Unravelled² → Tom Riddle [Rewritten]

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

She was floating. Hanging from gossamer threads, levitating above the world and watching it all pass by without her. She was gone, outside of the world, simply watching the time tick by, watching the sun beam down a heavenly glow onto her.

She sat on the clouds, letting herself sink into them, letting the clouds wrap themselves around her body, caressing her softly. She was safe, she was safe in her cocoon. Nobody could hurt her there. Nobody could use her, she wasn't a weapon anymore, she was just herself.

She could see her portruding belly move, the sun shining from behind it. Inside of her was an angel, a gift from God himself. She was carrying the heavens inside of her, the weight of them crushing her shoulders, trying to push her back to the earth, but she was strong. She was carrying a life, a life that not even the heavens could try to stop. It was as though a star had grown from within her.

"Evelyn."

It was her mothers voice, echoing across the skies. It was just a sweet as she had remembered, the same voice that had sung her to sleep all those years ago, like a dip of sherbet to a child. It made her melt.

"Evelyn you have done so well. You have come so far."

Her father spoke next, "we are so proud of you."

She longed for them, the longed for their touch, she wished to have them take her in an embrace, to reassure her, to remind her everything was alright. She longed for them to meet their grandchild, to hold them like she too had been held.

"You can't leave, not yet baby." Her mothers voice was gentle, like a lullaby to send her to sleep. "Your daughter needs you."

Evelyn smiled, her eyes beginning to close, "I have a daughter." She glanced through her half open eyes at her belly, letting her hands sink deeper into the clouds.

"You have to go back to her now baby. She needs you, you can't leave her just yet. Be strong for me," her mother hushed her, "let yourself sleep, sink into the clouds, let them carry you as you have carried her."

And so she did, she let her body melt into the cloud, she let the cloud envelop her and take her away, away to meet her star.

Evelyn let her eyelids fall shut, and when they opened, there was blood everywhere. She looked down at her stomach,  gulping once she saw the bloody slice across it, the blood trickling down her sides as her body sunk into the warmth.

"Where's my baby?" She felt like she was still dreaming, she could see all of the blood, but she felt nothing. She was still floating, she was still in the clouds, she was weightless.

"Lay back," she heard the quiet voice of Madame Truckle, a hand pushing her shoulder deeper into the bed.

"I need my baby. Please," the sweat beads on her forehead trickled down to her quivering lip, "I can't hear her, where is she?"

"Evelyn," it was Albus, she could barely make out his face, but she recognised his voice, "you need to prepare yourself."

"I had a baby, let me see her," her words were barely coherent, "give me my baby."

Albus nodded at Madame Truckle, beckoning her to bring over the child. "She is,"  he paused, searching for the right word, "damaged."

But Evelyn didn't care, everything around her was a blur, all she needed was her child. She had carried her for nine months, whatever she looked like, she was perfect. "Please," she reached out her arms weakly, her heart slowing immediately as she felt the weight placed on her chest. "Hello," she cooed weakly, and the world around her faded away. She was with her baby now, she had all she needed in her arms.

"Evelyn, her f-"

Madame Truckle cut him off, "Albus, not now!"

Evelyn was smiling anyway. It didn't matter to her. She traced the scar across her face, following it as it faded down her left arm. "Shes perfect," she put her finger into her petite hand, smiling as she grasped it. "My little star." She was at peace. The heavens had brought her a star. 

"Will she be safe? You promise?" She asked as she let her fingers trace the greying scar again, "you will let no harm come to her?"

"She will be safe," Albus took a step closer to her, "but we must go. We must take her Evelyn, she must go somewhere safe now."

"She is my baby, you can't take her," but Evelyn knew she could put up no fight, she could barely even feel her own child against her chest, let alone the gaping wound in her belly. "Please, let me stay with her."

Madame Truckle shifted her weight between her feet, "Albus, I fear-"

"She knows," he nodded at Evelyn lightly, "she knows."

Evelyn nodded back, "let me name her at least. Let me name her before we go."

Albus nodded in agreement, "but we must go quickly."

"It is okay, I already have a name," she closed her eyes for a moment, "you see," she opened her eyes, letting her cold hand trace her daughters scars, "she is filled with magic. Her scar is no more than it trying to escape. She is a star, she simply wishes to return home as I do. She is Estella." 

Her hand fell to her side as Albus swooped up Estella in her arms.

"Take care of her," the words barely escaped her lips.

And then, knowing it was safe, she let herself go, she let herself go back to the clouds, to the sky, to the place she would always be with her star.

[THE END]