Background:
Many thoughts of two women are shared before opening the third box. More insight is revealed in the character of Eleanor Grace Harding. Elizabeth fights her memories. She denies her past. The story jumps from past,into the present often.
Both women are quiet for the remainder of the day. Elizabeth Catherine fidgets. She did not want to open box three. Reasoning with herself why she should fear the box and why she shouldn't, caused great discomfort. After all, she didn't know anything about the box, and so, why it disturbed her or bothered her puzzled her? She ruminated that afternoon.
Thoughts of Thomas, who he is or was, why he was important, rolled over and over. So many questions: who, what, when, where, why and how, all of them tormented her. She hardly could catch a moment of relaxation. Here she is, a grown adult women now wiggling like a school child about to face a test in which she is totally unprepared.
On the other hand, Eleanor retired to a book. Reading, or so she seemed, and not saying much. In reality, she knew Beth was in the hands of the tormenter. Once in awhile, she studied Elizabeth's anxieties. She knew some lessons are harder than others and this one of Elizabeths' is tougher. Often, she rests her eyes and bows her heart. Seemingly, asking and interceding for the problem and solution. Hoping all would be well with Elizabeth. After all, she didn't know any results. The answers were not hers to know. She never expected to control anyway, but to only surrender to a higher path that sometimes seemed wrong and questionable. But, Eleanor was simply a servant. She had been employed in the army for centuries.
Elizabeth Catherine Dubois is a royal subject who's crown sits crooked and who's scepter was lost. She, Elizabeth, is just another in Eleanor's ranks, and Eleanor took pride, joy and patience with all. She is a great teacher, instructor, guide and friend. But, with all this being said, she is here to help Beth find, cross and live over the bridge of memories forgotten.
Elizabeth's demeanor seemed contorted, twisted by voices yelling screaming from a distant past.
Little black 'His Glove', "Lovie," came and laid his puppy dog head on her lap and tried his best to comfort an uncomforted Beth. His devotion was pure and vowed never to desert her, even if, she left him. Lovie was true blue like all dogs. His loyalties are noble and if needed would bare harsh puishments, but like other living creatures, hoped cruelties would be forfeited. After all, no living creature wanted to bare such human burdens, frailties or tragedies, but would, if the cause or need arose.
Beth pushed his affection and love away. She screamed at him. "Lovie, get away! Leave me alone!" Little, 'His Glove,' carefully with tail in between his legs slipped away from her, but he would try again and again. Hoping she would accept his love and comfort.
Beth's affection's were cold as she held the picture of Thomas in her hand with a tissue filled with tears. "There is no time for a needy dog!"
Thomas' photo held in the palm of her hand she placed under a magnifying glass. Trying to remember a faint distant memory so she gazed. His smile invited her as it seemed to be alive and moving saying, "watch, look, pay attention." The picture's image magically moved back in time. She asked "who are you? Are you Thomas? Do I know you?"
Then deciding and trying again to rest, and trying to quiet her mind Beth closed her eyes. Deep sleep came. She slept differently.
Again, a boy of about 9 years said, "Come Elizabeth lets go play."
The ocean roared in the distant back ground. The tide was out to sea and little Beth and Thomas gathered shells from the wet sand.
"Look at this one! Look at this one!" So excited the two youngsters shared their ocean treasures on a summer's afternoon on a beach somewhere in the world.
Sitting on the shore, a cottage, that seemed too familiar caught her attention. She knew the place as it held something there of her. But, if awake, she wouldn't know by conscious mind. No, it was an illusion. So, why?
In and out, softly the tide came as expected every day. All the islanders were aware of when the sun sets and when it arises just like the tides. So, the nannies let the two children go down the deep narrow steps and walkway to the sandy beach. They watched from the bay window of the cottage as the children played, they polished the silver tea sets. Smiling at the children, wishing they were too young again playing on a warm summer's day on a beach gathering sand dollars. The maids made Conch salad and chowder from the shells then threw them back to sea. The children found them and held them to their ears. The sound of the ocean, as usual, rolled in and out of the Conch shells. A whole world was inside the shell the children imagined.
