The Turtle

<p><br/>Chapter 4<br/><br/>Alda<br/><br/>Never in my life had I felt something so many things at once. The moment we woke up in the forest, I was scared, I was alert, I was excited. When we crossed the "forever" field, I was happy, I was enchanted, I felt adaptive. But when I entered this majestic lake, I was empowered, I was confident, I was alive for the first time in my life. I was perplexed at the free flowing of emotions. I can feel my heartbeat quicken with excitement when I watched Meadow step into the water.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>"Are you ready?" I couldn't contain my smile. Something was telling me that we would all be fine. It was like in the depts of this pool, my peace that was forever lost had been found. I formed a circle and my sisters, and I grabbed hands. I let the turtle swim to the middle of us. I began to hum a song I didn't know.<br/><br/>The turtle began to grow a golden light on the outside of his shell that slowly rippled across the water with ever note of my newfound tune. The light surrounded us in a divine way, cradling us in its warmth. The turtle began to swim towards the other side of the lake. Slowly we drifted to our destination. My sisters wore looks of awe, astonishment and frankly fear. I felt at home and watched each one of them as I continued to hum my melody to my new friend the turtle.<br/><br/>I am probably not going to explain this right, but the turtle felt like a part of me. Like we belonged to the same tribe. Clearly, I was losing my mind because how could I possible be related to a turtle of all things. My mind races as I aimlessly keep my harmony at play. As we slowly trek across the large lake, my mind wanders to my past.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Alda's Story<br/><br/>Miranda was a great adoptive mother. She always did her best by me. She was a quiet librarian who put more value in books then she did in relationships. She was a lonely woman, hints why she adopted me at age 2 from Ms. Hanafrey. We had a good life the few years I was with her. I never wanted for anything...except a father.<br/><br/>When I was 5, I started asking about my father as I had no idea I was adopted. I wanted to know if I looked like him, I wanted to know if he missed me and wanted to see me. I kept asking my mom, Miranda until one day after I turned 6 she told me she would like me to meet someone. That someone was Arnold.<br/><br/>Arnold was a nice enough man at first, and I could see he made my mom happy. I began viewing him as my dad and all questions of my biological father went out the window. Arnold and Miranda met at the library my mom worked at. He was in search of some books for his thesis and him and mom hit it off perfectly. By the time I turned 7 we were a happy little family…but not for long.<br/><br/>Arnold wanted more from Miranda than just her time…he wanted me too. When I told my "mom" of his advances on me, I was the one to blame…at 7 it was my fault that a grown man held lust in his heart for me. I begged her to believe me. I begged her to make him go away so we could be normal again. I begged her protect me from him. She did none of these things.<br/><br/>One day, while Miranda was at work and I was home with my babysitter, Arnold came home early, wreaking of whisky. I didn't know at the time the danger I was in. He sent the sitter home hours early and had his eyes set on having me…and have me he did. Even at 7, I knew what had happened would scar me for the rest of my life. I tried to tell Miranda what happened, but she was convinced I was lying. She started acting like I was the one perusing her "man". Needless to say, he was the victim, and I was sent back to Ms. Hanafrey, no longer a part of that broken family. I was alone and scared. I fell into myself until one day I met Meadow. She quickly pulled me out of my shell, and we became bonded over the pain our parents put us through. Later, Wren and Ember would join our little tribe.<br/><br/>Time had come for my new family…a family I got to choose and who would always have my back. I'm ever thankful for the days I met my sisters. Without them, I would never have survived my aftermath of abuse.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>I was so lost in thought of a past long forgotten, I hadn't realized we were floating close to the other side of the lake. I was still humming as if in a trance. I smiled at my sisters who were staring between me and the glowing turtle. As we inch closer to the shore, I feel the muck at the bottom of the river brush our feet. I step down and drop the ladies' hands. I grab the turtle and head to the shoreline. The sun is barely in the sky now and I know that soon we will be in the cold of the night, soaking wet. I held tightly to my savior turtle with one hand and used the other to help my sisters out of the water.<br/><br/>"What the hell just happened Alda? How did you know what to do with that damn thing?" Ember was astonished and was looking at the creature in my hand as if it were a leaper. I couldn't hold back my giggle.<br/><br/>"Honestly, I'm not sure. It just came to me. It was like the turtle and I shared a consciousness and I knew what needed to happen. Weird huh!" I smiled at my tiny friend and gave it a peck before releasing it back into the lake. It turned back to me from the bank as if to say that it was honored and swam off into the depts once again.<br/><br/>"Weird is one word for it." Said Wren with excitement in her voice. " I would say that what just happened was downright peculiar…unheard of…rare…magical. What is going on? We can't be in our normal town. We have to be somewhere where things like this are the norm. Any ideas Meadow?" So far Meadow hadn't said a word. She was staring in the distance of where the turtle was last seen. It was like she was lost in the thought of wonder. We all looked out at the big lake we just crossed over in a matter of minutes.<br/><br/>"There is definitely something going on, I just can't put my finger on it. For some reason, I feel like we are exactly where we need to be." Meadow spoke up with a hint of wonder in her voice. She almost whispered the last sentence as if speaking to herself.<br/><br/>"Meadow is right, you ladies are exactly where you need to be." A voice from behind startled us. We all whirled around to the tallest woman we had ever laid eyes on. "I have waited 18 years to finally meet you beauties. Meadow, Ember, Wren, and Alda welcome to Bavilan. Welcome home." She smiled at us and held her arms out waiting for a hug.<br/><br/>We couldn't move a muscle.<br/></p>