Atria (Chapter 12)

Olivia opened her eyes and saw that she was spinning. All of her memories of Atria came flooding back and after a few more seconds she felt solid ground under her feet. She grabbed for the ground and closed her eyes tightly. She could see light shining through her eyelids; she opened them slowly and saw that she was flat on her back in the arrival pool. She squinted and she heard people clapping. She sat up. She heard a familiar voice call out “Hey Ash, damn ey, that was graceful” It took a second for Ashley to adjust, but she found herself calling back, “Shut up Casey, I remember your last return.” She heard a laugh. She waited for her head to stop spinning and then got up and stepped out of the pool. “Where the hell is Atrius!” Ashley yelled, “hang on,” she looked around. “You are shittin’ me,” she said loudly. “Am I in Tiara!” Casey walked up to her and gave her a hug. “It’s all good babe. Said Casey reassuringly. “When Atrius told me you were coming back, he said you were only stopping here for half an orbit, then it is back to good old Cantrell. You are going back on the same day as me!” she finished with a weak smile. “Where is Atrius?” said Ashley loudly “ATRIUS! Get down here; I have a bone to pick with you.” “How can I help you Ashley” came a deep voice from behind her. “Ashley spun around “Atrius, what were you thinking? My life was just starting to look good and you dragged me back to this place.” She said in a whiney voice.
“As you are well aware Ashley” Atrius explained “you were sent to this life to learn how to love, you had no idea what I had planned for you. First you learnt to love Natasha as a friend, then you learnt to love her for who she is, then, you learnt to love yourself, for who you were.” “Damnit Atrius, I know that, I know I love her, why did you take me away” Ashley yelled, starting to sob. Atrius put a comforting hand on Ashley’s shoulder “The same reason I have taken you away the last three times. You gained the knowledge you needed from that particular life and the rest of it would have been wasted. “I DON’T CARE!” Ashley screamed “I don’t give a damn if it is wasted, what about my girl, what about my KIDS!” Atrius sighed “Ashley, I am sorry but you are going to stay in Tiara for two full orbits, I can see that you need some time to readjust” He started to turn away when Ashley called out “Atrius! Wait” Atrius turned to face her again “What is it my child” he said deeply “Please” begged Ashley “Please give me a chance to say goodbye” Atrius smiled “That won’t be necessary” he said quietly. “What do you mean it wont be…?” Atrius pointed to the arrival pool and Ashley watched, transfixed as four spirits, one at a time, came spinning out of it. She silently walked over to the pool and stopped, about three metres away from the four spirits. “Tash?” she said quietly. “Actually, the name is Jamie” the spirit replied “But yea, you might have known me as Tash.” “You dumbass!” shouted Ashley “ It is Olivia, well Ashley actually, but you know what I mean” “Liv? I mean Ash?” said Jamie slowly “Oh my god, how on earth….” “I can answer that,” said Atrius quietly, his deep voice was one thing when he was speaking loudly but when he whispered, it was such an eerie sound that Ashley jumped more than if he had yelled in her ear. Atrius stood quietly for a moment, thinking. Only after Jamie and Ashley simultaneously yelled “ATRIUS” did he continue. “Ashley” he said “I am sure you are aware that you died in a car accident” Ashley nodded and Jamie gasped in recognition. Satisfied, Atrius continued “The car that you crashed with at the intersection, was being driven by Jamie here, and your three children were in the backseat.” Ashley stared disbelievingly “I am being honest Ashley” said Atrius quietly, “Maybe Jamie would care to explain how she came to be driving through that intersection with your three kids at ten o- clock on a school day” Atrius finished with a smile. “ I will leave you to it, I have an initiation to attend.” And with that, he disappeared. Ashley turned to look at Jamie and Jamie bowed her head. “I was bringing the kids to watch your dress rehearsal, we were going to surprise you.” She said quietly. Ashley laughed and pulled Jamie into a tight hug. “Well I am friggin’ surprised, I’ll give you that.” She said. She stepped back and looked at the three spirits that had been her children. “Heya guys” she said “I’m not mum anymore so I guess you call me Ashley. One of the spirits stepped forward and extended his hand, “Joshua” he said, “Otherwise known as Caleb” Ashley shook his hand and smiled. The second spirit stepped forward “Celeste” she said, “ I was Christine” she finished softly. The smallest spirit stepped forward, Ashley looked closer, “Krystal?” she exclaimed, “you were Alicia” Krystal grinned “I knew before I left that this was to happen,” she said, “you were told that my first life was shortly after yours so you would not be suspicious. Atrius did it on purpose because I had a rough transition” Ashley didn’t know what she could say, so she just laughed and hugged Krystal. Then she hugged Jamie and then Joshua and Celeste. After a minute, she turned to Casey. “Do you reckon Atrius mean what he said about me spending two orbits here?” She wondered aloud. Casey grimaced “Do you want the truthful answer to that, or the courteous one?” she said slowly. Ashley frowned, “you know” she said “I don’t think it will be so bad, not with all of my friends here, obviously Celeste, Krystal and Josh will only be here until the next intake to Cantrell but I shill have you and Jamie right?” They looked at each other; Jamie slowly peered round the corner of Casey’s head like a disabled mime. “Too right Babe!” she yelled. Casey jumped a mile, then smiled and said, “yea, right”
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