Strings of Fate

163- Diaries and death “What can you tell us about Atropos?” | prompt.

Well, she is usually considered to be the oldest of the fates. I'm not sure how anyone would know that kind of thing, but that’s what the stories | was told said. It doesn’t really matter anyway. So, as | said, Atropos is the fate who controls the manner in which someone dies and cuts the string that represents their lifespan. Basically if our fates represent the beginning and middle of life, Atropos represents the ending. | don’t really know exactly what abilities your Kiara has but it probably involves knowing how people will die. Maybe when? You would really need to ask her for the specifics.” Collin suggests. | tense up. | was so interested in hearing about this magic that for a minute, | forgot the reason | started looking into it in the first place. | must have stayed quiet too long because Bellamy responds for me.

“Kiara is missing. She was kidnapped several days ago. We have reason to believe that she is still alive. We thought maybe she might have been taken for sof her magical abilities. But since we don’t know her race and we didn’t know anything about her magic, it makes it very difficult to work out what that might be. We're hoping that sidea of her abilities might lead to information about why she was taken and then hopefully who took her.” He explains it calmly, but he takes my hand and holds it tight so | know he isn’t as unaffected ast he sounds.

“Oh no, the poor dear!” Addie looks distraught. | can tell she really is the kind of person to care a lot about others. Collin looks sad but thoughtful.

“You said you have evidence suggesting that she is alive. Might | ask what kind of evidence?” He is definitely the logical, analytical type.

“I... I've had dreams about her. I've never even met her in person but every t| sleep | see her. That's why | have to find her.” | try to speak clearly, but my voice wavers and | sound broken, even to my own ears. From the looks of sympathy on everyone's faces, | look as terrible as I'm feeling.

“So you're an Oracle then?” Addie asks and | shrug and shake my head at the stime.

“Not really? | have magic but | don’t usually see visions, not until now. | see threads of fate. too, but what | see is people’s relationships. The ones they're destined to have. Their red 1/4 163- Diaries and death thread connecting them to their soul mate, a blue thread for friendship, black for enemies, stuff like that. I can also see if they have already met that person.” | explain. If Addie looks interested, then Collin looks FASCINATED.

“Now that’s interesting. So if you touch someone you can learn a lot about their future.” He sums up.

“Not quite. | don’t have to touch someone. | see them all the time. In fact | can’t turn it off. | walk into things a lot. It’s very distracting.” | admit. Addie lets out a snort of a laugh.

0 “I ca can see how that would be difficult. | can’t imagine seeing with my magic all the time. Doesn't it get overwhelming?” She asks. | shrug.

“Sometimes, but | don’t know any different. What's it like to look around and not see them?” | turn the question back at her. A bemused smile crosses her lips.

“| see your point. You mentioned you have also had visions lately?” She asks and | nod.

“Yes. | never have before though. My magic is recorded as unknown and I've never met anyone with the smagic as me. That's my second reason for contacting you guys. Your magic is the closest I've ever seen to my own. | was hoping you might be able to helpfigure out more about myself. That's not exactly my priority right now though. | want to find Kiara.” | quickly add at the end. | actually feel a little guilty for even worrying about my own. curiosity when | have a little girl to find.

“Hey, no. There's nothing wrong with wanting to know more. Besides, figuring out your visions might help us find her.” Bellamy answers my thought. Apparently he can read my mind now. That or I'm just really obvious.

“Curiosity should always be encouraged.” Collin remarks. But he seems distracted, staring off into the distance like he’s deep in thought. All of a sudden he stands up, | can see his button up shirt and his chair being shoved away behind him as he walks away from the camera.

“Uhm... okay?” | sit there awkwardly.

“That's one way to end a conversation.” Addie jokes filling the sudden silence.

2/4 163- Diaries and death “Do you think he’s coming back?” Bellamy wonders aloud. I'm spared having to answer by Collin returning, shoving his keyboard aside and thumping what looks like a very old, leather. bound book onto the desk in front of him. The book lands so hard that his camera shakes and makes him go all blurry for a moment while it adjusts.

Welcback.” | remark. Collin grins at me.

‘Sorry about that. | just remembered something | read once and | thought | should share.” His eyes are gleaming with excitement. | get the impression that people don’t often cto him with obscure research questions and he is entirely thrilled about it.

“So, this is an old journal. It belonged to my grandfather. Given the Banshee’s extended. lifespan, it was written approximately five hundred and fifty years ago. There are a few entries | think you will find interesting. He pulls out a pair of reading glasses with bright red frames and slides them onto his face, pushing them up his nose and adjusting them. He clears his throat and begins reading.

I've been having visions again. Of a man dying well before his time. But | don’t think | care anymore. Since my dear wife passed | don’t see the point anymore. | knew her life would be cut short and | thought | had accepted it, but when the tc| found that | was not prepared. Life without her is empty and if someone as pure as her has to die then why should | go out of my way, travelling far from my hand my children just to save someone else. Everyone dies, speople die young. Why is he worth saving? Why should he get more twhen she didn’t? The fates are cruel and unfair and | refuse to let them forcefrom my home. | know that life is short and | intend to spend the rest of my twith my children. Perhaps | will be able to fill the hole that my dear Katherine's death has left in my life.

Collin pauses to turn the page.

“That's so sad. The poor man seems so broken.” Addie comments on a sigh. | nod my agreement. I’m not totally sure what I'm supposed to take from the story though. Collin turns. a few more pages then starts reading again.

“I have been a fool. Tonight a woman ctoin my dreams, although calling her a woman does not quite do her justice. Upon seeing her, | fell to my knees. | believe she must be a goddess. She looked atwith fury in her white eyes and | found I could not meet her gaze. She demanded to know why | was ignoring my duties as a representative of fate even 3/4 163- Diaries and death though her daughter had been sendingvisions for months. | told her that | didn’t want to have to leave my life to save someone else. | told her that life is unfair and that without my wife there is no point to it.

“You see the span of a person's life. You knew how much tyou had with this woman and still you chose to love her. Would you give up that tto avoid the heartbreak now?” She demanded. | told her that | would not give up twith my dear Katherine for anything.

“So why would you take that tfrom someone else when you have been tasked to save it? Not everyone can be saved, not everyone should be. Living too long can be just as painful as having your life cut short. If you do not help this man you will regret it. | control a person’s destiny and | have decided that the man you are seeing is destined for your own daughter. If you do not save him then she will never experience a love like you shared with your Katherine.” Her words were like a knife to my chest. | had not considered that refusing fate would hurt my family. | knew in that moment that | had made a terrible mistake.