In today’s episode we read Chapter 33 – Sparking Silence - in which Lucas tries desperately to find a way to put his and Magpie’s timelines back in place
The Skylark Bell is brought to you by: Phaeton Starling Publishing and Things with Wings Productions.
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Author/Producer: Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com
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This week's Boopod Network podcast partner is Horror Roulette: http://www.horrorroulette.com
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 33 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.
In our previous episode, Magpie came to the devastating realisation that she is the woman she knew as Farfalla in her youth, and that she will live out her days in Pocket.
In today’s episode we read Chapter 33 – Sparking Silence - in which Lucas tries desperately to find a way to put his and Magpie’s timelines back in place
Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a preview of a podcast I quite enjoy called Horror Roulette.
Now, it’s time to settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.
It is 1925. Lucas is now older than Magpie was when they last parted ways in the forest. Life has been hard; he has spent the last 30 years building houses in Pocket and neighbouring Brighthaven. The job requires a lot of physical labour, and Lucas’ body is showing signs of wear. But today he has a spring in his step. It is winter. A brutal winter. He remembers his experience with it the first time. He was much younger then, and stronger, but not as wise… not as desperate.
This time Lucas has a plan. A plan that has been three decades in the making. Thirty years ago, he came to Meadow Lane in the dark of night, the field in front of the partially built structure of the house illuminated by the full moon. He had pulled the small acorn from the Forest near Carnifex house out of his satchel, and held it in the palm of his hand, pouring his deepest wish, his deepest desire into it, before carefully planting it into the ground. Three decades of changing seasons, of sun and rain and wind, of birds and squirrels, all witnesses to the oak tree rising out of the ground, getting bigger and stronger with every passing year.
Now, it is 1925, it is winter, and Lucas is going home. He knows exactly what to do. He will find his younger self at Mirror Pond, bring him to the oak tree, and together they will travel back to Pòcaid. He remembers the events from the first time he lived them, remembers the old man in the snow. The old man hadn’t been with him when he woke up at Carnifex house, but perhaps he had travelled to a different timeline. He can only hope that he will finally find Magpie. This is his only chance; it has to work.
Lucas has spent the last three days living in the barn at the Starling farm, having enlisted Gordon Starling’s help by telling him he is an old friend of the Marius, and of the Carnifex family from next door. Gordon has been a gracious host, providing blankets, a lantern, and food.
Well rested and revitalized, Lucas is ready for the work ahead. He squints against the blowing snow and pulls his scarf further up around his face, leaving only a narrow space for his eyes. He knows the approximate location of Mirror Pond despite the mounds of snow drifting across the quarry. If his memory serves him right, his younger self should be arriving at any moment. He waits by the side of the road for what feels like an eternity when, at long last, he sees Cormorant, his shining black coat a stark contrast to the blinding white of the snow. Lucas starts to make his way toward them and sees the familiar scene unfold. The scarf blowing onto Cormorant’s face, the huge animal rearing up in fear, and his younger self falling to the ground.
Lucas shuffles through the deep snow as quickly as he can and leans over his younger self. “You’re going to take me with you!” he says, not realizing the depth of the desperation he has been feeling until now. “Take me with you!” he says again. His younger self loses consciousness, his body going limp in Lucas’ grasp. Lucas digs deep and finds superhuman strength to lift Young Lucas onto his shoulders, then carries him toward the oak tree.
It feels like an eternity, but they finally make it across the quarry to the tree. Lucas puts his younger self down and leans him against the tree trunk. He peers into the man’s face, his own face… the eeriness of the situation sends a shiver down his spine. Young Lucas is still unconscious. Worried, Lucas decides to go ask Gordon Starling for help, perhaps a thermos of hot tea or soup to help warm him up. He hesitates, not wanting to step away. He can’t miss this opportunity, but he also can’t leave Young Lucas unconscious in the cold, he must do something.
Pressing his lips together, Lucas hurries across the road to the Starling farm. Gordon springs into action almost immediately, he and Marius are very close and have a great relationship. Lucas shifts his weight from one foot to the other with impatience while Gordon gathers the items he has requested. This is his one chance at going home, he can’t bear the thought of what will happen if he misses it. At long last Gordon returns to the door with a thermos full of hot soup and some blankets. Lucas thanks him profusely and runs back across the road toward Meadow Lane.
