Chapter 10 Pt. 2 - Meridian's Memory Returns

Pramlee was excited. “We are at Esmra’s place. It all makes sense now. Luna’s mother didn’t send us on a wild goose chase. She knew that Tallulah knew these people and that they were witches. All this time we thought that Selena was just trying to make it that much more difficult. Now Luna and Relic are nowhere to be seen. Where are they?”

“Well, if I know Relic, he is probably going to do something really stupid and dangerous. With Luna being so deeply in love, we can only guess that she is right on his heels,” Ridge said. “So, ask yourselves what the worst thing would be that any of us could do?” he added sarcastically.

“No, surely he isn’t that dumb,” Slaten stated.

“Yes, I think he is that dumb,” Pramlee snapped.

“We can’t just let him go back to Etheria. We need him here; we need Luna. She can talk to Esmra. This is it, this is what we were looking for, and Tallulah led us right to the answer. We have to get them back now!” Kieren yelled.

“Meridian, what is it?” Tallulah asked.

“I know this place!” she said in shock.

“How?” Tallulah asked.

“I don’t know, but this has to have something to do with me being a spirit guide, like we suspect. I just can’t remember why or how I know this place.” Meridian frowned as she scratched her head.

They continued up the driveway and parked the car. As they were exiting the car, the front door of the house opened and there stood Esmra, the main witch of the house and coven. She made her way down the stairs and stopped very suddenly before looking around.

“Tallulah, I am so glad you made it. Did you bring anyone else with you?” Esmra asked.

“Yes, this is a friend of mine that I wanted you to meet,” Tallulah replied.

Esmra walked toward the women as they made their way up the stairs to the porch. She paused and looked deeply into Meridian’s eyes.

“Have we met before?” Meridian asked.

“I was just going to ask you the same thing. I know you, but I can’t recall how,” Esmra said as she was distracted looking around.

“Tallulah, have you done any readings recently?” Esmra paused and looked over to Meridian.

“No, not in the past few days, why?” Tallulah asked.

“You have brought spirits with you. I can feel them. I can sense them. How can you not?” Esmra began walking back toward the house.

“That is part of the reason I am here. I do feel them, but it’s different. I don’t get them through a reading, but I can feel them around me a lot - especially since Meridian has come into my life.” Tallulah followed and motioned Meridian to follow her up the stairs to the porch.

“Meridian? That is your name?” Esmra reached out to Meridian and took her by the hand.

“Yes, I am Meridian, and you are?”

“Forgive my manners, Meridian this is Esmra.” Tallulah made a part of the introductions.

Meridian’s mind was overflowing with memories from the prior year when she came with her father and the other guides for Esmra’s assistance in getting the fairy quartz.

“The fairy quartz, it was you.” At least a part of Meridian’s memory was returning.

“How do you know about the fairy quartz? What do you know?” Esmra stated as her eyes lit up with recognition.

“Tallulah, she is a spirit guide. I do recognize her. Meridian was one of the names of the guides that came here a year ago looking for the quartz,” Esmra said.

“This is crazy. I can’t believe it. Then it is true, Meridian. You were indeed a guide.” Tallulah seemed relieved to hear someone else connect with what she had assumed.

“How on Earth have you managed to be here among us?” Esmra asked as she locked eyes with Meridian.

Esmra motioned them inside the house for a little privacy. The guides followed right into the house after Tallulah and Meridian in hopes of a clue to help them with the situation. As the pair walked in, Meridian’s familiarity was growing, and her mind was firing off more than she could process. Esmra noticed and pulled a chair out for Meridian to sit in. Small talk slowly grew into a deeper conversation where Tallulah explained how she had met Meridian and what Tallulah saw when she did her first reading.

“Esmra, I don’t understand why I can’t read any further than just the day these spirits came into my shop,” Tallulah said. “I have never had a problem getting a read on anyone, and when it comes to Meridian she confounds me.

“Meridian, I have the same feelings about you as Tallulah does, and I know that I know you. Do you know Luna?”

“Luna? I don’t know. The name sounds familiar, but I can’t be sure. I only remember the names Aiden and Talon so far.” Meridian stopped and allowed Esmra to continue.

“Luna is a fairy that was here with you a year ago, to help your kind from your realm’s leader. Luna’s mother sent for the stone, and you were on a mission to go to the dark realm for the fairy book,” Esmra said as she watched Meridian very closely.

“Can you show me the stone? Do you still have it?” Meridian asked.

“Well, I do not have that stone, but I do have a stone that is very similar. It is just smaller than the one that was given. We kept the stone for generations, and we have passed down the knowledge throughout the years,” Esmra said as she motioned for the women to follow her up the stairs where she used to keep the large stone. “I also feel the others. They are here with you, Meridian,” Esmra whispered as she pointed out to the empty space in front of Meridian.

“What is she talking about?” Kieren shouted out to the guides who would listen. He threw his hands up in frustration, forgetting that this situation wasn’t just about professing his love for Meridian.

“Shut up. She does know we are here,” Pramlee said as she pushed Kieren.

Slaten scratched his head as he watched Pramlee put Kieren in line. He pondered the prior year with Tallulah. “Well, why can’t she hear us like she could last year?”

“I don’t know.” Pramlee shrugged her shoulders non-committal-like, and then she pranced off without a care. “I am just glad to know that someone else can sense our presence.”

Meridian and Tallulah followed the witch upstairs to take a look at the stone in hopes of getting a clue as to what her past was, and a true link to the spirits Esmra spoke of.

“Esmra, can you do a reading on Meridian?” Tallulah pointed over to Meridian who was studying all the books on Esmra’s shelf.

“I can, yes, of course, but if you are struggling to get a read, I probably will too. I have others in the coven that I can reach out to for assistance. It may be uncomfortable to endure, though. Meridian, is this something you would approve of? You both can stay here with us, and we can take care of things, but first, we would need to pay another witch a visit,” Esmra stated.

“Sure, I am willing to do whatever I must to find out who I am and get some answers.” Meridian perked up as she spoke to the old witch.

They made it upstairs and, just like the year before, Esmra opened up the box that once held the coveted fairy quartz, but inside now was a smaller version. Meridian gasped as she took sight of the stone.

“What is it, Meridian?” Tallulah asked.

“I remember this! I remember the stone and a name. Who is Kieren?” Meridian inquired.

Before Tallulah had the chance to respond the guides were stirred up at Meridian’s memory.

“She remembers! This is great!” Pramlee was jumping around hugging Slaten.

“Can she feel me?” Kieren asked.

The two psychic friends looked around the room, and their senses were running away with them faster than they could process what they felt. Talon who had stood quietly was brimming with his own questions.

“Wow, there is a lot of energy around you, Meridian. You have sparked something,” Esmra stated.

“Who is Kieren?” Tallulah asked Meridian.

Meridian took pause to the question and stared down at the floor. Her mind again was running away with memories. She had flashbacks to when she and Kieren shared their first kiss, and how alive he made her feel. She closed her eyes, and she could see herself with the Fairy Quartz, and she could also see herself sitting next to Kieren as he lay in the fairy slumber that Luna had put him in. She opened her eyes and perked up.

“Kieren! The stone! I remember. He is the one! Kieren is the one!” Meridian shouted.

“This is good; she is remembering. Whatever this is that has a hold on Meridian maybe strong, but she is showing her own strength. Whomever Kieren is, we need to find him as well. Let me gather up some things, and we will go and see what else we can accomplish,” Esmra said.

Ridge looked to Pramlee and said, “We need to get Luna back. She is the only one of us who can talk to Esmra and pass the message along. It very well could be Kieren who could save her from all of this.”