Bella Vita by Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

at him apologetically.
    “How are you?” Mike's eyes
held a caution I had never seen before.
    “I'm okay. About to start
school and all. How about you? You liking it here?” I waved toward
the castle behind me.
    “Oh, yeah. It's nice to be
around so many like me. Acacia likes it here too- her family lives
here and all.” He looked down at his boots- same as my favorite
ones.
    “Right.” The air wiggled
around me, I fought harder to hold on to it.
    “Em, you ok?” His face
filled with concern.
    “Yeah, just... a bit...
hard to hold it.” I breathed out.
    “Mike?” Her voice was like
cold water in my veins.
    He turned quickly to see Acacia standing at
the edge of the lake. “Hi.” He looked back over his shoulder at
me.
    “Only you can see or hear
me...” I was starting to fade.
    Panic washed his feature, he rushed closer
to me. “Don't leave me, not yet. Em, please.” He whispered.
    “Michael, what on Earth are
you doing?” Acacia's voice sounded concern.
    “I'm sorry, Mike, it's time
for me to go now. You've company anyways. I'll try to come again. I
miss you, my love.” I whispered back at him as everything faded
away and I was back sitting on the floor with Betty.
    Interesting. She smiled.
    I sighed. Tears fought to stream down my
cheeks but I bit them away.
    Now, let us talk about this
death prophecy that hangs balanced over your and your wolf's
head. Her words broke the sorrow that was
weighing down my heart.
    How do we stop it? I needed to know this more than anything
else.
    Ah, a good question. But
not the place to start. Let me share the original vision with
you. Betty reached out and grasped my hand
in her iron lock.
    My world went black and
suddenly I was watching the history of the two peoples and their
bloody battles. My stomach rolled. Please
make it stop. I pleaded with myself. All
the pain and suffering of hundreds of years of fighting circled
around me like a suffocating fog. I thought I might pass out from
the overwhelming sensations being thrown at me, when everything
shifted. I was standing in a royal looking court where two thrones
stood empty- each with the insignias of its people. They were
tributes to the rulers that once sat in them. The regal chairs grew
larger in my view and I could read the inscriptions to Mike and
myself on them. I gasped for air. My lungs seemed to believe the
words written in stone about my own death. It didn't matter that I
didn't require air to survive, my system went into
shock.
    I woke from the vision huddled in a ball on
the floor with Bernie holding me.
    “It'll be okay. Emma. Come
back to us.” His voice chanted the words at me.
    “Bernie?” My brain was
having a hard time registering everything that was
happening.
    “Emma!” He kissed the top
of my head.
    That is enough, Bernard.
She's fine. Betty's voice was icy cold.
But Bernie's hold on me didn't loosen.
    I tried to sit up and fell right back
down.
    “Not yet. You need to rest
for a moment. Here, sip this.” Bernie held a vial of straight blood
to my lips.
    The effect was instant. My mind cleared and
I felt better. “What happened?” My voice still sounded weak as I
sat up.
    Your mind didn't handle the
images as well as I thought it might. But
now that you're with us again. What I showed you is only one path,
Emma. You chose this ending, no one else does. You can stop it for
you both. Now it's time for you to get ready to leave. Betty's words were abrupt.
    “Okay. Betty. Thank you for
everything.” I got to my feet, I didn't feel the need to argue the
point or push anything. I finally realized that everything would
eventually make sense.
    Betty left. Bernie helped me to my room.
“Emma, can I help you pack?” His eyes burned bright with
concern.
    “Of course, Bernie, I'd
appreciate it.” I gave him a small smile.
    We packed all my possessions in silence. I
would miss this place. I would miss Bernie.
    “Emma, would you, eh, write
to me sometimes? So I know you're ok?” Bernie was