➸ AFTER THE STORM

CHAPTER VIII- OH MY NAME IS?

MAY 17,2023

I have been wandering around this forest and it seems familiar. I just can't place it, I don't know if I've been here before. I don't remember much.

But I do remember coming to the middle of nowhere, I was wandering around not knowing where to go just letting my feet guide me to where I should be.

I feel the sun on my face, the grass in my toes, and the eggshell white dress that comes past my knees. The air smells like the grass and trees, but I wonder how I got here and also where the hell is here. When I walk as far as I feel compelled, that leads me to the stream.

Where a fox is, drinking minding its own business I go over and crouch down. putting my hand in the water. Cupping my hand to collect water bring it to my lips, "Don't worry I'm just lost, but I will be on my way once I find it." I say out loud talking to the fox like it can understand.

Oh wow, i just may be losing it but that's kinda hard when the forest is so peaceful and quiet.

But when the words left my lips the fox tilted its head at me like it understands, but that could just be my imagination.

"Maybe I'm crazy but it seems like you can understand me." I continue to voice the words that come to my head.

The fox looks at me with a knowing look before turning back to the water.

So maybe it can understand me, I guess weirder things have happened. I looked at the water and suddenly there was movement in the stream. I turned my head and a girl was swimming in the same direction as the fox and me.

The girl stopped near us, she pulled her body up from the water. She only had on basic underwear that could pass as swim wear.

Her Skin was glowing, it was sunkissed to beauty.

Her curls lay against her chest, the tan girl wiped the remaining water off her face. When our eyes made contact something was calming about her aura.

" Hey, are you lost?" She asked, even though she knew the answer, the smile she gave me was so radiated.

Her voice is calm like the ocean when you take a moment to listen. I look at her and I return the smile, "I think I am." I say and I feel something against my ankle.

I look down there, the fox there nudging against me.

"I don't think you are, I think you are right where you need to be." She tells me, I just look at her with confused features certainly in her voice.

"Do you want to come to my cottage which is not far from here?" The tan girl asks after moments of silence between us.

"Um, I don't know, you could totally be like a serial killer or something?"

She laughs at that, before she parts her lips, "Believe or not I'm not the scariest thing in these woods and no I'm not a serial killer. I just want to get home so I can call a friend to help."

I run my hand through my hair and I sigh, this is my best choice. I think I don't know where the hell I am or even how I got here in the first place.

"Okay, where's your cottage at?"

"It's about 25 minutes north of here." She explains and I sigh deeply because who doesn't like walking in the damn woods. But I follow behind her with the fox right beside me. I guess he wants to walk to where we are going.

"Lola." She says as she walks in the direction of the north, "What?" I asked.

"My name is Lola, what's yours?"

"Oh, my name is..." I try to recall but it's like a blank in my mind and I don't understand, my breathing starts to pick up and it feels like I can't breathe and before I know it, it goes dark.

THIRD PERSON

The body of Morgan is caught by Lola before she hits the ground, and Lola lifts her up bride-style as she carries her north.

"Poor baby, overworking herself." She thinks and says out loud, she looks ahead and there is a cottage in the direction.

Walking toward the house, she looked over where she heard footsteps, there was a tingling on her spine, and her heart fell with warmth as a familiar soul crossed the land that she had worshiped over the years.

Turning her body where the steps become closer, "Chris?" She calls out and it echoes through the wind as it picks up a little.

He doesn't answer, but he does show himself and looks at her, and then at the young woman in her arms. He tilts his head and his eyes go gloss all over.

He is in his natural form different from his human one.

He hurries over and looks at Lola, she already looking back at him with the same overwhelming emotions that rip through him like a blade gutting a fish or a bullet to a deer. It is painful but when the line and bullet is drawn through it instant one second it happens and then it isn't at all.

Then comes the happiness after all the terror and he looks over the woman in Lola's arms. It is like seeing things for the first time in color after seeing them in black and white.

"She's really here?" Chris phrases it like a question but his eyes are wide with surprise and his hand hovers over her as if he tries to touch her she will turn to dust before his eyes.

His voice was deep with so much uncertainty and sorrow that this could be a trick.

Chris's eyes feel heavy with tears falling building in the waterline.

"Yeah, she is." Lola tells him softly.

Chris stares at the young woman with an intense glaze just taking her in not really believing what's in front of him, he has known her for many lifetimes.

He takes in her sun-kissed skin, noting that the features on her face have remained the same since their first lifetime together.

The young woman starts to move in Lola's arms, "Let's get her to the house."

Chris nods his head after a moment before moving the rest of the way to the cottage.

Reaching the cottage Chris opens the door for them.

"Let me carry her to the guest room while you put on comfortable clothes." Chris closes the door behind him.

Lola hands over the young girl to him before leaving for a hot shower.

She turns to look back at him as he holds Venus like a baby with such a loving stare.

Who would have thought a man with such Treacherous crimes attached to his statute and reputation would care for someone so delicately?