Chapter Twenty Eight Gwen

 Pressing my ear against the dirty vent I listened intently, I could have sworn I had heard a voice. “Oh great,” I said out loud, frustrated, to add to everything that was going on I am now hearing things.

“Hello”, a female voice faintly whispered through the vent. 

“Thank goodness, I thought I was going crazy” I called back.”What is your name?”

Minutes went by and nothing, silence. “Please …Please talk to me “ I begged, desperate to hear something. Rage filled my body with every passing second, standing up I kicked the pail of water as hard as I could sending it flying across the room. My foot throbbed from the impact.

“PLEASE TALK TO ME” I yelled as loud as I could, my voice hoarse. My stomach growled loudly. I had lost track of time, unaware of how many days I had spent caged like an animal. Slowly I was losing hope and the will to live. Darius and James had not been back in days, a bowl of food, if you could call it food, slipped through a slot in the door three times a day. Pieces of greyish meat floated in a watery broth, with a few limp vegetables devoid of colour or flavour. My heart ached for Lucian, longing to feel his touch, hear his voice whisper my name. Most of all his reassurance that everything was going to be alright.

Twenty steps , twenty steps was all it took to walk from the door to the back of the room. I had walked and counted those steps more times than I could remember. Back and forth until I could not walk anymore. Closing my eyes, I plotted all the different ways I could kill James Cooper, slow , painful deaths , each one more heinous than the one before. Deep down I could feel my resolve weakening , hope was fading fast. Sadness overwhelmed me when the vision of my fathers face at the edge of the river crept into my mind, the mournful sound of his voice as he begged me to turn back. How I wish I had , I should have begged Lucian to stay and let Viktor go alone.

Hearing the clunk of a key being inserted into the lock, I quickly made my way to the far corner of the room and sat on the ground with my back leaning against the wall, pulling my legs into my chest , my arms wrapped around them tightly . Closing my eyes, I could not bear to look at who was entering the room.

“Oh Gwen, What have they done to you”?

The beautiful sound of Ada Maloneyś's voice brought tears to my eyes. She met me in the middle of the room and wrapped her arms around me.

“Your skin and bone Gwen, come on let's get you home”.

“Wait , what “ I stammered trying to comprehend what I had just heard.

“Darius is allowing me to leave”?  I asked in total disbelief.

“Something is going on Gwen, I am not sure what is happening” she replied shrugging her shoulders.

“But Darius and James look worried, I was ordered to come and get you and have you stay at my house”. “They have posted two hunters there to ensure you do not leave”.

Biting her bottom lip , her eyes darted around the room and she suddenly looked nervous.

“They have ordered all the men to guard the fence around the village, and for the remaining prisoners to be executed”. 

“They need the resources on the fence , and not feeding and guarding prisoners that no longer serve a purpose”.

“What do you mean no longer serve a purpose , Ada”?

Ada looked down at her hands, nervously picking her fingernails, blinking rapidly she looked into my eyes.

“You know what I mean Gwen, If Darius has decided that someone has no value to him, they will be executed at sundown”. Shaking her head she grabbed me by my hand. “Come on Gwen, we must leave now before he changes his mind about you”.

I quickly pulled my hand back from her grasp, as the ramifications of the words she had spoken hit home. Walking backwards away from Ada , I folded my hands across my chest.

“I will not leave without Lucian, Ada” I snapped abruptly.

“Lucian is safe , he was brought to my house earlier today” she replied with her eyes downcast. “Let us go and I will take you to him”.

“What” I stammered not quite believing what I had just heard, Lucian was safe , and I was finally about to be reunited with him.

“Yes Gwen, Lucian is badly injured , but he is alive” smiling Ada extended her hand , walking forward to here a grin broke out on my face . Taking her by the hand the floodgate open and as I walked out of the door , I turned back around and took one last look at the room that had housed me and vowed to myself with steely resolution that I would never mention to anyone the atrocities that had occur to me in between these four walls.

 The sunlight hit my face like a warm blanket , stopping I closed my eyes tightly, taking a deep breathe. The air filled my lungs and gave me a boost of energy. Opening my eyes, I looked around as we started the short walk to Adaś house. The villages paid me no attention as they carried on with their tasks, there was a nervous energy in the air. The fear was palpable , and stress and tension ran high.

