Chapter 3

Ok, so, I think that I should post a chapter of my story every month, just so I will at least have SOMETHING to post about...hehe! The story kinda starts going here...and getting just a wee bit stranger? Oh, and I have a representation of God in this story...He doesnt come in very often, but he changes Ella's life, ok? I hope that your liking of it doesnt go down with reading this chapter...but it very well might. May I remind you, be honest, even if it is hard...I want to improve as a writer, ok? Ok! On with the story!





Chapter Three

What had he said that made her run out like that? She had looked confused, then happy, then bewildered.
Why?
Hadn’t anyone paid her a compliment before? On the left side of her face was the most beautiful face he had ever laid eyes on. Her eyes where the bluest and most pure in all the world, he was sure. And her smile.....
Yeusem smiled at himself just thinking about it. This Ella was the most interesting person he had ever met in his life, however short it was. She must have lived with hate surrounding her all her life, for her to react like she did.
He remembered reading in school about people like her. Abused and hated because of how they looked. But really, power was within them. Her seeing a vision made him think about that..Could she be one of these people? A descendent of the ancient wisdoms of the world? What where they called? They were a certain race, he knew that, but what where they called?
His head ached, he couldn’t think properly right now. Maybe in the morning. Yes. The morning....

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ella awoke the next morning, with no memory of anything that had happened the previous day. Only when she was washing her face did she jerk her head up, a picture of Yeusem sleeping in the barn flashing in her mind. She sped through her household chores, which included making breakfast.

She decided to make bacon and eggs that morning. She knew that he mother would be pleased. She always liked the smell of the bacon cooking and the sound of the eggs frying in the bacon fat. As she poked the frying strips of meat with a fork, she smiled. She remembered raising the pig herself, and feeding it brown sugar to make the meat sweet. It certainly worked. Her mother had even said that the meat was the best she had ever tasted. She remembered her mother’s face as she put the crispy strips in her mouth. Pure surprise and her jaw moving slowly to savor the taste. Her reaction had filled Ella with pride. Her mother had been pleased with her! The first time in her life that her mother was happy she was around. Because it was known all around town that Widow Thatchie could not cook. She wouldn’t even eat her own food. And here she had a daughter that could make the best food in the entire town. But, as the town had never seen Ella, it was only her mother that said that to her.

Actually, her mother had never said it to her directly, she had snuck into her mother’s room and read her diary.

The popping fat shot out a spray of droplets that splattered all over the wood stove, and onto Ella’s hand. She shrieked, droped the fork on the ground, and plunged her hand into the bucket of ice-cold water. She scolded herself for daydreaming while making breakfast. Good thing her mother was still asleep. Although, doubtless she had awaken at the commotion.

Once the bacon was done and the eggs carefully fried in the flavorful fat, she took out two plates. She didn’t think that Yeusem would mind eating from the same plate. If her mother saw that three plates were out of her cupboard and only one on the table, she would get suspicious. She put the food on her mother’s plate, covered it with another plate, and put it on the stove to keep it warm. After pilling the rest onto the other plate and getting the fork that had fallen on the ground and a clean one, she walked quietly out to the barn.

Yeusem was awake, and he smiled when he saw her, “Ooh! My stomach was just telling me that it needed something to churn.”

