Timeless [h.s]

1897

Stuart

"Goodbye." I spoke curtly, waving at my boss as we closed his shop together. He took the opposite direction, heels making loud noises against the pavement until the sound faded. The cold air nipped against my exposed skin, my steps rushed as I tried to get away from the unforgiving wind and attend the dinner party I had been invited to. My floral dress was gorgeous but definitely not fit for the winter.

When the first noise came, I ignored it but when I heard the same unforgettable sound of footsteps drawing in closer, I looked back discreetly noticing that I was indeed being followed. The worst part of it was feeling their proximity grow closer. I looked around frantically, cussing myself for the stupid choice of taking a detour through empty streets.

I had never felt such powerful shivers running down my spine. The weather was cold but that was not my main concern. I was being followed and I couldn't begin to describe the unsettling feeling at the pit of my stomach, the fear of being abused and killed almost paralysing me.

One male, if I was not mistaken. My steps were rushed as I tried to come up with plausible explanations as to why they seemed to be following me. I had to be there before seven, I thought to myself. My heels clicked against the floor as I hugged myself, chanting every prayer I could think about. I had lived for long, but I had never faced such direct threat, not in centuries. I was morbidly curious about what could happen if they tried to kill me. Would I come back to life or was my eternity not immune to murderers?

"Charlotte Stuart." My heart skipped several beats as one of them spoke, his tone completely devoid of emotion. For the last few weeks, I felt watched, like never before. At first I imagined my neighbours were doing what they did best, gossiping about my life and my late hours. Surely, they had convinced themselves I was having an affair with my boss, but I never spared them much of my time. They were nothing but a minor nuisance if compared to my old court, and as long as I had money to support me and keep paying my rent, they couldn't do much.

The stalking accentuated once I found my house trashed and some minor things missing, like earrings and rare pictures of me. In that moment I realised I was dealing with something bigger than nosy acquaintances. The ever-present fear of getting caught haunted me, but it was nothing compared to my feeling as I heard a name I no longer used. I was known these days as Marie Grey and I thought people had no clue about the truth. Clearly I had been naïve and sloppy, believing that the small thefts and eerie sensations were ignorable.

My legs were not fast enough, I thought to myself, considering if I should run or not.

"Don't ignore me Miss Stuart. If I were you I would not run, you will get caught." In that moment, I panicked and allowed my legs and the rush of muscle power to take over. My sprint was short and pathetic, as I soon realised I would indeed get caught. Rough fingers tugged at my hair and pulled me back to the darker side of the alley I took. His grip never faltered; I tried to restrain my whimper, but once he threw me on the floor I knew I would die. I screamed a bit but received a hard kick to my side. His filthy shoes dirtied the delicate satin of my dress, a big mud stain ruining the expensive dress I bought. Even though I was facing a deadly situation my mind refused to focus on my impending gesture, anger surging through me as I thought about the lovely garment he had ruined.

"Why are you doing this?" I questioned softly, not expecting an answer.

"Shut your mouth." He grumbled back, menacing eyes staring deeply into my own. He appeared to be slightly drunk, and definitely didn't have good hygiene, judging by his clothes and disgusting beard. Before I could assess him any further, he delivered the first blow.

I had been beaten and bruised before; Gaston did it all the time, but never with such intensity and frequency. I gasped for air as he kicked my sides and made me roll over repeatedly, trying to escape the merciless assault. Despite my pleas, he never stopped; he just laughed and bent down, attacking me with his fists. I wanted to fight, to get rid of him and find help, but my body only weakened with every punch.

Blood was the only thing I acknowledged. My nose and mouth were filled with it, and the more I tried to resist his punches, the worse it felt, the worse I felt. My head lulled back, giving him full access. I was tired of fighting something so inevitable. For a brief moment, I wondered if dying wouldn't be better than this endless cycle. I just wish it hadn't to be this way, I thought to myself.

The weather nipped at my skin, and I knew he was undressing me, although I could only raise my hand pathetically, feeling strong grips pinning my whole body down.

"Please" I begged slowly, feeling my entire body throbbing. He placed a filthy kiss atop my lips and slammed my head down with force.

"I told you to keep silent." Were the last words before darkness and exhaustion consumed me.