by Rona Go
"I—" Xavier began to say something holding Jonah back from following in her Aunt's steps.
"What is it, X?" Jonah asked.
"Good night!" Xavier simply told her and went back to the car where Hugh was waiting.
Jonah carefully looked at the ground and took her steps towards the house. Setting one uncertain foot after another was a laborious calculation of how far the ground was since it appeared nearer than it really was. When she finally reached the door without stumbling, she realized that Hugh's car had not left at all. The two boys were probably observing her progress. So, she raised her hand in a wave to reassure them she was fine and went inside.
Instead of going to her room, Jonah heard Aunt Judith's voice in the kitchen and headed in that direction. Aunt Judith was there with Jane.
"So, we've finally found her," Aunt Judith was telling Jane excitedly.
Jonah saw the white mass that was Jane turning around in her direction when she reached the kitchen.
"Jane—" Jonah said pleasantly. "You're out!"
"Oh, I let myself out," Jane uttered. "I don't want to miss the party." She turned towards the cupboard and took out an almost ten-inch knife. Without warning, she stabbed Aunt Judith directly, hitting the old woman at the left side of her stomach.
"Jane! What are you doing?" Jonah screamed out loud. She could see Aunt Judith's form falling to the floor. And when Jane raised the knife, the outline was misshapen. What looked like the blade was bended into a curve.
Jane threw the knife into the sink and went to the cupboard to take another one. She hissed towards Jonah, "Don't make so much noise, Jonah! It wouldn't do us any good. I have plans of keeping this as painless as possible for you."
Jonah started backing off with Jane scathing towards her. With trembling voice, Jonah said, "What is this, Jane? Why are you doing this?"
"Don't you get it, Jonah? It has always been me!" Jane said. "I sabotaged Jemmah's car. I told the healers to take Jervais. Unfortunately, she was not available. But Jenssen was."
"Healers?" Jonah asked, still inching her way backwards. It would not have made a difference if she were looking at where she was going. Movement in any direction on her part proved to be difficult either way.
"Oh, they're a stupid bunch of old people who drink a healer's blood and eat her flesh to continue their lineage. Fr. Ulysses had been supporting them," Jane said.
"The black car and the woman who looked like your mother—" Jonah replied.
"That's them," Jane said. "They also trashed my room to make it appear they were looking for the belly chain and got it. But the old hag beat me to it even before the healers came, she already took it."
"So, there are no hunters?" Jonah said.
"I don't know, Jonah. I am not privy to the people who want you dead. I am on my own now. When Damian tried to save himself from going to prison by telling you guys where they took Jenssen, the healers gave a fit. They wanted Damian dead. Of course, how can I allow that? Damian is the only person who will stand by me no matter what. He is more than family to me. But your mother deemed him unsuitable for me," Jane said. She pointed the knife with shaking hand towards Jonah and started raising her voice, "The old witch! I've served her. I've given my life to her! And all I ever asked was to teach me how to become a healer and she just scoffed at me. It was always Jemmah."
"Jane, please calm down!" Jonah said, trying to soothe Jane. Her fear had increased a notch higher with Jane losing her temper and the sad memories rushing in. She was on dangerous ground and she did not have any idea what to do.
"I am calm now, Jonah!" Jane said matter-of-factly. "I have been peaceful with myself all these years. So, let's get on with this. I have the remaining poison which I mixed with my own wine up in my room. You can take it until you lose your consciousness, that way you won't be aware when I use this on you—" she indicated the knife.
"Jane, please don't do this! I am your sister! I love you!" Jonah said. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Love me, Jonah? Drinking that poisoned wine— I was hoping one of you will eventually surface and seal it through me but nobody came forward. Not even you. It just shows how dysfunctional this family is. I have Brice's laptop to prove it and you can see how miserable he was because of this family. Just like your mother, Brice killed himself, Jonah!"
At that moment, Jonah broke into a run blindly. With her sight only seeing colors instead of things in their real shapes and forms, she had stumbled all the way. She tried to reach the door as quickly as possible.
