Echoes

Chapter 3. Women are odd creatures.

Hi guys! Sorry you had to wait to long for me to get my butt in gear on this one. Buuuuuuut I'm hoping (she says) to have some kind of update schedule come September that will mean at least one chapter a month for each of my stories.

Anywho as usual I hope you enjoy and I apologise for any typos or spelling/grammar mistakes. Vote. Comment. Send me smoke signals and imaginary baked goods.

ElfinRose xxx

(Picture above is the beautiful Emily Mitchell.)

~ Avery's POV ~

Emily Mitchell. I roll her name around in my mind, testing it. I found her, my Resonant, after so long spent searching aimlessly. She certainly isn't what I was expecting. Women in this time are bolder, stronger-willed and more independent. They dress like men and speak as sailors. My Resonant is a prime example of this - her language is appalling at times. I cannot see any hint of malice in her eyes though. I like her eyes - they have a shine to them, something that hints of wit and mischief. Her unruly hair is endearing, the colour a marvellous shade of red I have never seen before. My thoughts stray to her pale skin - the expanse of her long legs a sight burned into my mind. I have never seen a woman in such a state of undress - not since my sisters and I were very young and would bathe in the pond together on hot days. I suppose that her garb is the norm now though. Yes woman are almost an entirely new breed these days.

A faint growl interrupts my thoughts. Finn is certainly not as welcoming as his mistress. Animals can sense the 'otherness' about me and avoid it. The beast is an odd fit for a woman - his breed are for hunting and would be much better suited to a man. Emily would surely be more suited to one of those small dogs the young Lady Charlotte was always so fond of. Finn sits on the other side of the room, the low rumble spilling from his jaws never ceases. I suspect, given the animal's ability to follow commands, that Emily has told him to watch me. His gaze hasn't strayed from me once.

"Finley Mitchell why on earth are you growling at Avery? You silly sod he won't hurt you." Emily's amused tone had me jerking my gaze away from the beast.

My Resonant was dressed similarly to the outfit she had been wearing last night. The loose 'jeans' had been replaced with a short skirt made of the same blue material and woollen stockings. She has had used a pretty kerchief to tie her unruly mane back from her face. She had done something to her eyes - lined them with black ink or something. I was struck speechless. I must've looked a fool, or some kind of simpleton - the feeling was entirely unfamiliar. I felt frozen though my heart raced in my chest.

"Avery? Everything OK? Do I have something on my face?" I blinked dazedly, trying to shake off whatever had come over me.

"I have haven't I? I sneezed when I was putting on my eyeliner - jabbed myself in the face. Let me tell you eyeliner to the face hurts like a motherfudger." She wiped at her face, inspecting her hands for imaginary dirt.

"A..A what?" I asked incredulously, she laughed, a sound I wanted to hear again.

"It just means it hurt a lot." She replied clipping a lead onto Finn's collar. "Come on. We need to take Finn for a run." She gestured for me to go before her - a sign that she still didn't entirely trust me, something I felt conflicted about. On the one hand I was pleased at her common sense but on the other I wanted her complete trust - something, I discovered, I had already given her.

All the same I made my way downstairs and went through the door. I caught the mumbled 'That is just fuckin' freaky' before she unlocked the door, passing through it in the more traditional manner.

"So... Before I go outside and talk to you only to discover I look like a crazy person because no-one else can see you because you really are a ghost..Echo... whatever." She suddenly slapped a palm to her forehead and groaned, "Wait a sec. I didn't, like, create you or anything? I mean, you are real right? Even if you are supposedly invisible. I haven't lost my marbles have I?" Her face creased in a frown and I smiled gently.

"I assure you I am quite real Emily. Though it is flattering that you believe I would be the person your mind chose to create I am certainly not imaginary - rest assured your faculties are still very much intact."

Emily's shoulders slumped slightly in what I assumed was relief and her cheeks turned a pale shade of pink that I found quite.. attractive.

"In answer to your previous question though- I will remain invisible to those around us, they will neither see nor hear me." Her face fell and I had a moment to contemplate why before she launched herself at me, her slender arms squeezing me tight around my middle.

"Oh you poor thing that sounds so very lonely. No wonder you looked so sad before." She seemed to realise what she was doing and pulled away, the pink of her cheeks intensifying.

"OK so I don't look cuckoo for cocoa puffs I'll have my phone out and pretend to talk to you that way the conversation won't seem one-sided if anyone overhears."

Emily pulled a slim rectangular object from her pocket and I stared at it bewildered. I had so much to learn about the modern world.

We exited the house, Finn walking placidly at Emily's side with me on the other. It didn't occur to me, even when we passed through the black iron gates, where we were headed until the familiar walls of my old home came into view.

"Oh." Was all I could manage to say around the lump that formed in my throat. Emily brought her phone to her ear,

"Avery? Are you OK? I'm so sorry. I didn't think - we always come here for Finn's walks. We can go if you want though?" I shook my head, the house had changed over the years - I tried my best to avoid coming here as a rule, but a part of me wanted to show my home to her - to this sweet girl.

"I.." I cleared my throat and tried again, "I would, if you are agreeable, very much like to show you my home."

"Oh I am very much agreeable. We need to let Finn have his run first so I can take him home before I get the tour - they don't allow dogs in the museum."

"Museum?" My home was a museum now? I wondered how much of my life would still be there.

Finn's walk was quiet. I was lost in thought - hit with memories of the life I had lived. I saw my sisters laughing only to blink and have them disappear. My mother gathered herbs only to vanish. My heart hurt with homesickness. I had not missed my home or my family for a long time. I thought I had done my grieving already.

Sparks shooting through me jolted me out of my memories, Emily stood beside me, watching as Finn explored a patch of flowers. I looked down to see her fingers entwined with my own. She gave my hand a quick squeeze before letting it go.

"You miss them, I don't really understand how I can feel that but I can. I can feel your sadness, your longing." Emily's words were barely audible and she still hadn't taken her eyes off of Finn.

"I do. My family and I were very close. I hadn't thought about them in a very, very long time though. When I first became an Echo I just spent my time watching them. I didn't know what else to do so I carried on like before. That worked for a time - perhaps five years or so. But eventually watching them without being able to speak with them became too painful. I spent a long time after that in The Glade. I suppose I was sulking, or at least that was what Aditi said I had been doing when she sent me back here."I paused for a moment to gauge Emily's reaction. She looked curious, but not disbelieving of my story.

"Aditi? Who's she?" A small frown marred her features and I got the sensation she was jealous. How strange, was this what she spoke about earlier? The smile that split my face was involuntary.

"Aditi is a goddess, the mother of all the Hindu gods. She was one of the gods that turned me into an Echo. She seems to have taken it upon herself to act as my guardian."

"Oh. Oh well umm... Is she nice?" A faint blush spread over her cheeks.

"I suppose she is, yes. She's very... intimidating at times. And bossy. She's always pushing herself into my business." She was indeed all those things but I would be lost, would have given up looking for my Resonant, if it wasn't for Aditi.

"I owe her a debt of gratitude though. She gave me hope when I had thought it lost." I added. Finn bounded up to us, tongue lolling out of his mouth and the moment was lost.

"Let's take mister here home and feed him so we can get to the museum before it closes." Emily hugged the dog and clipped the lead back on before starting towards the gates once more.