Echos In The Catacombs

Chapter 28: The Ghost Of An Old Friend

A/N: Juniper Le Beau (31) ^

(Posh London accent)
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Lizzie's P.O.V

I knew why I had the leave the others for a short time. I did promise that I'd meet them again. There was something I needed to do. Someone I needed to try and find.

When I got to the Le Beau mansion, I didn't bother to knock. I knew that nobody lived there anymore.

"Hello?" I called out as I looked around.

"Come on there has to be someone, anyone around here.." I said aloud.

"Are you looking for me or my brother?" A familiar voice spoke from behind me.

"I think you know the answer to that one Juniper." I spoke as I turned to face her. "You and I both know that your brother wouldn't hang around. Even if he did, it wouldn't be here."

"I suppose that's true enough." 

"From what I can see, you don't look that old."

"That's because I'm thirty-one."

"Well at least you lived past thirty, can't say the same for most women in my family." I paused. "What happened?"

"I guess you could say I had enough.." Juniper spoke quietly. "At seven my brother took his own life. At seventeen my best friend, and the person who I considered my sister, disappeared. At twenty-seven my grandmother died."

"You were left alone." I sighed. "Your parents were never any form of company, were they?"

"Enough about me, I want to know what happened to you." She raised an eyebrow. "You went in the maze, didn't you?"

"How did you know?"

"That look in your eyes, it's never been there before."

"What look?"

"Rage." Juniper spoke gently. "It's never been there before." 

"I don't understand what you mean Juniper."

"Someone's lit a fire under your arse. Someone's lit a fire under all your newly found friend's arses." 

"Juniper..."

"You don't age, but you're not dead. You breathe, you live. But you're not. You're not living your life, you're living a life someone else planned out for you."

"How do you know this?"

"I'm dead not stupid."

"There's a bigger plot to this entire plan. It won't end when one of you dies." She told me in a firm voice. "Whoever is behind this needs all eight of you alive. You're not normal anymore."

"I don't know what to do Juniper, none of us do. We don't know who we're looking for. We don't know how our 'side effects' work."

"Elizabeth-Lillian Darcey you will heed my words." Juniper started. "I, along with many others, shall meet you on the other side. The government have done something awful."

"How do you know all this?"

"Because a man told me. The same man that turned up at your door the day after you disappeared."

"The man that wanted to speak with me?"

"Indeed. I have a feeling that he is the reason you're still around. He saved the lives of you and your friends. He saved them for a reason."

"Why do I have that gut wrenching feeling that this will lead to an all out war?"

"Because that's a high possibility. The future holds many secrets. When the time is right only few will be told."

"But what about you? I can't just leave you here."

"I told you, I will meet you on the other side."

"What does that mean, Juniper?"

"Sadly, I cannot say."

"But-"

"Enough of this.."

"Of what?"

"Stalling. Go... find your friends. They need you more than I do."

I nodded and turned to the door.

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes?" I spoke without facing her.

"Promise me one thing."

"Of course, anything."

"Keep them safe. Protect them."

"I promise."

"Then what are you waiting for? Go."

I nodded a second time a ran out of the door. I never bothered looking back because I had assumed she'd already gone.

Little did I know she hadn't. She watched me run. 

I never heard her say the words "Good luck" all while a happy smile was on her face.

It was the first time in 112 years that she had a real reason to smile.
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Hope you enjoyed Chapter 28 of Echos In The Catacombs
Chapter 29 should be out soon

Catch You Later~