Chasing Down Secrets (6 page)

“There!” She exclaims spinning me so I can see my reflection. It
has
to be me, but I am not so sure. We have the same forest green eyes but that is where the resemblance stops. This girl is elegant and poised and all around beautiful. I place a pale hand on my blush covered cheek.

“Thank you,” I say, still studying my reflection.

“Come on, it’s time for dinner.” She calls gently from the door.

“Claudia, there you are!” Benjamin cries out with his arms extended when we enter the kitchen, “Maria, you look lovely.” His words are hesitant and do not fit well in my ears.

I do not know what to say so I just nod and walk past him. My feet pad the dark wooden floor as I walk into the dining room. I see a tall figure with blonde hair setting the table. Silently, I walk up behind him and wrap my small arms around his waist, my head resting on his back.

“I was wondering where you had gone off too,” Emmett whispers as he turns around, my arms still clutching him, and kisses my lips. “How are you?”

I do not want to lie so I simply say “better,” which seems to be enough for him.

“He is actually not that bad,” Emmett speaks after a moment of silence.

“Please, stop,” my arms fall from his back and hang awkwardly at my sides as I take a step back from him.

“Don’t be like that, if you would just give him a chance.”

“No.”

“You have a chance to get to know your father, tell me you don’t want that and I’ll let it go.” He is very persistent.

“I don’t want that.”

He doesn’t get a chance to say anything more because Benjamin and his family enter the room. My mind is elsewhere the entire meal. I can’t help thinking I have made a mistake by telling Emmett I don’t want a relationship with my father. Maybe I do, I just hope I hadn’t ruin my chance.

Chapter Seven:

My bed is big and empty, I long for Emmett’s strong arms around me, protecting me from the evil that is always trying to get me. I can see the stars through the window, the only lights in the black night. We should leave. I know father does not want me to, but it has been a week. It has been a week; it is time to move on. Tomorrow, I decide. I breathe in the muggy air and climb out of bed. Suddenly, though, there is a bump. It is loud, too loud, and out of place. Quickly, I climb back up and under my covers. Almost instantly my door opens, not fully, letting light flood in.

“Emmett, you scared me,” I whisper as he shuts the door quietly.

“There is someone in the house,” he says softly, walking over to me, “let’s get under the bed.”

It is much colder under the bed, despite the fact that Emmett’s arms are around me. The whole time I can feel my heart beat in my ears. I try to swallow but the lump in my throat makes me feel like throwing up whenever I do. I do not care about myself. My only concern is my father, brothers and their mother. Do they know someone is here? Did Emmett warn them first? But whenever I try to ask him he silences me.

Finally, my door creaks open and a pair of black boots appear in front of the bed. My breathing stops instantly, three painfully long minutes later the boots exited the room and go down the hallway. Not too long later the screams start. My arms and legs move but Emmett stops me from going to help.

“They’re dying!” I mouth as tears spill over my lids. A silent cry begins, “please.”

“I cannot take that risk. All you would be doing is getting yourself killed along with them.” His face remains solid. No traces of emotion show. But his arms strengthen their grip as I cry into his chest.

It is daytime when we finally emerge. Emmett goes first to make sure the coast is clear. I try to close my eyes but they keep popping open whenever I try. The first thing I notice when I leave my room is the blood. The second thing is the smell. It is a metallic scent that clings to my nose. My eyes waters as I see the red handprints on the walls. I feel my throat close as I try to scream. We enter my eldest brother’s room, slowly, afraid of what to find.

At first, there is nothing, except the blood. Then I see it, a lifeless body. The face is swiped free of emotions. His throat is covered in a bright red liquid.

“Let’s go, Emmett,” I say my eyes never leaving the young man’s cold face.

He does not say anything; he just takes my hand and leads me away. We check the other rooms, my second brother and his mother meet the same fate. My father is not in his room and I hope he got out, but I know that he did not. We find him in the study, a piece of paper clenched in his fist. Hesitantly, I take it out of his hand.

You killed my father, so I killed your family. You killed him in front of my eyes, so now you have to endure the same torture. And when I’m done I’ll kill you.

“Oh my God,” I whisper. The note falls from my hand and lands on the desk. I feel wretched and numb as Emmett guides me out of the room and towards to trap door.

It is then that I feel my senses return. In front of me are foot prints painted with blood that lead to the trap door which is open.

“We have to get out of here. Traveling underground clearly isn’t an option anymore. Come on, Maria.”

It is more of a risk to travel above ground, especially during the day, but I know he is right. We cannot stay here and we aren’t going to follow the killer. Our only option is to hide in the trees as we run. I can’t help but think that even though we are running we have nowhere to run to, because nobody is waiting for us. We leave the house quietly and as soon as we are hidden in the trees we run.

We run for hours causing my chest to heave. How is Emmett still able to run? I let my pace slow to a jog so I can catch my breath. Emmett hears me slow and stops, waiting for me to continue. I nod to myself before picking up my pace again.

I have no idea where are, every tree looks the same. It is finally dark after a few more hours of running, which means we can rest. I force Emmett to let me take the first watch. Once he is sound asleep the tears come and soon I am consumed in self-pity. I do not even know why, my father had not existed in my childhood, he should not now. So, why can I feel my heart breaking? Is it because of what he and I had missed out on? Or because, yet again, I heard my parent die?

I wake up to a face studying me. I do not remember falling asleep, but they way Emmett is staring at me gives me the feeling that he had seen my crying.

“I must have fallen asleep, sorry,” I say while stifling a yawn.

“That’s alright, how are you?” His voice is soft as if he does not want to press to hard so instead he is gently stepping on the issue as if I am a shard of glass that will cut him if he pressed to hard.

