Chapter 26:

Tomorrow turned into the weekend before our birthdays. Two days before Sly and I chose the Keuze. The choice that is going to change everything. What if we don't make the right decisions? What if we have doomed the world? What if?

"Eve, time to eat," dad said from the other side of the door.

"I will be right there," I sighed as I got out of bed.

Going downstairs I couldn't help but keep thinking about my choice that I had to make. I still need to talk to the Dunkels and everyone about what will happen. They have the right to know, and it will also make me feel a little bit better about what is going to happen in a couple of days.

Without telling anyone after I ate breakfast, I went to the Lichts' house first… by myself.

"Eve, where are you?" Sly transmitted.

"I need to straighten things out with everyone. Can you by me sometime? I need to do this on my own."

"Okay. But be safe," he said as the link was cut off.

Arriving at the Lichts' house, I knew what I was going to say and that I was up for any questions. Knocking at the door, Feniks answered, "Hi, Eve. What are you doing here?"

"I am here to talk to everyone. Is everyone here?" I asked.

"Yeah, come on in. Everyone, come down here! Eve is here to talk to us!" Feniks yelled once we got in the house.

"Okay, we will be there in a little bit. Have her sit on the couch, Feniks," Mei instructed from somewhere in the house towards the back.

Sitting down on the couch, Feniks sat next to me. Then everyone slowly started to flow into the living room. Mei sat in the front chair with Blau and Feuera sitting on the couch to the left of her, followed by Metalla and Tiera on the couch to the right of her. With everyone sitting around in a circle, I began to explain why I was there: "I know you are wondering what I am here for. Well, as you know the Keuze is in two days and I want everyone to be on the same page,"

"You can't tell us your decision, Eve," Mei said, sounding surprised by the reason that I was there for.

"I know. I am not going to tell you the plan. I am simply here to tell you that no matter what happens after the Keuze, I want you to know that I forgive you, and that I hope you forgive Sly and I for our choice. Also, that you will forget the past."

"That is very brave of you, but why?" Mei asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"I want to be forgiven for the way that I acted at first. I know that I was a little moody and a little agitated, but I just had my entire life uprooted and thrown into the world of the supernatural." They all shook their heads in agreement. So, I continued, "Then I want to be forgiven for my choice about the Keuze because it may be something that you do not like, but it needs to happen. Then finally, forget what happened in the past and remember the future is going to be greater than what it is now."

"What do you mean?" Feniks asked.

"Well, I can't tell you exactly, but I know that my choice will be hated by some. However, I believe that it is what is right. So, I just want to be forgiven in advance, while you are all in the right mind," I explained.

"Well, Eve, we forgive you for your choice. I know that your mom would be proud of you for this choice, and she always told us to believe in the unknown," Mei said.

"Mom was a great and inspirational woman. She was so great for her little time on the earth," I said with tears in my eyes.

"She was but she was also a Gold. So, she knew all and saw all. She knew what you are meant for," Mei informed me.

"I know. Thank you all for your time. I need to go and talk with the Slechts and the Dunkels," I said, heading towards the door.

"Well, you be safe, Eve. We do not want anything bad happening to you. You should have Sly with you." Mei added with a concerned mom voice.

"I will be okay. Sly knows what I am doing. Well, bye now," I said, grabbing the door handle.

"Bye, Eve. Be safe," everyone said.

As I left the house, I could see in Feniks' eyes, there was this feeling that I could not understand. It looked like he was sad to see me go and as if he wanted to tell me something. I had seen that look before with John and Kenny.

"Good girl," the voice said again with golden lights flying by me.

Heading west, I went to the Slechts' home. On the way, I sent Sly a message using Gualta, "Sly, I am okay. I am on my way to see the Slechts. Everything went well with the Lichts."

A few moments later, I got a message back, "Good. Be safe, Sis. I know everything will be okay. Keep me updated," he said, concerned.

"I will."

In about three minutes, I arrived at the Slechts' home. Before I reached the door, David opened the door and half yelled and whispered at me, "What are you doing here? I told you and your brother not to come back here."

"I am here to talk to everyone about the Keuze. Can I come in?" I asked, ignoring his warning.

"Fine, but make it fast," he said, opening the door for me. Once we were inside, David yelled, "Hey, Eve is here. Pack meeting!"

