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Wingspan - Chapter 37, The Beginning of The End
In today’s episode we read Chapter 37 – The Beginning of the End - in which Magpie, still living as Farfalla and knowing she is running out of time, tries to warn her younger self in a final attempt to set the timelines straight.
This is the last full chapter of Wingspan. Next week will feature an epilogue which also serves as a prologue of sorts to the third and final book in the Skylark Trilogy – the book is called SkyeDive and will begin airing right here on The Skylark Bell podcast in January of 2023.
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
Official Merch Shops: http://www.melissaoliveri.com/store
This week's Boopod Network podcast partner is Murder Roadtrip: https://anchor.fm/shannon-quinn6
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 37 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.
In our previous episode, Magpie, still living as Farfalla, came full circle and encountered both her mother and her younger self.
In today’s episode we read Chapter 37 – The Beginning of the End - in which Magpie, still living as Farfalla and knowing she is running out of time, tries to warn her younger self in a final attempt to set the timelines straight.
This is the last full chapter of Wingspan. Next week will feature an epilogue which also serves as a prologue of sorts to the third and final book in the Skylark Trilogy – the book is called SkyeDive and will begin airing right here on The Skylark Bell podcast in January of 2023.
Be sure to listen through to the end of this episode for a preview of a podcast I quite enjoy called Murder Roadtrip.
Now, it’s time to settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.
Today is the day. She is sure of it. Magpie sits in the booth at the back of the diner, waiting. The residents of Pocket have gathered here, fearful, panicked even. They have noticed that the silence has left the limits of Meadow Lane, which it had been confined to for nearly one hundred years. The have noticed the swings in the park no longer squeak, the grass in the fields on the edge of town no longer blows in the wind. Pocket is slowly but surely being frozen in time. The silence is spreading.
Last night, Magpie spent hours laying in the dark trying to decide what she should do. She wants to tell her younger self the truth, that Farfalla never returned to Pocket in 1962, having miraculously survived the shipwreck in Scotland. There is no Farfalla, at least there hasn’t been for a very long time. There is only herself, only Magpie. But… if she does that, will it alter the future? Young Magpie was successful in ending the silence at Meadow Lane and saving the town. If she changes anything about the events of that day, could it have a domino effect that would incur a tragic outcome?
On the other hand, if Magpie knew from the beginning that this was her fate, decades of heartbreak and loneliness, would she perhaps choose a different path, perhaps even have a chance of a long, happy life with Lucas? If so, at what cost? Is she willing to sacrifice the entire town of Pocket, for a chance at her own happiness?
Magpie had stayed awake until the sun’s orange glow began to filter through the sheer curtains of her bedroom. She had risen from her bed and emptied out the bag of birdseed, filling the birdfeeders on her porch to the brim, for the last time, making sure to leave a few handfuls on the ground for the little chipmunk. She had pulled her notebook out from under the mattress, the last remaining relic of her previous life, her real life, and separated the pages from the binding, pinning each of them to the walls of the spare bedroom in chronological order. Knowing they would not be found until… after.
Now she sees Young Magpie in the doorway, wild eyed, and beckons for her to join her in the booth. She proceeds to tell her the story of Meadow Lane, word for word, the way she remembers it being told to her nearly 90 years ago. “Now fly, sweet bird,” she says at last, leaning back in her booth, exhausted. She watches as Young Magpie runs out the door and down the road, hoping she has made the right choice. She shuffles past the crowd that has filled up the dining room and slowly walks home.
Once inside her house, Magpie pulls a storage box from the hall closet and begins putting together the package she will leave behind for Magpie. She packs what is left of her sketchbook, keys to her house, the deed to Meadow Lane, and a letter she found in a collection of items that she had taken with her from Lucas’ room at the Brighthaven Care home after he passed away. He had somehow come into the possession of a letter from Charlotte Carnifex to Farfalla’s sister, Paloma, that mentions Carnifex House.
Magpie holds the letter in her hand for a long time, hesitating. If Young Magpie and Lucas never go to Scotland, perhaps this entire time loop and the silence at Meadow Lane can be avoided. This is her chance to cut off the head of the Ouroboros. Magpie folds the letter and hides it in a book about native bird species.
