The Eternal Tenant-part 11

Hi everyone, sorry I have been lazy again with the story, I am back and I haven't forgotten about you. As a treat for the delay I had, I would like to suggest you to listen to this music by Lucas King on YouTube. I have been writing my story listening to his music the whole time and trust me it will hit the spot when you do listen too. Hope you enjoy part 11!

The floor was hard and cold. The wooden ceiling was hosting some spider webs, and the light was dim, making the basement seem more unwelcoming than it was. It hurt; my body was aching all over, as if I hadn't moved in years. Even though there wasn't much light, I could barely keep my eyes open, kind of frowning to avoid getting too much light. Suddenly, two hands held my shoulders, pushing me up from the lying position to sitting. I groaned slowly in pain. When I got up, I looked back; Eveline was still holding my shoulders, helping me to stay seated. I was so confused, like I wasn't all in; it seemed like my memories were merging with my brain in its physical form. I looked up, and there was Henry, smiling softly with a hint of shame or concern—I couldn't tell. Suddenly, my memories started to flood in. I remembered everything: the veil, the ritual, Belle! I looked to my right and saw Belle smiling at me in her white dress, the white aura around her making her look like an angel.

Nobody was saying anything; it seemed that they wanted me to speak first. I tried to stand up; my legs were shaky. Henry and Eveline held my underarms until I was steady enough to stand on my own. I looked at every one of them while I was trying not to fall and then turned to Belle and asked, "Is it over?" Belle's smile grew wider, she nodded her head and said, "Yes, dear, it is over. You are back!"

A drop of tear ran down my face, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I can't believe it's all over! I can't believe the things that I have gone through, it all seems like a vivid dream, a nightmare even!" I said, slowly opening my eyes, while a couple more tears were running down my face. Eveline touched my shoulder and said "Come on dear, let us go upstairs." I looked at her and nodded. We all went toward the stairs one by one and went back to the living room. "The veil...!" I said while looking at the shining circle of fog, now turned white from the black it used to be. Belle stood next to me "Yes, my dear. The veil remains open, for every lost soul in this town must pass before it fades. For too long, they were bound here, unable to reach the realm of the dead. But now—thanks to you, though you never meant to—my sister’s curse is broken, and the veil has returned to its true state once more.". "But how did I help? I don't understand!" I said confused with thousands of questions swirling in my head. Belle replied "It all traces back to your gift as an astral projector. When Morgana cursed this town, I did the only thing that could truly break such magic—sacrifice. I bound my soul to the veil, wielding my otherworldly power and relying on the remnants of those who died in this house to force the veil open, if only for a moment. But my strength was not enough to aid those beyond these walls. That, my dear, is where you came in. Alone, your power would be as mine, great but not enough to hold a celestial gateway open, but together with our powers combined you and I were able to not only open the veil but also break the seal that was upon it for centuries!".

I was confused, trying to digest all this at once. For a person like me, it wasn't easy. I asked, "What is this power that we have? How are we different from others?" Belle replied, "Our powers do not stem from this world, nor are they learned or inherited like a skill. They are drawn from ancient magic, a force that answers only to those it chooses. No one knows how one is chosen, but it seems to know how to find the right person." She smiled and continued, "Now I want to show you something!" She held my hand and took me to the entrance of the house. The sun had risen, and its light was seeping through the little cracks of the door. "Are you ready?" Belle said and laughed softly as I looked at her with a "for what?" expression on my face. She then reached for the handle and opened the door slowly.

My eyes widened; I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Before my eyes, there were tens, if not hundreds, of people standing outside silently, as if they were waiting for something. Most of them were old, but some were also young, even a few children. I was too stunned to speak, but suddenly a thought appeared in my head like a lightning bolt. My whole body froze as if I had jumped into an ice-cold lake. I knew who they were and why they were standing there; those were the dead! Every soul that was trapped in this town because of Morgana's curse. Belle turned to me and said, "This is who you have saved!". Now, even if I had any hint of anger left, it was all gone. I could now see the reality before my own eyes. Even though I felt betrayed by Eveline, in my heart, I felt happiness for what she'd done. I could understand her now.

Eveline and Henry approached from behind us. While Henry stood there, Eveline pushed past us and went toward the people. In front, there was an old woman who had a serene smile on her face. Eveline ran to her and hugged her as if it was the first time she was seeing her or maybe the last... Then I knew that she was her grandmother. I was moved but sad, for that was such a surreal moment. They talked for a minute, and then Eveline turned to us, nodded, and said, "They are ready..."