But Jane was faster. She yanked Jonah by the hair and shoved her to the floor. With such a menacing tone, she commanded Jonah once again, "Go to my room, Jonah or I will have to do it here and now."
When Jonah did not move towards the stairs, Jane struck at her with the knife which barely missed hitting her arm. Jonah immediately stood up and ran for the stairs and went up with Jane closely on her heels.
Meanwhile, Xavier was feeling restless about not telling Jonah how he truly felt for her. He had the sense of a foreboding horror that lurked somewhere. It tasted something like death in a corner. And if he were to die the next day, he wouldn't want to go without telling Jonah that he loved her. So, he urged Hugh to wait longer as he marched towards the Blood's front porch. Before ringing the bell, he first took a peek in the window to see if the lights were still on. Although, a lacy curtain had block him from having a clear view of the inside of the house, he was still shocked to get a hazy glimpse of Jonah running clumsily and stumbling towards the stairs with Jane following her, knife in one hand.
Without hesitation, Xavier took a rock and hurled it against the window and breaking it. He opened it and climbed through as quickly as possible, scratching himself on his arms on the way in.
Hugh got out the car and was calling out to Xavier, "X, what's going on?"
Seeing what Xavier had done, Hugh followed after him. When he was able to squeeze himself through the window, he could see Xavier was already running towards the stairs. He also ran after Xavier.
By the time Hugh reached the top of the stairs, he saw Jane attacking Xavier with the knife in her hand. Attempting to evade the attack, Xavier shifted to one side and lost his footing, unbalancing him.
Watching Jane still going after Xavier, Hugh lunged forward grabbing her hand which held on to the knife tightly.
"X!" Jonah screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing throughout the surroundings.
Hugh paused for a while and caught a momentary glimpse of Xavier falling off the Mahogany-clad staircase. But his attention went back to Jane as she tackled him with brute force.
Jane was screaming and kicking and forcing her hands to be freed from his. Using her fingernails with her free hand, she dug through his skin and Hugh almost felt he was being peeled off in one piece. He caught both hands and tried to shake off the knife from her.
But Jane was strong and the more she screamed, the stronger she became. Both Hugh and Jane ended up rolling on the floor, each trying to wrestle the other. Then, in one quick movement, Hugh stood up dragging with him Jane. Holding both her arms, he twirled her around until she hit and slumped through a wall hitting her head. She collapsed on the floor with the knife rolling out of her grasp.
Hugh did not bother with Jane anymore as he took the stairs two steps at a time, heading towards Jonah and Xavier. When he made it to the front porch, he saw Jonah crying and touching Xavier's head while staring at his chest.
"Don't touch him!" Hugh said.
"Hugh!" Jonah cried out. Hugh could see how relieved Jonah was. He, too, could not describe the joy he felt seeing her safe.
Hugh hurriedly ran to Xavier's side. He placed his jacket carefully underneath Xavier's head. He tilted Xavier's head a little and examined his breathing, which was coming in weakly. "Call 911!" he told Jonah urgently.
Hugh saw the Lively's car pulling up the driveway and Dr. Christopher Lively, together with Helen and Gilda Byrne came running out.
&n
bsp; "Where's X?" Helen was already hysterical when she reached the porch. But when she saw Xavier's motionless body, she hesitated and backed away. "Xavier? No! God, Hugh, what happened here?"
"He fell off the stairs," It was Jonah who answered in a small voice.
Hugh was barely able to hear what Helen had to say towards Jonah with Dr. Lively joining him at Xavier's side checking his pulse.
Gilda had taken Helen by the arm and was speaking to her in a hushed tone. After a while, Helen was speaking on the phone.
Hugh's attention was momentarily directed to Gilda as she told him to stay away from Xavier. He went on to ignore Gilda and saw Xavier opening his eyes. Xavier was trying to clear his throat while he tugged on Hugh's arm weakly.
"You promised, Hugh!" Xavier whispered in Hugh's ear. "You promised!"
For a brief moment, Hugh looked towards where Jonah was standing.
What seemed to be a period when the world stopped just as Xavier gained consciousness was fleeting. Xavier started racing after his breath and he collapsed again. And the world became frantic.