Last, Magpie places her diary into the box. It is a last-minute addition. She figures if she can inform her younger self of the truth, tell her the entire story, perhaps things will be different. She couldn’t risk making any changes to the timeline prior to the silence and Meadow Lane being resolved, but she doesn’t see why she can’t try to save herself a lifetime of heartache once it’s over.
Finally, the packed box sits on top of the dining room table. Magpie sits down to compose her final letter to her younger self. She seals the envelope and writes “Magpie” on the front, then places the envelope on top of the box and tucks the pencil in her pocket. She can still remember Mrs. Kestrel handing her the box as she stood in shock at the front of the diner that day. Today. Today but 90 years ago. Magpie lays her hand on top of the box, trying to enjoy the sense closure, but something at the back of her mind is bothering her.
The final sketch that had magically appeared, the one with “I AM NOT FARFALLA” scribbled on it, how had it gotten there? Who left it?
Magpie can feel her breath coming in shallow bursts. On shaking legs, she makes her way to the rocking chair in the spare room and wraps the green shawl around her shoulders. She sits and looks around at the sketches on the walls, each one depicting a moment of her life, and feels her eyes get heavy.
Just as she is about to give in to the fatigue that has taken over her, she gets a tingling feeling, like a cross between the sensation just before she has a vision, and the light, floating feeling she felt when she time traveled. She opens her eyes, and sees a woman standing in front of her, her long red hair curling down past her shoulders, her white robe skimming the floor. Her piercing blue eyes are fixed on Magpie as a cruel smile curls up the ends of her mouth. In her hands she is holding the book in which Magpie had tucked the letter from Charlotte Carnifex, the letter than had sent Magpie and Lucas to Scotland. She pulls the letter out from the between the pages of the book, and slowly makes her way to the dining room. Magpie can see her through the open doorway and watches in horror as the woman opens the box and places the letter inside before lifting Magpie’s diary out.
The woman walks back into the room and crouches down, so she and Magpie are face to face. “Nothing finds its way in time,” she says, her ethereal voice circling the room.
“Farfalla?” whispers Magpie breathlessly.
“There is no Farfalla, there hasn’t been for a very, very long time, only Dealan-dè,” replies the woman.
Magpie’s eyes widen in horror as reality comes crashing down around her. Lucas was right. Dealan-dè had tricked all of them into doing her bidding, using them as pawns in her cruel game of fate. “The Skylark Bell rings only for the Skye Lark Belle”. The truth had been there all along, engraved onto the bell itself. Dealan-dè was the original Skye Lark Belle! She had controlled every single part of their story, right down to where and when they would exist.
Magpie puts an abrupt stop to her swirling thoughts. There is no time left for why or how, she can tell she is fading fast. Magpie whips her hand out from under the shawl and grips the woman’s arm tightly. The woman looks down at Magpie’s hand, surprised. Before the woman has a chance to react, Magpie starts singing the mystical song, the one that had allowed her to time travel before. Just as she feels herself floating, she reaches out and grabs one of the sketches from the wall.
Magpie opens her eyes just as the door slams. She is standing in the corner of the same room she and Dealan-dè were in just a moment ago. The green shawl is draped over the back of the empty rocking chair, which is surrounded by bare walls. The wind blows the sheer curtains through the open windows. Magpie shuffles across the room to the chair. She pulls the pencil from her pocket and scrawls her message on the back of the sketch. She can hear a hushed whisper coming from the other side of the door, and her heart glows as she recognizes it.
“Lucas…” she whispers as everything fades to black.
She is out of time.
Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week for Wingspan chapter 38, Epilogue, where we learn a little more about the events that occurred after Magpie’s passing. Next week’s episode will also include more information about upcoming special episodes, collaborations, and what to expect for season 3 and beyond.