Belle stood aside to let the souls pass into the house, as did Henry and I. One by one, every soul started to step inside. Belle walked with the first soul to the veil, and I followed her. She was now standing next to the veil, helping them pass through it one by one. There were so many souls that it took hours to finally let them all through. The last soul was Eveline's grandmother; they hugged each other one last time, and Eveline said, "Farewell, Nana, I will miss you. You're going to be much happier where you're going..." Nana replied with a smile and went inside the veil, disappearing into the white mist. I could barely manage to hold my tears back, for this moment was emotional for everyone.

Belle spoke, "When I cross the veil, it will close once more. From that moment on, it will remain unseen to all but the dead who seek passage—just as it was before the curse took hold. Now before I depart..." She hesitated a bit and then seemed to be struggling to say something, "...there is one more soul that needs to pass." We all looked at her with confusion since there was no more soul left to pass. Belle looked at me and Eveline and then...turned toward Henry and said, "It is time..."

I took a step back, stumbled, and almost hit the wall behind me. "What is happening? Are you saying that Henry..." I couldn't continue. Henry was as shocked as I was, as was Eveline. Belle looked down, as it seemed too hard for her to explain. She then closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them with sadness visible in her eyes. Henry finally spoke, "I...I can't be dead! I was never...HOW?" He demanded Belle to explain. Belle hesitated for few seconds and then replied, "When Molly died, you couldn't...take it...you were in so much pain that you couldn't bear life without Molly, so you ended your life...with a shotgun..." Henry stumbled and went a few steps backward; he fell to the ground, and Eveline rushed toward him. He was confused and in complete shock. It took him a few minutes to finally be able to pull himself together and talk. "But if I died in this house...how could Molly not pass?," He looked at me, then Belle and asked "If she died...or projected, how could I not pass? And where was my body the whole time?". Belle replied, "You did not take your life within these walls. You walked to the river—the place you and Molly once called your own—and ended it there. The authorities found your body and took it to the morgue. That is why Molly could not pass… because when the moment came, you were not here."

Everyone was silent and in shock. I was all in my head, thinking about the first time we met. In the coffee shop. I remembered...people were looking at me...as if...I was crazy! Or when the other driver missed his car by an inch, because he wasn't seeing him! So that was it, they couldn't see Henry as...he was a ghost!

A few minutes passed. Henry was deep in thought when he started to slowly stand up, but he didn't seem to be shocked or sad anymore. We were all watching him and waiting for him to say something when he suddenly smiled. I was taken aback; why would he smile in this situation? Then he said something that made sense of that smile, "At last, I will be reunited with my Molly!" Belle smiled and held out her hand to Henry, asking him to pass the veil together. Henry hesitated a bit, and I thought he was scared, but he turned toward me, came closer, held my hands, and said, "My dear, I have put you through so much... as my journey in this world ends, I don't want you to remember me as the one who ruined your life but as someone who became a part of it in a different way. For this, I have decided to give you the only thing I have left, this house! Please accept this as my penance and try to forgive me for what I have done!"

I gasped lightly. I didn't expect Henry to give me his house. "I... don't know what to say! I can't accept this from you, Henry, this... it’s too much...." Henry replied with a smile, "you do deserve it, my dear. You were stranded for so long, your life has been nothing but hardship, and yet here you stand, so humble even though this is the least I can do for you." He then went outside to his car and came back with a wooden box in his hands, opened the box, and took out ownership papers, a pen, and a stamp. He then wrote a letter signing all his belongings to me as his sole heir, and then signed and sealed it with his fingerprint.

When he gave me the papers, Belle and Eveline were smiling. I could see the look of approval on their faces. I took the paper from Henry hesitantly and said, "I wish we would have met under better circumstances. Even though this house has memories I would like to forget, having a place like this means the world to me. Thank you..." He smiled at me and replied, "Me too, my dear, me too..." He then turned to Belle and nodded his head as he was ready to pass the veil, to join his beloved wife again. As he was going through the veil, I called him, "HENRY!" He turned back while he was being surrounded by the mist, "I forgive you!" A satisfied smile sat on his lips and then he disappeared into the unknown.

Now it was time for Belle to go. She said her last goodbyes, "Though the circumstances were far from kind, you have done more than free my soul—you have released hundreds of others as well. I had long believed my fate was sealed, bound to the veil for eternity, yet now, at last, I may rest. For that, I owe you both my gratitude. I only wish I could linger a little longer… but my time was claimed three centuries ago." She smiled and said, "Goodbye, my friends..." Then slowly walked through the veil of mist, and suddenly the veil closed with a whoosh sound.

And that was it, so quiet, just me and Eveline standing there staring at the fireplace from whence it was a veil.