Little Elizabeth asks Thomas, "How did God do this? Why did he make the Conch have the sound of the ocean in it, Thomas?"
Thomas smiles at his little sister. "I don't know. But, He did. That's all I know. You ask big questions for a 4 year old, smarty pants."
"I'm not a smarty pants!" She screamed as if it were a bad thing. The big brother watched over her as the afternoon passed lulling the maids to sleep. But, the children were accustomed to playing on the beach every summer just like this. No cares. No whines. Just being like simple children who loved summer days at the beach alone.
Elizabeth Catherine has faces that Eleanor watches. She smiles during the pleasant summer memories.. So nostalgic; the faces, the summer, the heat and the ocean in the distance.
Her dream state diminishes and wakening almost occurs.
She moans, "No, no, Thomas! Where are you!"
A shriek, her cry totally awakens her. "What!" In a panic. "What is happening? What's going on? Thomas?"
"What's wrong dear?" ... "What are you dreaming?" Eleanor's eyes dart from her book to Beth... "Tell me." She gets up and approaches Elizabeth's side.
"I don't know." Beth cries, "I don't know."
"You must relax and try thinking of something else. Something good dear. Here let me help you." When saying this Eleanor touches Beth's forehead. Golden energy lites Beth's (Pineal gland) forehead and she falls back on the pillow. Her eyes close and she deeply sleeps again.
"Now rest dear, rest. Try to remember. I'm here with you. Don't be afraid. Everything is alright and as it should be. Sleep Beth sleep."
Once again, little, 'His Glove' tries to put his head on Beth's leg and since Eleanor put her back to sleep he was successful. 'His Glove,' was content. She could not shun his love now. He also rested. The good little black warrior dog found his peace comforting her and gave her one-hundred percent, like all dogs do when puppies and unscathered by ill-treatment or neglect. This is why God sent puppies.
"Now, Little Elizabeth, back to the summer day, back to the beach. Thomas? What happened to Thomas?" Eleanor also saw the beach in Beth's dreaming mind. She knows to ask about it.
Beth, in deep sleep, licked her lips as the day in the hot sun scorched her lips. They were dry and cracking from the blaze of the sun's rays, even on four year old lips. She smiled like a little girl, then it dissipated to a face of utter fright.
Screaming! "Thomas... Thomas..."
"Thomas, what?... Tell me about Thomas. What happened to him?"
"No... No, Thomas, come back! Where did you go!" Beth screams! as a child. "Thomas! Thomas! Thomas!"
"Beth concentrate, trust. It will be alright. Tell me about Thomas. You must tell me! That's the only way I can help you child."
She sobs. "He's gone!"
"Gone where?"
The sea's tide suddenly rushes in. The children are caught unaware. Little Elizabeth is swept away. Thomas swam to her. She was drowning but he was able to catch her by his finger tips and bring her back to himself and to safety, to the sandy beach away from the depth which recedes back into the ocean. She caught her breath. As the sea water receded, it glistened. The shells of many kinds cast sparkling lights and th sand holds it's own radience af the water pulls back. It burns an image on memories of any ocean. it is the same with all.
Thomas hangs over her. "I don't know where that wave came from?"" He looks over the horizon as a large ship passed by miles away. "Perhaps it is a wake from the ship."
Little Elizabeth pointed to her lost rag puppy dog. It was black and sopping wet, now that the ocean drenched it. I had been moved out in the sand further from her.
"There Thomas! My puppy..." The rag dog looked like the little black dog named, 'His Glove.' Beth's eyes flenched in sleep, recognizing the oddity.
Brave Thomas also had caught his breath from the saving endeavor. "Ok, your stuffed dog. Wait here. I'll go get him." Thomas ran to get him half burried in the sand. It's ragitty tail surfaced. Thomas grabs the old stuffed dog tail and pulls him out of the sparkling sun glistened sand.
Sweet little Elizabeth got sand in her eyes from rubbing them from the deluge of salt water. She doesn't see Thomas' noble attempt. She already knows he is a hero. She doesn't have to see Thomas to know he is a great brother, friend and a son of the Dubois.'
