Finding My Wanted in the Unknown

Chapter 21

I screamed at the top of my lungs right in his face and I tried to throw sticks, rocks, pine cones and anything else at Eric to get his attention but nothing I did made him hear or notice me.

I sat down on the ground, head in hands and cried. Maybe Eric was right. Maybe I was being overly selfish about this?

I stood up and looked at Eric one last time before I walked back inside to find Lucy. I needed her to tell Eric he was right. I was going to come back and deal with whatever consequences came from leaving Jaya here.

Lucy, Alem and Michelle were inside the motel room talking softly. Lucy made a strange face to Michelle and then Michelle looked over in my direction, like she could actually see me.

"Can you see me?" I looked at my mother and almost screamed my question at her.

"Yes I can." She held her head lower as I moved closer to her.

"The whole time? Could you see me this whole time?" Her eyes locked with mine and the last thing I expected to see in them was happiness.

"Come and sit. You need to understand why I did this." She moved over towards my body. Alem placed a chair for her to sit in next to me and she sat down.

"I need you in your body, Larissa. You will be able to hear me still but I need you back in your body." I looked at her and then at my body. I looked like I was sleeping but stepping back in there really meant Jaya was gone.

"I don't know if I can. Jaya will be lost if I do this. You can understand the thought of losing your daughter forever, can't you?" Tears filled my eyes as well as Michelle's.

"I understand more than you could know. I'm doing this for you, Larissa. I wasn't there for you your whole life and I'm doing this so you can have your family back." I frowned at her, not quite understanding what she was saying.

"You're doing what for us?" I took a step closer to her and she reached out, grabbing my wrist and pulling me back to my body. The second I made contact with my skin it felt like I was being tied to it. I couldn't move around but I could hear what was happening around me.

"Larissa, the spell asks for something from the person who says the spell. I'm giving myself, the live I have left for you and your family." Michelle's words were whispered against my ear and I wanted to scream, thrash around and yell at her for doing this. She knew that I'd protest but deep inside of me I knew she was doing this for me. She was doing this to make up for all the time she'd lost.

I felt her hand on mine and she moved closer to me, whispering in my ear. "I love you, I always have. I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough to fight for you until now but I'm doing this to give you the one thing I always wanted. A family. Hold on to them with both hands because they can slip away faster than you can realize."

I heard Lucy say something to Michelle and then her hand left mine. Michelle started speaking the spell and my heart broke instantly. I felt myself attaching to my body the more she spoke. Inside I was screaming, fighting for her to stop.

"Baby, just let her go," I heard Eric whisper in my ear and for the first time in what felt like forever, I actually felt his touch. It was like the first time touching him. My skin felt like it was on fire with the need for him. My heart was racing and my wind couldn't stop thinking of all the times we'd been together.

'Larissa, can you hear me?' Eric's voice snapped into my mind and I felt my connection to him again.

'I'm here. I can hear you.' I felt him relax and wrap himself around my body. I still couldn't move but I was getting my thoughts back.