His pace slows as he approaches the tree. Young Lucas is no longer sitting on the ground leaning against its trunk. “No, no, please, no!” says Lucas, feeling tears well up in his eyes. He circles the tree, hoping perhaps Young Lucas simply crawled to the other side, but in his heart, he knows the truth. His younger self is already gone. Lucas drops to his knees into the snow, his gaze traveling up through the bare branches of the oak tree to the grey, overcast sky above before lowering to the ground. He stays in the snow for some time, devastated, but eventually the cold starts seeping through his clothes, and he realizes he needs to find shelter.
Lucas stands up and takes a moment to gather his thoughts. Suddenly, he realizes that the sound of the wind has died completely. So completely in fact that it doesn’t seem possible. Lucas stomps his feet in the snow, but he hears nothing. Concerned that something is wrong, he breaks off a twig from a branch of the oak tree, holds one end of it in each hand and lifts it up to his ear before snapping it, but the world around him remains completely silent. Lucas’ heart starts pounding. The silence. This is the silence at Meadow Lane. It started here. Now.
Lucas hurriedly walks through the snow back toward the main road. A few paces away from the oak tree he is hit by a wave of sound. Wind, crunching footsteps, his heavy breathing. It is in that moment that Lucas realizes that crossing his own timeline is what sparked the silence at Meadow Lane. It started beneath the oak tree and spread to the entire property. All this time, everyone in town blamed Farfalla, blamed her curse. All this time… and it was him. He was responsible for it. Lucas is horrified by the realization. He stumbles back to the Starling’s barn and lays beneath layers of blankets, shivering, partly from the cold, and partly from shame, guilt, and fear.
The Starlings continue to care for him over the next few days, and the weather gradually improves. Finally, it is clear enough for Lucas to leave the Starling farm.
“Thank you for your kindness,” he says to Gordon.
Gordon smiles, “My pleasure! Any friend of Marius’ is a friend of mine,” he says.
“Marius was very fortunate to have a friend like you,” replies Lucas.
“He is fortunate. Don’t write him off just yet! Marius is the toughest, smartest man I know, I’ll be lucky to grow up to be half the man he is someday!” says Gordon, his voice filled with confidence. He turns to Cormorant, cozy in his stall. “Right, old friend? We’re just going to take care of each other until Marius comes back.”
Lucas feels a sting in his heart. The moment is bittersweet, he knows Marius is never coming back, but he feels relief knowing Cormorant will live out his days in Gordon’s care.
“I wish you all the best, Gordon. You’re going to do great things, I’m sure of it,” he says finally, shaking the boy’s hand.
“Thanks! I hope to see you again someday!” replies Gordon.
Lucas nods without saying anything. He leans in toward Cormorant and whispers, “goodbye, old friend,” then turns and heads out of the barn. He walks to the bottom of the driveway and turns to look back at the house, Grandma Gemma’s house, his house. He stares at it for along moment, committing every detail to memory. Then he takes a few more steps and stops to look at Meadow Lane.
“Farfalla is in there,” he thinks, his heart aching. “And Magpie, where is she?” He wonders, his heart sinking even deeper into his chest. He stands for a long moment despite the bitter cold, remembering his childhood with Grandma Gemma, his time spent exploring with Magpie, his time riding on Cormorant’s back with Farfalla. All this time, only to end up in the wrong time.
“Goodbye,” he whispers, as he finally turns and walks away from Meadow Lane, for the very last time.
Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week for Wingspan Chapter 34 – The Letter - in which Magpie receives a mysterious letter requesting she visit a nearby care home.
The Skylark Bell is brought to you by Phaeton Starling Publishing and features original music by Cannelle. If you are enjoying this story, please consider leaving a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts, they help give the podcast visibility so others can find and enjoy the story. You can also support my work by subscribing to my Patreon where you get early access to episodes as well as MP3 downloads of the music, artwork, behind the scenes videos and more! Just check the show notes for links to Patreon, my website, and social media accounts.
Before I go, I’d like to share this reel for a podcast I quite enjoy called Horror Roulette. Em and Nick are fantastic hosts who discuss paranormal events and true crime. If you enjoy the supernatural atmosphere of The Skylark Bell you’ll want to check them out.
Once again, thank you for listening – I’m Melissa Oliveri, and this is The Skylark Bell Podcast.