Sitting in the wooden chair, Jeffrey sat in the chair across from me while Lukas and Liam stood by his side, David and Max sat on the floor to the left of them, and Harry sat on the right side, leaving Jeremy to sit uncomfortably close to me.

"Good to see you again, Eve. How may we help you?" Jeffrey asked with a smirk.

"I am here to explain the Keuze," I said, confidently.

"Eve, you can't tell us what your decision is," Lukas said before getting the stink eye from Jeffrey.

"I know. I just want everyone to be on the same page with the Goeds. I came here not as a Goeds or a Lichts. I came here as a person who has a great decision before her. I want to ask for forgiveness."

"Forgiveness? What for?" Liam asked.

"I want forgiveness for how Sly and I left last time. We were just scared and didn't know what and how to act with you." Once I said that David was much more in a relaxed state because he knew I was going to keep this a secret. "And I am also here to ask for forgiveness about the past. I don't want the past to ruin the chances for the future."

"We understand that, and we do forgive you, and I guess we can also forgive the past deeds done upon us, "Jeffrey said.

"That is great to know. I don't want any bad blood between the supernatural worlds," I said proudly.

"And neither do we," Jeffrey said in a very conniving little way. But I could not do anything to get the truth out of him.

"Well, I better be on my way to the Dunkels. Have a great day," I said as I headed for the door.

"Wait, before you go. Why are you going to the Dunkels?" Jeffrey asked suspiciously.

"Just going to ask the same thing I said to you," I said, holding on to the door handle.

"Okay, good. I don't want them to get a different talk than what we got," he said, giving me the chills.

"Nope, I am just making sure everyone is on the same page. That is, it," I said.

"Okay, then have a great day, Eve," he said with a creepy smile.

"Bye," I said, opening the door.

Leaving the home, I got a weird feeling that Jeffrey was trying to cover something up or get something out of me. Getting on the four-wheeler, I headed South towards the Dunkels' home.

"Well done, my child," the voice said in a sinister voice.

I ignored the voice and communicated with Sly, "Two down, one to go."

"Okay, but be careful, this one is more dangerous. How did the conversation go with the Slechts?" he asked, concerned.

"Fine, but I think Jeffrey was and is covering something up. I just can't put my finger on it yet," I said as I drove away.

"Well, just be safe. I know that you want to do this your own, so I will not fight you on it. Okay, Sis. But do not let me regret it. I love you, he said, lovingly."

"I love you too, Sly. I will see you at home. Bye."

Arriving at the Dunkels' house, I knocked on the door to find Vogela on the other side, "Well, hello, Eve. What brings you back here?" she asked in her creepy witch voice.

"Hi, uhm… I am here to talk to you about the Keuze. And I know that I am not supposed to tell you my choice, and I am not planning on telling you, either" I said in the same tone as every other time that I said it.

"Well, okay. Come on in," she said, welcoming me inside.

Walking into the living room, I found Raven waiting on the loveseat for her mom and Morgana and Diera on the couch on the left and the kids on the couch on the right side. I stood at the end and began to explain my reasoning for being here. "I am here to ask for forgiveness. I forgive you for all that you did with Sly and me. And I want your forgiveness for acting out."

"That is okay. We forgive you. We would all act the same if we did that," Morgana said.

"I also want you guys to forgive the Lichts. I want this Keuze to be a fresh start for everyone even if my choice is not that," I said.

"We can forgive them if they forgive us and not try to change us," Vogela said.

"I don't think they would mind that. But I need to go home to see Sly. So, bye," I said, turning around.

"Bye." Vogela said.

As I got onto the four-wheeler, I heard a mumble of something that sounded like a spell. I did not turn around to see who it was or rethink things, I just started the four-wheeler and drove home.

Arriving back at home, the boys were there to greet me. "How did it go?" Sly asked.

"Don't worry. It is fine. Just trust me," I said.

"What should we do about Monday?" Sly asked.

"Trust your inner little kid. Mom will in some way tell you what to do," I said. "That is all I can say. Now, let us go for a run and enjoy the last couple of days."

"Okay," they said with quizzical brows.

I ran away and let all my struggles and problems fly away as the voice came back. "We are proud of you, Belle!" The voice gave me chills as I ran from my problems.

"Who are you?" I asked the voice that surrounded me.

But there was nothing in return. Just cold dead silence with golden lights twinkling around me.