The Guardian Angel

Chapter-25: Leah

It couldn't be, could it? I was getting more and more sure that it was, as the car sped towards the location that I was sure would make my life turn upside down.

"What house are you talking about?" He asked, confused. "Which place?"

"I don't know alright?!" I shouted. "I just know that it means something."

I recounted my dream to him and watched as his face morphed, becoming more and more serious. I didn't know why I hadn't told him. The guy had been dead and brought back to life for fuck's sake. He'd definitely not make fun of me for my weird dreams. Hell, he'd had a few himself. Maybe since I didn't know much myself...

"Hey." He called, reaching an arm out and squeezing my knee lightly. "We'll find out what it is about alright?"

This is what I loved about him. Ever since we'd met, he had been there for me, no matter what.

Love. I hoped I wasn't being too fast in telling it to him. But this was what it was wasn't it? You'd do anything for the one you love. I have never felt it before. I wasn't able to define it. How could you define something, you never thought you felt? You never thought someone showed it to you?

We turned into another road and I heard myself sharply inhale at the familiar scene before me. The same houses stood to the sides of the road but looked older than the ones in my dream. More timeless.

Just that this was no town. It was a part of the city alright. It was one of those places in a city that appeared the oldest. The shops by the side had upgraded, looking more sophisticated and now serving more customers. I realized I hadn't breathed and sucked in sweet air.

The closer we got, the faster my heart beat. We stopped at a signal and I felt James' hand at the side of my neck.

"Calm down." He said, his voice was warm and soothing. Looking down I realized I had my hands clenched around the seat, my knuckles turning white. He pulled me in for a quick kiss, where I found myself melting into him. It was amazing how he could both increase and relax my heartbeat by doing that. It was almost enough to take my mind out of my impending situation. Almost.

He pulled away just as the light turned green. Down the street, I almost felt the pull towards the house. Felt it pulling me towards it even before I'd seen it.

A little forward and to the right, my mind seemed to sing. I wasn't sure what was singing, but something was. It troubled me.

We parked and walked down the pavement to the house. The house was just as it had been in my dream. Colossal, stunning, beautiful.... And ruined. My heart gave a painful squeeze at the sight of it. We pushed open the gates and entered, neither of us uttering a single word. But I knew both of us could feel each other. We could feel each other trying to tap into their memories. Try to find something that helped us understand the past more. In his case, how his parents were related to the owners of this house. How they died. And in my case, how I'm connected to this house. Why it had this pull on me. Like a fly had to fire.

The same burnt down luxurious sofas lay exactly as they had in my dream. The fact that it was still here after so many years was surprising. Wouldn't the government like destroy it or something? I don't know. Might've been easier on me if this place was destroyed when I came here though. I could've just dismissed it as a dream. But nah, it has to stand right here and torment me.

James grabbed my hand and led me through the house. I could see the muscle in his jaw ticking. He was really tensed. He took me through the same hallway as I had gone in my dream. And the same pattern of blackened walls passed by me.

We came to stop at the ballroom. The same one as I'd come to in my dream.

"Here." He said. His voice was barely a whisper. "Here's where the fire started."

I knew that though, didn't I?

I remembered yet another detail from my dream. I started to look around the room, near the dais. And no doubt, it was right there. The burnt 4.

I handed it to him. He ran a finger over its blackened edges. His eyebrows shot up in surprise as he put two and two together. He crushed me in a hug as I felt a whimper leave my mouth. And I started sobbing uncontrollably into him.

Why was I crying? I had an idea and it made emotions ram into me like a truck. He tucked my head into the crook of his neck and let me sob into him.

"What does this mean?" His voice sounded strangled, completely unlike his smooth and warming one.

"I—" I stifled a sob and looked him in the eyes. "I don't think my parents were ever truly my parents."

His eyebrows furrowed lightly, but I knew from his expression that his mind was also starting to slowly piece this giant jigsaw puzzle together. And the piece we started with was in his hand.

"I don't know what happened here, but something terrible did. And I think we're both connected to this."

"But... How? I don't get it." Did I though? Did I know what I was talking about? "What are you saying Leah?"

"What I'm saying is, I think my real parents were who ever stayed here. I don't know how my current parents are related to this, but it makes some sense. At least the fact about them never caring about me does." A stab of hurt lanced through me at the thought. Though they had never really loved me, as I saw now, I really had thought they loved and hadn't really showed it the way I'd expected them to. I'd expected their love to be tough love. Not non-existent.

"Hey, let's get back to the car." He said, crushing me against his chest once again. Once back, we sat there thinking of how fucked up our lives were. Me more so.

An elderly woman knocked at the window, startling a yelp from me. We got down and she looked at us suspiciously.

"I saw you enter that house." She rasped, her voice accusing. "What does a young couple like you both have to do there?"

"Uhm, yeah. We just thought we knew of it and wanted to take a look around." I told her, cringing internally. Why was I telling her this? And why was she asking?

"A pity what happened to that place." She sighed, apparently satisfied with my answer. It had been half true though.

"What happened?" I asked, my curiosity piquing.

"The whole place burnt down. It was terrible. A young couple. Had a daughter no more than four years old too. All of them along with many of guests died." She said shaking her head. "Happened so long ago. So long ago that most of us don't even remind ourselves of it."

I felt my world crash in on itself. So, everything was true then. I hadn't been overthinking it.

She leaned in conspiratorially. "But between you and I dear, I've heard rumors. Rumors that it wasn't just a spontaneous fire."