A walk between worlds

Time is UP

Chapter 11

Time is up

            I could not believe that we had been together for almost four weeks already.  I was teaching Shawn how to meditate and his appetite was getting much better.  He was looking healthier, and continuing to open up with Lilly and Dr. Chang and taking his medicine.  I was very proud of him.  I had been successful in keeping Shawn away from Jenny, although most of his attention was on me. 

            It was time to contact Diane and check in.  I sat down to mediate and she came in loud and clear, “How are things progressing?  Well, I hope.”

            “Yes, he is doing remarkably well Diane.  I have very high hopes.  How are you making out with your friend?” 

            “You mean Sam?  Actually, very well, you have already met him.”

            “Wait, Samuel Black?”

            “Yes, “and she laughed.  “You didn’t think I would just send you back there with no one to look after you, did you?”

            “I should have known better.”

            “We discussed the ring.  He said its older than the 1800’s.  He believes it actually dates back to the 1600’s.  Which means that it has been in your family for longer than we anticipated.  We surmise the entity is just as old.  But there is bad news.”

            “Its time to come home Leigh.  Shawn has been put on the right path and now he needs to make his own choices from here.”

            My heart sank, and I could feel the tears welling up.  “When?”

            “Tomorrow night, you need to return.  I also believe that you may be confronted by the entity.  She will be coming for you.  Do not underestimate her Leigh.”

            “I won’t.  If something should go wrong, and you don’t here from me by Midnight tomorrow, then you know I was not successful.”

            “May God be with you Leigh.  Be careful.”

            As I came out of meditation with Diane, I was beside myself.  I had until tomorrow to be with Shawn.  The thought burned inside of me.  I decided I would not tell him until tomorrow.  My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.  It was Nathan from the main house.  “Sorry to bother you Leigh, but these just arrived for Mr. Walker.”   It was the guitars from Paul.  “Thank you so much Nathan.  I hope he is as excited to see these as I am.” 

            “I am sure he will be Miss.  Have a wonderful day.”

            I had gotten Paul’s contact information from Shawn and did not tell him why.  I went over to the main house and called him and asked him to do me a big favor. I wanted him to send me two of his guitars.  Paul was very excited and we actually talked for quite a while.  He is definitely a ladies’ man, but very sweet.   

            I brought them inside and leaned them up against the couch.  Shawn would be back soon from his appointment with Dr. Chang.  I decided to get a hot shower, I needed it. 

            As I got undressed, I looked down at the leather cuff bracelet and a thought ran through my mind.  If I took it off, I would be able to stay here forever.  But there would be consequences.  Somewhere in a small town in PA there was another me that was 20 years old.  I decided that wasn’t the wisest thing to do.  My only hope was that he would find me again, in 2001 and that he would wait for me.  I started to cry.  I got into the shower and let the scents from the lemon grass and lavender soap calm me down.  I couldn’t let Shawn see me like this yet.  We had today and tonight, and I would make the most of it.

            I got dressed and put on an off the shoulder cashmere sweater and some jeans on.  I put soft curls in my hair, and light makeup, and stood back.  I looked so different and it showed in my face.  I guess that is what real love does to you.

            Shawn yelled when he came in, “Honey, I’m home.”  I ran down the hallway and jumped into his arms and smothered him with kisses.  “I can go back out so you do that again,” he smiled.  I said, “I have a surprise for you, “and I motioned into the living room.

            “My guitars.”  He walked over and picked up his black Gibson Les Paul and sat down on the couch.  “This is why you called Paul last week wasn’t it.”

            “Yes, it was, I thought you might like them, since you were going to be here awhile.  Like having something from home with you that is familiar.  Plus, it would be good therapy for you.”

            “Actually, I have a lot of ideas floating in my head, and a song about you.” 

“The name of the song is Rescue Me.” 

            “You wrote a song about me?”

            “Yes you, I actually have a lot of songs in my head, but this one is special.”

            “Someday, I want you to teach me to play a string guitar.” 

            “Only if you play the piano for me?”

            “You have a deal.”

            “Thank you, Leigh.  For the first time, I want to live and I know exactly where I want to me.”

            I started to cry; I just couldn’t hold it back.  He put the guitar down and walked towards me.  “Don’t cry, no matter what happens, we will always be together.  I won’t lose you again.”

            “Shawn, I don’t know how much time I have.  Let’s make the best of it.  I would love to walk around the lake today.  Come with me?”

            He grabbed his coat, and mine and we went started down the path.  We held hands, and we talked about his parents and his home back in the U.K. 

