Stonehenge Page 2
“Miele!”
I didn’t even have a chance to turn around when Elliott scooped me up and twirled me in his arms. “Buongiorno Miele (Good day Honey). Sorry about earlier,” he said.
I looked up into his oceanic green eyes, and he gazed into mine. It was as though he were looking into my soul. His eyebrows furrowed.
“What?” I said.
Elliott sat me down, not taking his eyes off me for a second.
“What?” I repeated.
His eyes looked at the ground as he spoke. “Something happened.”
I looked around frantically, trying to figure out what was the matter. “What happened Elliott? What is it? Are you alright?”
“You tell me.” His eyes were guarded as he whispered the words.
Shit! Stupid Nicholas! “Nicholas came over today?” I could feel my face cringing.
Elliott’s voice was flat. “And he kissed you.”
Now I was the one that suddenly found the ground fascinating. “Yes.” Why did I feel so dirty? It’s not like I had a choice in the matter. Nicholas was just too big. Well, practically everyone was bigger than my intimidating sixty-three inches.
To my surprise, Elliott’s big, strong arms wrapped around me tight. “I love you Lilly.”
I was more than a little confused, but all I could do was hold him back as I fought back the tears that started to stream down my face. “I love you Elliott. I didn’t kiss him back. Promise.”
“I know Miele. Io so (I know).” A deep sigh escaped his mouth, and Elliott’s voice changed. “I need to tell you something.”
I looked deep into his eyes. “What?”
He held me closer. “Follow me.”
I knew what he meant by “follow me.” I gave my body over to instinct and instantly followed him through the astral plane to the cliff tops of my past. My Italian past. Elliott sat down on the edge overlooking the water below while I took a moment to get my bearings. Why were we here? The last time I was here, I was reliving a memory that happened nearly three hundred years ago. A memory in which Elliott and I jumped from these cliffs hand in hand, together. I took off my shoes and sat next to him, letting the mist wet my toes.
Elliott took my hand in his, but stayed quite.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
The salt water sprayed up at us from the violent waves below. The wet rocks sparkled and shined. I had very deep conflicted feelings about this place.
“I need to tell you something.” The booming sound of water became silent. Something was wrong.
I leaned over and kissed the side of his mouth. His face turned and his lips met mine with a sort of eager, dangerous feeling. I closed my eyes, and looked at him with my soul. All I saw was love. But there was something else. Something I couldn’t put my finger on.
Instead of end the kiss, Elliott cupped his hands behind my neck and head, and rolled me onto my back. The passion that radiated from him was intoxicating. How could I be so lucky to have found my soul mate? I tried to push the worry out of my mind and kiss him back just as intensely. But as our tongues danced, I knew, something was wrong, and my mind wouldn’t let it go.
When he gave me a moment to breath, I bit my lip and looked him in the eyes. “Elliott, what’s bothering you? Is it Nicholas? There’s nothing between us, you know that. Please tell me what’s wrong.”
He retook his place, sitting on the edge of the cliff and I sat up beside him. “Please,” I pleaded.
“I need to tell you something, Miele.”
“Okay.” I was guarded. Elliott usually wasn’t like this.
“You know I love you.”
“Yes.”
“More than anything.”
“I love you too, Elliott.” I had no idea where he was going and he could read the confusion in my eyes.
“You know how you keep asking me for a more permanent solution to our problem?” He looked out over the waves as he spoke.
“Yes. How we can be together forever?”
“Well, I know how.” Why wasn’t he happy about this?
Wait! “This doesn’t sound like news to you?”
He didn’t look me in the eyes. “It’s not.”
“Why didn’t you tell me when I asked before? Is that where you go?”
Elliott put one arm around me holding me next to him. “Because it’s dangerous.”
I started to connect the dots. “Does it have something to do with here?”
His green eyes danced with my blue. “Yes.”
It was a memory! I knew it. That dream I had a few months back about this place and jumping from this very spot. “I remember Elliott.”
Now it was his turn to look confused. “What are you talking about?”
“I remember,” I stood up and walked back and forth on the protruding ledge, “I remember jumping.” And in that dream I was happier than ever, considering.
Elliott wasn’t about to give me all the details just yet. “Elaborate for me, mia amore.”
“When you found me a few months back I had a dream of this place. But it was like it really happened.”
He was more guarded than ever. He spoke slowly, “What really happened?” His eyebrows raised ever so slightly.
“In the dream, I was out here waiting for you. It was night and the moon was shining bright. When you got here, you came and stood next to me. And hand in hand we jumped from the edge.”
“How come you are so calm? I love you Lilly, but you have completely freaked out on me for far less than this. Non capisco (I don’t understand).”
I thought back to that dream, and shrugged my shoulders. “I guess because I was utterly and completely happy. Why? Should I be upset?”
He motioned for me to come sit back down beside him. Then Elliott leaned in towards me and kissed under my ear as he whispered, “Yes.”