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 Murder Roadtrip. Our hosts travel alphabetically through the U.S. delving into strange tales from each state. If you enjoy the strange atmosphere of The Skylark Bell you’ll definitely 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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In today’s episode we read Chapter 37 – The Beginning of the End - in which Magpie, still living as Farfalla and knowing she is running out of time, tries to warn her younger self in a final attempt to set the timelines straight.
This is the last full chapter of Wingspan. Next week will feature an epilogue which also serves as a prologue of sorts to the third and final book in the Skylark Trilogy – the book is called SkyeDive and will begin airing right here on The Skylark Bell podcast in January of 2023.
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
Official Merch Shops: http://www.melissaoliveri.com/store
This week's Boopod Network podcast partner is Murder Roadtrip: https://anchor.fm/shannon-quinn6
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 37 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.
In our previous episode, Magpie, still living as Farfalla, came full circle and encountered both her mother and her younger self.
In today’s episode we read Chapter 37 – The Beginning of the End - in which Magpie, still living as Farfalla and knowing she is running out of time, tries to warn her younger self in a final attempt to set the timelines straight.
This is the last full chapter of Wingspan. Next week will feature an epilogue which also serves as a prologue of sorts to the third and final book in the Skylark Trilogy – the book is called SkyeDive and will begin airing right here on The Skylark Bell podcast in January of 2023.
Be sure to listen through to the end of this episode for a preview of a podcast I quite enjoy called Murder Roadtrip.
Now, it’s time to settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.
Today is the day. She is sure of it. Magpie sits in the booth at the back of the diner, waiting. The residents of Pocket have gathered here, fearful, panicked even. They have noticed that the silence has left the limits of Meadow Lane, which it had been confined to for nearly one hundred years. The have noticed the swings in the park no longer squeak, the grass in the fields on the edge of town no longer blows in the wind. Pocket is slowly but surely being frozen in time. The silence is spreading.
Last night, Magpie spent hours laying in the dark trying to decide what she should do. She wants to tell her younger self the truth, that Farfalla never returned to Pocket in 1962, having miraculously survived the shipwreck in Scotland. There is no Farfalla, at least there hasn’t been for a very long time. There is only herself, only Magpie. But… if she does that, will it alter the future? Young Magpie was successful in ending the silence at Meadow Lane and saving the town. If she changes anything about the events of that day, could it have a domino effect that would incur a tragic outcome?
On the other hand, if Magpie knew from the beginning that this was her fate, decades of heartbreak and loneliness, would she perhaps choose a different path, perhaps even have a chance of a long, happy life with Lucas? If so, at what cost? Is she willing to sacrifice the entire town of Pocket, for a chance at her own happiness?
Magpie had stayed awake until the sun’s orange glow began to filter through the sheer curtains of her bedroom. She had risen from her bed and emptied out the bag of birdseed, filling the birdfeeders on her porch to the brim, for the last time, making sure to leave a few handfuls on the ground for the little chipmunk. She had pulled her notebook out from under the mattress, the last remaining relic of her previous life, her real life, and separated the pages from the binding, pinning each of them to the walls of the spare bedroom in chronological order. Knowing they would not be found until… after.
Now she sees Young Magpie in the doorway, wild eyed, and beckons for her to join her in the booth. She proceeds to tell her the story of Meadow Lane, word for word, the way she remembers it being told to her nearly 90 years ago. “Now fly, sweet bird,” she says at last, leaning back in her booth, exhausted. She watches as Young Magpie runs out the door and down the road, hoping she has made the right choice. She shuffles past the crowd that has filled up the dining room and slowly walks home.
Once inside her house, Magpie pulls a storage box from the hall closet and begins putting together the package she will leave behind for Magpie. She packs what is left of her sketchbook, keys to her house, the deed to Meadow Lane, and a letter she found in a collection of items that she had taken with her from Lucas’ room at the Brighthaven Care home after he passed away. He had somehow come into the possession of a letter from Charlotte Carnifex to Farfalla’s sister, Paloma, that mentions Carnifex House.
Magpie holds the letter in her hand for a long time, hesitating. If Young Magpie and Lucas never go to Scotland, perhaps this entire time loop and the silence at Meadow Lane can be avoided. This is her chance to cut off the head of the Ouroboros. Magpie folds the letter and hides it in a book about native bird species.
