the floor. Bram was like me, a witch.

“When did this happen?”

It’s been a while. Here let me show you.

He sat on the bed, next to me, and cupped my face wi’ his hands.

Close yer eyes. Think of nothin’

“It’s a wee bit hard.”

Elspeth. Do as I ask.

I did. Thoughts wanted to come in, but I fought them out and kept my head dark. Empty. My head felt tight as if something wrapped itself around it. I ignored it, but I didna like it.

Shh… dinna fight it.

Then, I saw him, Bram. A wee laddie.

He showed me his life, wi’ his family enjoyin’ each other as I did wi’ mine. They were so happy. He liked helpin’ his Father and his Mother was tiny, wi’ a twinkle in her eye. Bonnie. I could tell she loved Bram, especially how she would smile at him. Spent time wi’ him. They were verra close. Then, it went blank for a moment and the image changed. He was cryin’. Screamin’ their names. All went blank after that.

I backed away from his hands. “I dinna understand. What happened to them and why are ye a bird then?”

As he sat by the fire, his elbows rested on his knees. His dark hair fell forward, coverin’ what I suspected to be sadness. I swept some of it back and over his ear to see a low-spirited face.

“What is it, Bram?”

Like you, I escaped what my parents couldna.

“You mean you used a spell like me?”

Aye. Mine was to change into a bird.

“But why are still able to change back into it?”

It wasna meant to stay wi’ me. Somethin’ went wrong.

“But why canna ye use yer voice?”

Birds don’t talk.

“But that doesna make any sense. Ye should be able to talk when ye go back to your human form.”

I dinna know why. It’s not so bad.

After a while, I went on to say, “I should be callin’ ye by yer real name, not Bram.”

Bram is my name, middle. Alastair Bram Mackenzie.

“So, I got part of it right. Who’d of thought, aye? Alastair is Scottish for Alexander, no?”

It is.

I should tell ye that I’m from another time. Nineteen seventy-five to be exact.

My body froze. I got to thinkin’ about Arabel and wondered if he and she knew each other.

“Bram, do ye know Arabel, the lady where we’re headed to?”

Aye. We came here together.

I had to think this through. He speaks wi’ a Scottish burr, but he’s from the future.

“If ye are where ye say yer from, then why do ye talk like me?”

He laughed again. I was born here. Grew up as a wee lad.

“So, ye were all by yerself as a wee lad? That’s so sad. However, did ye manage?”

I did alright. Arabel found me.

“She took ye in and raised ye?”

Aye, that she did.

“But that doesna explain the future?”

We were talked about. Bein’ witches.

“So, the trouble started back then?”

It did. We were imprisoned. He got up and put a few more logs onto the fire and stoked it until the fire grew. I loved watching my Father do the same thing and watchin’ the wee bits of fire float up into the chimney. I used to pretend that they be fire fairies. This brought a smile to my face.

I havena seen that in a while. And sat back down, but this time on a small foot stool in front of me.

“I was reminded of somethin’ I used to do as a child. So, tell me what happened next. Ye said ye were imprisoned.”

We met another witch and he helped us.

“Bram, I know ye dinna like to talk a lot, but it would be so much better if ye did. I promise I wilna laugh at ye.” He tensed some. I could see that he was strugglin’, but I’m not the quiet type and if we were to get along, he’d learn to converse. He straightened up. Stretched his arms out in front of him and continued… slowly.

His talents… went beyond Arabel’s. It was then we escaped, but I… didna know where she went. I went back to the house and found she left me a note.

So enthralled wi’ his story I begged him to continue further. He seemed a little more relaxed and his body melted some.

She told me she traveled to a place called Salem. Salem, Massachusetts, and to time travel to there. So, I did. It continues further, but that’s the main idea.

The strain of unspoken words between us made for an awkward moment. I didna know quite what else to say or ask and Bram went back to being his tongue-tied self again. Until…

“Alastair…” He gave me an odd look as though I had spoken a different language. “So, ye are not my familiar?”

Elspeth, I am.

“Ye are no such thing! A familiar is a spirit. My mother told me all about them. Their habits, what they are entrusted to do wi’ their witch.”

And do I not do all that for ye?

He had a point, but he wasna a spirit… or was he? “Bram, are ye from the unseen world?”

His unsmiling face told me much. I hit a nerve. He stood up so abruptly and walked away from me. His back, ramrod straight, as if a pole went straight down his back. Shoulders squared and his hands, in tight fists.

“Why are ye getting’ so upset wi’ me? It’s a simple question. Is it not?”

He turned. “No, it isna.” His hands rubbed the anguish from his face.

Ye dinna understand. Och! Why should I bother?

Ok, this puzzled me, this whole anger issue. It’s either I’m dead and living as a spirit or I’m alive and breathing. It’s that simple.

“Bram, I’m sorry if I troubled ye. I didna mean to, I’m just tryin’ to understand how ye came to be my familiar.”

He went over to a desk in the far corner and pulled open the drawer. Inside was a book. Brown leather, no words on it, but he handed it to me.

Open it and read.

I did as he said. Its mustiness rose as soon as I opened it. The pages old and yellowed by time gave me a queer feelin’. My hands felt warmer than usual and tingled. What kind of book was this I wondered?

Read the second paragraph.

I looked down and began. It talked of a crow tappin’ on a window. Three times. It was a sign that whoever lived there would die. I didna understand what this had to do wi’ him and bein’ my familiar. I walked over to him, holdin’ the book still within my hands. He looked pensive.

“I dinna understand. What does this have to do wi’ you bein’ my familiar? Besides, this is just a story. I really—”

No, it’s isna. It’s me.

“Bram, how? It looks like a story, written by… well, I dinna know, but—”

Read on, please.