“I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?” I stand up and stretch my limbs, they groan in protest.

“I know you are not.” He is standing now, too, his face next to mine, and his mouth by my ear. I can feel his hot breath on my neck and I want nothing more than to pull him close and kiss him with everything I have. But I don’t. I stand there awkwardly while he is completely casual. He is comfortable with himself and with me. I become overwhelmed with my sudden urge to feel his skin on mine that I have to take a step away.

“What’s the matter?” He asks, walking closer.

“Nothing, I just got dizzy is all,” He can tell I am lying. I can tell I am lying.

“Maybe you should sit down then.”

“Good idea,” I sit, slowly, he does, too, a little too close. I have to sit perfectly still.

“Better?” His face is inches from mine again and if he comes any closer I won’t be able to control myself. His head moves in closer until our lips are only centimeters apart.

“Stop,” I cry before we come any closer. “We should keep walking,” with that I stand; ready to continue when he grabs my hand.

“We were going the other way,” he tells me with an amused look on his face.

“I know,” I say still flustered. What is wrong with me? I am used to Emmett being this close, aren’t I? Where is my control? I have will power, don’t I? I am not an animal.

“You never told me how you
really
were,” Emmett says all humor drained from his voice.

“I know you heard me crying last night, so, you obviously know how I am. I do not want to talk about it.” My voice coming out more defensive than I mean it to, “but I might later,” I add trying to seem less bitter. I realize that is all I am: bitter and cold and cruel and all around unpleasant. We begin walking side by side.

“I love you,” he says after a moment.

“Don’t know why,” I mutter under my breath, but he must have heard me because he steps into my way.

“I do, I want you now and always, and I will never leave you. Do you understand?” I give into temptation and pull him into me, our mouths crashing together, hungry for each other. Our mouths move together in perfect harmony as my fingers fumble to unbutton his shirt, his chest is warm and it calls to me as Emmett slides my dress off my shoulders. I know there is no going back now, and I am okay with that.

I rest my head on Emmett’s bare chest. It is peaceful at first, listening to our breathing mixed in with the hum of the breeze. At first, we are calm. But, once the foot steps start I am wrenched away from my bliss and forced into reality.

“Go hide in the bushes; don’t come out until they’ve left.” Emmett hisses in my ear while grabbing my arm slightly harder than he usually does but my feet stood still. I know I should listen to him but I can’t bring myself to leave his side, not when they were coming. “Maria, go!” He says urgently while throwing my dress at me. I still am unable to move so instead he drags me there and then walks back to the open. He leans against a tree trying to appear calm, but I can tell by the way his jaw is clenched and how he holds up his head he is expecting a fight. And, again, I am asked to step aside while everyone I have ever cared about is pried from my fists.

I want to run to him. I want to fling myself between him and the soldiers and beg them to let him go. But instead I stand there. Awestruck, as I watch the only good think in my life get taken.

“Who else is with you, Emmett?” An emotionless soldier says harshly to Emmett.

“Just me,” Emmett speaks back with a solid gaze.

“You are supposed to be dead.”

“Well, clearly, I am not. What are you going to do? Take me in?” Emmett challenges.

“Oh, I am going to take you just not to where you think. I have got my own vendetta against you.” What is he talking about?

“What have I ever done to you?”

“You act so high and mighty but you are with a filthy Jewish broad. As far as I am concerned you are just as bad as they are.”

“Maybe you have forgotten but you tried to rape the same Jew.”

“What can I say she is one hell of a Jew? Have you seen her? If only she had picked me over you.” I have to bite back the bile that rises in my throat.

“You are an ass and that is not my fault. And in any case, she is dead. She drowned in the river so take me.” I am not dead. What is he thinking?

Next thing I know the soldier is grabbing Emmett’s arms harshly and dragging him away. My feet have never moved as fast as they do when I start to sprint after them. I am careful to stay hidden in the bushes. The sky begins to grow dark as I run after them but soon the stars are out and they are gone. Emmett is gone. And I am all alone.

Chapter Eight:

The night brings fear and night terrors. I am unable to stay asleep for more than five minutes before waking up in a cold sweat, my breathing ragged.

The dream always start the same: I am running, it is dark and I cannot see a thing. But I can hear Emmett screaming for me, so I run faster and soon enough I am not moving at all. My feet are, but I am staying in place. Then I see him. Emmett. His face is swollen and bloodied. The soldier is holding a belt covered in Emmett’s dried blood. I open my mouth to scream but nothing comes out. I throw my hands out but something stops me. A wall, only it is not visible. And then Emmett is in a house, tied to a chair. The house goes up in flames. I am allowed to run but by then it is too late and he is dust.

The dream changes each time, but not by much, sometimes he is beaten to death or his throat is slit like my father’s was. And there is nothing I can do to help until it is too late. I wake up screaming for him, begging the soldiers to just come take me already. I am exhausted and numb. I am not numb from cold, it is still warm out. I am numb from my misery. It finally became too much to feel so now, I feel nothing. I continue walking unsure of where to go. I consider going back to the Cavell’s but now that Emmett is gone they will probably hate me.

I know I shouldn’t have brought him and late at night the guilt eats me alive. I am selfish and stupid. And I deserve to be dead. It is my entire fault. The only reason he came was to protect me and now he is gone.

I feel a raindrop land on my arm and then slide down to my hand. I sit under a tree as the rain comes down. The moon is full and high in the sky, but it is hard to see from behind rain clouds. I have to get back to camp; maybe that is where he was brought. But I know deep down that he is gone, it has been around a month since he’s been gone and all I have been doing is wandering