Always Be Forever

Chapter 38: Erica

2087, BCE, November 1

Wait, what was that?

I know it was a gunshot, but where did it come from? I had heard it as I was crossing the bridge over the highway, but I don't know which direction it came from. Seeing a body lying in the field ahead of me, I run towards the body. Feeling around, I notice that the person had died. She must've been shot. "I will avenge your death," I had told the person as I held her dead body in my arms. Someone ahead of me was walking away, with a gun in hand. Standing up, I grabbed my basket that was filled with bread. What should I do? I can't have Bellafonte know what I'm going to do. Plus I recognize this person, both of them actually. They are my descendants. Wait, the dead person is Andrea, and the person who must've shot her was Jasmine. Using my energy, I run to Jasmine and I ram her into the building with my hands still on her shoulders. "Did you kill her?" I had asked Jasmine, my voice rising. She wasn't replying to me. Instead, she kicked me in the legs, and as I felt a burst of energy come from her I went flying back, lying on my stomach as I hit the grass of the field. "What's going on with me?" Jasmine had asked with her voice trembling, as she sat against the building, letting the tears fall. I stood up and walked towards her. "I might know what's going on," I had told her as I reached out my hand for her to hold. When she stood up, I noticed a cut in her left arm that went from her elbow to her wrist. It wasn't deep, but it for sure was long. "Can you heal it?" She had asked me through the tears. Without thinking, I brought my left hand and undid my cape so I could see the tattoo that I had. Keeping it in mind, I brought my left hand above the cut, with my right hand holding onto her hand, and I used my magic to heal the cut. The cut closed up right away, but then the tattoo was showing up on her left arm. It was the same shape as Bellafonte, Caitlin, Lily, and mine, but it was black. We have no control over what the colour is, but we have control over what the shape of the tattoo is. I can control fire - mine is red - Bellafonte can control water - hers is blue - Caitlin can control wind - hers is purple - and Lily can control nature - hers is green. I don't know what the black stands for.

Maybe it's death, or something else like that. "I have to go," I had told Jasmine before I walked away. Bellafonte had asked for bread earlier today, and if I didn't get it to her any sooner, it would become stale. I'll ask Bellafonte what the black means. No wait, I can't. She'll learn that I messed up everything. On the way to the hospital, I try not to think about what I've just done. I've told myself that I was going to avenge Andrea's death, but I don't know who to go after. Jasmine is not an option, because there's something going on with her. Might not be best for me to go after James, because he doesn't know anything about today or any of this. So he's also not an option. Not knowing what to do, I get to the hospital in time to see Bellafonte with Mulan in his room. "You got the bread?" Bellafonte had asked after I knocked on the door and they saw me. "Yeah I do. I got a piece for each of us," I had told them as I passed a piece to Bellafonte, then Mulan, then the one for me. Bellafonte was sitting on the bed in front of Mulan; I was standing beside them as we were eating. I wanted to say something to Bellafonte about Jasmine, but I know she would get ticked off. Taking my chances, I get the words out carefully. "Bellafonte, I have a bit of a weird question," I had started. "What is it?" She had asked rather innocently. What I did was not innocent, I meddled around with someone that was one of my descendants, and that's a rule that I broke.

"Out of the colors of our tattoos, what does black represent?" I had asked her; ready to take whatever she was going to throw at me. "Why are you asking?" She had asked me. I didn't want to answer. Instead, I walked away. I didn't want to cause a scene at the hospital. Finally out of the room, Bellafonte had come after me. "Erica, what did you do?" She had asked me. I turned around and faced her. I still didn't want to answer; I wanted to avenge Andrea. I know I shouldn't do this, but she's the only person left that is an option. Using my magic, I channel my energy and use it against Bellafonte. She goes flying back, and Mulan comes running out of the room to see the commotion. One of the doctors had came towards me and tried to grab my arm, but I used my other arm and pushed the doctor away. He went flying back and had hit a counter. Mulan had gone towards Bellafonte, and as I turned around and faced the other doctors, I didn't see Bellafonte and Mulan run behind me and back into the room. I was too focused on the doctors. A kick here, a push there, all the doctors and nurses ran away. Once they were out of the hall, I headed back into the room that Bellafonte and Mulan went into. If this is going to avenge Andrea, then so be it.

Wait; hold on. They did come in here. I thought I saw them. Yeah they came running in here. But where are they? Facing the door, and then the bed, I notice a piece of paper that was on the bed, folded up. Unfolding the paper, it had read:

Sorry Erica

Dang it. I was going to kill Bellafonte, but now that I don't know where she is, I'll just have to kill her doppelganger. Okay Cashmere. My knife is calling your name. I already have your daughter anyway. I was the one that saved her. You may have been the one that gave birth, but I brought her into this world while you were dead.