I hesitated. Afraid I guess, but I didna know why I should be scared. He would ner’ do anythin’ to harm me.

Openin’ the book once more I went back to where I left off…

… I bring death, for it is said that crows are omens and the dying of someone.

Somethin’ came to my mind. Somethin’ I didna want to think about, nor wish to believe it so. Bram didna look at me. He faced the hearth as it blazed away, lightin’ his front with an orange, flickerin’ glow. I couldna see his face, for his hair hid it from view, but I already knew. Knew that he would have to explain somethin’ and it weighed heavily on him.

“Clarify what this all means. I have an idea. Not a good one mind ye, but I have one nonetheless. So, careful what ye say.”

His once straight, tall body, now stooped over wi’ guilt, turned to face me. His face paled against the light of the room. He couldna look at me. I watched, waited as his hands clenched and unclenched. He cleared his throat.

I will do my best…

“Try harder, because right now I dinna know what I want to do. I’ve been through hell and now ye want to put me back.”

Yer not makin’ this easy.

I gave him a right good shove and he stammered backward a bit. “I’m not? I’m not makin’ it easy for yer? Well, I’m so sorry. Please excuse my manners, but I’ll have ye know right now, ye are not makin’ this any easier for me.”

His arms stretched out in front givin’ space between my fists and his face.

Remember when ye first saw me?

“Aye, I do. Go on.”

That was an omen. Arabel sent me.

I let that sink in for a moment. I thought he was a strange bird. I remember Mother…

I felt the blood rush from my face as I recalled that day. My hands started to shake. My heart began to beat hard against my chest. My mouth dried. I couldna talk. I wanted to, but couldna. I looked up at Bram. Eyes searchin’ for answers. He said nothin’. Just stood there.

There I was, arms wavin’ at him, wantin’ answers that were not comin’, and my breath wasna there. I panicked.

Finally, I took a drink from my tankard, and yelled, “What’s wrong wi’ ye? Canna ye see? Ye came as an omen! Ye knew my Da was goin’ to die. That’s why Mother looked the way she did. Like she… already… knew.” I fell to the floor. My hands limp in my lap. The heat from the fire bathed my left side and I sat in my stupor. She knew all along and ner’ told me.

Ye see why I couldna tell ye.

My head felt heavy, as did the rest of me. That day played over and over in my head. It was so clear, as if, it happened yesterday. So vivid and my Mothers face… it explained so much and yet, it didna.

Arabel—

“She knew too. That’s not the only reason why ye came to see me that day. I know. Crows are familiars as are other animals, but ye served two purposes. I should have known.”

Ye couldna have. Ye was a wee lassie.

I took in another deep breath before speakin’. “Why didna ye change form? Why didna ye? Ye could have told me. We could have prevented all this.” Prevented rolled around in my thoughts. Visions of our journey back home findin’ Da gone. The tollbooth where I escaped from. All of it. It didna need to happen. My throat tightened. I wanted to scream out. I wanted to… get angry at someone. Let them feel my pain.

Elspeth…

I tore myself at him, swearin’ as I swung, kicked, and punched. “Go hIfreann leat a shlíomadóir lofa! Imigh leat!” I got in a few good swings. Bram, he let me have my way wi’ him till I soon tired out. He didna look worse for the wear, but I did get him in the face. There was some blood. He held onto me though, just in case I got another idea of doin’ it all over again. He didna trust me just yet.

Elspeth, canna ye see reason why I couldna tell ye?

My temper was spent and I exhausted myself pretty good, but I hated to admit it, but Bram made sense. I didna want him to be right, not just yet. In time I would, but not yet.

“Let me go.”

No.

“Bram, I’m not goin’ to hit ye. I promise. So, let go.”

No. Ye are goin’ to remain just as ye are, in my arms until I feel that ye have calmed down and right now ye arena calm.

“How do ye know what I am or not?”

Because I can read yer thoughts…

I squirmed harder at that.

And yer body is still tight. Let’s sit down. Right here.

“I’m tired.”

Aye, I know that. Sit.

“Bram?”

Aye?

“Ye scared me.”

He lessened his grip on me and twisted around to see my face.

How so?

I started to smile. “Ye said at least twenty-eight words when ye said ye werena goin’ to let me go.”

His body started to bob as a laugh was heard in my head. That’s when he loosened his hold on me. I have to admit though, havin’ his arms about me felt secure. I began to relax sittin’ there by the fire. My body leaned against his strong one. I hadna realized just how tired I was.

“Bram, that book ye gave me to read. Ye said it was yers. What did ye mean by that?”

I wrote those words. It’s my, I guess ye’d call it my journal.

“But it’s printed. How can that be?”

Arabel took it to the future with her and had it printed. It was a gift.

“Can I read more of it someday?”

Maybe. I dinna know if I be wantin’ ye to know all my secrets.

“I wouldna tell anyone and if I be wantin’ to, who would I tell?”

True, but not now. I’ll let ye know.

We sat there together still. Neither sayin’ a word, just bein’ in the moment. I was enjoyin’ it.

“This is nice. Sittin’ here. I’m sorry for the way I acted. Oh, Bram, I just remembered, I wounded ye on yer face. Let me fix that.”

Elspeth, I’m fine. Ye didna hurt me that bad. Just a scratch.

I sat straighter now and turned his face toward the light so that I could see what I had done. I got him good. Right on his right cheek. I felt bad. My insides sunk and my stomach squeezed in a bit at the sight. I’ve ner hurt anyone. I didna like it.

“Bram, I scratched ye pretty bad. Now, let me fix that.” He took hold of my hand. Held it.

I’m fine. I’ve been hurt worse than this. Sleep.

I wanted to say somethin’, but when he lowered his eyes I knew. Enough had been said for one night. Tomorrow will be a new day and hopefully a better one at that.