“Ava! Ava, are you awake?”
"Yes, dad, you can come in!”
“You have a visitor; let me introduce you to Dr. Nathaniel.”
“Hello Ava, I’m glad we can finally meet. Sadly, the last time I saw you, you weren’t too well!”
“Oh, hello doctor!” Ava replies.
“How are you feeling today?”
“I feel much better!”
"Any headaches, loss of memory, having trouble concentrating, or nausea?"
“Just my memory. I still don’t remember clearly what happened on that day.”
“Amnesia is a common symptom. Your memories will eventually come back to you!
Dr. Nathaniel checks Ava's forehead.
Your wounds seem to be healing just fine! A couple more days and you can go back to your normal life.”
"That would be fantastic," Ava says, smiling.
“Well, it seems my work is done here; I’ll better get going!”
“Thank you, doctor!” Caden says.
“See you soon, Ava!”
“Bye doctor!”
Caden leads Dr. Nathaniel down the stairs and out the door.
Meanwhile, Ava can’t stop thinking about what she just heard.
Anneliese? Is it really her or just a coincidence?
I need to find out, I must get my hands on that diary!
Maybe what Anne said will finally start to make sense.
Ava can’t remain in bed any longer. Desperate to find the truth, she changes clothes and sneaks downstairs once again, heading to the study.
Nobody’s here, and the door is open.
It’s now or never.
When she was attempting to enter the study, she felt an arm pushing her back toward the kitchen.
“Ava, you shouldn’t be wandering down here!”
“I was just…"
“And don’t you know your dad forbade you to enter the study?”
“Yes mom, but…”
“No buts, he’ll be mad if he finds out; luckily he’s not here.”
“Why can’t I go there anyway?”
“Well... it’s kind of a long, sad story!”
“Come on, mom! Please tell me!”
“Well, you know, your dad changed since your sister died. He locked himself in that study and wouldn’t let anyone in, including me.”
“Why?”
“He was overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, constantly punishing himself for what had happened. You know how much I love your father, but all of that made me question if it was all worth it in the end.”
“Then what happened?”
His heart was clouded with so much sadness that he went down a dark path, and I was powerless to turn him away from it. Those unforgotten memories are kept there, hidden from you.”
“Why?”
“He wishes to start again and put the past behind him. I see glimpses of the old Caden coming back, all thanks to you. Please don’t ruin it. Do not dwell on the past. Stay away from the study, please!”
In the meantime, Caden comes back from outside.
“Ava, what are you doing up?”
“I was bored of staying in bed, and besides, I feel just fine.”
“I see! It finally stopped raining, so I’m heading out hunting!”
“Can I go with you dad?”
"No, Ava you heard the doctor. Just a couple more days and then you can join me.”
Ava shows her disappointment, so Caden leans towards her and gently touches her face.
“Hey, be patient, princess; go get your bow and do some target practice. It’ll make you feel better!”
“Ok, dad.” Ava sighs
Caden gathers his hunting gear and heads north to his favorite hunting spot, while Ava practices in the cabin's back yard.
After a while, something catches Ava's eye. A small pack of wolves watches her from afar. She tries to scare them away, but they remain still.
“Get out of here! I’ll use my bow if I have to; stay away from me.”
Ava remains still, just like Caden taught her, but they keep moving in her direction. She moves slowly backward in the direction of the front door, but a misstep makes her fall to the ground and drop her bow. With the wolves beside her, she is helplessly lying on the ground at the wolves' mercy. One of them approaches.
“Don’t come any closer!” Ava shouts.
It strangely stops and settles down next to Ava, staring at her as if waiting for her command. She has this strange feeling. A feeling coming from deep within her that she can’t quite explain. He can somehow understand her, and she can understand him as well.
Meanwhile, Caden returns from the hunt and sees Ava surrounded by wolves. He runs toward her as he reaches for his bow.
“Get away from her, you fowl beasts! Caden shouts, ready to shoot all the wolves down if he has to. The pack rallies in response, growling at Caden and getting ready to attack. Ava senses their grief and anger toward Caden and makes every effort to avoid a fight, as she stands between Caden and the wolves.
"Ava, get out of the way!”
“No, dad, wait!”
“Ava, do as I say!”
“Dad, wait, they don’t mean us any harm! Put your bow away, please!”
“You don’t know that; I’ve seen what they’re capable of. What they did to your sister.”
“I know you killed one of them. Dad, please, there’s no need to fight!"
“They must pay for what they did, all of them!”
“No, dad, this has to stop. Killing them won't bring her back!”
Caden was hesitant but eventually accepted Ava’s plea and dropped his bow on the ground.
As memories of his lost daughter flood his mind, Caden kneels down and cries, almost as if asking for forgiveness. He is joined by Ava, who embraces him and wipes the tears from his face.
“It was all my fault, and now she’s gone! She died alone, and I wasn’t there to save her.”
“But you were there for me, and that’s all that matters now!”
“Maybe you’re right! Let’s go inside!”
The pack of wolves quickly vanished into the woods, leaving no sign of their presence. Nonetheless, distant sounds of their cries can still be heard.
To be continued…