Althea - The Goddess Rebound

Chapter 10

Althea Garcia Hela Silvermoon

My heart thumped hard at that. Why did it sound like he was calling me? I turned my head around to face the door as others were already looking that way. I saw a cute little boy by the door. His blue eyes widened as his face lit up upon seeing me. Did he know me? Who was he?

Silence filled the room for a while until the little boy decided to speak again with confirmation this time. "Althea." He smiled as he ran towards the table where we sat, but he seemed to be running towards. Me?

He came beside me and hugged me tightly, caging both my arms in his equally tiny body. "Althea." He whispered this time, tightening his hold on me.

This name again. The name that I have been hearing so much now. It hovered around me. It followed me like a shadow.

He frees me from his bone crushing hug. He was strong regardless of his tiny body. Or maybe I was too weak. "Althea." His twinkling baby blue eyes stare into mine as he repeats the same name again, but this time with so much sureness in his voice. He sounded confident and he believed what he said.

"I knew you would come back." My heart beats louder at that. My heart was trying to tell me something, but I didn't understand it. I did not hear the words that it spoke as it beats louder each passing second, but it's sound were mute to my brain. I try to look through my blank memory, but I got nothing.

"I have missed you so much, Althea." My heart tightens at that. Did I know him? I don't remember anything though. He seems like he knows me. How? Where have I met him before? If I have even met him before today. He seems familiar but feels like a stranger at the same time.

"Do I know you?" When he was about to say something, Matt interrupts him, warning clear in his voice.

"Noah."

I look at Matt and back at the little boy who still held both my hands in his. Noah. Now where have I heard this name. "Do you know me, Noah?" I ask once more. His name flowed out of my mouth like I have called out to him so many times before.

He smiles at me. "Of course, I know you, Althea. I will know you anywhere."

But that was not me. I was not who he thought I was. "I-I think you have mistaken me for someone else. I-I'm not-" and I was back to my stuttering self before he says something that makes my heart skip a beat.

"He misses you the most, you know." Thump. Thump. "Have you seen him yet?" I involuntarily shake my head. Who was I meant to see? "You need to see him." I do? Why do I need to see this person? My heart was beating so fast right now, I was afraid it will burst at this rate.

Noah starts pulling my hands, trying to get me up. "Noah." Matt sighs as Noah stops pulling me and looks behind me. Finally broken out of this trance, I look back at him them. They all seemed to be looking at us, pure confusion lacing their faces with something else that I didn't quite understand.

"Noah." He tried again. "Why do you keep calling her..." He pauses before he finally says her name with great difficulty. "Althea." His voice barely above a whisper, but I somehow catch it.

But Noah's reply shocks me even more, "Because she is." And he once again smiles so innocently.

And I can't find it in me to break his heart by telling him, I'm not who he thinks I am. Just as nobody else corrects him. So, I just let it be and smile back at him.

Noah joins us for breakfast and spends the rest of the day with me as he talks about life after I had gone. After she had gone. But I pretend that it was in fact me as I patiently listen to him. He tells me he had gotten stronger and he will protect me this time. His words made me smile throughout the day. He was a sweet little boy.

Now we walked to the field at the back of the house where his friends were playing. I knew he wanted to join them, but he hesitated to leave me. "Noah, come on." A little girl calls out to him. Her black hair and brown eyes reminding me of someone.

Noah shakes his head and looks up at me as I'm still a little taller than him. But he's going to grow bigger than me in a few years. I smile down at him as I place my hand on his shoulder and turn him around.

"Now go and play with your friends." I give him a little push and he continues to walk towards the little girl. "I'm coming, Leah."

He looks back at me to wave and runs towards his friends.

And now I had nothing better to do. So, I just walk around for a bit and come across a tree by the training field. I don't know why but my feet seemed like it had a memory of its own as I now stood in front of it, staring up at the branch high up.

I bring my hand out and lightly trace the bark of the tree. I close my eyes then lean my head down to rest on the tree as I tried to look through my memory because it too somehow seemed familiar to me. And like always, I ended up with nothing.

My eyes started to sting as the tears threatened to flow but I bit my lips hard and stopped myself. Why can't I remember anything? Please goddess, if you are out there, help me. Show me a sign. I prayed and prayed with a small flame of hope still in my heart.

Then I heard a snarl. I felt a presence. The same presence when I first opened my eyes. I felt him around, close to me. Like he was watching me. I opened my eyes and turned around to look for him. Where was he? I looked everywhere but I couldn't see him.

Disappointed I turned back to the woods only to see his figure disappearing. A glimpse of his back as he walked away once more. And I was left craving to see his face, once again.