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Wingspan - Chapter 28, All That Could Have Been
In today’s episode we read Chapter 28 – All that Could have Been - in which Lucas once again finds himself transported, this time back to Carnifex House, but his feeling of relief is short lived
The Skylark Bell is Brought to you by: Phaeton Starling Publishing and Things with Wings Productions.
The Skylark Bell official website - http://www.theskylarkbell.com
The Skylark Bell on Instagram: @theskylarkbell
Author/Producer: Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com
Join Melissa's Patreon for early access to podcast episodes, music downloads, and more: http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri
Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri
All music by Cannelle: http://www.cannellemusic.com
Cannelle on Instagram: @cannelle.music
Merch: http://www.melissaoliveri.com/store
This week's Boopod Network podcast partner is The Activity Continues: https://linkin.bio/theactivitycontinues
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 28 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.
In our previous episode, Lucas got lost in the terrible snow storm of 1925, and despite a mysterious man attempting to come to his rescue, he never made it back to Meadow Lane.
In today’s episode we read Chapter 28 – All that Could have Been - in which Lucas once again finds himself transported, this time back to Carnifex House, but his feeling of relief is short lived
Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a preciew of a paranormal podcast I quite enjoy called The Activity Continues.
Now, it’s time to settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.
Lucas can feel the warmth of the sun on his face. “I made it,” he thinks, a smile slowly growing. He opens his eyes and slowly looks around. His brow furrows as he recognizes the living room at Carnifex House. Realizing he is laying on the couch, he heaves a sigh of relief and starts laughing uncontrollably. “Magpie?!” he shouts, trying to kick off the tangle of blankets covering his legs. “Magpie, you won’t believe the dream I had!” he shouts again. He hears footsteps coming slowly from the kitchen and sees Magpie’s silhouette in the doorway to the dining room. “It was so crazy; I had a dream that I was Marius Corbeau! Can you believe it?!” he says, still laughing.
The figure in the doorway stands motionless. “Magpie? Are you okay?” he asks, the laughter subsiding and giving way to an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Lucas struggles to sit up, a wave of nausea and dizziness instantly hitting him. He lays back down and takes a few deep breaths.
“Oh Lucas,” comes Magpie’s voice from the doorway, “that was no dream,” she says, walking into the room. Lucas turns to look toward her and feels a wave of shock wash through him.
The woman standing next to the couch is definitely Magpie, of that he has no doubt, but her fiery red hair is now streaked with silver, and gentle lines crease the corners of her eyes and mouth.
“What… what’s going on? I don’t understand…” he says, closing his eyes tightly, hoping perhaps this is the dream, and that he’ll wake up at Meadow Lane after all.
Magpie sits next down on the floor next to the couch and runs her finger along his cheek. “Lucas, you’ve been gone for 30 years,” she says, the words catching in her throat.
Lucas opens his eyes and turns his head to look at her, his heart suddenly pounding so hard he can hear it echo in his head. Tears are streaming down Magpie’s cheeks, and he reaches his hand up to wipe them away.
“I don’t understand. I don’t… how?” he says, fighting off the urge to shout.
“It’s a long story, and I promise I will tell you everything I know,” she replies, her mouth taking on a sad smile, “but right now you need to rest. I’ll go put the kettle on and make you a sandwich,” she says, getting up off the floor.
Magpie walks back to the kitchen, leaving Lucas alone with his thoughts. Is it possible? Has he time-traveled again, this time to the future? Is this what happened to Marius Corbeau when he disappeared from Pocket in 1925?
Magpie comes back with a cup of steaming hot tea and a tomato sandwich nestled on a plate. Lucas smiles at her, “I remember when Manon made us those sandwiches on our first day here!” he says, sitting up and graciously accepting the plate Magpie is handing him.
A look of nostalgia washes over Magpie’s face. “Gosh, that was decades ago, I haven’t thought about it in years! I miss Manon and Alfred,” she says quietly.