All of a sudden a blast of a huge wave knocked her backwards and inwards on the beach. She hit her head on the stones that lead up the path. Being now close to the steps she is able to take hold of the rail. The big powerful wave had knocked her to the railing. However, when she was able to see again and after gathering her strength, she quickly stood up looking for Thomas. But, there was no Thomas. Where was he? She looked everywhere.
Panicking. Screaming, "Thomas, Thomas, where are you? Mother! Mother! Help Help! Someone help! Help!"
But, Thomas wasn't there. He was gone. Missing. In the sea's giant wave he dissapeared. Abducted. Gone. Forever. Thomas was never seen alive again. His body was never found. The black rag dog; also gone.
The sea took them. The sea took the four year olds life. It left only horrific memories. Memories Elizabeth Catherine Dubois could not bare.
Elizabeth Catherine stood at that shoreline for years refusing to leave. She insisted. "I won't go. Not until he comes home!"
A scream was heard that day. A four year old screamed into the mystical wind. She told the wind to find Thomas. She screamed her pain into the wind. Her heart begged. The wind still carries her little voice. It never stopped. This is how Eleanor heard of her pain. The wind still carries her message today in search of Thomas. It would travel lifetimes where memories dwell and would not cease. Not until found a resonable answer somewhere. It echoes in and out of times. Even an older women named Elizabeth Catherine Dubois could not stop the determination of the wind to find the answer to a four year old's pain and request. So, Eleanor came riding on the wind.
Elizabeth Catherine Dubois would spend a lifetime blaiming herself if the Dubois allowed her, to do, so. But, with their help and therapy, and if her coping mechanism were slowly changed then in time Thomas would never exist. Soon, he never was." Little Elizabeth simply, never had any brothers and never, ever, knew any Thomas." Out of mind, out of sight, out of memories. The Dubois spent a small fortune helping Elizabeth to forget. "It worked. One child saved from a lifetime of self blaim." The replacement of thoughts, visions and dreams were instilled in the young girl. She had a new life. All fabricated, created, just, for her. A completed illusion. Delusions of a previous childhood were so planted.
The Dubois moved to the hillside town. They purchased the home on the hill where Elizabeth lives today unaware of any other earlier life of her own. There was no Thomas, nor any other older brother. They never visited the ocean or sea again. Beth no longer remembered the sound of the Conch.
So, Elizabeth Catherine Dubois forgot Thomas, but now, painfully, must remember. Eleanor was seeing to that...
For some reason.. There were always questions. Never real rest. But, why must Elizabeth Catherine remember such sadness? She resisted.
But, the fond thought of Thomas and his smile captivated her. His pleasant smile aw so inviting~she must know this Thomas...She must. Even though, he seems painful, she must have answers. And, Thomas, wanted the answers too. Thomas pled to be acknowledged.
The third box delivers divine healing... Who knows why bad things happen to little girls or good people? But, sometimes in life there are boxes, lessons and situations that must be opened, answered, or realized.
Elizabeth Catherine's time is now... 'His Glove' brings Beth the box pulling it by the ribbon in his baby dog teeth. He lays it at her feet...Beth looks at 'His Glove.'
"Oh, my God...." She sobs as she holds 'His Glove' the little black rag dog returned and is in her arms. "I will never let you go. Never again." Elizabeth's opened to a truth. There is a deep well of memories and tears of a foggy distant past. The flood gaits broke open..."Lovie, Lovie...Oh my God...." sobbing...sobbing...sobbing...
And, planted stories, created lives, illusions and delusions eventually demand truth. And, the vacumn of disparity remains open until filled with honest memories.
His Glove, brought His love all in a box holding a puppy.
His Glove will be there. He will not leave or forsake Elizabeth. He has a badge of honor, he will break no oaths. Mankind breaks such vows. Not dogs.
Author Notes
A special thank you to 'What Dreams May Come' by cleo85. Please know the story moves from the present to the past sometimes one line at a time. ECD's thoughts are of an adult woman to a 4 year old English girl.
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