Now that we have taken care of how I first saw Sammy, let’s move on to the main event. You see, Angel, for us Leviacs, we believe that everything in the entire universe is connected by strings, a less scientific version of String Theory, per se. Human souls strengthen these strings, making a particular event more concrete and inevitable, specifically disembodied human souls. That’s pretty much why we Leviacs have a high suicide rate; we have a tradition that, on the night of your oldest child’s eighth birthday, the Leviac mother must give the child their family talisman and then, when her family is in bed, she must stab herself with a wooden-handled knife and stab to kill. If she doesn’t do this, the child’s true love will die horribly to compensate and thus, so will the child. At least I know how I’m going to go.
Emerson walked in on me one day while I was attempting to ensure Gatlin’s happiness. He practically wrestled me to the ground trying to tear my heirloom dagger from my hands. He firmly gripped my shoulder as I cried.
“What’s happening to you?” Emerson asked in rage, “Why would you try to kill yourself? Would you leave Gatlin all by himself?”
“He would have you.” I argued.
“You know that’s not the same.” Emerson countered, “I’m no replacement for you, Elizabeth.”
“That may be, but you’re the closest thing that won’t weaken Gatlin.” I responded, “Besides, it is nearly my time. If you care about Gatlin, you would let me die in the place of Samuel.”
“Alright.” Emerson said, pursing his lips, “Forgive me, but you leave me no choice. You are now officially on suicide watch.”
I’ll admit, I walked right into that one. For the next few days, Emerson didn’t allow me anywhere near knives, ropes, peanut butter, plastic bags, or anything that would put me to rest. I also made a point make sure he never had an encounter with Lyle when he dropped Gatlin off at school.
“When you drop Gatlin off at the playground,” I commanded, “don’t look at anyone. Don’t talk to anyone; don’t even get out of the car. Most importantly, steer clear of the Fords. You got that?”
“Alright, alright!” Emerson exclaimed, “I get it. You tell me every day.”
“Then you must know it’s important.” I replied.
Every time he left, I did research. I looked through old books from my family, my ancestor’s diaries, even the Internet, scouring for something that could save Sammy besides killing myself, but I found nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. El zippo. It was then I formed my plan.
It was foolproof. There was no possible way this plan wouldn’t work. Though, there was no guarantee that I would be able to keep Emerson from Lyle successfully when I was dead, but I would cross that bridge when I came to it.
I hung a crucifix on my doorway to keep Emerson out and me in. Igor, my pen stood up and wrote letters, one for Gatlin and one for Sammy to open on their wedding day. Igor also wrote, with much less enthusiasm, two letters for Emerson and Lyle’s wedding day. I knew exactly what Igor wrote on all four letters. He wrote one more little note, for when the cross wears off. I only wrote this one sentence; the Sworn’s love shall rise with my dying breath.
Igor wrote that same line over and over all over the paper. I stood in front of my mirror, my silver mirror, with my wood dagger in hand. I took deep breaths to slow my heart rate. Igor’s scratching across the paper was drowned by my heartbeat.
“The Sworn’s love shall rise from my dying breath.” I repeated as I aimed the dagger at my chest.
The dagger pierced my heart, and I fell fast asleep.
~
My funeral service was divine. My loved ones cried; my hated ones cried. I guess the latter were guilty.
Barney was supposed to beat Sammy until he died; he was at my funeral instead. I knew that a mother’s death could prevent the death of her child’s true love, that’s common sense, but I never thought it would be as literal as this. You see, Angel, as you obviously know, I wasn’t dead...permanently. If I had been, Jesse would have never been born, and you would’ve died in the French Revolution. I was merely asleep.
So I slept, awaiting the birth of the Sworn.
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The Nightingale Code (Monsters Series #2) (COMPLETE)
Romance"The Nightingale Code, the rules for every Guardian to follow, and the list of important people in a Guardian’s life. There are many minor rules, such as never cross a threshold with a crucifix above it; it’s an omen of discovery. The one major rule...