“Have they retired in the south of France?” he asks, putting the sandwich down to take a careful sip of steaming hot tea.
Magpie looks at him for a long moment. “They both passed away years ago… as did your grandmother, Gemma,” she says, delivering the news as gently as she can.
The reality of the situation hits Lucas like a ton of bricks and sends him reeling. He and Magpie have lived completely different timelines. He is still 25 years old, and she is now twice his age. She takes his hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. He looks down at her hand and sees how time has worn it, the folds of her skin more prominent, and finally the tears come, and he does nothing to stop them. What a cruel twist of fate this is, not only to take him away from Farfalla after he had finally accepted that he would never see Magpie again, but to bring him back to Magpie, to his first love, only to have the life they had dreamed of be a complete impossibility.
Lucas makes space for the grief he is feeling, then takes a moment to regroup. Suddenly a thought crosses his mind. “Are you married?” he asks, afraid of what she will say.
Magpie looks down at the ground with an almost imperceptible nod. She heaves a sigh and looks back up at him. “Yes, I did get married. My husband’s name was Julien, he was Manon and Alfred’s son. We lived together here at Carnifex House for many happy years,” she says.
“Where is he now?” asks Lucas.
“He passed away too,” she says quietly, the pain of the loss clearly visible on her face, “it was an accident. We never had children, and I never remarried,” she adds, sparing him the heartache of having to ask.
“Magpie, you’re completely alone here!” he says, his heart aching for her.
“Not anymore,” she replies, giving his hand a squeeze that sends his heart soaring.
They take a moment to catch their breath, and Lucas finishes his food. “I think I can stand up now,” he says, tossing the blankets to the side and swinging his legs off the couch. Magpie holds his arm as he stands. He takes a moment to make sure he doesn’t feel faint or dizzy, then takes a tentative step into the room. “All systems go,” he says, smiling at her. Finally, he takes the time to look around the room. Some of the furniture has changed, and the paint colour is different, but overall, it still feels like home.
He shuffles over to the fireplace and looks at the photos on the mantle. He sees a photo from Magpie’s wedding with Mrs. Phaeton, Manon, and Alfred standing proudly next to the happy couple, Magpie looking radiant in her wedding dress. He feels a pang of regret deep within his heart. “That should have been me,” he thinks, a lump forming in his throat. Next to the wedding photo are photos of Mrs. Phaeton, the Sarcelles, and the house at Meadow Lane with a sign above the door that reads “The Lark & Bell Artist’s Retreat”. Next to it is a photo of Lucas himself, standing in the field next to Cormorant. He remembers that photo was taken only a few weeks before the fateful ride that sent him back a century.
The last photo on the mantle hits Lucas in the gut. It is the old photo that Magpie had found at Meadow Lane the day she rang the Skylark Bell. It had been sitting on the mantle there, and she had brought it home to Grandma Gemma’s for everyone to see. It was a photo of Lucas, as Marius, and Farfalla standing next to each other. A photo that was taken only a few weeks ago in Lucas’ world. With a shaking hand he takes the photo from the mantle and brings it back to the couch. Magpie comes over and sits next to him.
“What was she like?” she asks, running her finger along the edge of the frame.
“She was wonderful,” he says, “she reminded me of you.”
“Did you love her?” she asks.
“I loved her, but not like I loved you,” he says after a long pause.
Magpie nods quietly, she knows exactly what he means.
They sit in silence, a silence deeper than the one that hovered over Meadow Lane when they first met, and look into one another’s eyes. A world of meaning passes between them, the unspoken words hanging in the air, all that could have been…
Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week for Wingspan chapter 29, Next Steps, where Magpie and Lucas try to find a way out of the tangled strings of time and space.
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 The Activity Continues. Amy and Megan are fantastic hosts who discuss episodes of paranormal television show The Dead Files. 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, writer, host and producer of The Skylark Bell Podcast.