Last, Magpie places her diary into the box. It is a last-minute addition. She figures if she can inform her younger self of the truth, tell her the entire story, perhaps things will be different. She couldn’t risk making any changes to the timeline prior to the silence and Meadow Lane being resolved, but she doesn’t see why she can’t try to save herself a lifetime of heartache once it’s over.
Finally, the packed box sits on top of the dining room table. Magpie sits down to compose her final letter to her younger self. She seals the envelope and writes “Magpie” on the front, then places the envelope on top of the box and tucks the pencil in her pocket. She can still remember Mrs. Kestrel handing her the box as she stood in shock at the front of the diner that day. Today. Today but 90 years ago. Magpie lays her hand on top of the box, trying to enjoy the sense closure, but something at the back of her mind is bothering her.
The final sketch that had magically appeared, the one with “I AM NOT FARFALLA” scribbled on it, how had it gotten there? Who left it?
Magpie can feel her breath coming in shallow bursts. On shaking legs, she makes her way to the rocking chair in the spare room and wraps the green shawl around her shoulders. She sits and looks around at the sketches on the walls, each one depicting a moment of her life, and feels her eyes get heavy.
Just as she is about to give in to the fatigue that has taken over her, she gets a tingling feeling, like a cross between the sensation just before she has a vision, and the light, floating feeling she felt when she time traveled. She opens her eyes, and sees a woman standing in front of her, her long red hair curling down past her shoulders, her white robe skimming the floor. Her piercing blue eyes are fixed on Magpie as a cruel smile curls up the ends of her mouth. In her hands she is holding the book in which Magpie had tucked the letter from Charlotte Carnifex, the letter than had sent Magpie and Lucas to Scotland. She pulls the letter out from the between the pages of the book, and slowly makes her way to the dining room. Magpie can see her through the open doorway and watches in horror as the woman opens the box and places the letter inside before lifting Magpie’s diary out.
The woman walks back into the room and crouches down, so she and Magpie are face to face. “Nothing finds its way in time,” she says, her ethereal voice circling the room.
“Farfalla?” whispers Magpie breathlessly.
“There is no Farfalla, there hasn’t been for a very, very long time, only Dealan-dè,” replies the woman.
Magpie’s eyes widen in horror as reality comes crashing down around her. Lucas was right. Dealan-dè had tricked all of them into doing her bidding, using them as pawns in her cruel game of fate. “The Skylark Bell rings only for the Skye Lark Belle”. The truth had been there all along, engraved onto the bell itself. Dealan-dè was the original Skye Lark Belle! She had controlled every single part of their story, right down to where and when they would exist.
Magpie puts an abrupt stop to her swirling thoughts. There is no time left for why or how, she can tell she is fading fast. Magpie whips her hand out from under the shawl and grips the woman’s arm tightly. The woman looks down at Magpie’s hand, surprised. Before the woman has a chance to react, Magpie starts singing the mystical song, the one that had allowed her to time travel before. Just as she feels herself floating, she reaches out and grabs one of the sketches from the wall.
Magpie opens her eyes just as the door slams. She is standing in the corner of the same room she and Dealan-dè were in just a moment ago. The green shawl is draped over the back of the empty rocking chair, which is surrounded by bare walls. The wind blows the sheer curtains through the open windows. Magpie shuffles across the room to the chair. She pulls the pencil from her pocket and scrawls her message on the back of the sketch. She can hear a hushed whisper coming from the other side of the door, and her heart glows as she recognizes it.
“Lucas…” she whispers as everything fades to black.
She is out of time.
Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week for Wingspan chapter 38, Epilogue, where we learn a little more about the events that occurred after Magpie’s passing. Next week’s episode will also include more information about upcoming special episodes, collaborations, and what to expect for season 3 and beyond.
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 Murder Roadtrip. Our hosts travel alphabetically through the U.S. delving into strange tales from each state. If you enjoy the strange atmosphere of The Skylark Bell you’ll definitely 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