            We were almost to the boat dock, when I realized someone was following behind us.  It was almost dusk out.  I turned around to see Jenny.  

            “Well, isn’t this nice.  Do you have room for one more on your little walk?”

            I didn’t even give Shawn a chance to answer, “No, we don’t.  You should probably go back up to your cabin Jenny.”  I positioned myself in front of Shawn. 

            “No, I think it’s time for me to join in, don’t you think?”  She opened up her long black coat, and the black mist started to form and it was creeping toward us.  Her green eyes, were almost glowing, and her red hair was wild about her.  “I am taking what belongs to me!”

            I heard Shawn say, “What the bloody hell is that!”

            I pushed him behind me, “Your fight is with me, let him go,”

She said, “Oh, come now, I can not do that, he is your biggest weakness, and this time I am taking him with me.  You will pay for stealing my ring, your whole family will.  But first I will make you suffer, like you made me suffer.”

            The mist reached out toward Shawn.  My body immediately stiffened, and I felt fire start up inside me as I put up my right hand and threw a fire ball at her.

            She laughed, and evil laugh, “So you learned how to use the ring, no matter.  You don’t have the strength!”

            “I think you underestimate me,” As my left hand started to glow.  My whole body was on fire.  “Go back to hell where you came from, today is not the day and neither is tomorrow.”

            I could see her eyes widen and she realized I had full strength and fire shot from my hands cutting through the mist and coiling around her like glowing snakes.  She started to scream; this is not over…. and then she completely disappeared.  The only thing left was an area of melted snow and steam.

            I fell down to my knees, suddenly I was very light-headed.  The last thing I saw was Shawn leaning over me….

            When I woke up, I was on the couch in the cabin, a fire burning in the hearth and Dr. Chang looking at me.  “Ah, see, there we are.  How do you feel Leigh?”

            Panic made me sit up, “Shawn,” Dr. Chang said, “There, there now, he is right here. I want you to lay back down, you are very pale.  Shawn carried you up to the cabin after you fainted and he called me right away.  I think you are fine but you should get some rest and relax.  I will be by tomorrow to check on you, ok?”

            “Yes, thank you very much.”

            Dr. Chang whispered something to Shawn and then said goodbye.

            Shawn, sat down and looked me over and pulled a blanket up around me.  “Are you ok?  I am full of questions, but I don’t want to upset you.”

 I said, “I don’t even know where to start.” 

“Try the beginning.”

  I sighed and said, “Well here is the shortest version I have. You came to me in a dream pleading for my help and to come back to you.  I thought I was crazy.  Only when I woke from my dream, there was evidence that I had really been with you, lavender that was in my dream was left on my pillow.  I went to see my friend Diane, who is a white witch; she already knew why I was there.  I was sent back in time from 2001 to 1990 to help you.  Diane said there was a link between us, past lovers from another time, and that the entity that I was seeing in my dreams was feeding into your addictions.  If I would not have come back, Jenny would have taken you out of rehab and helped feed your addiction until there was no coming back from it.  You were given a second chance, and I was to protect you and teach you how to make correct choices without taking away your free will in making those choices for yourself.  The entity feeds off of weaknesses, that why she said you were my weakness, and she was right.  The thought of her doing anything to you, made a fire burn up inside me.  While I was here, I had a confrontation with Jenny, she accused me of stealing this ring from her, but it has been in my family for as long as I can remember.  The amethyst stone in that cross you are wearing, is from the same time period.  Diane called it old magic.  I’m still trying to figure things out, but I had no idea about the power in the ruby ring, until a few weeks ago.  All I know is that this ring can not fall into her hands.  I understand if you are afraid of me.  I wouldn’t blame you right now.”

            Shawn leaned in and kissed me, “I am not afraid of you.  Usually, it’s the guy who does the protecting,” and he laughed.  “So, if you and I are connected, then this thing is connected with us for some reason.”

            “Yes, apparently, we did something to her and she wants revenge, but I have no idea what, and won’t until I get back to the present.  I believe she is gone for now, at least in 1990, but I don’t think it’s over.”

            “Thank you, Leigh, thank you for coming back to me and risking your life to help me.  Imagine that, I have my own little witch, and a total bad ass when she is pissed off.” and he kissed me on the nose.  I looked at him and said, “She was right about one thing, you are my weakness…”

            That night we clung to each other until morning, and slept in between.  My heart ached; it was our last day together.  I was still curled up in bed, when I heard Shawn, playing his guitar, it was a beautiful melody.  I wrapped a blanket around me and came out to the couch.

