Echoes: Rachel

by Tracy Davidson

read it in correct order

 

“So this is where it happened?”

“Yes.”

“This is where your mother killed my father.”

Rachel put a comforting hand on Guy’s shoulder. There was nothing she could say that would make this easier for him.

It was November 5th and a bonfire was raging in front of them. Exactly twenty years earlier Rachel’s mother, Marissa, had indeed killed Guy’s father, the reincarnated Witchfinder, DuPassant. Marissa turned him into a guy, effectively burning him at the stake, in revenge for him inflicting the same fate on so many of her kind.

Rachel grew up believing her mother did the right thing. Rumours that DuPassant had a baby son worried her as much as her mother. But their coven were never able to sense such a child, and the rumours died away.

Then, three months ago, she met Guy. There was an instant attraction between them. And, on her part, instant recognition. Rachel’s powers were greater than her mother’s. She sensed only goodness in Guy, he was nothing like his evil father, who Guy grew up knowing nothing about, his own mother having shielded him from the truth.

The truth came as a great shock. Rachel would have kept it from him if she could. But Marissa asked to meet the man her daughter had fallen in love with. If she recognised him too, Rachel wasn’t sure how she’d react.

“I don’t blame her you know,” Guy said. “In her place I would have done the same.” He turned towards Rachel, smiling reassuringly. “I love you. Nothing will ever change that. We are the present and future, not the past.”

Rachel returned his smile. He was right. They were the future. More than he yet knew. She could feel that first spark of new life within her.

“Let’s go,” she said. “Time to meet my mother. To finally put the past behind us all.”

At Marissa’s house Rachel held her breath when the door opened, but there was no sign of recognition on her mother’s face when she saw Guy. Indeed, she smiled warmly, shook his hand, even kissed him on the cheek in welcome.      

But everything changed when they entered the lounge. The temperature dropped, the lights dimmed. Rachel whirled around in time to see Guy’s eyes widen in alarm before he fell unconscious to the floor. Rachel tried to go to his aid but some force pushed her away. She looked up, saw her mother’s hand raised in her direction.

“Mother… what are you doing? Stop! You don’t understand…”

“I understand perfectly,” said Marissa. “I knew the rumours were true, knew one day he would come. For you.”

“He loves me. He’s nothing like DuPassant.”

“He’s using you Rachel. You can’t see it yet. But you will. He has to die. So does that ‘thing’ growing inside you. Oh yes,” Marissa said, seeing her daughter’s shock. “I sense new life in you too. Both must be destroyed before they have the chance to grow stronger.”

A sudden wave of anger, and hate, swept over Rachel. Feelings she’d never had before, and never expected to feel for her mother.

She raised her own hand. Marissa was violently thrown backwards against the wall, knocking her out. The temperature immediately rose, the lights came back up. Kneeling beside Guy, Rachel put her hand against his cheek. He opened his eyes.

“Hurry,” said Rachel, helping him up. “We have to get out of here before Mother wakes up.”

Guy hesitated when they stepped over Marissa’s still form. “I don’t want to come between you,” he said. “She is your family after all.”

“She was,” said Rachel. “But now you are my family. So is our child.”

Guy looked startled. “You’re pregnant?”

“Yes. We’re the future. Just the three of us.”

They embraced, then ran as quickly as they could, wanting to put distance between themselves and Marissa. Rachel didn’t know what their future held, but she knew she’d do anything to protect Guy and the baby.

In the darkness, she couldn’t see the evil gleam of satisfaction that filled Guy’s dark, and not-so-innocent, eyes.   

 

 

 

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