1 The Third Law of Motion

According to Newton's Third Law of Motion, "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" a quote that would summarize a point in my life that I would wish to forget.

My name is Bethany Villafuerte, at the age of 28 I guess I have almost everything i had ever wanted and needed. A few months ago, after years of searching the police had finally closed the case on my sister, Annie, her body was found in an old property of our family, how she got there was a big mystery, and the investigator never told us and honestly I was afraid of finding out if everything that I know and saw was real, or maybe I was just trying to justify the reasoning that all of it was done by someone who is crazy and wanted to hurt my family. In the end, I convinced myself that I really didn't want to know.

I suddenly became the youngest child officially, and finding my younger sister's body  made the next few weeks life a whirlwind of events. Carmella went home from the U.S., Ulysses postponed his wedding, and our parents...well they got heartbroken again. My older brother was obviously outraged by the events and wanted to find out why and how my sister died but dad went against it, so my brother dropped the topic, but I knew that he was still angry deep inside it's just that he didn't want to argue with Dad, he feared that if we stressed him anymore than this his heart condition might act up.  Carmella the eldest wasn't showing signs of shock in front of mom and dad but she wasn't okay either, soon after she went home all she did was cry in her room at night, we all heard it, but pretended that we didn't because Carmie didn't want to be fussed over. Me? I cried, I cried till my eyes hurt, I blamed myself for losing her, because I knew what happened, I knew what killed my sister but I didn't want to believe it, but one thing is for sure, it wasn't human.

The wake happened two weeks after the discovery of Annie's remains, it was a short wake, people from all over came to pay their respects to my little sister, but we knew that it was really because of Dad and Ulysses why they came. we didn't really prolonged the agony of my parents, that's why we decided to keep it at three days, timing the internment on a Sunday, because Annie was born on a Sunday. The family wore white that day, I remembered looking in the mirror seeing my swollen blackish-brown eyes from all the crying, my naturally black wavy locks was gathered in a bun with my bangs just covering my wide forehead, but mercilessly exposing my chubby cheeks. We buried her bones that sad day, but i couldn't remember crying. It was the second time that we will lose my baby sister,  a wound that was never really closed was ripped open and then stabbed a million times. I thought everything was going to be alright after burying Annie, i thought that maybe after this the nightmares will finally go away, but I was dead wrong.

What happened after the internment i experienced something i could never forget. By the tree a few meters away, someone stood there, he was wearing a suit, A weird grin and was looking straight at me, then he waved. I looked around hoping that someone else was waving back at him, but unfortunately there wasn't. I walked towards Carmie (Carmella's nickname) and whispered, "Ate, do you know the guy by the tree?" Carmie looked at the direction and looked back at me with one eyebrow raised, "Beth, are you seeing things we aren't seeing?" She smiled and hugged me, "Don't worry we'll get through this so keep it together, okay?" I just nodded and hugged her back. I looked back at the tree and she was right no one was there, I pinched my arm, it hurts, I'm quite certain that I was awake, maybe i just had too much coffee, I said to myself.

As we were about to go to the car there was a tap on my shoulder and as i looked back the man previously by the tree was behind me suddenly , again he was smiling, my eyes widened with shock and i was unsure what to do.

"Condolences", he said with a menacing grin. I nodded at him staring blankly and turned to my sister who was motionless, with one leg on the raised in motion to get on the vehicle, it was worth noting that the world fell to a dead silence, I thought I was deaf for a moment but I was sure I heard him speak a moment before. I stared at the man, he gave me a fake innocent look then said, "let's talk, it won't be too long, besides it's not like you can go anywhere", looking at my motionless sister. I looked around and everything was unmoving, it like the whole world was put into pause like a film.

That moment I knew he was right, there was nothing i could do but to accept his offer, even though I was unwilling, he gestured at me that we should take a walk. He lead, and I silently followed suit. He seemed cheerful as we walked and we stopped at my sister's grave, "do know how long it took me just to look for your sister?" I shrugged my shoulders, "almost twenty years", he exclaimed joyously.

