Susana - Sins of the Mothers

The little group watched as Virginia stepped into the frigid water. Wolf instantly stripped off his coat and ran into the water after her, followed closely by his son. Tony hesitated for a moment. Had they all gone nuts? The air was freezing, he could only imagine how cold the water would be. It would kill them in minutes. Mass suicide would not bring little Lambchop back. Tony realized he would have to follow them into the water. His life was with his family. Besides, he would probably have to pull his grandson, daughter, and that crazy wolf to safety. Someone had to think clearly. "YOW!!" he screeched as he entered the freezing water and dove after his family.

As she swam, the water became warmer and warmer. Virginia wondered if this was what happened when you died? Was that was what was happening? She found herself inside the cavern. Her clothes were dry as soon as she hit the air.

"Snow White, I'm here," she called up at the tomb. She had followed the lady's voice for days. Her reassuring words had promised her answers to her questions. Now she was here. Where were her answers? She stood looking into the grave of Snow White. There was no sign of the great lady, but Victoria lay there still and lovely, as though asleep.

Virginia looked around the cave and realized she was completely alone. She gazed into the face of her little girl, seperated by ice and death forever. What had she hoped to gain by this? Laying on the grave, she beat angry hands against the ice and wept. She had hoped for a miracle, not her lifeless child wrapped in ice. "Victoria," she screamed, "If only I could have died in your place. My child! My little girl!"

A deafening crack filled the cavern. Virginia leapt back as the ice began to split and opened up like trap doors over the grave. A warm glow came from the ice below, and into the light stepped Christine. She smiled warmly at her daughter and sat down beside her on the ice. "You have done well, Virginia," she said. "I have been watching you all this time. I have seen how you have always followed the honorable path through all these tests. Although I am dead my magic has survived me . Andromeda would not have stopped until one of you was dead. I put her into such a deep sleep even a physician would have believed her dead, but she lives. Wolf and your son knew this, but they didn't understand.

"Virginia you must understand this. Our family has been under a curse for many generations. We are descended from the daughter of Gretel the Great. She left for the Tenth Kingdom after her mother banished her out of jealousy. We have been cursed to destroy our daughters out of envy and jealousy until one daughter who was pure of heart would love her daughter more than her own life, thus releasing us from the curse, and letting our spirits rest. That one pure soul was you Virginia. You have given us peace. Now I give you back your daughter." Christine kissed Virginia's forehead and faded away in a pink mist.

Virginia sat open-mouthed, trying to understand her mother's words. A small figure rose out of the hole in the ice. Victoria gave a little yawn and ran to her mother's arms.

"Mummy! Where are we? I had the strangest dream," the girl gushed.

Virginia touched her daughter's face and hair. "Lambchop?" she whispered, "My baby? You're here?" Tears flowed freely down her face as she realized it was true. Her daughter was alive and wiping her tears away.

"Mummy don't cry. I'm okay."

The rest of their family came running up through the tunnel to find the mother and daughter both fine. Wolf threw his arms around his little girl and inhaled the scent of her hair. He was crying as he tossed her in the air and caught her. He rubbed his face against hers and whined. She whined back and growled playfully. Everybody laughed except Tony. He knelt before his grand-daughter, stunned. As he embraced her he muttered, "Crazy wolf stuff." Victoria swatted him with her tail. He caught it in his hands then kissed the tip of it. Tony then hoisted her onto his shoulder and carried her out into the light.

They were a noisy group. The family descended the mountain on horseback, frequently breaking into wolf-howls of joy. Victoria rode with Wolfie who leaned over and whispered "Hey Lambie, what was it like being dead?"

Victoria giggled in response, "I don't remember, but I sure am hungry."

Victoria was wearing only the nightgown Snow White had taken her away in, so they stopped at Kissingtown to buy her new clothes. In the dress shop Virginia was stunned to find her daughter had grown six inches. Victoria smiled proudly as she announced, "I've grown."

Wolf's eyes met Virginia's as he agreed, "We all have Lambchop, we all have."