            He looked and me and started to sing:

            I was drowning and in the dark,

            When along came and angel like a lark;

            The devil tried to take me down into hell;

            But she came along and broke the spell.

            I don’t know who I was before,

            Then she came along and opened the door;

            Resting in her warm embrace;

            There was nothing that I couldn’t face;

            Rescue me,

            Please Rescue me.

            Don’t ever leave me

            I can’t let you be

            Oh, please rescue me

            He looked up at me, “What do you think so far?”  I said, “I think its beautiful. Is that my song?”

            “Yes, I’m going to finish it and send it off to Paul to see what he thinks.”

            “I have to go over to the main house and meet with Lilly and then I will be back.  I have a day pass, and Nathan is driving us over to town, I made private reservations for us for an early dinner.”

            I smiled and said, “I will be ready.” 

            He kissed me then left.  I jumped into the shower and got dressed.  I needed to check in with Diane. 

            I sat in front of the fireplace and went into meditation.  Then Diane spoke, “I was worried about you.  Did you banish the entity, are you ok?” 

            “Yes, but I don’t think I got rid of it; I just think it is not in 1990 anymore.”

            “Did you tell Shawn that you have to come back tonight?”

            “Not yet Diane.  I will, what do we need to do?” 

            “The same thing as last time, I will come to you and walk you through it.  I know this is hard for you, but it will be ok, Shawn’s chances have increased dramatically.”

            I said, “Will I ever see him again Diane?  I love him…”

            She said, “I can not answer that definitively.  It’s really up to him at this point.  Start meditating at just before midnight.”

             I told her I would and the connection broke.

            I sat for a long time, staring into the fire, focusing on Shawn.  I never really knew what it was like to love so deeply, with every fiber of my being.   I started to cry.  Taking a deep breathe, I steadied my nerves.  I would tell him at dinner tonight.  I prayed we would see each other again.  

.

            I must have fallen asleep, because I never heard Shawn come back.  I felt a little tickle on my nose and opened my eyes to a sea of blue staring at me.  He kissed me and I pulled him down onto the couch with me.  I whispered, “How much time before we leave?”  He smiled back at me, “Plenty of time.”  We made love, for me it was more intense than before.  I wanted to remember every part of him I could inside and out. 

            We laid in front of the fireplace, wrapped up in a blanket and pillows on the floor.  He looked around the living room and started to laugh.  I said, “What is so funny?”  He said, “It looks like a wrecking ball came through here.  Every time I think it can’t get any better with you it does.”

            I looked at him and said, “Do you mind, if we skip dinner tonight?  I know you wanted to surprise me, but I just want to lay here with you?”  He looked into my eyes, studying me for a moment, “It’s time, isn’t it?  We are out of time?”  I lowered my gaze and buried my face into his chest and clung to him like my life depended on it.

            He got up and rang over to the main house and cancelled the day pass for this evening.

            He laid back down with me and held me in his arms.  “When, when do you leave.?

            “I need to be ready before midnight.”   He said, “Will I ever see you again?  I don’t know if I can do this without you.” 

            “Shawn, you need to, if you don’t, we will never be together again.  I believe in you, in us.  But you need to promise me a few things, you can not change my path. I need to make the mistakes in my life, it’s the only way. “He said, “So I need to stand by and watch you get married to Declan and him almost ruin your life?  How do you expect me to sit on the side lines and not beat the hell out of him? Or even stay away from you for that matter.  Do you realize what you are asking me to do?”

            “Yes, I do,” I took my finger and traced a circle on his chest.  “Remember what I said to you, everything is a circle, our past, present, and future.  Declan actually led me back here to you.  I was able to come back and find you again.  If you break the circle, we may never be together again.  It isn’t going to be easy for me either.  You could meet someone, get married and have children.  I don’t expect you to wait ten years and be an altar boy Shawn.  My only request is that you don’t go backwards.  The only hope we have of being together is if you live.  Please do this for me, live for me.”

            He was quiet for a long time, as he lay there holding me, stroking my hair.  Finally, he said, “I will not leave you, and I will wait for you Leigh.  I love you.”

            I looked up and kissed him. “I love you more,” I said.  And with that we made love again for the last time.  He had fallen asleep.  I looked at the clock it was 11:00 p.m.  I slipped out from under the blanket and got dressed.  I looked around for some paper and something to write with and wrote him a letter.  Tears soaked the paper.  I had to get myself together.  Gathering up my things, I readied myself.  One more look at the clock, it was now 11:45 p.m.   It was time.  I bent down and kissed him on the forehead and looked at him lying there sleeping.