I found it in me to say, "So?"

He shot me a questioning look then said, "So now she is finally right where she belongs!" He laughed in pure delight, i felt uncomfortable, then a hand took hold of mine, i looked down and saw Annie smiling at me wearing her favorite white dress. My eyes began to water and the man in the suit chuckled. I felt my knees gave way and i was suddenly on my knees hugging my sister so tight and crying, apologizing and saying words of love. Annie hugged me back consoling me, then the man in the suit said, "It's time to say goodbye Annie", i felt Annie nod and she held my shoulders and whispered, "Bye Ate, thank you for not giving up on me. i love you."

Then before my very eyes i watched my sister disappear. She was gone, i can't help but let out a pained wail, and cried on. Years of pain and suffering released in a manner of minutes. It was so painful, it was  the type that can kill you. The man in the suit patted my shoulder, he was still smiling, he helped me to stand up.

"Now that's over with shall we talk business, Ms. Traveler", he said to me

"W-what do y-you m-mean?" I asked in between sobs

The man snapped his fingers and a chair materialized out of nowhere, on which he sat haughtily; his legs crossed and his hands clasped together sitting on top of his thigh. He smiled at me, "I am of desperate need of your services Ms. Traveler, i need you to do an errand for me", his tone cool and almost mocking.

"I don't understand what you're saying, why are you calling me Traveler, my name is Bethany Villafuerte, and what errand are you talking about?" I said to him exasperatedly

He looked at me as if I was a complete fool, then and there I felt a hand on my shoulder and the smooth baritone that followed was all too familiar.

"Beth, giving your name to complete strangers are not very proper, don't you agree?" It was Uncle Ian the good-hearted physician that was close to our family, "Carmie is looking for you"

He placed his arm around my shoulder and was already whisking me away from the Suited Stranger when we heard him say, "things you do to vex me are really unbelievable Ian."

Uncle Ian turned to him, i saw his brow furrowed with what seems to be irritation, it was my first time to see him like that. The Uncle Ian that I have always known was never fazed by anything or anyone, he always had a smile on his face and a kind demeanor, but somehow this stranger has got to his nerves at first try.

"Beth, can you wait for a moment, I just need to have a word with this guy". He said to me with his always kind smile.

I watched him approached the stranger until they were toe to toe at each other, the stranger didn't moved or flinched from where he stand but so did Uncle Ian. Both of their faces are calm, then the stranger spoke first, "brave of you to face me finally, Irithiel."

Who is Irithiel, i thought to myself.

"Know your boundaries Ciel", said Uncle Ian. So the stranger's name is Ciel, i made a mental note.

"You should know yours as well Irithiel. Don't meddle with my jobs. Half my ass has been chewed up for the last twenty years because of you!" Ciel wasn't shouting but he was full of rage.

"Stay away from Bethany", Uncle Ian said with finality

"Atonement will come no matter how twist and turn it, and no matter how much you try to protect her, she will be caught in the middle", Ciel said then he looked straight at me, "let's talk again okay, it's a date." he smiled at me kindly and then with one final look of distaste to Uncle Ian he walked off.

Uncle Ian turned to me again and lead me back to Carmie who was indeed looking for me, i had a lot of questions in my head that time, things i needed to clarify so before running off to my sister i asked him.

"Who was that guy uncle and why does he seem to irritate you?"

Uncle ian looked at me kindly and said, "Beth, stay away from him okay? If you see him again just ignore him, he's just trouble."

"What does he mean atonement?"

Uncle Ian sighed but gave me the weirdest and confusing answer i had ever heard, "He was talking about Newton's Third Law of Motion; for every action there is an equal and opposite  reaction". Then he bid me goodbye, as he turned away i felt that somehow he wasn't okay with me asking that question or with that stranger talking to me.

More confused than how i started i went to my sister and rode off.