Egypt, Cairo.
I walked down the lane of an unfamiliar surrounding but somehow my body felt some kind of recognition to this place. I found myself walking toward a strangely shabby house but somehow when examined closely, looked new but shabby.
Lazarus, I suddenly heard my name.
Who's there? I looked at my surrounding but saw nothing, only dust and dirt.
Lazarus. He heard it for the second time but saw nothing and all i could do was continued walking towards the house.
Lazarus come, come, almost there, come.
He heard his my name for the third time, he looked around again trying to figure out who was call out for him and surprisingly it felt like the house was calling out for him as a sign of recognition or familiarity.
As he walked past the threshold of the building the whole surrounding change like he wasn't in Egypt and even the weather changed, like everything else was an illusion. As he stared at his surrounding his eyes widened with disbelief. Agape in stupefaction he walked cautiously towards the building.
He couldn't find who was calling out for him but was met with a magnificent view of the building in front of him which held familiarity he found strange. Somehow James felt safe and secure here, like he was home.
It gave me a homey vibe like he has walked down that threshold a thousand times. But he knew for a fact that he didn't see any sign of this house in his past life and subconsciously his mind drifted to Harris who was the most secretive. He was so cautious about his memories that he refused to share his experience with him, like they didn't share the same soul.
He felt strange talking about himself in the third person POV but Harris confused him in so many ways but he knew deep down that though he kept saying he wanted to know what happened to Harris he was scared.
Scared of what is to come, and scared of what awaited him in the future.
The moment his feet step on the furnished wood floor at the front of the door, it opened like it anticipated his arrival. The inside wasn't what he anticipated, the walls where as tall as a mountain, it had many layers and stairs he didn't know could exist.
He stared at the walls without looking forward, as be wondered how it was possible for the outside to look so small but the inside to look this magnificent.
Third person POV
There stood a young lady with hair as black as coal, eyes as grey as the morning fog and skin as pale as the dead. She didn't speak, she didn't move, all she did was stare at him with eyes full of happiness and something else. Her mind ran wild with happiness and all she could think about was,
He is here, he is finally here.
But she held her emotions at bay and showed no form of happiness or joy of his arrival for the memories they shared together was still unknown to him and he wouldn't recognize her.
Lazarus POV
I continued to stare at the walls when I felt a familiar presence. Like someone was staring at me intently without flustering their eyes and when I looked forward, my eyes widen in shock.
Oh my God! he whispered scream, his eyes still wide in shock as he saw a ghost like figure looking at him.
She wore a plain white dress, her black hair let down and her grey eyes looking at him like he was some kind of meal to her. She looked rather young, like in the range of 18 to 20 but the look in her eyes told a different story.
She said nothing and so did I. She looked familiar but I have never met her nor seen her anywhere but my body told me another thing.
One thing I know i was standing close to the door but before I could even realize I was moving, I was already hugging her as she cried on my shoulder.
On brother how I have missed you, you look so well and healthy. I thought you forgot about me, she cried out on his shoulders. They said you wouldn't remember me and I believed them, oh I missed you so much! She cried even more and subconsciously he hugged her harder as he buried his head into her hair. The unknown girl had a tick Mediterranean accent and her hair smelt like peaches.
All I could think about was peaches.
She smelled like peaches and then something flashed in my eyes.
He saw her, standing, waving at him as he left her, he knew that was the last time he would see her but she didn't and like an illusion he came back to the present time, where he was still hugging her.
Mary, he whispered, testing the name on his tongue, wandering whether it was her name or not and when she shifted her head upon hearing her name he confirmed.
Mary, he whispered again in recognition that truly it was her name, the name he gave her. He didn't know how he knew her name but he did and he knew they where close. Slowly she looked at him wordlessly.
Mary take me to Acelia, he told her as he caressed her hair softly. She let go of him and held his hands.
In a steady pace they start walked towards the darkness and he followed her.
Suddenly the place he felt at home gave him chills and he halted while the girl who held his hands chuckled softly.
Oh Harris? she whispered as she slowly looked at him with her side eye still tugging him into the darkness.
He arched his eyes quizzingly at the sudden change of air around the girl but didn't question it.
Tell me how is she? He asked her and a broad smile appeared on Mary's face, a smile not as gentle as the one she had before but he couldn't see it due to the darkness but only heard her voice as she spoke.
She is the remains of what you left her but she hid it at the far corner of her heart. I have to warn you, Acelia...... has changed since the last time you saw her. What you did changed a lot of us though you did it for a good reason.
Am not sure she's ready to forgive you after all those years ago. But no worries, its you and she always forgives you, she said in a singsong manner like a little child.
He looked at her still trying to remember what he did but nothing came to him as they continued to walk.
Mary who is they? I didn't see anyone around earlier he looked at the halls with light and it was empty.
Oh brother! Your memories aren't as fresh as they once where. You never liked our kind but slowly you learnt to accept us.
We are everywhere. They are here with us but sadly you can't see them but mother will help with your vision, she always those when you lost them, she chirped happily while James stared at his surrounding and he finally realized why he felt chills earlier.
They where watching him and again another chill ran down his spine.
They walked for five to ten minutes before a door came into their vision. A dark oak wooden door with silver door knob. Few steps away from the door Mary finally released his hands.
Brother I must apologize this is as far as I can go. Since you left she hasn't been the same and had become distant so she only requested to see you when you finally come.
He stared at her as she spoke and all he could do was nod his head in understanding because he couldn't remember the atrocities he caused this family nor the pain he would be causing them in the future.
Only Acelia knew and only she could answer the unspoken question.
So as he held the silver door knob which felt lukewarm on the tip of his palm he prayed a silent prayer, a prayer he wished would come true but didn't, because what he saw at the other end of the door shook him to the very core of his existence.
He saw her.