Status: Finally done. . . sort of.
Southern Fury
Walking...
Opening her eyes, Elizabeth stared at the melting paintings of angels on the ceiling. The flames were leaping up around her dress, but not touching her, almost as if there were some other worldly power refusing to see her ruin.
Refusing to let her go.
Elizabeth swallowed thick black smoke and choked, her ribs aching and her fingers tingling. "Help!" she cried out weakly. "Someone, help!"
"I am here." a strong voice called out to her, and Elizabeth rolled over, her dress feeling heavy on top of her.
"Help me." she called again, the tears making her voice shake. "Please, help me."
"Take my hand, dear one." the voice said again and Elizabeth slammed her fists into the carpeting.
"I can't see you! Where are you?"
"I have been here, dear one. The voice that pulled you up, the voice that gave you your strength, the voice that helped give you your children."
Elizabeth looked around and a straight line disappeared through the flames. "What is this?" she questioned as she brought herself up onto her knees. She wiped her face with the back of her right hand and left a streak across her gossamer white skin.
"Walk with me, dear one. Let me protect you, cradle you, swaddle you into the arms of my love, let me take you away, dear one. Let me take away the hurt."
Elizabeth pulled herself straight. "Why didn't you protect me?" she pleaded, the tears streaking down her face.. "When I needed you, why didn't you protect me?"
"When the pistol sat in your hand against your temple, when you were on your knees, when you had given up, you and your child had given up, I gave you the movement inside. The kick in your stomach was not of your baby, the movement was me. I reminded you of your gifts, dear one, I reminded you of your life."
Elizabeth saw the path leading to the door and she closed her eyes. "What do I do?" she questioned quietly.
"Dear one," the voice called out again, and Elizabeth felt herself let go. "You walk. and I shall walk beside you when you feel alone, carry you when you are weak, nurse you when you are sick, and cradle you when you are weary. Dear one, all you must do is accept me."
Walking, Elizabeth nodded. "Hold me."
And he did...
Refusing to let her go.
Elizabeth swallowed thick black smoke and choked, her ribs aching and her fingers tingling. "Help!" she cried out weakly. "Someone, help!"
"I am here." a strong voice called out to her, and Elizabeth rolled over, her dress feeling heavy on top of her.
"Help me." she called again, the tears making her voice shake. "Please, help me."
"Take my hand, dear one." the voice said again and Elizabeth slammed her fists into the carpeting.
"I can't see you! Where are you?"
"I have been here, dear one. The voice that pulled you up, the voice that gave you your strength, the voice that helped give you your children."
Elizabeth looked around and a straight line disappeared through the flames. "What is this?" she questioned as she brought herself up onto her knees. She wiped her face with the back of her right hand and left a streak across her gossamer white skin.
"Walk with me, dear one. Let me protect you, cradle you, swaddle you into the arms of my love, let me take you away, dear one. Let me take away the hurt."
Elizabeth pulled herself straight. "Why didn't you protect me?" she pleaded, the tears streaking down her face.. "When I needed you, why didn't you protect me?"
"When the pistol sat in your hand against your temple, when you were on your knees, when you had given up, you and your child had given up, I gave you the movement inside. The kick in your stomach was not of your baby, the movement was me. I reminded you of your gifts, dear one, I reminded you of your life."
Elizabeth saw the path leading to the door and she closed her eyes. "What do I do?" she questioned quietly.
"Dear one," the voice called out again, and Elizabeth felt herself let go. "You walk. and I shall walk beside you when you feel alone, carry you when you are weak, nurse you when you are sick, and cradle you when you are weary. Dear one, all you must do is accept me."
Walking, Elizabeth nodded. "Hold me."
And he did...