Pressing both hands through Xavier's chest, Dr. Lively administered a CPR while Hugh assisted nervously. After repeating the process a few times, Dr. Lively was already exhausted and dejected.
"We've lost him!" Dr. Lively said. He had stopped pumping at Xavier's chest. He was consistently running his fingers through his eyes with the tears rolling down his cheeks, "He's gone!"
"No, Dad—don't stop!" Hugh slumped back dejectedly. His face was a mask of bland expression. He noticed Jonah was already at Xavier's side.
Helen was already screaming, "No, X—no!" while her husband immediately rushed to her side, grabbing her in his arms as they fell to the ground, both weeping from their loss.
Jonah knelt beside Xavier. She breathed in long and hard. Then, she placed both her hands just a few inches above his chest. Then, she pressed down and pushed a little.
Hugh stepped in and roughly pushed Jonah aside. He pressed on Xavier's chest and let both of his hands rest on it. He was feeling a hot current coming from Xavier's body and his own hands. He gave a little weight and pushed. The friction became hotter.
Hugh pushed some more…and a little bit more.
Just when Hugh thought he could not bear the pain in his hands anymore, Xavier began to breath again with his heart pounding against his chest. The rhythmic rising and falling of his chest was evident once more.
"Dad! X is breathing—" Hugh called out urgently.
Chapter 37
Now is Forever
The ambulance wheeled off Xavier with Dr. Lively and Helen. Xavier was unconscious. He may not remember everything that had happened to him but he will live to tell the tale.
Gilda insisted Aunt Judith spend the night at the Lively mansion, where they can heal her wound which was not really that deep. Aunt Judith had graciously accepted the offer rather than be brought to the hospital which she offhandedly refused from the very beginning. She also considered it a good opportunity to share a night cap with her sister.
Even Jonah spent the night at Xavier's place. Although, Aunt Judith had reassured her that it will take a while before the healers will make another attempt in her life, and by then, she will be as prepared as Rebecca Blood ever was, it was Hugh who nearly dragged her away from the Blood mansion.
Hugh and Jonah were both sitting in a couch at the family room in the second landing. Hugh was examining Jonah's arms for the cuts she had acquired while fighting off Jane and stumbling along the way. At the same time, he was also showing his own share of bruises which he got.
"Gosh, this one really hurt the most," Hugh said, revealing the deep cut where Jane had dug her nails into his skin. "How come the little ones hurt more than the bigger ones?"
Jonah laughed. "You're like a child complaining about a little cut," she told him.
"Well, I could use some tender loving care," Hugh said.
"Nobody says that anymore! What a feeble way to put it! Corny, Hugh!" Jonah said shoving him a little, away from her.
"Nobody says corny anymore! But yeah, I am beginning to feel horny!" Hugh said.
"Eww! That's a dirty old man's humor—" Jonah said. She couldn't help groaning and chuckling at him at the same time.
When Hugh just stared at Jonah without any expression on his face, she figured he did not really know. That he was in fact not using a dirty-old-man's line on her but really telling the truth.
"You need to do something with this cut," Hugh said, running a finger through a cut in Jonah's arm. His soft touch sent out tingling sensations all over her body that Jonah wasn't quite sure if it was the healer's touch in him or the horny man equally turning on a woman. He kissed the bruised skin lightly and the thrilling sensation heightened.
"You sealed your fate," Jonah blurted out suddenly, changing the subject. "Why?"
"You know why," Hugh answered, his voice turning husky. He cleared his throat instantly and moved closer to Jonah.
"I don't know why—" Jonah said.
"Because I—" Hugh said.
"You know what? I don't want to know—" Jonah told him.
Hugh lowered his head and his lips met Jonah's in a kiss. But just as soon as their lips locked, Jonah held her hands in his chest and pushed him gently away from her.
"Hugh, please!" Jonah said. "I need to settle things with—"
"I know! I'll wait. I've got forever, you know. But you don't," Hugh said chuckling. He gathered Jonah in his arms. And just like before she had never felt safe and protected than she did as she allowed herself to nestle in Hugh's encircled arms.
