Persephone's Angel

Mimi

Chapter Forty Five: Mimi

--* The next morning I felt...odd. Something just felt off to me, I couldn't name it, I just felt strange. As Erik made us breakfast I walked about the house, attempting to figure out what was wrong with me, when, I heard strange noises; it was a mixture of groaning and choking; I listened for a moment, but, it never came closer. I turned upon my heel and ran inside, grasping Erik and dragging him outside; hushing him when we did leave our home upon the lake. "What do you suppose it is?" I asked in a whisper.

"I know not, I've never heard anything like it before" Erik said, inching his way over to the gondola. "Whatever it is, the siren will get it; now, back inside with you, I'll be in, in a few moments" he added, I nodded and faithfully walked inside, pausing and turning, walking back outside only to find Erik jumping into the lake! I ran forwards, but, was too late, I saw the small ripples that followed after him and they were already almost halfway across the lake! Then, the ripples disappeared into the fog which haunted the top of the lake and I was left standing on the sand, listening to the strange grunts grow ever stranger. Then, the strange grunts stopped and there was a terrible scream!

"Erik!" I cried, rushing to the gondola and jumping inside. I began rowing as fast as I could, yelling for Erik; then, I felt the gondola tip and heard the splash of water upon wood. I whipped around to see Erik climbing into the gondola, I ran over to him and grasped his forearms; hauling him aboard. "Erik" I said breathlessly, hugging him to me tightly.

"Oh, Erik" I whispered, kissing his hands and squeezing him; I didn't care if I would get wet, I lost him once, I was not going to lose him again. He kissed my head and sighed. "What was the scream?" I asked him; he turned me around and pointed to the shoreline and I saw the very same little girl who was here yesterday! She wore the very same clothes too, and, Juliet was tight in her arms as her notebook and pencil sat, stuffed into her dress pocket. "Oh, my" I said, jumping from the gondola into the water.

"Persephone!" Erik cried, jumping after me and grasping my arms. "You need to be more careful, you're pregnant, remember?" Erik said; helping me to shore. I smiled and nodded to him; getting up onto the shore with his help, when I stood upon the shore the little girl placed Juliet upon the ground and rushed into my arms; her eyes were red and leaking.

That terrible noise, was her crying! I lifted her from the ground and she hung close to me; Erik held Juliet, who licked his nose. "Oh, dear, what's the matter?" I asked, sitting down with her and placing her upon my lap; she wiped her eyes and got out her notebook and pencil and scratched down what happened; her account runs thus:

'Oh, mademoiselle, it's more than horrible! My parents and I were going home when someone stopped our carriage and they told me to stay in the carriage, which, I did, but, then I saw them go into a nasty building and....they didn't come out. Then, we heard gunshots and the driver took off; he took me back here and fled himself. I...I didn't have anywhere else to go and, I know not of anyone else to go to, mademoiselle.'

My eyes welled with tears and I pulled her close. "We'll care for you, I promise. We'll inquire about your parents to-day, but, first, we'll get you situated. Okay?" I asked, she nodded quickly and clung to me.

I stood and motioned to Erik. "This is my husband, Erik; he won't hurt you, he's the sweetest, most compassionate, intelligent, comical, most alluring man in the world" said I. Erik smiled and Juliet climbed over his shoulders, resting in his collar bone as he took up my hand and kissed the top. Next he bowed to the little girl and took up her hand, kissing the top.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle, I love your headband, it matches your dress" Erik said to her; she took her headband off and looked at it, then down to her dress and smiled, nodding quickly. Ever since we had Pierre, Erik became better at dealing with children and even grew to liking them; he claimed he only liked them because I did, but, I remembered how heartbroken he was when I said I wanted to stop after this child. Erik helped us into the gondola and all four of us traveled back to our home upon the lake; I spent my time, as we traveled back, telling the little girl all about it. I sighed when I finished.