Crossing Into Forever

EXCERPT and then into Chapter 1

On shaky legs, Ella walked toward one of the large, burgundy, leather chairs that were facing the front of the desk. She slowly sat down, as if she were afraid the chair was going to wrap around her and eat her. Once in the chair, she sat up stiff and straight, not even allowing herself to lean to the back of the chair. She kept her hands folded in her lap, as she was watching the jars, as if something was going to jump out of one.

If she had known this was what her life outside of the convent was going to be like, she never would have insisted on leaving. There are so many things she wished she could go back to and change. All because she locked her keys in her car. She kept thinking she was going to wake up from a dream, or nightmare in this case. Maybe this is what she deserved for putting Mother Christina through the grief that she had lately. She knew the mother didn't want her to leave. She should have listened to her. If she ever gets to see her again, she's going to apologize to her and somehow try to make this up to her.

Ella was jolted out of her deep thought by that same voice that, by now, had come to strike fear in her heart. He was in the hallway, near the door to the room she was in. She could hear him speaking to Maggie. She obviously was not the least bit afraid of him. She wondered if maybe she had been when she first met him. Her heart had picked up its pace to its already bounding rate. She wanted so badly to get up and run, but she knew she wouldn't get far. There was no use in fighting it. She would answer his questions as quickly as she could so maybe she wouldn't be down here long. She noticed the talking had stopped and heard footsteps getting closer to the room. The butterflies were so rampant she felt a little nauseous. Before she knew it, he was walking through the door. He hung his cloak on the coat rack at the entrance as he spoke. "So sorry for keeping you waiting. I was tied up in a class." His voice sounded somewhat detached giving no hint of his mood. He sat down at the large desk and looked at her. Like his voice, his face showed no sign of emotion, neither happy nor angry. "Ok Ms. Xander, I just need to gather some information from you. I don't have a lot of time, so let's get on with it, shall we."

She sat there trying her best to calm her jittery stomach and she wondered if he could tell she was trembling. She got the impression that he didn't want to be there as much as she didn't want to be there.

"Ok Ella Let's see now. Let's get some basic information. Tell me your full name and your birthday please."

Ella was trembling more now that she had to speak. She had not spoken to him since being in the woods, and she was having a hard time remembering that. In an unsteady voice, she answered him. He asked a few more questions about her health and she answered, still obviously fearful, keeping her posture stiff and ill at ease. He finally let out a sigh and put his pen down.

"Ella, there is no reason for you to be frightened of me. I am not going to hurt you." There was a note of aggravation in his words.

This did nothing to comfort or reassure her. To the contrary, she felt a quivering in her lip, and she realized she was going to cry. She put her face in her hands, to stifle her sobs. Seeing this, he rolled his eyes out of frustration.

"I just want to go home. Is Mother Christina coming to get me?" When can I talk to her?"

He was trying his best to be patient with her. He already had to rearrange his schedule to check on her and do these health questions. "Ella, look at me." He said the words with an authoritative tone and as much as she didn't want to look at him, she was afraid not to. She looked up at him with her red eyes and tear-stained face. He handed her a tissue from his desk. She took it and wiped her tears and blew her nose. "You will get to speak to Mother Christina tomorrow. You will not be going back to the convent until it is completely safe for you to do so. I don't know when that will be. It could be next week, or it could be months from now. Our plan is to get you better and put you in a dorm, hopefully with Millicent Adalbert. You will be given a schedule of classes and continue your education here until we can get you back to the convent. You are, under no circumstances, to go out of this building or off school grounds unless escorted by myself or another staff member that I deem appropriate. We will do everything in our power to make you feel at home, but your safety will always be paramount. Do you understand?'