"What's it like?" Jonah blurted out.
"What is what like?" Hugh asked.
"The feeling of forever?" Jonah said.
"I don't know. I wasn't even thinking a while ago when I sealed it. I was only thinking of you. Always thinking of you. Forever—" Hugh murmured in her hair. "I don't think of it the way I think of now. Holding you right here, right now. This is it, Jonah! Right here with you. Now is forever!"
* * * * *
Hugh made sure that it was safe for Jonah and Aunt Judith when he dropped them both home the next day on his way to the hospital to see Xavier. With all the excitement about Xavier last night, Jane had managed to escape somehow and nobody bothered with her anymore. It was also Aunt Judith who requested not to alert the police. Even the Livelys had not contemplated on pressing charges…not yet anyway.
Jonah went up Jane's room immediately. On the way, she scanned her surroundings with her colorful vision and noticed that not a single broken piece was evident to give light to what happened last night. It must have been Mara's doing. Even Jane's room was tidied up just as usual. As if Jane hadn't left at all. But when she opened the closet, it was empty.
Jonah recalled what Jane had told her when she was packing. And fresh tears formed in Jonah's eyes. It was painful that Jane did what she had done. There was nothing to pay for Jane's betrayal towards her. But the memories she shared with Jane was beyond her pain. It was an almost absurd feat but she pitied Jane more than she was angry at her sister.
Jonah walked to the coffee table and there was Brice's laptop sitting on top of it. The screen had darkened but when Jonah moused over, an image appeared on screen. Although, she only saw a body of white with colors around it, Jonah knew it was a picture of her with Brice, Jane and Jervais. It was a photo taken of the four of them, years and years ago, she could still clearly see when and were it was taken even if she couldn't even recall they even had it.
Jonah sat down and just clicked through Brice's recent files. And a video recording started playing. It was probably the last of Brice's recording before he died. Jonah could see the outline of Brice speaking to his camera.
Even before Brice could even speak, Jonah was already crying. There was the consistent clicking of his lighter and Jonah knew he was smoking one cigarette after another while he spoke. From the voice she was hearing, she had a vision of Brice in a disheveled for
m the way he was when she saw him lying on the ground. Even when she had caught him early in the morning a hundred times, he probably couldn't look worse than he was that day. Jonah could vision out his unkempt hair. And there was probably the shadow of stubbles showing, when he never liked anyone to see his face unshaven. And maybe his eyes had dark rings around them.
"Hey, you guys!" Brice was speaking. "Did you even think I was going to lose it like this? I never thought it. The death of your mother did it. She was the only figure who seemed to keep us together. But now she's gone, I almost wished it wasn't so. At least we had something to keep us together—we were a family against Rebecca Blood. Now, I feel so alone—like an orphan. And you guys—you looked like you had moved on so quickly. How did you do that, by the way?" he stopped speaking and Jonah could see movement. Brice had buried his face on his arms, which was on top of the table. The screen was only showing Brice's top of the head and part of his shoulders and his back shaking. When he stirred up again, there was no doubt that he had been crying even if Jonah could not see his face, all wet with his tears. He continued to speak, "I am not going to hold on longer. And please forgive me if I have to put you through this. I love you, guys. And I—well, that's it for me," he stopped again.
Jonah was seeing Brice moving. It had looked like Brice was leaving the camera and going to the inner part of his unit and the only things Jonah could see were immobile colors she pictured to be his shelves, his couch and the African violets in the background.
Hugging both her legs and rocking to and fro, Jonah allowed her tears to burst forth in torrents. She just cried and cried, she wasn't sure how it was going to stop. And yet, she knew, it will stop. But she just poured everything out. Recalling what Xavier taught her, she wept even louder and stronger. Then, she howled some more. She could hear herself sounding like a pig ready for slaughter. And it sounded funny and inauthentic. Then, she burst out laughing.
That was how Jervais found Jonah in Jane's room—in hysterics. Jervais went over to Jonah and embraced her tight. The tears began again but multiplied as Jervais joined in seeing Brice's unit on screen.
