Chapter 80 Special remembrance

Back to the present…

The news of Marylin’s suicide had the whole coven in silence for days. It killed the happy mood that had been brought about by Derick’s reappearance, and no one was able to eat or sleep during that period. Who would have thought that a story that everyone thought would be a happy ending, actually turned out to be a tragedy?

Dana soiled her pillow with tears those nights while thinking, so her husband had lied? He announced to everyone that she died from a strange sickness, and yet couldn’t produce her body, she should have known something was up then. This was the most disheartening news she would ever take.

John was truly a snake, she was even sure that he hadn’t bothered to go and look for her when he found out she was missing, he was a bigger bastard than Andrew, and she wished he were still alive so she could go and kill him herself.

With all the bad news, she was still happy for Joana, she had really avoided another mistake, though she couldn’t help but still feel sad for Marylin, it was time to move on to newer beginnings now, but Dana decided that there was something to take care of first.

***

The coven gathered to hold a special remembrance for Marylin, they stood at the base of the mountain, the point they were sure that Marylin had fell to her death, each of them holding a sky lantern in their hands that they would release as soon as they gave their speech. Dana went first after wiping the tears from her face.

“I gathered all of us here today because even though everything that happened was Marylin’s choice, we still failed her as a family. None of us had any idea what she was going through, we all abandoned her due to the resentments we had against her for leaving us, and then we left her at the point when she needed us the most. I want all of that to change from now on, we shouldn’t have left her to go on that quest all by herself, let us promise one another that we will lend our support whenever our family is in need, even if it doesn’t make us happy, or if there’s nothing in it for us, like the way we helped Joana.

“And even though Marylin has returned to us in the form of Joana, we still owe this to her. We are sorry for not paying attention when we should have dear Marylin, we hope you will forgive us and that your soul finds eternal rest.”

Dana released her lamp into the air, and Derick was the next one to give his speech.

“We always say that things happen in life that you can’t control, but you were never someone to sit back and watch something you wanted slip away, and I always admired you for that. You went ahead to get what you wanted, your determination never ceased and I still wonder how you climbed this mountain as a human.

“We love you Marylin, we always have. You were never scared to give love, and the only mistake you ever made was giving love to the wrong person. We know you have returned home like you said and I know you’re in a better place now. We wish you the very best in the afterlife, Marylin.”

He released his lamp into the air, and Edmund was next.

“Even know we didn’t spend plenty of time together, you were an amazing person Marylin. We should have done this remembrance 200 descendants ago, and we are so sorry for being very late. If I knew that snake was going to do that to you, I personally would have locked you up in the dungeons, and thrown the key far away so you wouldn’t go to meet him. But things happen for a reason, and we know that your spirit has returned to us through Joana. We will always miss you, and we are sorry we didn’t try harder to keep you here with us. We wish your spirit peace in the afterlife, and we know that you have found eternal rest.”

After releasing his lamp, he gave Hillary the cue.

“Marylin, my sister, I’m sorry too, we shouldn’t have abandoned you, and I personally feel like shit for hearing about all that had happened to you. It was our fault, if we helped you like we did Joana, it would have taken a shorter time for you to complete your quest, and at least you would have been able to see the wife that snake married while you were away. We promise to always help and support each other from now on, and we hope that you have found rest in this new home of yours.”

Hillary released hers and it remained Joana. Dana asked her if she wanted to say anything to Marylin before she released her lamp, and of course she did.

“Hi Marylin, even though we never met, you sound like an amazing person and reading about you made me realize where all my strength came from. Up until a year ago, I had lived my life as a normal human being, with no knowledge of the supernatural world or what it had in store for me. You might have made a mistake, but without that mistake, I would not have been alive today. I am thankful to you for doing what you did, I love you Marylin, and I hope to make as big of an impact as you have done in this coven. Rest in peace, dear ancestor, I love you and you will forever live in my heart.”

The five of them watched as their lamps soared high. Dana knew why she brought this idea, these lamps symbolized cleansing, releasing their deepest fears and guilts, letting go of all their troubles and worries, and the beginning of a new day for the family.