            I walked back the hallway, and laid down on the bed, clutching my backpack.  I had to be strong and believe I would see him again.  Trying to clear my mind, and taking in a deep breath, I slowed my breathing and heart rate down.  

            Diane’s voice came through to me, “Leigh, I want you to listen to my voice.  Repeat after me, Its February 21, 2001 and I am in my room.”

            “The date is February 21, 2001, I am in my room, the date is February 21, 2001, I am in my room.”   I could feel myself floating and drifting and soon saw a light like before, then suddenly was pulled through the light.  I woke up to something wet on my face.  Zeke, my dog was very happy to see me and was licking my face.  I wrapped my arms around his big neck and started to cry.  He snuggled into me almost understanding, and with that I cried myself to sleep.  I woke the next morning to a snowfall.  I called into work and told Mike that I may be in late.  He decided to close the office for today because we were looking at an all-day snowfall.  Better safe than sorry.  I must admit, I was glad, I wasn’t in the mood to go in.  I felt so lost.  I got dressed and fed Zeke then took him outside so he could stretch and run around in the snow.  He was such a happy dog, rolling around in the snow and trying to eat it.  It brought a smiled to my face, at least for a little while. 

Shawn’s POV:

            I rolled over on the floor where Leah was sleeping only to find an empty spot where she should have been.  I looked up at the clock and it was 4:30 am.  Suddenly panic gripped my chest.  I jumped up and rushed back to the bedroom and then it hit me, she was gone.  I started to shake, almost panic, thinking to myself how am I going to live without her.  I walked back into the kitchen and saw a note and opened it.

            My dearest Shawn,

            I don’t even know where to start.  Leaving you is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life.  As I am writing this, I feel like I am going to die without you.  When I came back here to help you, I never thought I would fall in love with you.  Actually, I never thought I would ever love anyone again.  But you changed me, you fixed my heart and I will be forever grateful to you.  I was supposed to help fix you, but instead, you healed years of abuse and neglect.  I want you to remember that no matter what happens to me or us, you made a promise to me.  You promised me you would live for me and its ok to move on with someone else if you have to, I will understand.  I don’t expect you to wait ten years for me.  I just want you to be alive and doing what you love.  You are so gifted, please don’t throw it away.

            I am leaving you my necklace to help you remember me and to also help you be strong.  Every time you look at it, remember me….

                                                                        Love you Always,       

                                                                                    Leigh

            It was in that moment, that my heart hurt so much I thought I would die on the spot.  I made a vow, a promise, I would see her again and we would be together, even if I had to wait an eternity for her.  She belonged to me.  I broke so many promises to so many people in the past, but I would not break my promise to her.

Leigh’s POV:

By now, my folks were getting out of bed.  We sat at the table eating breakfast, which for me was a coffee.  My dad looked at me, “No work today?”   I said, “No, Mike closed the office, I guess we are getting this storm all day.”  He laughed then said, “Great, now you can help me shovel us out.”  I said, “Ugh,” He leaned over kissed me on top of my head and said, “But I get the good shovel.  Seniority.”  I gave him an eye roll. 

            I pulled up my computer and decided I needed to know; did he make it.  I googled Shawn Walker and Arc Angel.  All these pictures of Shawn and the band came up.  Omg, he made it.  He looks amazing, and he cut his hair.  He was smiling in all of the pictures, and I noticed something else, in every picture he wore the amethyst cross.  I also noticed that he always had the color purple somewhere when he was onstage.  He remembered, my favorite color and he never took my gift off.  Tears streamed down my face.  The band has had a lot of success and is still rocking it on stage.  I was finding most of the shows were still sold out.  Then I found it, the song Rescue Me, I played it on the computer.  It was beautiful, it was my song.  It was released in March of 1991, one year after I left.  God, I missed him and my heart ached for him.  He made it, he kept his promise, he lived.  I couldn’t really ask for anything else.  We did change the past, but just his past. 

            I was interrupted by the phone ringing.  When I answered, it was Diane.  “Well since there is no way for you to get to me today, I thought I would call you.  Now that we can talk, I want to hear everything.”

            I must have been on the phone with her for an hour.  I told her that I was happy, he made it, and he has been sober for 10 years.  I told her to listen to the song Rescue Me when she had a chance.  It was about me.

            “When this weather clears, I want you to come over, I did find some more things out and we can discuss them, besides, I missed you Leigh, and our adventures are not over yet.”  There was a giggle in her voice.

            I hung up the phone and got dressed, it was time to shovel the snow, I took Zeke out with me for the day.