Chapter 2. The Same Story
On instinct I pulled back, I needed to look him in the eyes. “What do you mean?”
Elliott’s eyes started to wet, though he successfully fought back tears. Why the hell is he so upset about this?
“Lilly,” he said my name as a plea.
I didn’t do well with conflict. My heart started to flutter. “What’s the matter Elliott? Tell me!”
He looked around us, looking lost and confused. “I’m trying to find the words,” he paused. “Do you remember anything more from that dream of yours? Do you remember what led up to the jump?”
“No. Jumping was pretty much it.”
“How did you access the memory? What were you doing?”
The onslaught of questions was perplexing. “I don’t remember.”
Elliott squeezed my hand. “Let me refresh your memory. It will help me explain.”
The scent of salt water filled my nose, bringing me back to that day in my dream as he started his story. “You know how we met at San Lorrenzo Maggiore in Napoli?”
“Yes.”
“In 1719?”
“Yes. You told me the story.”
He sighed, “there is a lot more that needs to be told, since something seems to be blocking your memories.”
“Like what, Elliott? What’s missing from the story?”
Looking deep into my eyes he said, “How we came to be apart.” His eyes glistened with tears. “Sorry Miele. It’s a painful memory.”
At that moment I knew whatever he was going to tell me was going to change our relationship forever. In what direction it would go, I was uncertain.
He held my face in his big, strong hands and kissed my lips. “The worst part is that you already know everything. It’s in there.” He kissed me again, this time on my forehead. All I could do was stare blankly into his eyes.
“I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know,” he sighed and took my hand in his.
Saltwater dripped from my free hand. I held it out over the edge, feeling the water mist my skin. I watched the sea as Elliott continued.
“I still had my obligations. I had to work in the Piazza Bellini selling the fish my family caught. I was an important part of my families livelihood. But all I wanted was to be with you.
“I would sneak off every night. And when we figured out how to project, we would push it and see how far we could go together. We saw the world, and life was good. You got it into your head that we could cheat death with this extraordinary mind power. While I worked at my job, you worked on figuring out how we could always be together. You were obsessed with the idea,” Elliott looked at me, “Nothing’s changed.” He gave me a smile, but I could see that he was hurting inside.
“You were certain that our thoughts, our energy, was immortal. Unfortunately there is only one way to test mortality. We projected up here one day. You had it worked out in your head that all that was needed to permanently transition planes was faith. A literal leap of faith no less.” Elliott eyed the fateful cliffs.
I looked at Elliott and saw tears involuntarily streaming down his cheeks. “What happened?” I asked as I looked down at the raging waves far below.
“I go where you go, mia amore. There was no talking you out of jumping, and there was no talking me out of being without you. You had such faith that I believed it was possible also. Your theory was that the mind wouldn’t fully let go of the physical plane easily. You needed something to make it let go. And this seemed like the best idea.
“This place was like your meadow back home is to you now. You were here on the physical realm just as much or more than you were here on the astral realm. On that day we both astrally projected here. That was the key. It was supposed to be simple. Tap into the minds power. Hold hands. Hold faith. And jump. But…” he paused.
“But what? What went wrong?” My heart was racing. I could feel my pulse quicken and I noticed I was holding my breath.
He looked me in the eyes. “It worked…” he whispered.
I punched him in the shoulder. “Don’t work me up like that,” He gave me a look. Then it dawned on me, “Wait a minute. If it worked…. then how did we get separated?”
“You didn’t let me finish. I was about to say, it worked… for me.”
“Huh?”
“You were right. A leap of faith while astrally projected worked.”
“For you. What did I do wrong?”
He took a really deep breath in as he said, “You didn’t die.”
Did I hear him right? “Excuse me?”
“I can explain this better somewhere else. It will help. Will you come with me?”
I looked at Elliott. “Are you dead?”
“Come with me Lilly. It will help you understand.”
I felt his hand take hold of mine. The tingles that radiated between us only seemed to get stronger with time. I placed my saltwatered hand on his knee as I let his words sink in. I could feel him. I could touch him. Elliott was real, to me at least.
This cliff top still felt foreboding but it was the cliffs alone. Elliott would never hurt me. I could feel it in his touch. I looked up at his perfect face. His chocolate hair waved in the ocean breeze and he smiled down at me. “Of course I’ll follow you, Elliott. Where are we going?”
He immediately grabbed me and held me tight. “Amo tua (I love you).”
“I love you too.”
I couldn’t help but angle my face up so that my lips touched his. I was addicted to that mouth. This time when he kissed me, my passion matched his. He pulled my legs across his lap, and tucked me into his arms. One deep, steamy kiss and an astral projection later, I opened my eyes to my meadow.
The leaves on the maple trees were starting to turn. The once emerald green leaves now had fire red and pumpkin orange edges. There was still another month until the snow would start to fall. Another month for the green to completely disappear from the leaves, and fall to the ground to be hidden beneath a blanket of white. But for now, it was still rich, warm colors and crisp, cool air. It took me a moment to realize that I wasn’t here astrally. I had returned to my physical self. I sat up from my hiding place. Elliott sat beside me.
