Falling Through Portals

America

Chapter 16

America bit her lip. She couldn't take her mind off of Maxon and Aspen, the two men who were doing battle over her heart. She picked up the skirt of her deep blue evening dress as she made her way up the stairs and then down the hall towards her bedroom. America was lost in thoughts of her stolen kisses with Maxon and her days dreaming in the tree house back home with Aspen.

America was a fiery red head with a stubborn back bone and a struggling love life. She was born in the future after The United States of America (the country) crumbled and was replaced by a new country: Ileá. To unite the people of the kingdom, the crown prince would chose a wife out of the eligible girls in the nation. A pool of girls were chosen at "random," and the crown Prince "at his own pace," would choose who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. America was one of the lucky girls who was chosen. She had made it into the top "elite," girls and had already stolen the prince's heart. But even as she began to love Prince Maxon, Aspen, her former boyfriend, still wooed her from his place in the palace as a guard.

She turned the corner to get to her door, dropping her skirt and nodding to the guard posted by her door. Her room was clean and beautiful as always, made spotless by her incredible maids. But since America was in no mood to chat, she was glad that none of them were in sight.

The door shut behind her and she began pulling out her earrings as she walked into her bathroom. As she set the earrings on the counter next to the sink she saw something in the mirror behind her. Frowning she turned around.

Something black was on the floor next to her bedside table.

She walked over to her bed and knelt down. Her frown deepened as she picked up a thick cloth. Holding it up in the air, she realized it was a wool coat. She peered down at the rest of the articles there. She found pants, shoes, a strange bead necklace, a pen, and a few stones. The clothes were obviously male –so what were they doing in her room?

America sighed and scooped up the pile. One of her maids must have accidentally dropped them when she was cleaning some other room. She stood and walked around her bed to set the clothes on her dresser to give back to Mary when she came back. She rounded the bed and glanced back-

She dropped the pile of clothes on the floor and screamed.

A heart beat later the door to her bedroom was being knocked down and the guard rushed in. America was deathly still as she stared at the sight before her.

The Guard looked at her breathlessly.

"What is it Miss?" The guard asked in alarm.

Unable to speak she pointed to the horrifying figure in front of her.

The guard moved around the bed so he could see. He just about jumped out of his skin. In that moment all either of them could do was stare. When he finally looked away he told her to stay put while he got help. Then the guard proceeded to run out like a frightened little girl.

America's mouth went dry as she stared at the motionless corpse that was crumpled bedside. He had black hair that was matted with dried blood. His chest was covered in blackened tissue from what looked like burns. His skin was riddled with holes where raw skin showed through . . . Crisscrosses all over his body was. . . America gagged and covered her mouth in horror.

Looking away she retreated to the other side of the room. Bile rose in her throat as she was reminded of seeing Marlee, her best friend, and her boyfriend being whipped because they had betrayed their contract. Their skin had been left in ribbons. But this . . .

Whoever this man was, he had endured much worse.

Concern erupted inside her. He could still be alive. America took a step forward and then hesitated. She didn't want to look at his mangled flesh again. But if he was alive . . .