Woke Up In A New Decade

Chapter Forty Seven

Picture: hospital.

November 1914.
I was about to take the necklace off when I suddenly stopped myself, Cian, Olga and Caoimhe my conscious nagged. Tatiana, Valentina, Zander, Anastasia, Ekaterina, Maria, Papa, Alexei, Aunt Olga, Aunt Ella, Aunt Xenia, Grandmother, and my beloved dear Mama, they all loved me as family. I have a family, I have friends I can talk to. I will save them. "No." I let the necklace stay around my neck, tieing it again. "I am not leaving."

"WRONG ANSWER ASTRID!" The hood and bad angels yelled at the same time, creating a loud screeching sound. The screeching began getting louder, I closed my eyes and covered my ears again.

***

"Astya! Astya!" I heard voices echo. I felt I was in a bed, a very comfortable bed with pillows, we did not sleep with pillows. I was scared to open my eyes, scared to be see who was sitting beside me like a guard dog. I couldn't believe I did it, I had just betrayed my family from Germany. I knew I would eventually have to open up my icy eyes so I did.

I blinked a few times to try adjust to the newfound light. My vision was still blurred as I saw a figure beside me, holding my hand and another figure on the other side looking down on me. Finally, with one last blink my vision was clear. "Astya!" A voice exclaimed. I recognised it almost immediately. "O-O-Olishka?" I muttered. "Yes! Astrid it's me Olga and Cian's here too." The voice assured. I blinked again, in front sat Olga with a concerned face holding my hand. Cian decided to sit on the floor. I did not care where I was or who I was in the room with. I shot up with the speed of light, looked to Cian and threw myself into his arms, wrapping my arms around him. My emotions were coming out and I began to cry. I cried because I was thankful this panic was over. Those moments of uncertainty were over, relief came with tears. Olga stood up from her chair and kneeled beside us.

I could have not imagined my life continue as if I was back in 1987. Cian was shocked at my actions, he took a moment to process it and then wrap his arms around me. He rubbed my head in comfort as I cried it out. "Astya, why are you crying? Are you hurt?" Olga asked. I turned to her and hugged her too. I didn't answer, I just couldn't stop crying, tears fell down my face like a stream of water. We sat there together in a group as I cried and they comforted me. After a few minutes,I had managed to get most out of my system. I pulled myself away from Olga and wiped away my tears with my hands. "Astya, what is wrong?" Cian asked me. "No, nothing is wrong. I'm just happy to see you both again." My voice cracked and broke into pieces as I began sobbing again.

Cian patted my head in comfort, it took a while before I stopped crying. I pulled slowly away from Cian, tears streaming down my face. My parents were in the room, standing and watching but none of my siblings were with them. "She has gone completely hysterical!" I heard mama exclaim to my papa. I looked over to Olga and Cian, "I need to tell you both something important, but not here, I have to tell it to Caoimhe, Zander and Valentina too." I whispered to them. I wanted to share my vision with them, i sounded crazy but it was true. Cian looked to Mama and Papa, "Astrid said she had a nightmare, a bad one."

"A night terror caused her hysterical crying for 20 minutes straight?" Mama asked in disbelief. "Your Imperial Majesty, you do not need Dr. Botkin, she simply fainted from the cold." Cian lied for me, he sounded so convincing. "Please, Tsarina and Tsar. Olga is a nurse and I have cared for lots of people and so has Olga, we can deal with this. Astrid won't cause any trouble, go prepare for her ball. We can handle this, I promise."

Mama looked at Papa and he nodded his head, thank God he agreed with Cian. Mama got up and walked over to my bedside, I was now in my bed after Cian put me into it, she kissed my forehead and muttered, "My poor child." Then she left the room. "You are so very strong, Astya." Papa smiled before leaving the room after Mama. Once the door shut, Olga turned to me. "Explain." Was all she said. Valentina and Caoimhe and Zander came in. Then I told them to sit around, they all believed me about the future so now I tell them about my visions. I told them of the angels, my visions of my past, 1980 and 70 memories, I told them about my option to stay or go, the evil and good angels.

They were all quiet after that. They just was slowly processing it, then I burst into tears again. I had betrayed my old family and I had to live with the guilt. "I.." everyone but Cian burst into tears. We all just hugged eachother and cried together, Cian was not crying at all. "Why are you guys crying?" I asked them. "I'm crying because no one but Cian and Caoimhe believed you, only two people were there for you when you were in pain. I could have been there!" Olga explained through her tears. "Astrid I'm so sorry! I am so sorry I let you down!" She added. "I'm crying for the same reason!" Everyone else yelled but Cian.

Cian walked to a chair and sat down. I walked to him. "Ci, are you okay?" I asked. "I'm fine, just trying not to cry so I don't go to hell." He muttered. "That won't happen if you cry." I assured him. "It will. Mother said it would." He muttered. He had teary eyes. He rushed out of the room. I went to comfort Caoimhe who didn't have anybody to comfort her. "I am so sorry Astrid." She cried. I rubbed her back and patted her head in comfort. "Caoimhe, you don't have to cry. I'm not mad or sad." I lied, I was sad. Sad because I had betrayed Margo, Heinrich and my old family. Her head was in my lap as I rubbed her back and head in comfort. She was just crying, sitting on the floor. "Astya.. I'm glad you stayed here, I am glad you chose us." She confessed. I stayed silent as I let her continue. "You could have left back to your old life with your siblings and live a life where nobody sees you as sick but instead you stay here."

"Well, if I kept repeating all of your names and said I was a Grand Duchess I would end up in a mental hospital." I joked, yet that would be very true. "Also, I would miss all of you. You guys are like my second family after all." I said. "I would miss you more Astya." A voice said, Olga. "I can't imagine a life without you!" She cried. I could, OTMA not OTAMA.

"We should probably get ready for the ball." I stated. "That's true my darling sister!" Olga said as she helped Caoimhe up. Then I was helped up. "I must give you a check up t9 check if you are okay first though." Olga commented. "Really?" I dreaded. "Yes! I have to check that you did not hurt yourself when you fell!" Olishka explained.

After the checkup we left the room, we walked to get ready for the ball. I was put in Olga's pink dress that she wore for her sixteenth birthday. It was nice to wear actually. "It's time to put your hair up!" Olga exclaimed. I sat in a chair as the lady in waiting put my hair up, it was similarly styled to Olga's hair now, except it had more poof. The big pair helped fix my face with the light touch of powder. Caoimhe came in and sprayed perfume on me everywhere. I was given borrowed jewellery from Mama and looked brown up.

I was 16. Finally now a woman.