Metamorphosis

Chapter 13: Visions and Lost Memories

 The crisp rack of twigs pricked my senses as a shivering jolt runs down my spine—blood pounds in my ears.

The air smells different, like pine trees after it rains. Something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye—a black hooded figure running with some in its arms.

"H-Hey!" I yell out to them, but they never turn around; I sigh and try to catch up to them. Where was I? I'm in Eros' mansion one minute, then I end up here, where ever here was.

As I follow the hooded figure, they stop at a haunted-looking cabin. I stop as they enter. My eyes are drawn to the dried hanging lavender surrounding the door; a gust of wind sends the pungent scent my way. As my lungs engulf the strong calming herb, a memory throws its before my eyes.

A woman with dazzling eyes and a charming smile wiggles her finger above the baby's head; it reaches out to grab it. My heart starts to ache with a familiar longing. One I remember having every time I saw Annie bake or shop with her own mother. They both were happy and full of laughter. My stomach clenched; why hadn't my own mother wanted that with me? It was a question that drilled a hole in my mind, and it just kept drilling; it was all I could hear.

As the woman wiggled her wrapped finger, she placed a kiss on the baby's forehead. I could faintly feel it, like a light brush of a feather. I knew who this was, or at least my gut instinct was telling me I knew.

As the short memory came, it faded away, leaving me dazed standing in front of the cabin again. I wanted answers, but furthermore, I wanted to meet her, my birth mother.

I steadied myself and moved forward. I open the door, warm candlelight fills the cabin, and to my surprise, the inside looks way nicer than the outside. 

Beautiful red couches, a rug to match, and the inviting soft glow of the crackling fireplace. The pops and crackles coming from the flames eating away at the dry wood brought a new meaning to the word comfort.

A soft sigh leaves my lips. A tiny coo comes from a basset near a loveseat and in that loveseat was the black hooded figure. They pull back their hood and reveal themselves. Her eyes never met mine as she picks up the bundle placing it close to her chest.

"Shh, my sweet, you're not alone; I'm here, " She says softly to the baby. My heart starts to ache. Was this a dream? I didn't remember any of this, but something told me to move closer to see the baby.

I realized quickly that they could not see me or hear me. I lean in to see the child, and upon seeing its face my eyes widen. The baby's eyes, the same chestnut brown as mine, and her hair was coily,  just like mine. I look up to the woman holding me; this was my mother. I sat there for a moment, just staring at her, mesmerized.

"This isn't a dream, is it?" I ask, knowing she couldn't answer me, but if this wasn't a dream, then what was it? I had one of these before showing me a woman in water with a pregnant belly, but it made no sense. I grunted in frustration.

"Your powers have awakened; let it flow through your veins, my child," a woman's voice echoes through my head. I quickly get to my feet.

"W-Who are you?" What's going on?" ask the willowy voice echoing through my head.  My reply was a short silence, then a strong gust of wind pushes the door open; I had to hold on to the arm of the loveseat to keep my balance. As soon as it came, it stopped.

"I'm glad you can hear me now," I whip my head around to find a woman who looked like she had been dipped in the night sky full of glistening stars. Her presence made me feel small.

"Who are you?" 

"I am the Goddess Hekate, and you child are my granddaughter,"

"I-I'm sorry what?" I said, dumbfounded.

Hekate glides over to me; her eyes remind me of burning suns. "I have tried to connect with you for what feels like a lifetime."

"You've been-wait, that was you? That dream?"

Hekate nods her head. I could hardly believe it. If what she was saying was true, then she was my grandmother? I suddenly felt ashamed of myself; I definitely didn't act like I was the granddaughter of a goddess, well up till now. Her presence and the way she held herself put me to shame. 

"Yes, child, but I don't have much time. I come to you again because of that same vision."

My mind was reeling; this hardly felt real. "Find your mother; she has hidden from me; she can help you manifest and grow stronger," Hekate says as she starts to fade away.

"W-Wait! I don't know how to find her! Please don't go!"

"Go back to the place she left you..." was the last thing she said before fading away.

The world around me starts to glitch. The floor below me gives out, and I'm swallowed by darkness.

I wake in Eros' arms. "Well, hello there love. You blacked out on me."

I try to sit up, holding my pounding head, "Yeah, sorry about that..."

"So? What happened?" He asks, I swallow hard. The last thing Hekate said to me was to go back to where my mother left me. Good lord, I didn't want to go back to that place.

"Dove?" 

I look at Eros, "I have to go back to my own world, to where my mother abandoned me."

Eros pauses for a second, "You had a vision? Who brought it to you?" he asks and I couldn't believe the words that were going to come out of my mouth. 

"Hekate, my grandmother."