Evanescent

10

Once more Orion took the lead as he walked closer to the place she'd only seen in dreams, her mouth gaping at the comfort that radiated off of the house. She looked into the distance to see trees that reached as high as skyscrapers and flowers that were as beautiful as the few pictures she'd seen of of them. The rush of childlike giddiness overcame her normally cautious exterior and she let the breeze take her to a place that felt like home.

When Orion had finally halted at the doorway of the cottage Audelia took the deepest breath she could, savoring the overwhelming yet freeing sense of deja vu. She watched as he slipped inside the door, his eyes warning her to stay outside as he disappeared quickly. She tried not to show how lost she was without him holding her together, her own feelings too much for her to handle on her own. She slowly brought her arms in front of her, her hands grasping one another for reassurance that everything would be okay, the lie sweet on her fingertips.

As moments passed she heard the twisting of a doorknob as Orion stepped back outside, both hands clasped behind him. He looked at her with a smile, something she had missed about him, and quickly came in front of her until the distance between them was split in half. Audelia smiled back, forcing herself to not inquire what he was hiding behind his back though her flames of curiosity were torturous.

"I know it's hard," She looked up in shock as he cut through the silence they'd been plagued with for so long, "Remembering isn't easy, but I know you Lia, you're strong enough to beat them." He seemed at peace with himself as he said this, his grin for once not strained.

"You've barely known me for a day, how are you so sure?" Audelia knew she was treading dangerous waters as she asked, her voice begging for something to hold onto. Expecting some sort of retort or vague answer she let her eyes widen as he simply shook his head and brought his hands in front of him, not yet unveiling whatever secret he held.

"I know you're overwhelmed Lia, but just listen to me okay?" He waited as she hesitantly nodded, not daring to say a word.

"Once upon a time there was a girl who was different from everyone else, and she knew it," She listened intently as he took a breath before continuing, "This girl was stubborn, and wild, and adventurous, and yet she was the kindest person you could ever meet. She grew up hidden from the rest of the world, her parents desperate to keep their little girl safe. As the years went by though the world became more and more cruel, and not even the girl could escape its grasp."

Audelia gasped as he solemnly looked at the horizon, his thoughts somewhere else.

"The girl was quickly ripped away from the life she'd known, and was made to forget her past as she was forced to be like everyone else." Orion closed his eyes as he mourned the memories he would never be able to forget, the ones that had followed him through the years.

"I-I still don't understand." Audelia felt her world start to tip, the truth too much for her to process as everything attacked her at once. Thoughts raced away, blurry images running rampant across her mind. She couldn't grasp onto reality as she fell deeper and deeper into a world she had long ago been apart of.

"I never was a good storyteller," He chuckled softly to himself, his eyes void of humor as he watched Audelia fall apart at her seams.

"Just look at this, it should explain everything." His hands spread apart showing what lay delicately in his palm. It was a necklace, a string of yarn with the most beautiful locket hanging off of it, it's silver rusted yet still exquisite. Without a second thought she ripped the locket out of his hands, not caring if she was being rude. She brought it to her chest and sighed into the warmth that it radiated. The metal was cool on her fingertips, the string soft against her skin and she let the relief of it calm her thoughts, leaving her with control over herself. She let it fall into her palm and took a moment to just take it in as the sun hit it in a way that made her smile. She placed her fingers on it and began to pry it apart, it's hinges squeaking from years of abandonment. When it finally burst open the air left her lung at the two pictures that were inside, both equally as heart wrenching.