Gyda and her crystal ball
The air in the dimly lit room hung thick with the scent of incense and old paper. Steph watched, her heart hammering against her ribs, as Gyda, her fingers adorned with rings that gleamed like captured starlight, cradled the crystal ball. The orb pulsed with an inner light, swirling with nebulous colours that seemed to mirror the turmoil in Steph’s soul.
Three years. Three years since the screech of tires and the sickening crunch of metal had ripped Ruloin from her life, leaving a void that echoed with the laughter and whispered promises of their past. Three years since the motorcycle accident that robbed them of a future painted with wedding bells and shared dreams.
Ruloin. Just the name, a silent prayer on her lips, brought tears stinging to her eyes. High school sweethearts, they had been inseparable, a force of nature fuelled by youthful passion and unwavering belief in forever. They were supposed to be married that year, the year the accident happened. Now, the pristine white dress she had picked out hung in her closet, a ghostly reminder of what could have been.
Steph had tried everything. Therapy, support groups, even dating. But nothing filled the Ruloin-shaped hole in her heart. She felt tethered to him, unable to move on, haunted by the unanswered questions and the unbearable silence.
Desperation had finally led her to Gyda, a woman whispered about in hushed tones, a clairvoyant with a reputation for bridging the gap between worlds. Steph was sceptical, a scientist by nature, but the yearning to hear Ruloin’s voice, even if only through a medium, had overridden her logic.
“He’s close,” Gyda murmured, her voice husky, eyes fixed on the swirling depths of the crystal ball. “I feel his energy… strong, but… fragmented.”
Steph leaned forward, her breath catching in her throat. “Can you… Can you talk to him? Can you tell him… tell him I miss him?”
Gyda’s brow furrowed. “It is not always so simple. The veil is thin, but the path is not always clear. I will try, child, but I can make no promises.”
Minutes stretched into an eternity, punctuated only by the rhythmic chanting of Gyda’s voice, a low, hypnotic drone that vibrated in the air. The room seemed to grow colder, a chill that seeped deep into Steph’s bones. The crystal ball flared brighter, throwing dancing shadows on the walls.
Suddenly, Gyda gasped, her eyes snapping open. They were no longer her own; they held a depth, a sadness, a familiarity that made Steph’s heart leap.
“Steph…” a voice rasped, a voice that was both Gyda’s and yet utterly, undeniably Ruloin’s.
Tears streamed down Steph’s face, blurring her vision. “Ruloin? Is that you?”
The voice hesitated, as if struggling with the connection. “It… it is. It’s me, Steph. God, I… I haven’t been able to reach you. Not really.”
“Where are you?” Steph asked, her voice trembling. “Are you okay? I need to know you’re okay.”
“Okay…” The voice echoed the word, a hint of bitterness clinging to it. “I’m… at peace. But I wasn’t for a long time. The crash was quick, but there was so much unfinished business. So much I needed to say.”
“Tell me then,” Steph pleaded. “Tell me now. Tell me everything.”
A wave of grief washed over her as she listened. Ruloin spoke of the confusion, the fear, the regret that had plagued him after the accident. He talked about watching her from afar, unable to ease her pain, agonising over the life they had lost.
“I wanted to tell you I was sorry,” the voice continued, its tone laced with profound sadness. “Sorry for leaving you, sorry for breaking our promises. You were my everything, Steph. My sun, my moon, my stars.”
“I know,” Steph whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “I loved you too, Ruloin. More than anything.”
There was a pause, a silence that seemed to stretch into infinity. Then, the voice spoke again, softer now, tinged with a newfound serenity.
“You need to let me go, Steph. I know it’s hard, but you deserve to be happy. You deserve to find love again, to build a life filled with joy and laughter. Don’t let my memory hold you captive.”
The words struck Steph like a physical blow. Let him go? How could she? He was a part of her, woven into the very fabric of her being.
“I don’t know if I can,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.
“You can,” the voice insisted, its tone growing stronger. “You are strong, Steph. You always have been. Remember the girl I fell in love with – the one with the fire in her eyes and the dreams in her heart. Don’t let that girl fade away.”
He paused again, and Steph could almost feel his presence, a gentle caress against her cheek.
“I will always be with you, Steph, in your heart, in your memories. However, you need to live your life and embrace the future. Find someone who will love you as much as I did, someone who will cherish you and make you smile.”
The crystal ball began to dim, the colours fading into a milky white haze. Gyda’s body slumped slightly, her eyes losing their otherworldly glow.
“Ruloin?” Steph cried; her voice laced with panic. “Don’t go! Please, don’t go!”
The voice, fainter now, whispered one last message. “I love you, Steph. Always.”
Then, silence.
Gyda sighed, her eyes fluttering open, confusion clouding her features. “It’s… It’s over,” she said, her voice raspy and weak. “He’s gone.”
Steph sat there, numb, tears streaming down her face. He was gone. Again. But this time, it felt different. This time, there was a sense of closure, a sense of peace that had eluded her for so long.
She spent the next few weeks in a daze, replaying the conversation in her mind, trying to decipher its meaning. Ruloin’s words echoed in her ears, urging her to move on, to embrace life.
Slowly, she began to take small steps. She started volunteering at a local animal shelter, rediscovering her love for animals. She reconnected with old friends, laughing and sharing stories, filling the silence with joy.
One day, while walking a rescued golden retriever named Sunny, she met a man named David. He was kind, intelligent, and had a smile that warmed her from the inside out. They talked for hours that first day, sharing their dreams, their fears, their hopes for the future.
David was different from Ruloin, but he shared the same unwavering devotion and the same ability to make her feel seen and cherished. With him, she felt a lightness she hadn’t felt in years.
It wasn’t easy. The memories of Ruloin were still there, etched in her heart, but they no longer held her captive. She realised that loving David didn’t mean forgetting Ruloin; it meant honouring his memory by living her life to the fullest.
Years passed. Steph and David built a life together, filled with love, laughter, and adventure. They travelled the world, adopted a family of rescue dogs, and supported each other through thick and thin.
One evening, as they sat on their porch, watching the sunset paint the sky in vibrant hues, Steph turned to David, her heart overflowing with gratitude.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
“For what?” he asked, smiling gently.
“For loving me,” she said. “For showing me that it’s possible to find happiness again, even after loss.”
He squeezed her hand, his eyes filled with love. “You deserve all the happiness in the world, Steph. And I promise to spend the rest of my life making sure you get it.”
As she looked up at the stars, Steph felt a sense of peace she had never thought possible. She knew that Ruloin was still with her, watching over her, smiling down on her from the heavens. And she knew that he would be happy for her, glad that she had finally found her way back to the light. She had honoured his memory not by clinging to the past, but by embracing the future, by opening her heart to love again. The clairvoyant had shown her the way, but it was Steph who had taken the first step.
Thank You for Reading
Deborah C. Langley
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