Beckoned Through The Dark

92 // Abigail // Trance

"VINCE!"

The apartment exploded with him inside.

I really didn't know how to feel right now, I felt like I was responsible for everything that was happening.

"NO!" Nthabiseng tried running into the building, but Jack and Duncan held her back.

"I'm so sorry, Nthabiseng. I really am!" I apologized.

They got her into the car, and I got in and sat next to her.

"My husband," She cries.

I was even scared to comfort her; it was just not in me; I didn't know how to console a person in times of need.

"Has Lesego mentioned anything to you about Dineo?" Duncan asked, looking at me through the mirror.

I shook my head.

Guilt sank in at the mention of Dineo's name.

I remembered how Lesego was worried about her and asked for my help.

On top of Lesego's disappearance, the explosion of the apartment, we still had a missing child to find.

Karabelo had that one thing on us, and I knew she would come back.

What I needed to do now was to check on Claudia to make sure she was back to life since she was no longer bound to Karabelo.

On the other hand, there was still Nomalanga's missing baby.

It was a lot to deal with alone at this time, especially now that everyone showed their true colours.

The day I learnt that I couldn't count on my own birth mother; I knew anyone else was too good to be true. Except for Lesego, we were in this together.

I still hadn't told her about Sihle's death.

Clay wasn't even talking to me, because the last time I was with him, Funeka died, now it was Sihle.

"Vincent's late wife, Rorisang, gave birth to twins about 23 years ago."

Now that was new, but strange. I heard a lot of stories about Lesego's family, but not that part. "What happened to them?"

"They died at birth," she said, tears flooding her eyes.

"Were they boys or girls, or maybe a boy and a girl?" I ask.

"They were girls. Nobody knows what happened, and even after so many years, Vincent hasn't healed from that pain. I see it in the way he looks at Lesego and Karabelo." She took a shaky breath. "He was looking forward to watching them grow, he wanted to watch them crawl, he wanted to watch them take their first step, he wanted to hear them say their first word, he dreamt of them calling him 'daddy'... He wanted to be a father."

I don't know how it happened, but I just felt myself surrender to the floods of waters in my eyes.

His story sounded very similar to mine, except I never had a child, because I couldn't have any.

I was barren, and sometimes I felt like that was what put strain on my marriage.

Ryan wanted to be a father, and I was standing in his way of ever being one.

"We are here," Jack announced.

I quickly wiped my tears even though no one saw that I was crying.

Nthabiseng shook her head furiously. "We have to go back. We need to find Vincent.

"But it is not safe back there," I argued.

"Abigail is right. Look, Nthabiseng, you and Abigail should stay at home. Duncan and I will go back to look for your husband," he said.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

We got out of the car, and they drove off.

"Listen, Nthabi, I'd like to stay with you, but I have urgent matters to attend to," I said apologetically.

"It's okay, thank you for your help and support."

"Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything, I'm just next door."

She nodded and thanked me one more time before we went our separate ways, but before I could enter my yard, the ring started to glow again and had me in a trance.

I started to move involuntarily and lost complete control of my own body.

I kept walking into the woods just as the ring was directing me. It was light green, so I guess it was leading me to something positive. I wasn't completely sure as the only time I used it was when I took away Karabelo's powers.

But from what I heard so far, I knew that this ring changed colours.

I was still surprised, because I thought it had exhausted its use earlier.

I'd even forgotten to give it back to Nthabiseng, because her husband had my nerves sky-high.

He hated me, because of my mother. I wondered how many people would hate me in the future all because I was Bridgette's daughter and we looked exactly alike.

I knew this pathway; it was the path to the infamous mansion – the Nichols mansion.

I remember the last time Nthabiseng ran off, and Lesego followed her; she had gone this way.

I could see the mansion from a distance, and I have to say, I was blown away by its humongous size.

The farther I walked, the closer it got, and in just a few more step, I was already standing in front of the huge gate.

I remembered Lesego told me this gate opened with a password, but she never shared the password with me.

Why did the ring lead me here?

The gates and doors opened without an effort or mastermind.

I locked the door from inside and walked to the centre of the house where I could see every room that was downstairs.

I inhaled deeply. Now more than ever, I understood why Lesego was fond of this place.

It was magical, and I didn't mean because of all these artifacts or expensive furniture, no. It had this unexplained energy, and it made me want to stay here forever.

"Home sweet home," I whispered. 

'Remove the mat.'

I nearly screamed the house down when I turned around and found that I was alone. "Who's there?" I asked, but there was no one.

'It is me, Cecilia.'

Why did she sound like she was in my head?

'That's because I am in your head.'

"How is that even possible?"

It was one thing being guided by an ancestor, and another having a spirit talking in your head.

'The ring has a unique telepathic connection between the original owner and the person wearing it. And FYI, I'm not a spirit.'

The original owner? And what did she mean when she said she wasn't a spirit? Lesego and I were the only people who ever saw her.

'Remove the mat to find out,' she said.

"Mat? Oh, the mat!" I said, stepping away from the mat placed at that spot.

'Roll it and use the key to unlock the door.'

I rolled the mat, and it is not too long before I see a circular door and a key. I picked the key and unlocked the door, but it did not move.

'Stand on the door.'

"Don't you think it would be better if you just told me everything at once instead of making me look like a fool?" I grumbled but did as she said anyway. "Just when I thought I was done with the spiritual world for now you– whoa!"

The door started to rotate downwards in a clockwise direction and it finally came to a stop when I got into what I assumed was the basement.

I stepped away from the door and it rotated back up.

"Oh, I remember now. Lesego said there's a key and... who left the lights in this place on?" I asked, fear creeping in.

There were many rooms down here, one could swear it was a secret prison.

The ring lit on its own once again, glowing a light green.

I started to move involuntarily through the basement passage and came to stand outside one of the rooms.

"Uh...I think you forgot to mention that it gives you control over the person's body," I muttered dryly.

I opened the small door and entered, and then I switched on the light.

And I wish I hadn't.

There was a woman and man chained to the walls, and when she looked up, I felt like my world was going to crumble down.

I don't know whether this was good or bad after everything that happened.

"Cecilia, who are these people?" I whispered, taking a cautious step back. "Cecilia, why aren't you saying anything?" I almost yelled.

Why was she suddenly so quiet after leading me to this place?

"Abigail," a familiar voice said, and this time it wasn't coming from my head.

"Cecilia?" I stared at the woman chained in front of me in bewilderment. "You are real." I stated. "Oh, my God, you are real!"

How was this even possible? We thought she was a spirit.

"I'm very much alive, young lady!" She croaked.

"I don't understand, how are you– wait... Who are you?"

"I am Cecilia, Eleanor and Vincent's mother."

No. I shook my head. This couldn't be. "No, no, no. Lesego's grandmother died approximately eighteen years ago. And who is this man?" I was freaking out. This was complete madness. "This can't be happening; I must be going crazy. It has to be this ring!" I said, looking at the emerald ring, and I noticed that it had gone to its normal state.

"I was just...as shocked when I saw her," the man said weakly.

By the looks of things, he was in pain.

"My own children did this to me," Cecilia cried.

"Your children?"

Which children was she talking about?