One night in years ago (The First Fire-Part 4)

Bam! Bam!

A persistent knock on the main door made Sophie jolt up, waking her from her slumber. At that precise moment, the old wall clock chimed, indicating it was already midnight. Living alone makes her feel cautious from opening the door, but she can smell her sister fragrance despite a much stronger burning flesh and smoke coming from the air she inhales.

She tossed her blanket and quickly grab her outer clothes to cover her modesty and running to open the main door. The past experience makes her worries to open immediately. Is it really her sister outside? In the middle of the night? Standing on the main door. Pearl knocked the door three times and with a higher voice, she poses a question.

"What do you get when you cross an owl and an oyster?"

Pearl heard the knock fives times following the woman voice replying her question.

"Pearls of Wisdom"

Pearl immediately open the door. But it wasn't what she expected. Standing outside, there is a woman cradling a female child who looks like in deep sleep with clothes half full of darkening blood stain. That adult woman is her sister but yet not her sister. To put it correctly it was just the essence of her sister in a faux body. And even the spell that binds the essence and faux body not strong enough to maintain her current state. This is because Pearl can already see the clothes that covered her sister already start disintegrating every second that passes by.

Sophie time definitely is fleeting. Pearl immediately pull the woman inside and locked the door securely. She led Sophie into the bedroom and take the child from Sophie. Pearl placed the sleeping child in the middle of the bed. She spread her hands wide and tries to sense the injury that small body sustain. She senses nothing.

Not satisfied with that, she removes all the clothes and physically checks every inch skin of the naked child to gauge the injury. But even she looks around the skin, the child looks totally fine. Except for the small scar that looks new on her right knees, there no any wound. Pearl cover the naked child with her blanket to keep the body warm. Pearl was perplexed with the child condition. There was so much blood from that child's clothes. Where does the blood come from?

Pearl jerk around and look at her sister. She turns her body and grabs both Sophie's shoulder.

"What happened to your original body? Are you badly injured? Where is it?" We need to take it back before anyone discover it!"

"I have already taken care of it. That body can no longer be saved that why I was in this state."

Sophie body started swaying. If not because Pearl still gripping hard both of her shoulders, she will fall down. Peal gently placed Sophie next to the sleeping child.

"Sophie, please converse your energy. Stop talking. I will pour my energy now. Be still, please."

Pearl cannot hide her exasperated feeling.

"You and I know its pointless now. Don't waste your energy. I don't have much time.

I'm sorry for burdening you with my selfish request."

"Tonight, I lost my husband. and my child will soon lose both her parent. Remember the story of Green Witch that has been passed down by our grandmother? I think my daughter, Erin has similar power but different. I can't describe it. But the blood is too potent. Come closer dear sister."

Pearl know what her sister tend to do. If she let Sophie do what she intended to do, her remaining time will rapidly decrease. Even now Pearl can barely sense her sister essence. Still, Pearl respected Sophie wishes and let Sophie pull Pearl face closer to her own until both their forehead touching. Pearl was trembling when Sophie sharing her past memories tonight, some of earlier memories about Erin ability and part of memories of Sophie and Erin childhood sat side by side in front of their grandmother telling a story about Green Witch.

The flashback stop and Pearl blinking eyes a few times and the hand that holding her face are no longer exist. Sophie's chest and below already disintegrating. Pearl masking her face to look calm and conceal her sorrow.

"Hide my daughter. Teach her protection to protect herself. I said something unforgivable to her. I pray to God she doesn't remember it at all."

Pearl put her right hand on Sophie left cheek.

"I'm sorry Sophie for letting you down before. I will not fail it again. She won't become as you feared. When my time has come, I will find you and we can become family again. Until then, I will take care of Erin and protected her as you wanted. Rest assured of that and please go in peace, my dear beloved"

Pearl kiss Sophie's forehead and smile at her sister. Try to memorize Sophie deep into her memory.

"Sophie Rose Nahille, you are my mother and my twin sister. I love you with all my heart. Farewell, my love. May light will always be with you."

Pearl didn't remove her hand until the cheek that she has been stroke upon disintegrated and disappeared into nothing. The tears that she holding so hard she let it flow free while watching the sleeping child her sister left behind.