My legs felt heavy as we neared Adaś, the time I had spent cooped up with little food and sleep was catching up with me. Every step was laboured as my legs shook like a leaf in the wind. But my will to see Lucian pushed me forward. Suddenly I dropped to my knees as Adaś gate came into view , a wave of nausea washed over me and I wretched clutching my stomach with my hands. Bile burned its up my throat , landing on the grass in front of me. Ada tenderly swept my hair away from my face and rubbed my back in circular motions as i brought up what little contents of my stomach.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I slowly rose to my feet , leaning on Ada as the world around me spun out of control. 

“I’m okay” I assured her and I steadied myself . Closing my eyes until the word stopped spinning . I pushed on moving one foot in front of the other until we reached Adaś front door.

“Wait Gwen” Ada grabbed my arm as I reached for the door handle.

“Whatś wrong Ada”? 

“You need to prepare yourself Gwen” Tears fell from her eyes as she looked intensely into mine.

“Lucian was tortured extensively , physically and mentally”. “He is not the man you last seem, something has been broken in him”.

“What are you saying Ada”? “How bad is he “?

“He is alive, but his mind is damaged Gwen , Lucian does not know who he used to be”.

“You need to prepare yourself, he may not remember who you are”.

“Do not be foolish Ada,  there is no way that Lucian would ever not remember who I am , he has known me my whole life, and we love each other”.

“Now please let go of my arm Ada , so I can go to him”.

Shaking her head in frustration Ada released her grip on my arm , turning the handle I pushed the large door open and beckoned Ada inside, Following her into the house and up the hallway we finally reached the room where Lucian was staying. Ada pushed open the door and I rushed into the room.

The room was dimly lit by lamps, the curtains were closed . A maid was pouring water from a pitcher into a tall glass. Lucian was laying in bed with a blanket pulled up to his chest. One eye was shut ,dried blood had crusted over it, a large bruise has started to yellow , it ran from his eye down to the corner of his mouth. The other one stared blankly at the ceiling above him. A white bandage wrapped around his head.

I flung myself on to his chest sobbing in relief that we were together again, “Lucian” cradling his face between my hands I looked into my lovers eyes. His gaze remained blank , it was as if he did not recognize me. “Lucian, itś me Gwen”. “I am here, we are safe”. Lucian remained silent he looked around the room , refusing to make eye contact. “Lucian please” I begged “Itś me , you know me”. 

Ada tapped me on the shoulder, and gave me a sad smile “Come on Gwen, Lucian needs his rest and you need a shower and a good meal to help you regain your strength.

“But Ada , whats wrong with him?” I sobbed, “Why doesn’t he know who I am”?.

“Why wont he answer me”? . 

“He is lost in his mind Gwen, he has retreated to a safe place to help him cope with what despicable acts Darius and James have done to him”. “Its how he survived, he needs rest and time”.

Wiping my eyes with my dirty sleeve , I tenderly kissed Lucian on the forehead.

“I will come and see you after you have rested Lucian, we had much to talk about”. Holding his hand in mine, I linked his fingers through mine , like we had so many times before.

Lucian snatched his hand away from mine and rolled onto his side to face the wall.

“I do not know you , dont touch me” he snapped. “I dont know any of you”. “And stop calling me Lucian that is not my name”.

A gasp echoed through the room as I fell to my knees and sobbed , what had happened to my Lucian to make him forget who I am and even worse to make him forget who he is. His memories must be in there somewhere , locked away safely waiting for him to remember that he is Lucian Radley and that he loves me .

“Come on Gwen , let us leave for now “. Ada gently helped me from the floor, and as I heard the door close behind me , my rage and desire to kill Darius and James was an inferno that would never be extingushed. I would make them pay for what they had done to me, but more importantly they would suffer for what they had done to Lucian.

“Ada , who was in the room next to me”? I asked .

A look of confusion came over Adaś face , as she scratched her head .

“Gwen , the room next to you was empty, there was no body in there”. “Why do you ask”?

“I heard a womens voice coming through the vent , Ada”. “There was someone in that room , and I will find out who” I vowed to myself.

“Take a shower Gwen , while I fix you some food”, “You need to get your strength up”

Nodding my head , I headed to the bathroom , as the warm water washed the dirt and grime from my body. I sat on the floor and started to plan my revenge as the water cascade down on me. Scrubbing my skin until it tingled and was red raw, the image of James Cooper bearing down on me flashed before my eyes. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed until i broke the skin and blood started to trickle down my arm. It was then that I realised I would never ever be clean again.