Chapter 22
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" I don't see any birds, " Flame complained as she looked up at the trees again. They had been at that for close to fourty minutes and all she had seen was a squirrel and what she assumed to be a rabbit.
" Just keep looking....There! " Ken suddenly said as he pointed up to one of the trees. She followed his hand but could not see anything.
" Where? " she asked narrowing her eyes.
" Up there, on that tree, " she looked again but saw nothing.
" I can't see it, "
" Then go closer, try standing under the tree and looking up, " he said and she walked towards the tree. But still there was no sight of an exotic bird. Ken inches closer to her and held her by her shoulders gently, then he moved her towards the trunk.
" Here, Let me show you... " he softly said as he took her hand in his. Then he raised it high.
" Still don't see it? " he asked and she shook her head. Concentrating on the many branches above her.
" Nope, "
Ken laughed. And before she knew what was going on she was pushed against the tree with him standing closely behind her.
" How about now? " he asked with a tone she was not used to hearing from him. It sounded as if he was making fun of her and not in a brotherly way.
" Ken?.. w... what are you doing? " she stammered as a surge of panic started to course through her. He pinned both her hands above her on her the trunk.
" Who me?.. " he laughed again. Then he turned her around while still restraining her. " I'm not doing anything. I'm gonna leave the action to you... siz, "
He forced her down to her knees despite her struggle to get free. She could not believe what was going on, she had trusted him. She had let her barriers go and trusted him! And he had been deceiving her all along. Making her fall into his trap of her own free will.
He had unzipped his pants. She was young back then. Not quite sure what his motive was, but she knew that it wasn't good. And when he had freed his cock and tried to force her to take it in her mouth, she had screamed instead.
And then when she opened her eyes, he was gone. And she was lying on the forest ground with dried tears on her cheeks. Unsure of what had happened. She looked around but he was nowhere to be found. And a passive glance at her watch informed her that she had been lying there for close to two hours.
She was certain that he had not touched her. All her clothes were in order and she felt okay. So she assumed that he had realised the mistake he was doing and gone home. She was frightened, hurt and confused. But above all, she was angry.
She ran back home with an aim of telling everyone what he had tried to do. Noticing that both their bikes were still where they had left that but too furious to wonder why he had not taken his.
But once she got home, he was nowhere to be seen. And when she told everyone what he had tried to do, they had not believed her. Not even the cop who she had come to love as her own father. He said his son would never do such a thing. And his wife supported him, saying that it was she who was leading their son on. Trying to seduce him was how they put it.
And they asked her where he was.
She didn't know.
No one knew.
Night fell and still he had not returned. It was like he had vanished. She was accused of doing something to him, even taken in for questioning by the police. And when she was released she had nowhere to go to. Because the only family she had ever known wanted nothing to do with her.
To cut the long and depressing story short. She ended up in foster care a few months later. Where she was moved from home to home. And along the way the part of her that made her care disappeared.
Then at fifteen she was taken to live with Jim and Jackie. Until he went to watch a game with his friends at night and came back home drunk as always and ready to deliver a thrashing. She was the unlucky recipient.
He used his belt to whip her about five times before she passed out, then she woke up to the sound of sirens. And just like the last time,she was lying on the ground.
At the same spot where her home used to be. But the house was gone.
Neighbors had called in saying it was a fire, one that lasted about five seconds before it vanished, taking everything along with it. But she just couldn't remember.
They pinned that case along with the last one. And she was naturally referred to as crazy by some and dangerous by others. And she believed them. So much so that she started hearing voices, that she started seeing things. It was her own minds way of saying that she had given up.
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" So there, that's it.... Story of my life. They locked me up in that place because crazy people aren't allowed to mingle with the normal population, " she finished up with a chocked voice. She had not even noticed the tears that had rolled down her cheeks as she narrated the tale. And there was a lump in her throat that she couldn't swallow past.
If she said anything else she would not be able to withhold the pain anymore. Which was what she was doing. She was trapping it inside. Feeling it as it fed on her soul.
And there was a stabbing in her chest that she could not ignore. All those memories were threatening to drown her. And she suddenly felt weak. Unable to see anything clearly. Blinded by sorrow which was all she had ever known.
Beside her Nuriel was no better himself. His eyes had started glowing the second the first year had appeared. The moment he had seen it welled up in her lovely eye.
And now more than ever... he wanted to kill someone.
He wanted to go over to earth and find every single person that had pit that sadness in his mates heart. Then he wanted to rip their own hearts out before he brought them back to life and did it again. He would do that in a heartbeat if he could.
He really would.
He felt wounded. And he wanted to take the hurt she was feeling and absorb it instead. Rid her of any more suffering. He reached a hand over to her. Intent on giving her comfort. But she flinched away from him.
" No, please.... don't touch me. Just don't, " she said with words full of pain.
Then she stood and ran into the sleeping chamber and away from him.
It hurt.
Flame went into the bedroom and grabbed a pillow from the enormous bed. Throwing herself onto the large seat by the window afterwards.
It was not her room and she was not by any means sleeping in the same bed with the angel. Especially not now when her heart felt like lead. She curled up on the comfortable seat and closed her eyes. Silently hoping that the angel would get. t the message and let her be .
He did not.
She heard his footsteps as he followed her.
Then she felt him as he loomed over her. Then he just stood there, unmoving for the longest while.
" Go to the bed. It's more comfortable, " he spoke afterwards.
" I'm fine here, "
" It wasn't a question. " he stated firmly and she ignored him. She felt drained. And all she wanted was to silently cry herself to sleep like she had been doing for most of her life.
" If you are concerned about sleeping next to me then don't be...I will let you be in peace, "
She heard the defeat in his low tone. The hidden pain he was trying to shield. And it hurt her that she was the cause of it. It hurt her that she was shutting him out when will she wanted to do was let him offer the comfort he so desperately wanted to give her.
Nuriel sighed. Then he turned to walk away but was unable to. How could he leave her there in such a state.
" If only you would talk to me.. "
" But I don't wish to talk, or think! or remember! I don't wish any of those things but you are forcing them on me! " she snapped. Turning around to face him with the tears fresh on her face. Nuriel reached over and gently wiped her cheek with his thumb. The salty liquid was like acid. And it threatened to burn him from the inside out.
" Then let me hold you, " he went down on his haunches next to the seat. His offer was sincere. He wanted her in his arms because he knew he would be able to ease her hurt.
But she slowly turned away from him and buried her head in the corner of the seat. The gesture a sign that she wanted to be left alone. Her rejection stung him in the deepest way imaginable. But if that was her wish then he would obey it. For tonight only.
He walked over to the bed and took the blanket. Then he went and covered her with it. If he could not shield her from the pain then at least he could keep her from feeling cold. And he could also watch over her from a distance.
So he went and settled himself on the bed to face her. Intent on keeping an eye in her till dawn arrived.
And it was a task that turned out to be harder than he had bargained for. Because nothing was worse than sitting there and listening to her silent whimpers but being unable to do anything about it.
It was torture indeed.