The Swan in the Water

Chapter Five

"Wake up, Liana." Liana's eyes slowly fluttered open. She felt disoriented, like she was flying. Her vision focused and she realized that she was underwater. She started to panic and gasping for air until she heard a voice once again. "Calm down. You can breathe here." Liana stopped gasping and tried to even out her breathing. When she did, Liana looked at the female figure floating in front of her.

A woman seemed too old to be a girl but still fairly young, probably close to Liana's age. In fact, Liana thought that she was her for a second then realize she looked very different. Unlike Liana's brown hair and matching eyes, the girl's wavy hair was an almost black but a dark chocolate shade and had icy blue eyes that mirrored the frozen lake. Her lips were a cherry red shade which made her seem older than she was. The girl was also wearing a similar outfit. However, the black mourning that Liana wore did not match the royal blue bombazine the girl wore. The girl sat floating in the water and crossed her legs. She seemed to carry a type of grace that was similar to Mrs. York at the tea party.

"There's no need to fear me," the girl assured.

"Who are you?" Liana questioned, "Why am I here? Am I...?" The girl shook her head.

"No, you're not dead yet," the girl said. "In fact, I'm suspending your life right now."

"Suspending?" Liana said confused, her heart skipping a beat.

"Yes, I, um, for a lack of a better word, stopped your life for the time being," she explained, "because you would've been dead otherwise in this frozen water."

"Oh," Liana said. "You didn't answer my other questions."

"You're quite impatient," the girl pointed out. "That's probably why you're here. My name is Anaille."

"Anaille?"

"Like Anais but with an 'ill'," Anaille explained.

"Why am I here?"

"I have a proposition for you." Liana rose an eyebrow.

"A proposition?" Liana asked. "Like what?"

"I can give you what you want," Anaille said, "like the chance to see your parents again." Liana's eyes widen.

"My parents?" Liana asked. "How...? I don't understand." Anaille laughed.

"No one does, at first," she explained, "but I can give you a day more with your parents but of course, you can't get something for nothing..."

"What do you want from me?" Liana asked, fearful of what Anaille was capable of.

"Ten."

"Ten what?" Liana questioned. "Ten shillings? Ten pounds?"

"Ten years," Anaille clarified. "Ten for one. Ten years for one day."

"What?" Liana said, outraged, "That's too much! Are you taking ten years of my life away?"

"Liana, tell me," Anaille began with her hand on her chin, "do you think it's easy for me to resume a life like death never happen?" Liana hesitated but Anaille rose her hand to stop her. "Don't answer because it is very difficult."

"But..." Liana started, "why ten years? Why do I have to lose ten years of my life?"

"People die regretting the decisions they made in life," Anaille said casually. "You never said goodbye to your parents, did you?" Liana nodded somberly. "Well, if you were given the chance to see them again, wouldn't you take it?" Liana paused to think about it. This could be the last time Liana could see her parents.

"And if I refuse?" Anaille shrugged.

"Your choice..." Anaille sighed before raising her hand, "I suspended your life long enough..."

"Wait!" Liana said. Anaille paused and rose an eyebrow. "I'll give you my ten years but..."

"But what?" Anaille asked. "It's only ten years. What does it matter?"

"My life will be shorten..." Liana answered quietly.

"A better reason to see them once again," Anaille added. "Why live longer and regret never seeing them again?"

"How are you benefiting from me losing ten years of my life?" Liana asked.

"Ten years on mine," Anaille admitted. "I died well before my time, around your age." Then she scowled, "What's ten years to me?"

"But," Liana started, "I don't know when I'll die. How could I gauge--"

"You can't," Anaille said, cutting Liana off. "You could live till you're 28 or you could live till you're 108. You'll never know so what does it matter if you lose only ten years? They begin to blur anyway..." Liana sighed in thought. What did she have to lose? Like Anaille said, did she want to die knowing that she could've saw her parents again?

"Okay," Liana said, "Ten for one. I'll do it." Anaille smiled.

"Enjoy it, Liana," she said before snapping her fingers.

Liana snapped her eyes open and found she was no longer in lake but in a bed. She looked around the room and noticed it was still her bedroom in Aunt Darcy's estate. Liana started to tear up then she started crying, soaking her comforter. It was all a dream, Liana weeped. That conversation between her and Anaille never happened. How could she be so stupid? Believing that a figment of her imagination could bring back her parents?

"Liana?" She snapped her head towards to door, not caring who saw her tears. It was Aunt Darcy though she wouldn't recognize her if it wasn't for her voice. She wasn't wearing that dreaded black veil and she realized that Charles was right. Aunt Darcy was extremely beautiful. She looked very similar to Liana's mother except she had lovely royal blue eyes and wavy golden blonde hair that rivals the sun. Though she was beautiful, right now, Aunt Darcy's hair was disheveled and her eyes bloodshot. She gave a sigh of relief and small smile. "Liana..." Aunt Darcy rushed over and hugged her.

"Aunt Darcy..." Liana said in a quiet, raspy voice.

"I thought I almost lost you," she said in tears. This confused Liana, seeing that they had an argument not too long before. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry, my dear..." Liana didn't want to accept her apology, especially after what Aunt Darcy said to her during their argument. So she said nothing and felt that the hug lingered too long. "I don't know what I would do if I lost someone else..."

"Madame?" Both women turned to the door to see Charles standing there. Aunt Darcy pulled her back-length hair behind her shoulder.

"Yes, Charles?" she answered.

"Miss Liana needs to rest." Aunt Darcy nodded and released Liana from her embrace.

"If you need anything," Aunt Darcy said, stopping at the doorway, "like more blankets or anything, please tell us." Liana nodded. Aunt Darcy closed the door behind her and Liana frowned in thought. What is she to do about this deal?