“I hope you like bacon and eggs.”
“What and eggs?”
“Bacon. Haven’t you heard of it before?” she thought for sure that everyone had heard of bacon.
“No....I have not heard of such a thing as bacon, what is it?” he looked at the plate with suspicion as Ella set it on the ground between the both of them.
“You taste it and find out, you will like it.” she pointed to the bacon and indicated that he should eat it.
“It sure does smell good,” he said, picking one of the strips and sniffing it. He bit off a tiny chunk, and chewed slowly. His eyes closed and he took another bite, bigger this time, “Delicious!” he declared, “This has to be one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted.”
Ella beamed, “Then get eating it before it gets cold!” She handed him a fork and twirled her own, and they dug in. She didn’t eat very much, but let Yeusem eat most of it. She wasn’t very hungry anyways.
He looked up at her, idly spinning her fork, “Aren’t you going to eat anymore?”
“No, you are hungry, and I am not. Eat all you want.” he opened his mouth to ask a question, and she heard his voice, but his mouth did not move.
“Will your mother get suspicious if you are eating in the barn?”
“I often eat, and sometimes sleep, in the barn. Plus, my mother doesn’t care what I do or where I go, so long as I do my chores and obey her.” She opened her mouth and covered it with her hands. Yeusem’s jaw had also dropped. She heard his voice again,
“How did she know what I was going to ask?”
I don’t know! her thoughts screamed.
Yeusem’s jaw dropped even farther, he must have also heard her thought.
“What are you doing?” his voice came loud and clear into her mind.
I have no idea! Are we talking through thought?
“We must be, but it’s not me. I already know that I don’t have the power to speak through thought.”
What? And I do? You are speaking through thought right now... aren’t you?
“Only because you heard my question first. I can’t start a conversation, but you can.” Yeusem now had an expressionless face, his jaw taught and clamped shut.
Why only me? she asked
“You must have been born with the gift, this means that you are special. A being with more power than any other mortal.” he replied.
“Me?” she pointed to herself, “special?” She chuckled humorlessly, “You are talking about the wrong girl. You are talking to Ella, the Outcast. The girl whose mother won’t be caught dead with me around. The Half Face.” she shook her head, “I am not what you think I am.”
“What do I think you are?” Yeusem asked.
Without thinking, she replied, “A Roshem, a descendant of the ancient wisdoms of the world. Whose faces show their gifts and the amount of their power.” she opened her eyes wide, “I knew what you were thinking!” she put her face in her hands and groaned.
“Ella, you cannot deny what happened here.” Yeusem leaned forward and put his hand on her shoulder.
“I know..its...its just to much for me to take in right now,” she lifted her head and looked up at the barn ceiling. Looking at Yeusem, she let her mind drift gently into his, and she heard his thought.
“How am I going to explain this to her?”
Maybe by starting from the beginning! I’m not that stupid!
He jerked his head up, “Hey! It is rude to read my mind like that!”
“Well, sorry! But you try living for fifteen years thinking that you are a nobody, destined to be kept a secret for the rest of your life. Then suddenly being struck with more visions than you can count, being able to mindspeak, and having your only friend on earth think you are a Roshem, one of the most powerful races on the face of the earth! All in the course of a few days!” She got up, picking the plate up with her, and stalked out of the stall.
“Ella! Wait!” Yeusem implored.
She turned to him, emotion rising in her throat, “I’ll be back when I am done trying to figure my life out!” she galloped out of the barn and to the back door of her house. She paused at the door to calm her breathing before walking in with the empty plate. Her mother had eaten her breakfast and was gone from the kitchen. Her plate was washed and drying on a towel.

Mother must have been very pleased to do her own dish. she thought with a grin. She cleaned her dish and tidied up the kitchen. Closing the back door behind her, she walked out the kitchen and into the open air. She decided to go into the woods. Being all alone with the trees and the cool, wild wind always seemed to calm her.

She found herself walking to the log where she had found Yeusem. And before she knew it, she was sitting on the log, with her head in her hands, sobbing.

“Why do you cry, Ellina Thatchie?” a gentle voice whispered to her.
“Whose there?” she lifted up her head.
“My name is Sholeim,” it replied, “I am your Creator.”
My Creator? I was created by you?
“Everything is a work of art, molded by my hands,” she could hear his voice, but no one was near her. “I am not a ghost, child. I am here, I am everywhere, but no one can ever see me. But you can hear me and feel me.”
Once again, her face was in her hands, “Why me?” she screamed to the echoing air.
She felt a warmth come over her, like someone was putting His arms around her, “Child, your are saying this about many things in your life, are you not?”
Of course! Why me? Why was it me that had to be hated all my life? Why is it me that has all these special gifts? Why is it me that has visions? Why is it me that can suddenly mindspeak? Why did Yeusem come into my life? Why did you choose me? Why did you give me the face that my own mother can’t stand to look at? Can’t you just leave me alone?
“I chose you because I love you, because you are precious. I designed you, formed you in your mother’s womb. Shaped every piece of your face. And though you may seem ugly and distorted in the eyes of the world, to Me, and to those that love you, you are beautiful. The many marks on your face that are jumbled together make your face look distorted and ugly, are the marks of your power. You will not have all of your gifts forever. When you use a gift, and it is no longer needed, the mark will go away. It will leave in its place smooth, unblemished skin.”
You mean that my face will one day look normal? Hope rose in her heart.
“No, but you will look very different when your journey is over.”
My journey?
“Life is a journey, a race, that everyone will finish one day. Some will be told ‘Well done, good and faithful servant,’ but others will not be so fortunate.” Sholeim’s voice seemed sad when he said that. She heard an audible sigh,“You must understand, Ellina, I love everyone, even those that curse my name. It grieves me when they do that, but it does not decrease my love for them. Remember, my child, no matter what you do, no matter how alone you seem, not matter what goes on in your life, I love you, and I will always be here for you. Cry out, and I will answer, grieve, and I will comfort you, rejoice, and I will rejoice with you. You may not hear or feel Me, but I will never leave your side. That is the promise that I made to you and to everyone before this world was created. Hold to the promise, child, and do not forget what I have told you here in this, our private place. You will come back here many times. Now, Yeusem needs you. You must go, and leave this place. I will always be by your side. I love you, child.” His voice had faded gradually, but she had still heard his last sentence.

Shaking with joy from Sholeim’s overwhelming love, she leapt up from the log and danced all the way to the barn. She raised her arms and laughed. The sunlight pouring down from the sun made her eyes sparkle like polished sapphires. She had never felt so joyful in her life, never before had she felt as radiant as the sun itself. Sholeim loved her! He created her and chose her to be who she was. He had spoken to her, and He would never leave her side. She was His child, and she would cling to him like a young child clings to a father.