The Last Goddess Witch

2- Remi

        He jumped up out of his seat like lightening struck him awake, he scanned the room, ran to his window and checked the surrounding area outside. Forest said he turned back to him and asked where his Mother was and Forest told him everything he could through broken sobs. 

Next thing I knew Forest was thrown into the room me and the boys were hiding in, I poked my head out and forest pressed his finger to his lips and silently told me to keep quiet. He slowly walked over to me where I was hidden underneath River's bed and slipped down next to me, and didn't say a word. We stayed like that for a while. Until Father came into the room, his eyes were glazed over, clutching his head he looked around the room for us "Children, come out, grab only your essentials and pack them, you have ten minutes, Forest, help your sister pack her things, quickly". so quickly fumbled out of our cramped hiding spaces. My eyes were sore and red from my tears, but I was determined to do as my Father asked. 

We packed our things as quickly as we could, I remember vividly making the very difficult decision of which Baby Annabelle I should take with me, and at the time it was the most painful thing I had to do. Very different to the life I lead now. I made my choice, and picked up my chosen doll and carefully packed her best outfit, the one my Mother chose for her, and huddled into a car (which I now know he stole) that we didn't recognise. "Where's Mama?" I squeaked from the back seat, my question was met with silence and in the car mirror I saw a single tear fall from my Fathers eye, it was quickly wiped away, but I know it was there. 

We drove in silence for hours then Forest spoke "Where are we going Father?" Papa was quick with his response "We have to go far away from London my boy, we aren't safe there anymore" he was matter of fact in his speech, with no emotion. "My boys, Forest, River and Reed and my little Rosebud we must run now, they have never gotten this close to us before. Mama knew, but I didn't listen..." his voice cracked and he turned away so we couldn't see his expression but we knew that it was heartbreak. He pulled himself together and spoke again "The reason we run, the people that we are hiding from, have taken her, they left a note demanding something that I cannot give in exchange for her safe return, but I can't..." his voice trails off again, as if in a daze he keeps driving towards our unknown destination. I didn't understand what he meant, I don't think any of us did and as much as Forest pretends he was always knew, he didn't. 

I somehow doze off in the car, and awoke to a different scene. A small industrial seaside town, huge boats mooring in the dock and loud sirens ringing in the air and River trying to spell out something, a road sign "D...oh...vvvv...errrr" he spells every letter phonetically "Dooo ver, Dover, is that right Papa?" "Yes River, there is a Ferry here that we will be taking all the way over to France".

And so we did, we went all over Europe, we didn't have another close encounter with 'Them' (whom we are running) and until I was ten we hopped from here to there, had a fantastic education through learning different cultures, languages, sciences of the land and one day Forest, now 16, stood with our Father and explained that we cannot stay in Europe for much longer, we needed somewhere bigger. Where we didn't have to steal identities to cross borders every year or few months. Father explained that he has a plane that was willing to take us from Greece, where we were currently hiding to America. I quickly protest "But Papa I like it here, the Americans won't ever understand us and..." "Stop whining Meadow-Rose! This will be a good move, you can enrol in schools we could stay places a little longer, besides I am the head of this family, what I say goes". I was scolded before I could even finish one of my pre-teen meltdowns.

It was later that night and once again I packed only my essentials, I lay in bed thinking of our next move, maybe America won't be so bad,  if I go to a school I could even make a friend, speak to a boy! Excitement started to grow within me and quickly dissipated as a soft knock rang on my door "My Rosebud, may I come in?" I didn't answer but he let himself in anyway "Are you packed my love? Good we leave early tomorrow morning" Father leaves that hanging in the air, I put on my best moody, don't talk to me face. "I do this for you Rosebud and your brothers, as you're getting older you need to realise the sacrifices we've al had to make, here stop you're pouting, you'll love it in America, myself and your Mother met there".

 My interest was piqued "You did?" I whisper.

 "Yes, in Washington we were both protesting a new bill that would.. you know what I won't bore you with that bit, but as soon as we locked eyes I knew we were Soulbound" His body quickly stiffens as if he's said something he shouldn't. "What does that mean, Soulbound" I liked how that word fell of my lips, it felt safe and comforting "It means that when I looked into your Mothers eyes from across the way, I saw everything, my present, future my past she was it all, from that one look there was a spark that said she is the embodiment of my love, and I knew she felt the same. You have your Mothers eyes Rosebud, like two shiny green emeralds. And when you are older, much older may I add, you will find your Soulbound too, that person might even be... in America!" he jumped up and started tickling me, squirming around I caved and started laughing and so did he. 

"You promise Papa?" I say, laughing and out of breath. 

"Yes my love, every one of our kind have our Soulbound" He says as out of breath as me, the way he worded that sentence was strange but I let it go. 

Soon we were in America, we started in Georgia and we made our way around from there, it was the normal set up, spend six months, maybe a year in once place then we'd move on. Years went that way until we moved to Arizona and was there for maybe six weeks when Father started to become distant and made it known that he wanted to make our way to Washington and he was adamant, so adamant in fact that we moved along a few weeks later. 

Father looked tired all the time, his eyes were dark and lacked his normal spark and he started to struggle to get up out of his office chair and was eating less and less. However he requested that we take trips to specific places around Washington, where he met our Mother, Where they went on their first ever date, their first kiss etcetera. After around a month of being here I was walking past Fathers room and heard him and a newly turned twenty four year old Forest arguing. 

"You can't expect to keep this up for much longer Papa, they will notice, if they haven't already" Forest's hushed tones whispered. 

"Child, you may think of yourself as the head of this family already but it is not your time yet. I will decide when they are too know, my boys are young and Rosebud even younger she wouldn't understand" Father was quiet but authoritative. 

"I understand, and I am ready Father, we can't live on memory lane for much longer. Please let me get you too a Doctor, they can perform tests..."

"What I have cannot be cured, let alone by mere Doctors. Son, I don't have much longer left and there are things about us, our family, that you must know...."

I've had enough of this conversation and slam open the doors "What on Earth is happening? Papa what are you not telling me?" I fall down too my fathers feet as he is sitting in his chair "Your sick? You cannot be cured? How long were you going to wait? Until you were, you were..." I couldn't even say the word. My Papa looks at me and waves for Forest "Son get your Brothers, it's time".

I sat by his feet and watched and cried as he explained that he has been ill for some time, hiding it to save our feelings, confiding when he can to Forest. He won't tell us what is wrong, what his illness is, he says its not the time and that his time is limited. He knows not how long but he knows he doesn't have much more time. As he speaks I truly look at his face, his sunked skin, bruises appearing on paper thin skin, his eyes looked sore and blood shot, how could I not have seen this? He's dying, my Papa, my protector, my life. He must be in pain, I still cant believe it. 

I look hold his frail hands in both of mine, look up to him and pour my heart out "I love you Papa, this must have been so difficult to deal with alone, you could of told us all, we could've helped". He just turns his head to me and nods his weary head "thank you my Rosebud, you children are my love and everything to me, I think this is enough for tonight its time for bed, I'm suddenly very tired".

The boys say their goodnights and I trail behind them and I hear very quietly from behind me "My loves, my children, Rosebud you were made for great things, there's so much I need to tell you and teach you, I love you".

And those were the last things he said to me, he passed that evening in his bed, sleeping, in the city he loved the most, where he met his Soulbound. 

A few days later we had a small service and cremation and spread his ashes over the park where he first met my Mother. We had a memorial bench made for him in the centre of the park exactly where he was standing when they locked eyes, it goes as follows;

                                                                Remi,

                                              Husband, Father, Lover of Life

                                                 May our Souls meet again.

                                                       Your Loves, forever.