Chapter 5

   Sitting alone in my room, I stared out the window as I retraced the event of the long day. It seemed like far more than a few hours ago that I had walked in on the beautiful stranger from my dreams and the thief in the alley. The intense feelings had washed away in the midst of having organized and concluded the events at the orphanage. All that was left was a painful longing to see that stranger again. I couldn't believe he was real. Couldn't believe he was there, obviously in front of me. I wanted to see him again. To know who he was and what he's been doing in my head.

   A quiet knock sounded at the door and Tracy cautiously stuck her head in the room. I waved her in. "I'm sorry I was obstinate about leaving right away. You're right that I need rest. It feels good to sit down."

   Tracy perched on the edge of the bed near my chair. I'm glad you're finally seeing reason. I want you..not stressed, that's all."

   My smile felt forced as I glanced back outside. The clouds as ominous now as they had been a few hours ago, but it was still gloomy. My mood was starting to resemble the overcast weather more and more with each passing minute.

   Tracy grabbed my hand, drawing attention. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong besides the fact that you're stressed? You seem bothered."

   Pushing to my feet while fighting to ignore the jab of pain that coursed through my joints, I paced the length of my small room. "I don't know, Tracy. So much has happened today. I suppose I need time to process it all."

   My friend nodded but didn't look convinced. "Sure, you've been through a lot. But it seems there might be something deeper going on."

   Spinning to face Tracy, I threw up my arms. "Of course, there's something deeper. When that man held me by my throat, I realized that if those were to be my last moments, the only thing I wanted to do was to live a normal life, like every girl my age."

   Tracy took my hands in hers, her eyes soft and understanding. "Normal?"

   Hoping that my friend could understand, I whispered, "yes, normal. I'm not in the mood to sit and read or pray or sing. It seems that's all life is anymore, sitting down and doing what people expect."

   My friend's head shot up. "You're not happy doing what everyone expects? I thought you liked your life as it is."

   I heaved a sigh as I peeked through the front curtain again. "You think I like staying here in a convent because it's the only place I can be? Or having the ladies' Aid Society fill my free time with endless work and meetings? No, I have to say that I'm not all that pleased with doing what other people want all the time."

   I heard Tracy stand from the bed and join me at the window. "Then why do you do all these things? Why don't you find something that makes you happy?"

   Facing my friend, I was horrified to find tears welling in her eyes. "And what might that be? I'm not sure there's anything in this place that makes me happy. And I doubt father Reed will ever let me go. I hate to see that look of utmost disappointment and distaste." After all he had done for me—looking after me, taking care of me till I was of age. I couldn't do this to him. My heart echoed the words loud and clear. He wasn't going to let me go, so I would be stuck here forever.

   Rocking on her toes, Tracy touched my arm. "You could elope. I would go with you. We could go anywhere we wanted, Lydia."

   The ache of longing tore through my heart. "No, we couldn't. Two single women can't go running away alone. Everyone says it isn't safe. And where would we get the funds to support ourselves, even if we could? It's terribly risky. We have to face it, we're stuck here."

   I didn't expect the crushing embrace, but I relaxed into my friend's arms, letting the comfort wash over my bruised soul. "Oh, my dear Lydia."

   I felt bad for dashing Tracy's hopes. Even to my ears, the words sounded a bit harsh. But the encounter with that strange man had reawakened a desire I'd tried for years to extinguish. I wished there was a way I could travel, see new places, do something different from what I'm used to. But it would never be allowed.

   No, my only chances at supporting myself was to remain here at the convent for as long as possible. Even if I hated being confined in the stuffy nunnery doing what everyone expected of me. I would just have to find a way to stuff that longing far back into a corner of my heart again after Tracy left. When I was old, my dreams of adventure, of doing something out of the ordinary, would remain cherished memories. But that's all they would ever be: dreams and memories.

*

Damien Raeken

  Walking down to the cold basement, my muscles relaxed at the familiar feeling and smell. I arrived at the bottom floor, then paused and my lips slowly stretched into a smirk.

   "Hello, Robert," I acknowledged calmly, my voice echoing through the hallway.

   Robert's head shot up and he sent me a fierce glare. "You fucking moron. What is the meaning of this? Let me go," he roared in fury as he struggled against the chains around his ankles and wrists.

   I chuckled at his failed attempt and leaned against the wall. He'd been chained against the wall, his ankles bound as well as his wrists, bloodied from his struggles.

   His head was bleeding from where I'd hit him with the back of my gun. His face was covered with sweat and grime.

   A few strands of his hair were sticking to his forehead and he was breathing hard from exhaustion. I knew he'd been struggling for hours.

   "Now, now. Calm down," I gave a wry smile.

   His face turned bright red and he spat at my feet. "Damien, I'm warning you…"

   I bent in front of him and grabbed his face, my fingers digging deeply into his cheeks. I leaned in close and hissed through gritted teeth. "Or what? What are you going to do? Kill me? Robert, let me remind you, you're the one chained to the wall."

   He winced at the pressure I was putting on his cheek, my claws threatening to claw their way out, and his pain pushed me on. I dug my nails deeper and then moved my hands downward and wrapped them around his neck. His eyes widened when I pressed my hands harder around his neck, choking him. He struggled, his face turned almost purple, and he gasped for breath. When he started to loose consciousness, I let him go.

   "Now, where were we?" I moved to the chair in the corner, sat down and leaned back. Crossing my left leg over the other and waiting for him.

   "What…what do you want?" He asked through his coughing fit. After the words were out, he looked up and leveled me with a glare, his eyes showing me how much he hated me.

   Shaking my head at his attitude, I shrugged. "It's simple. You're going to tell me why you've been stealing from me and who your working with."

   "I don't know what you're talking about." Robert turned slowly, his black eyes blazing in his gnarled face. He looked older than he probably was. Sixty or more when I suspected he was in his early fifties. Life hadn't been kind to him, but then, I doubted the guy had been very kind to life.

   "I went to your warehouse, Robertson. And I know what you're doing. I won't ask again," I pressed.

   He stayed silent, and then I knew I had I had to use other measures to get him to talk. "What's that your little girl's name again…" I pretended like I tried to remember. "Melanie, right? And your wife, it would really be a shame to see them loose their lives over what they know nothing about. And to think, you were planning on taking them someplace far from here, Robert."

   "Leave my family out of this, you bastard." He growled, his voice laced with anger.

   "You really hurt my feelings there Robert." I turned around and faced Robertson with a sly smile. "Give me a name."

   He remained silent. I grabbed his neck, just when I was about tightening my grip, I heard a weak whimper.

   "Reed… his name is Reed, he's a priest at St. Gunnivere."