My Last Breath (Book one of The Portal Series)

I Can Drown. CHAPTER FOUR

My brain doesn't know how to react knowing this young woman in front of me recognizes who I am. The first thought that comes to mind is how quickly she came to me. Is it a coincidence that the first creature that I met might know me and the first person I came across knew exactly who I was and she was right there to save me? So many more questions are emerging that I don't know if I should speak first or wait for her to, but I have nothing to say about myself and she looks like she has so much she wants to talk about.

She locks her blue eyes on me, "Did you have Adelaide with you?"

I'm confused, "No, um. I- I don't think I did." I have never heard that name before and most definitely don't know her either.

She looks back at me, probably reflecting the same expression on my face, "Well she left us a week after you came up missing..."

Her words are short because a massive range of questions float around in my head that I can not hold back, "Who is she?" I attempt to smile but when it feels awkward I stop and look down shyly at my sopping wet cloths.

"Let's get out of the water. I'm sorry, I'm just so shocked to be seeing you after this much time. I thought you were dead, we all did." I can't help but give her a puzzled look back as she tries to embrace me in a hug. I step back, not meaning to but becoming quite afraid for no reason. She stops seeing how I have become uncomfortable with physical contact.

"You don't seem as thrilled to see me though."

"I am, you saved me." She just stares at me so I add, "I just don't think I know you."

"You don't recognize your own sister?"

I gasp, "I- no. I don't know anything about myself." My words are hushed but still echo through the cave.

I have a sister! I have a sister!

Her slight grin falls and she appears hurt by my reaction, "Elenor, you don't remember me?"

My eyes widen. Elenor. Elenor? Is that my name? For the first time in my so called new life I get this amazing feeling inside of me. I'm treated with my own name and this truly makes my day, even if it was awful at first. I have a family! I am loved. My heart leaps, I'm no longer alone! I take a breath as she says, "Um...okay. Then lets get you all cleaned up and we can talk."

She leaves the pool, gesturing for me to come with her and apprehensively I do so. I am entirely ecstatic that I have something to call myself and how I've found someone who claims to be my sister. But is this all too much right now? Is this even real? A tear escapes my eye, and I hear it land into the water as I walk up the huge steps.

We leave the room and go into the hallway I noticed earlier, but now that I'm closer I can tell it is still part of the cave, with boards on the sides to keep it sturdy. We walk into what looks like an old fashioned living room and a kitchen with a small dining table. Off to the left is another cave that must be a bedroom. On the opposite side of the room near the table is another opening but larger, showing off a small library.

Almost everything other than the furniture is covered with bright green vines and dark moss, it thrives like it gets everything it needs to live down here. The kitchen as well has a great assortment of plants and what I recognize as herbs. They hang off the walls, over the countertops and even in pots that are the same color as the grey stone of the cave itself.

The woman plasters a frown upon her face as she gestures for me to sit at the table. I listen and watch her closely when she reaches into a wooden cupboard and takes out some cups. At the sink, which is an old fashioned pump, she fills them with water for the two of us. She then gets a box of crackers, and then cheese from an ice box. She places it in front of me, "I'm going to get you some warmer cloths while yours are drying."