Pale fingertips drift across her warm pink-tinted cheek. Dark lashes casting shadows across her face as she sleeps in content. Her slim fingers grip mine tightly as she shuffles closer to me in her sleep. I shouldn't have came here, I should have ne...
Per the request of a lovely reader. Thank you for picking a song that was a perfect fit for this chapter!
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Hiking through a trail that shows obvious age is not what surprised me. What surprised me was that this trail was hidden behind two large oaks that intertwined. To get to it, you had to find the space big enough for one body to make it through the space between.
"This place, those trees, and this trail were created by our family when we first settled here. I'm not sure what attracted us here originally, other than the fact that our family had a mission of sorts." My mom eventually huffs out as the ground went from a steep slope to even ground.
"Mom, I already know our family was one of the founding families." I sighed out. Wondering if this birthday will be a history lesson on our family that I've heard a million times already. It was my mother's way of a bedtime story growing up.
My mom just stays quiet as we continue our walk. Her shoulders unlike mine were held straight, her footsteps sure at each step. I can't help but wonder how many times she has taken this path, that she knew each stone and root in the worn path.
The air begins to shift to slowly that by the time I noticed that the hairs were rising on my arms, did my hazel eyes flick up to see that the trees that had began to surround us were different than others I've seen before. The trunks were thick with age, and when the wind blew, it sounded as if the leaves of the large trees created music as they blew through. The bird songs even sounded strange as I begin to look around.
"Mom...where are we?" I murmurer out as my steps stop and I am stuck frozen by the sight in front of me.
A large maple tree sat in the middle of the path. It's trunk so wide and branches that soared over head, that I knew this was no normal maple. For one, the leaves on it were still so green and vibrant, the trunk itself even seemed to glow golden in color.
Instead of answering my question, my mom instead steps closer to the trunk and places her hand on the bark. "When I turned 18, I had big plans for my life."
She chuckles as she finally turns to me, a hand running through her light brown locks. "Actually, if I am being truly honest, I was much like you." Once again, another laugh leaves her lips, but this time her eyes begin to grow misty as she thinks of her past.
"See, when I turned 18. My mom is doing much as what I am doing for you today. It's tradition in our family, that when the oldest girl turns 18, she is taken to this spot and told the truth about our family. For me, it was both a relief to finally understand who I am, as well as the worst news possible." Her eyes scan my face as I stand there frozen, not having a thought in mind to what she was about to say.
"It was a relief because it finally explained my strange ability that suddenly appeared one day." My eyes widen when she says that. Her tale sounding much like what I have been going through the past few months. She nods at me, as if reading my thoughts. "I know what you've been going through El. I just couldn't tell you what has been happening to you till today, for today will make all the sense."
Sighing, she waves an arm in front of the tree. "This is the spot where it all began. When our ancestors settled here, a terrible illness struck the town. The oldest girl in the family who was a few months shy of 18 came here. The deepest, hidden part of the forest and found this maple tree. She begged for help, prayed even, that she can save the town and her family. When a promise came to her. The day she turned 18, she would be gifted a gift that would save the town. The deal was that the girl would be given the gift of healing, but she would have to remain in town. She could not bring back the dead, she can only heal based on the purity and well intentions of her heart. And after healing everyone in the town was healed and prospering, she would later on and get married. They had many children, and when her eldest daughter was close to 18 did she realize that the gift would be passed down to her daughter. From then on, mothers and their eldest daughter will come to the place it all began. The healing ability will be given to the next once the history as has been told. Now when the clock strikes on the minute of your breath, you will be given the full gift. And I will be there to help you learn it."
Stunned.
How else can I described it. I was stunned into silence. I was stunned into a frozen silence. My very veins and bones, became stiff like that of a statues. I felt stuck in time, not ready to move on.
Frozen. Stuck.
My mother looked on as she observed my face. I know she understood me and my feelings, she knew what this information would give me.
Looking at her, I feel wetness gather on my lashes. "I...can never leave?"
---
I was held after that, tears that were never-ending poured from my eyes. My dreams of escaping the town were smashed. Exploring the world, ended within a blink of an eye. Now, I was stuck with those supposed healing power in this town. What the heck was I going to do now?
Pulling away, I sniffle as I pull away from my mother. We sat at the base of the large maple tree. It large trunk almost felt warm through the layer of my jacket, giving me some comfort. My mom just watches my face, a hand reaching out to wipe away the lingering tears below my eyes.
"I know this is a shock to you sweetie. You don't have to live forever trapped here just yet, at least while I am still here. Alive and breathing that is." Sniffling once again, I think about her response.
"Is that why you and dad moved here so suddenly after grandma and grandpa died?" Thinking back to how my mom was at school and had to leave to come back here so quickly after my grandparents.
She gets a far away look in her eyes, "That's right. But you will be allowed a few years to still live away from the town. I must warn you though, the compulsion, the need to return will be strong."
"Oh." I look out across the clearing that the large maple tree sat in. Thinking further into the details of my families strange secret. Looking at my mom again, I clear my throat, knowing I was about to head into dangerous territory but I had to know.
She seems to know what I am about to ask though as she shakes her head sadly. "I couldn't save you father. He was past the point of our gift to save him."
Once again, we sit in silence. Never would I have imagined my birthday to go this way. I knew I would eventually have to face the situation staring at me, and find answers. I knew eventually that I couldn't keep living in the lie I made up to cover the fact that there was something off about me.
Right now though. I need to find who I am now. All I need, is a little strength.
Standing up on weak legs, I turn to my mother. She follows and also stands to her feet.
"I...need to go. There's something I need to do, someone I need to talk. The person whose been the only one that's been able to help me feel normal."
My mom looks sadden by that, but nods anyway.
"Just remember to be home before 9. You need me there to help you when the gift will strike. You need to promise me Eleanor." She sternly stares into my eyes, and I nod weakly as I clear my throat from the sudden lump.
"I'll be back."
So we now know the secret of Eleanor's family. Did some of you expect something else? I'll be honest, I was thinking of something else. But there is a reason why I chose to go down this path. I can't wait for you all to read it!
