Being Anna Marie

Being Anna Marie part 17

Trickles of water dripped from tangled curls blending within tears of indescribable suffering as they fell soundlessly onto the ground as I gazed up into identical hazel orbs, watched the gentle breeze blow through curls that resembled my own, a playful dimple longer than mine resting gracefully along age lines near her smiling lips. I took a tentative step closer and it was only as I felt compelled to be nearer that the intense pain that pitilessly ravaged my inflamed stomach became too unbearable to ignore.

I fell on bended knee, a position that only seemed to increase my moment of excruciating agony.

“Rise Anna,” She spoke softly, her outreached hand suddenly at my side like a beacon of hope I longed to obtain. “We will rid you of the pain as well as extinguish the questions I see in your eyes.”

Quickly and without thought I grasped her hand feeling the earth beneath me disappear, my lids closed as the world around us shifted chaotically and yet still the unyielding pain remained. I didn’t dare to release my gaze as moisture slithered pass long lashes to slip easily down my cheeks until at last the dizziness lessened, and the trembling of the earth receded. Around me the meadow continued to be a source of great beauty, and yet I knew this was not the customary entrance into this world I normally was allowed to wander into. No, this went beyond that. The sun filtered through trees as if each splash of light sparkled among leaves and foliage causing flowers an array of colors to blossom before me while a stoned path led its way to the glorious sight of a stunning waterfall. Its water so pure, so uncontaminated I was sure as I watched my grandmother fill a crystal goblet with its liquid that its contents glowed within its containment.

Coming back to my side, she held out the delicate chalice to me, her gesture so similar to Andreas that redundant tears returned to my gaze, and yet this time they remained trapped within my sight as I stared up at her, “thank you.”

The callous pain in my stomach caused my hasty fingers to tremble as I raised the fragile glass to my lips, gulping the liquid as if dehydrated; deprived access to water for many years. Its entrance into my body instantly soothed all that ached from within, it healed scars I never knew existed, while seeming to calm the chaos that always seemed to consume me until oddly content hazel eyes free of concern, despondency, and sorrow met the joyful expression of my grandmothers before finally I rose unaided and completely at peace.

“Better?”, she questioned, a smirk upon her lips.

“Physically yes,” I replied easily, my gaze taking in the eagle soaring above our heads; its cry ringing out into the silence as it flew into a vast expanse of blue. “Mentally, I have no idea.”

Chuckling almost silently, she moved with my mother’s grace beckoning for me to follow as she easily drifted pass endless gigantic clusters of trees, pass multitude of flowers; their sweet aromas filling the air along the soft waft until she came upon a stone bench. There she rested, gesturing for me to do the same.

“La vida no ha sido facil para ti, mi Niña,” she said softly, her golden eyes warm as they gazed into mine. “But then again life has never been easy for our kind.”

“And what exactly is ‘our’ kind?” I questioned, my fingers absentmindedly caressing my cross, something that did not go unnoticed by her.

“It is nice to see that my daughter did not disregard everything I taught her. I see she at least followed my dying wish that this necklace be passed on to you. It has ancient stones within its silver meant for protection.”

I grinned in irony at the truth in the demon’s words, “I don’t think its been working.”

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?”