“Why did you want to come here?” I asked. This place wasn’t anything special. Well, it was special to me, but that was it. An abandoned, forgotten cemetery deep within the old overgrown trees from once upon a time. That’s it. Most people thought it was creepy.
“I thought here would be a better visual for what I am going to tell you. I think it will help you understand.”
I bit my lip as I gave him my undivided attention.
Elliott picked up one of the golden leaves from the ground next to us. “This,” he handed me the leaf, “will help you understand.”
I took the leaf and held it up. As far as I could tell it was an ordinary leaf. This one had completely turned already, its dulcet colors with deep red spine seemed normal. I looked back to Elliott. I could feel my face and eyebrows contort and my shoulders raise. “How?” My body radiated confusion.
Instead of answer me, he asked me a question. “What would you guess is the secret to immortality?”
“So you’re telling me you are immortal.”
He just smiled. “Your guess?”
I looked down at my hands as I thought. My ring caught my eye, it always did. It was so beautiful. The crisp leaf I held seemed to come alive. The ring sparkled the exact same colors as the paper thin piece of nature in my hand. “Is my ring part of it?”
Taking my hands in his, and looking at our matching rings next to each other he said, “No. That’s another story for another time.”
“Mia dispiace (I’m sorry). Non so (I don’t know).” I looked back into his penetrating eyes to find a clue, I was utterly confused.
Elliott picked up another golden leaf from the ground. Sitting face to face, he held it up between us, twirling it between his fingers. “What does this symbolize to you?”
“Autumn?”
“Anything else?”
“Change?”
“What kind of change?”
“Death? Maybe?” What was he getting at?
“Close,” he paused, contemplating. “Why death?”
“Because when the leaves all fall off the trees, only a skeleton of it remains. It looks dead. Right?”
Elliott shook his head no, but was smiling.
My lip was officially chewing gum. “Not right?”
“The leaves fall off Lilly, but is the tree dead?”
“No. I guess not.”
His smile was euphoric. “It’s like the trees,” he twirled the leaf some more. “The leaves fall off and they die a little each winter. But during that change they also grow if you pay close attention. In that lies the secret to living forever. The secret to immortality, is death.”
I took the spinning leaf from him and kissed his lips. “I don’t understand.”
“You will.” Elliott laid back on the cool, crisp grass. I laid back using him as a pillow.
“How did you become immortal?”
“I just told you.” The honey texture of his voice was delicious.
“Yeah, but what did you mean by I didn’t die? Did you die?”
Elliott’s voice took on a sort of reminiscing sound. “When I jumped from that cliff with you, I went feet first. Mind, body, and soul. When I came to after the jump, I was in the most mystical place. You think the energy at Stonehenge is intense, I can’t wait for you to come to Atlantis with me.”
“Atlantis?”
He twirled his fingers in my hair. “Yes. It does exist,” his smile was contagious. “They conquered the powers of the mind a long time ago. It’s amazing Lilly.”
“So, are you talking Bermuda Triangle stuff?”
Shaking with laughter, Elliott coughed out, “No mia amore. No boat will get you there. The real Atlantis can only be acce
ssed with the power of thought.”
I could feel his energy wain as I processed his words, and tried to guess their meaning. “So you want me to jump from a cliff while astrally projected?”
“I want to be with you Miele. But the choice is yours and yours alone. And as you may have realized, it’s a bit more complicated than that.”
We were both quiet. The rustling of the leaves was louder than normal. The fragile leaves made a lot more noise in their current paper-like state. I moved my fingers until I found what I was looking for, his hand.
“I want to be with you too Elliott, but I’m scared.”
“I know.”
“If what you’re saying is true,” and I knew it was, “I didn’t do it right last time. And we lost each other.”
“I found you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Three hundred years later.”
Elliott didn’t respond.
“What?”
Again, silence.
“The important thing is we are together now,” he finally responded.
I was getting good at reading him. Maybe it was the years of time we’d spent together, guiding me in memories I can’t recall. But I realized something then. “Have you found me, before?”
For some reason he couldn’t look at me as he answered. “Yes.”
“Where?”
“In 1816 I picked up on an energy that felt familiar. I was in Atlantis and astrally projected to your energy. You were living in New Zealand.”
I was perplexed. “Did I know you?”
“No. Not at first. It’s always the same story.”
I picked up on the key word quickly this time. “Always?”
“Always.”
My head moved with his abdomen as he breathed a deep sigh out. “Lilly, this is the third time I’ve found you.”
“Third?”
“Yes.” I could feel him starting to fade. Projecting to a physical plane used up a lot of energy. “I need to go soon, but I promise to tell you more next time. Please just promise me to not try the jump before I see you again. I am trying to figure out what you keep doing wrong.”
“I’ve failed to cross more than the once?” My heart thumped in my chest. This was not good. “Wait a minute. You are saying I died, but wrong?”