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/theskylarkbell/exclusive-content
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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By Melissa West
5
1919 ratings
In today’s episode we read Chapter 28 – All that Could have Been - in which Lucas once again finds himself transported, this time back to Carnifex House, but his feeling of relief is short lived
The Skylark Bell is Brought to you by: Phaeton Starling Publishing and Things with Wings Productions.
The Skylark Bell official website - http://www.theskylarkbell.com
The Skylark Bell on Instagram: @theskylarkbell
Author/Producer: Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com
Join Melissa's Patreon for early access to podcast episodes, music downloads, and more: http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri
Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri
All music by Cannelle: http://www.cannellemusic.com
Cannelle on Instagram: @cannelle.music
Merch: http://www.melissaoliveri.com/store
This week's Boopod Network podcast partner is The Activity Continues: https://linkin.bio/theactivitycontinues
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 28 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.
In our previous episode, Lucas got lost in the terrible snow storm of 1925, and despite a mysterious man attempting to come to his rescue, he never made it back to Meadow Lane.
In today’s episode we read Chapter 28 – All that Could have Been - in which Lucas once again finds himself transported, this time back to Carnifex House, but his feeling of relief is short lived
Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a preciew of a paranormal podcast I quite enjoy called The Activity Continues.
Now, it’s time to settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.
Lucas can feel the warmth of the sun on his face. “I made it,” he thinks, a smile slowly growing. He opens his eyes and slowly looks around. His brow furrows as he recognizes the living room at Carnifex House. Realizing he is laying on the couch, he heaves a sigh of relief and starts laughing uncontrollably. “Magpie?!” he shouts, trying to kick off the tangle of blankets covering his legs. “Magpie, you won’t believe the dream I had!” he shouts again. He hears footsteps coming slowly from the kitchen and sees Magpie’s silhouette in the doorway to the dining room. “It was so crazy; I had a dream that I was Marius Corbeau! Can you believe it?!” he says, still laughing.
The figure in the doorway stands motionless. “Magpie? Are you okay?” he asks, the laughter subsiding and giving way to an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Lucas struggles to sit up, a wave of nausea and dizziness instantly hitting him. He lays back down and takes a few deep breaths.
“Oh Lucas,” comes Magpie’s voice from the doorway, “that was no dream,” she says, walking into the room. Lucas turns to look toward her and feels a wave of shock wash through him.
The woman standing next to the couch is definitely Magpie, of that he has no doubt, but her fiery red hair is now streaked with silver, and gentle lines crease the corners of her eyes and mouth.
“What… what’s going on? I don’t understand…” he says, closing his eyes tightly, hoping perhaps this is the dream, and that he’ll wake up at Meadow Lane after all.
Magpie sits next down on the floor next to the couch and runs her finger along his cheek. “Lucas, you’ve been gone for 30 years,” she says, the words catching in her throat.
Lucas opens his eyes and turns his head to look at her, his heart suddenly pounding so hard he can hear it echo in his head. Tears are streaming down Magpie’s cheeks, and he reaches his hand up to wipe them away.
“I don’t understand. I don’t… how?” he says, fighting off the urge to shout.
“It’s a long story, and I promise I will tell you everything I know,” she replies, her mouth taking on a sad smile, “but right now you need to rest. I’ll go put the kettle on and make you a sandwich,” she says, getting up off the floor.
Magpie walks back to the kitchen, leaving Lucas alone with his thoughts. Is it possible? Has he time-traveled again, this time to the future? Is this what happened to Marius Corbeau when he disappeared from Pocket in 1925?
Magpie comes back with a cup of steaming hot tea and a tomato sandwich nestled on a plate. Lucas smiles at her, “I remember when Manon made us those sandwiches on our first day here!” he says, sitting up and graciously accepting the plate Magpie is handing him.
A look of nostalgia washes over Magpie’s face. “Gosh, that was decades ago, I haven’t thought about it in years! I miss Manon and Alfred,” she says quietly.
