S I X T E E N
I knew that coming out here to look for Alice on my own was a bad idea. An extremely horrible and compulsively stupid one as well.
"Alice!" Holding the lantern out before me, my eyes darted back and forth between the coverage of bushes and trees. My heart heavily pounding against the barrier of my chest. "Everyone's worried about you Alice!" I didn't know if me shouting was a useless matter, but I didn't stop. My palms were sweating, my hands were shaking... The overwhelming feeling of fear was slowly consuming me. "Alice!"
Gripping the handle of the lantern more tightly in my hand, I took in a deep breath. Slowly exhaling the air out of my lungs as I leaned against a nearby tree. The air was chilling, nipping away at my skin. The little flare of fire from the lantern did very little to keep my bare arms warm.
Distinctively in the distance I could hear the slight oncoming of a commotion brewing. The familiar sound of Mr. Petrovic as he yelled for both me and Alice to return back home. Mrs. Lucilla slowly on the brink of panicking. It was only a matter of time before they set off our monitors. Sending bolts of electricity through our bodies as we wither about in pain. The mere thought of it was enough to have me shuddering where I stand.
"Alice!" My throat was running dry, burning from the strain of having to yell. But there was nothing else I could do. I'd walk and walk past similar mounts of trees and bushes but there was no sign of her anywhere.
Biting my lip, I held the lantern out in front of me. My eyes darting in any and every direction as I slowly swiveled around in a circle. I didn't like the idea of being out here on my own. It was dark, creepy, cold... And to make matters worse there was a slow drizzle of rain rolling in. Each droplet seeming to feel much heavier then the last. "I have to get back." I mumbled. A storm was brewing. The wind was harsh, the sky was illuminated with flashes of lightening, and the rain was pelting down like bullets.
I knew that I needed to find Alice... But my mind was so over clouded with fear. All I wanted to do was get out of this dark Forest and to a warm and sheltered place of comfort.
"I'm sorry Alice." My voice was merely a whisper as I turned around and ran in the direction in which I had came. Or so I had hoped. Every tree looked the same, every path of the same structure. I had no idea where I was going, nor could I see clearly with the intensity of the storm. So it was no surprise when my foot got tangled in the mass of overgrown vines. The suddenness causing me to loss my balance as I fell crashing towards the ground. The lantern falling no more then a few feet away from me. My only source of light gone.
Groaning I slowly turned my head to the side. My eyebrows drawing together as a sharp pain shot up the path of my right leg. It was so hauntingly painful, I nearly wanted to cry. I knew that something was wrong... When I could hardly move my body or manage to get up. I felt as if I were paralyzed. Stripped away the function of being able to move.
"Please." Looking around the dark forest, I found myself pleading. "Someone help me." My voice was hardly audible and on the verge of cracking... But that didn't stop me from crying out for help. For someone... Or anyone to help me. My body was withering in pain, my lips quivering from the cold friction of the rain and wind. My gown was sticking to my body as if it were a second skin. Frigid and wet.
I didn't know what to do in this moment. I could clearly hear Mr. Petrovic as he belted out his anger... But I couldn't find my voice to speak. Honestly I wasn't quite sure whether I wanted too.
For the first time in a long time, I was free... Injured but free. And though I couldn't relish in it as I had wanted too due to the circumstances, I figured that if I simply close my eyes. Take a few much needed deep breaths, and block out the raging sound of the storm... Then maybe, just maybe I could enjoy this moment.
Which is exactly what I did.
It was dark. The rain droplets crashing towards the ground nothing but mere soft thumps. The pain was still there with me but I've managed to block it off as I did the world.
It wasn't soon before I found myself falling over the ledge of darkness. Everything around me going completely silent as I did.
***
"How long before she wakes?"
"Well her condition was critical." As I lay here succumbed in the darkness, I could vaguely make out the sound of two voices. One was ruff and on edge, the other soft and mellow. "I've sedated her like you asked. She'll wake soon but her limbs will feel like mush. At least until her system cleanses out." I heard slight shuffling before someone lightly brushed their knuckles against my forehead. They're skin was warm, and oddly enough it filled me with comfort.
"She's the one Dr. Walsh. It's only a matter of time before they come looking for her." Sighing, the man retracted his hand. "I have other matters I must turn my attention too. Inform me as soon as she wakes."
"Will do."
There were a few more words exchanged between the two before the room enveloped in complete silence.
I wanted to wake up, or at least say something... But it literally felt as if all my energy were drained from my body. Preventing me from doing just so. I could do nothing but lay there. It were as if I was in some sort of vessel. Trapped in the darkness with no one to hear me scream.
I wanted to fight it. With the little strength that I did have... I tried. But it wasn't soon before I found myself falling back under. The darkness had its hand wrapped around my throat and there was nothing I could do about it.
***
A L E C
"Mother, what's going on?"
I had just arrived home from an important meeting a few towns over when I heard the commotion. My father was livid. My mother bustling around like a chicken with its head cut off. I knew that it must have been something serious.
"Alice and Ellanore have ran off." My mothers voice was laced with worry. Her appearance for once disheveled and her body laced with fear. "Alec if he finds Ellanore before we do..." Shaking her head, my mother turned to my father. Gently placing her hand upon his tense shoulder. "What should we do?"
"Well we have to go out there." He snapped. My father had a very edgy temper, and with Ellanore being of much importance to him I could understand why he was so angry. "I can hear her out there. The rhythm of her heart as it races with fear. We must save her before it's too late."
"Raphael you know you can't go out there." Frowning my mother shook her head. Her eyes briefly turning towards the forest line before resting on her husband. "If he sees you out there we both know he won't hesitate to kill you... And I can't let that happen."
"Lucilla-..."
"I'll go." The words slipped out of my mouth before I knew it. Taking not only me by shock but my parents as well.
"Alec, are you sure about this? You'll be on your own." My mother was the one to speak. Her eyes full of worry now settled on me.
No, I wasn't quite sure as to what I was doing nor was I sure about the idea. But it seemed as if my mouth had a mind of its own. Because despite my hesitation to do so, I found myself nodding my head. "I'm sure." I lied.
For a moment my mother and father both stood there quietly consulting each other. It was no more then five minutes I found myself racing through the coverage of trees. Dogging fallen branches and overgrown roots.
I ran, even with the rain harshly pouring down on me. It made it difficult to see but I didn't let that stop me. Instead I focused more on the sound. Not on the sound of nature, or my parents as they bickered ways behind... But on Ellanore and the familiar sound of her heartbeat as it heavily raced from the fear of the unknown.
Ba boom-.... Ba boom-.... Ba boom-.... Ba-boom...