CORDELIA

Chapter 6

I slowly opened my eyes and got up and coughed some water out onto the sand floor. I blankly looked at the sand digging my palm into it when a stinging pain hit my head. I closed my eyes in pain when a few unclear visions pictured in front of me.  
There was a woman who was running hastily, she was panting hard and stumbling on her way as if she was trying to escape from someone,  she had a reddish brown messy hair wearing a ragged gown , she had a blue gem necklace around her neck. However she stumbled hard and fell down on the sand groaning in pain , the book fell down on the sand in front of someone's feet. 

" You think you can escape ", that person snapped. It was a deep voice of a man but I couldn't see that person, all I could see was that person's feet wearing breeches and that woman lying at his feet struggling to get up. He knelt down and picked up the book and I could only see his back , he was wearing a white shirt with a suspender,  he had long braided hair wearing a small tri cornered hat. 

" Please don’t do anything to Eliza! I beg you to leave her, take my life instead..", she cried hard.  

"  Your heart is no more pure my lady.", he held her hair and lifted up her head closer to him and said in a bitter tone. 

" I will get Eliza no matter what Calicio does and as for you..", he said, still gripping her hair with one hand and took out a dagger from his pocket and without a warning stabbed it on her neck. 

" Arghhh…..", the woman shouted in pain before she fell on the sand , blood oozed out of her neck and spread all over the sand. He then snatched the necklace from her neck and put it in his pocket. 

" Eliza…. " 

" Elizabeth!!", 

I could hear a familiar distant voice echoed in my ear when I hastily opened my eyes and saw myself laying in the sand. 

" Eliza!" Edwin called while gently patting my shoulder. 

" Who is Eliza!", I said slowly as I got up. 

" You are Eliza" 

" No! I am not! You saw me right there at that ice cavern.. I am not Eliza! I am Ava! You only took me there inside the ship.. that ring..", I panted hard as I spoke ,
"That ring.. brought me here! I don't know what is going on", I shouted at him as he looked at me with calm countenance as if he knew everything.   

" It is because… I want you to be Eliza… my Elizabeth. I want you to change the past , all the mistakes that I have made, I want to retrogress it. I didn’t get the chance to tell you so I waited for years in the dark and this time I will not let go of you." , he said, his eyes moistened.

" What are you talking about! What do you want to say?" I blurted out , I could see a crystal like tear hanging from his lashes, he held my hand tightening his grip as he looked at me in the eyes. 

" That I… I love you!", he shouted and without even saying anything he leaned and kissed me. My eyes widened as his soft lips touched mine , it felt so warm and sweet and familiar as if I am acquainted with his lips , with him. I wanted to push him away but I couldn't,  everytime I touched his shoulder I felt like pulling him even closer. A strange feeling engulfed me , it was as if I had known him for years. Slowly I closed my eyes when a number of visions screened in front of me. 

A brunette girl sitting on a rock amidst the garden of petunia and white roses making a flower necklace , I could only see her back, her long hair flowed till her waist , it blew in the direction of the wind. She was wearing a light pink gown, her pale skin looked so soft and delicate. But then I saw Edwin standing behind a tree watching her with glistering blue eyes, his lips forming a soft smile , he was holding a white lily. He was about to go to her but he stopped on his way , he looked down upon the flower and gave a weak smile. But suddenly everything got dark and I could see it was raining. It was not a flower garden but a dark forest . And then I saw Edwin, he was fighting and stabbing some of the men wearing breeches and jackets. 

" You can't do anything to her!"he shouted at the silhouette who was briskly walking towards him. 
When he came closer I could see his face , he had long braided hair wearing a tri cornered hat , he had a stubble beard and big dark eyes.  

" What if I do", he said as he showed the necklace. 

" What.. ", Edwin's jaw dropped as he saw the book. 

" How did you get that!!", he cried. 
The man smirked. 

" Well , it said that Captain Kevin Keene never returned after he crossed Cordelia , he probably could not make it to the island. So I killed Ethel and as evidence I took her necklace and don't worry I would kill Eliza very soon. Poor lady must be waiting for her daughter to join her in heaven.", he said when he burst into a maniacal laughter.  
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" No! Leave her!!"Edwin cried , he was beaten and whipped brutally, his shirt was scruffed and torned near his chest, his messy blonde hair fell on his swollen forehead , he was chained in his neck and hands and feet however he struggled to push the guards who surrounded him but he got beaten even more. They were on the deck of the ship surrounded by the pitch dark sea water, and thunder flashed out from the dark clouds . 
Within the flash I saw the face of the Captain who held a knife in his hand. A girl in a white gown was lying on a wooden bed in front of him. He took the knife and pointed it at her. 

" No!!!", Edwin cried and he broke the chain from his hand and pulled himself up to run towards Captain but his feet was chained so he stumbled and fell on the ground ,his eyes widened as he saw his father piercing the dagger in her chest and with his long nails , he digged his hand inside her chest and took her heart out,blood flowed from her chest soaking her entire body. Blood dripped from his hands as he held the piece of clutched muscle drenched with the crimson red fluid.  

" Eliza….", Edwin groaned 
___

I quivered and quickly opened my eyes and saw Edwin staring at me with a soft smile. I looked around and we were still on the sea shore.  

" What did I see just now?" , I asked him in a low voice. 

" I tried my best to save you , I wanted to get close to you and protect you but you kept on going away from me because you were unaware of everything that happened. ", he said as the tears rolled down his face. We didn't speak for a while and all I could hear was his low sob. I didn't know how to respond or calm him except for blankly watching him covering his teary red face while he cried. I went towards him and slightly patted his shoulder. He stopped sobbing and removed his hands from his face , his eyes looking down. 

" I am sorry for everything. I just couldn't control myself when I saw you. " 
I couldn't say anything, his teary face made my heart ache. I don't know why I felt like this. I wished to forget my identity and be his Eliza but then I couldn't do it. My friends and family are waiting for me.  

" How long do I have to pretend to be Eliza?", I asked in a low voice though I felt like I shouldn't have asked that after seeing his condition. 
He looked at me and then got up and started walking towards the woods. I stood there watching him going away, I thought of stopping him or following him but before I went he disappeared in the woods.