“Have they retired in the south of France?” he asks, putting the sandwich down to take a careful sip of steaming hot tea.
Magpie looks at him for a long moment. “They both passed away years ago… as did your grandmother, Gemma,” she says, delivering the news as gently as she can.
The reality of the situation hits Lucas like a ton of bricks and sends him reeling. He and Magpie have lived completely different timelines. He is still 25 years old, and she is now twice his age. She takes his hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. He looks down at her hand and sees how time has worn it, the folds of her skin more prominent, and finally the tears come, and he does nothing to stop them. What a cruel twist of fate this is, not only to take him away from Farfalla after he had finally accepted that he would never see Magpie again, but to bring him back to Magpie, to his first love, only to have the life they had dreamed of be a complete impossibility.
Lucas makes space for the grief he is feeling, then takes a moment to regroup. Suddenly a thought crosses his mind. “Are you married?” he asks, afraid of what she will say.
Magpie looks down at the ground with an almost imperceptible nod. She heaves a sigh and looks back up at him. “Yes, I did get married. My husband’s name was Julien, he was Manon and Alfred’s son. We lived together here at Carnifex House for many happy years,” she says.
“Where is he now?” asks Lucas.
“He passed away too,” she says quietly, the pain of the loss clearly visible on her face, “it was an accident. We never had children, and I never remarried,” she adds, sparing him the heartache of having to ask.
“Magpie, you’re completely alone here!” he says, his heart aching for her.
“Not anymore,” she replies, giving his hand a squeeze that sends his heart soaring.
They take a moment to catch their breath, and Lucas finishes his food. “I think I can stand up now,” he says, tossing the blankets to the side and swinging his legs off the couch. Magpie holds his arm as he stands. He takes a moment to make sure he doesn’t feel faint or dizzy, then takes a tentative step into the room. “All systems go,” he says, smiling at her. Finally, he takes the time to look around the room. Some of the furniture has changed, and the paint colour is different, but overall, it still feels like home.
He shuffles over to the fireplace and looks at the photos on the mantle. He sees a photo from Magpie’s wedding with Mrs. Phaeton, Manon, and Alfred standing proudly next to the happy couple, Magpie looking radiant in her wedding dress. He feels a pang of regret deep within his heart. “That should have been me,” he thinks, a lump forming in his throat. Next to the wedding photo are photos of Mrs. Phaeton, the Sarcelles, and the house at Meadow Lane with a sign above the door that reads “The Lark & Bell Artist’s Retreat”. Next to it is a photo of Lucas himself, standing in the field next to Cormorant. He remembers that photo was taken only a few weeks before the fateful ride that sent him back a century.
The last photo on the mantle hits Lucas in the gut. It is the old photo that Magpie had found at Meadow Lane the day she rang the Skylark Bell. It had been sitting on the mantle there, and she had brought it home to Grandma Gemma’s for everyone to see. It was a photo of Lucas, as Marius, and Farfalla standing next to each other. A photo that was taken only a few weeks ago in Lucas’ world. With a shaking hand he takes the photo from the mantle and brings it back to the couch. Magpie comes over and sits next to him.
“What was she like?” she asks, running her finger along the edge of the frame.
“She was wonderful,” he says, “she reminded me of you.”
“Did you love her?” she asks.
“I loved her, but not like I loved you,” he says after a long pause.
Magpie nods quietly, she knows exactly what he means.
They sit in silence, a silence deeper than the one that hovered over Meadow Lane when they first met, and look into one another’s eyes. A world of meaning passes between them, the unspoken words hanging in the air, all that could have been…
Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week for Wingspan chapter 29, Next Steps, where Magpie and Lucas try to find a way out of the tangled strings of time and space.
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 The Activity Continues. Amy and Megan are fantastic hosts who discuss episodes of paranormal television show The Dead Files. 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, writer, host and producer of The Skylark Bell Podcast.
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/theskylarkbell/exclusive-content
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy