With a sarcastic chuckle James held onto both sides of the front doorway , his eyes were a gentle gaze as they looked into Elizabeth's unraveled long braid.
She had no shoes, her dress was falling off and the first snow storm of the season was just getting started. Already there was about 2 feet of snow that had fallen.
"Oh my sweet Elizabeth you really didn't think this through did you?" James teased.
Elizabeth felt trapped, if she wondered off into the storm with no sense of direction, it's possible she would die from hypothermia. Her eyes scanned through the thick trees but she didn't see any lights, no houses and heard nothing except the low howling of the wind.
Where am I? Her hand clasped over her mouth at her dire situation.
James held out his hand to her, "Take my hand now Elizabeth, and I promise you I won't punish you for what you've done tonight."
To take his hand would mean accepting her captivity and who knows when she would get this chance again. But to take the risk of making it through the storm would mean facing the elements head on with no real way of finding help and possibly freezing to death.
Her head slightly turned to him.
His hand still stretched out towards her, "Come back inside and I'll forgive your defiance tonight."
Albert got up and stood behind James, his eyes were red with anger.
If I stay here with them... I'll die here with them.
She turned away from James to brace herself, her lips quivered as she muttered a simple "No," before sprinted off into the storm.
" Elizabeth!" James yelled out, storming after her but he only made it a few steps before Albert held him back.
"Let me go! She'll freeze to death!"
Albert held onto his lover "Exactly! She's going to die so there's no point in chasing after her! Let her go.... we don't need her... don't you see that?"
James pushed forward even though Albert clung to him around the waist or anywhere he could hold onto him.
The retired priest pried Alberts fingers off him, in a fit of rage and exasperation over losing the one the he desperately wanted in his life, he lifted his hand high and struck his companion across the cheek with enough force to make the young man stumble backwards and fall.
Albert had been hit many times before by James, all the other times he understand it was either for his best or James really didn't mean it ... he was just angry and afterwards they would make up.
But this time it was different.
There was a level of hate in that blow that dumbfounded Albert. He sank into the snow and the bitter cold suppressed the hurt he felt inside his heart.
James said nothing as he looked down at him, but his eyes spoke the truth.
The truth that long Albert had hoped was a lie.
But now ... Albert could see in his lovers eyes that he was the lie; their relationship and everything in it was nothing but a lie.
A small escape from the bitter reality.
James gritted his teeth at Albert and turned again heading into the storm after Elizabeth.
Albert alone remained. Not knowing if either would ever come back. But if James came back with or without the girl, he knew in his heart that there was no longer any place for him.
The hopeless man sat in the snow, in misshapen black hair, allowing the snow to numb him if it meant watering down the intense pain he felt in his bosom.
So... it was always just... her ?
His chest felt as though there was a stake in between his breast plate. At the same time, his throat felt clogged, like he had attempted to swallow a large pill and now it remained lodged to the point where it was too difficult to breath.
He remained like this for what seemed like and eternity until his fingers began to burn from the freezing snow.
Finally the pain of the cold was too much and he cried out; his cry was so intense that it rocked him, it shook the soft snow around him and echoed all throughout. He cared not if someone heard him, he cared not if his crimes were discovered or if James came back to kill him.
Albert cried and wailed into the dark night as though he was the last person on earth and if he cried loud enough someone would come by , save him and make his pain go away. He cried until his eyes could no longer produce any tears, for they were all used up or they froze.
His stomach felt dry as he wailed loudly, it felt stuck to his spine. He was empty, soulless and without any purpose.
His lover was gone, he had finally shown him in an instant that the only one he cared for was Elizabeth. No matter what Albert did to please him... it would never be enough and he would never be the center of his world.
Even though Albert gave up everything for James, his path as a fellow priest, his moral, his sanity, his home town, his family... it would never mean anything to James.
He would only be an asset in achieving what James really wanted; the girl with the green eyes.
Albert could hardly contain himself, his body felt weak from his horrid emotional heartbreak that it made him fold and his face sank into the snow. His cries softly muffled in the frozen ground.
"ELIIIIIIIZAAAAABETH!!!!!" James continued to cry out and yet it felt futile since the wind howl alone was already so loud it nearly drowned out his voice. He was already losing feeling in his feet and shins so he couldn't bare to imagine his beloved wondering in the snow barefoot and half dressed.
He needed to get to her immediately but it was difficult to navigate through the increasing winds, visibility was almost nonexistent.
The snow was piling up erasing any lingering footsteps Elizabeth left behind, he felt he was getting close but it was now taking more energy to lift his legs higher to climb over the piles. He lost his footing and fell face forward into the white blanket.
What if we both just died here ? Would I see you again in hell?
He thought for a moment, thinking to himself how easy it would be to just lay there and succumb to a frosty death. But then that would mean... I could never feel her warmth pressed up against me...
At thought of that possibility, James rose himself from the ground.
His wicked smile spread across his lips as he squinted his eyes into the distance noticing a slumped body huddled against a pine trees trunk.
Until have conquered you, Hell is not an option.
He stumbled forward towards the folded up body resting by the trunk , using it to take shelter from the cold winds.
It was Elizabeth; her eyes were shut tightly and she held her knees up to her chest. Her lips had turned purple and her body was stone cold but James noticed the white puffs of air being released from her nostrils signifying she was still alive.
Despite how cold he was he took off his blazer jacket and wrapped it around her before scoping her up and carrying her back to the safety of their house. His stamina returned to him now that he recaptured his prize.
Albert did not show his face but instead locked himself in one of the rooms.
James didn't mind. He would be tending to Elizabeth all night.
Although Elizabeth was aware she had no managed to escape, she was grateful to be out of the snow. Even though James undressed her and placed her in a hot bath, she felt relief when the water soothed her skin.
She was surprised at how little she cared about him seeing her fully naked for the first time. Still she held her knees close to her chest as he ran the hot water down her hair and back.
"Your lips are still purple... is the water warm enough?" He asked with worried eyes.
"Yes."
He sighed in relief at her response.
"I will get you some thick blankets and new pajamas. Stay in here and let your body warm up,"
James got up and went to the other room.
She could have gotten up and tried to escape again but she realized there was nowhere for her to go. Not in the state she was in.
And apparently, wishing for death rather than staying prisoner inside this house was a lot more difficult and painful than she thought.
Feeling helpless, she sobbed to herself in the tub.
James came back and and helped her out of the tub, quickly dried her and dressed her in a pair of his own sweats. He brought her to the couch in the living room where the fire still burned and placed 2 blankets on her.
She still felt chilled to the bone but was surprisingly content to be in front of a fire.
James sat next to her, his eyes wondered over her face.
"You really scared me. I thought I wouldn't find you...that'd I'd been too late" his voice was low and swayed.
She did not look at him and kept her eyes on the fire.
"You have no idea what you mean to me..." he continued to confess.
"I don't care." She muttered like a whiny child.
James merely smiled, " I know you don't, not yet. You don't see things clearly. But you will. I am patient."
Her eyes finally landed on him, " I just want to go home." She said firmly.
"oh Elizabeth ..." he shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. " You are home."
He moved in closer to her, she immediately tensed up so he remained at his distance. His hand cupped her cheek lovingly, as though he was admiring a fragile piece of glass.
"This is your home, here with me. Always..." he whispered.
" The world you once knew out there no longer exists. It's only us... if you try to leave as you just did, you will die. Without me, there is no you." His eyes were gentle but serious and a heaviness sunk her heart to her stomach.
He was twisting her mind to convince her that she was helpless without him.
If she could cry in that moment she would but she was still too cold.
"Go to sleep Elizabeth, I promised you're safe with me."
James remained on the couch with her by the fire, his hand petted her legs as she laid and eventually succumbed to sleep .
Albert cracked open the door and watched through the small opening as James dozed off to sleep next to the girl.