Sanctity (41 page)

“We’ll figure something out
when we have more time.  This,” he motioned to the room, “was
the fastest, 
temporary
,” he emphasized,
“solution.”

“Of course, Michael,” I sighed.

There were still a few hours before sunrise
and Michael suggested we use them to go to my apartment and get
some of my things so I would have them when I needed them. 
When we got there I was shocked to find it in complete
disarray.  Everywhere things were smashed and broken; the seat
cushions torn, my sheets and clothes in shreds.  It was
heartbreaking to see and I immediately knew who had done it. 
For the first time since I had known him I felt like I didn’t
understand who Charlie was, not at all.

Michael stood behind me as I took it all
in.  He put his hands on my arms and stroked them
comfortingly, “It can all be replaced, Elayna.”

“Yes, I know, but Michael, now that we know…
know what Charlie’s feelings are,” I shook my head, “what are we
going to do?”

I would never have imagined Charlie capable
of any violence.  I knew everything could be replaced but
there was an almost tangible anger in the scene before
us. 

“There’s no sense in going through any of
this now,” Michael stated.

“No,” I shook my head.  “Do you think he
would have gone to the shop?”  I was worried that we would
find it in a similar state but again, it could all be replaced and
at that point I would never have used any of it again anyway.

“I can take you there, if you’d like but
Elayna, what would we gain?”

“You’re right,” my heart skipped a
beat.  “You don’t think he would do anything to Margaret, do
you?”

Michael’s jaw tightened, “No, he wouldn’t
dare!”

“Maybe she should stay with us, just to be
safe.  Call her,” I urged.

It was well after midnight and into the
morning hours so Michael hesitated a moment as he thought over the
possibility of disturbing Margaret unnecessarily.  He dialed
the number.  There was no answer and the line went to
voicemail after a number of rings. 

I could see the fear growing in Michael’s
eyes, “Again, she might have been asleep and didn’t hear it,” I
suggested.

Michael hit redial only to face similar
results, “Let’s go,” he took my hand and we raced out the
door. 

We were down the stairs and in the car before
I even realized it.  He drove us straight to Margaret’s. 
I tried her number over and over again until we got there. 
When we arrived there was no sign of Margaret.  It didn’t look
as though the door had been forced or that there was a struggle of
any sort.  I was sure Margaret trusted Charlie and that if he
came to her under the pretense of concern for me and Michael that
she would have let him in and perhaps even left with her.

“But where would they go?”

Michael closed his eyes and concentrated, “I
don’t know,” he ground his teeth in dismay. 

“We have to find her; whatever it
takes.  If Charlie has her…” my voice trailed off.  The
world did an odd shift for me and I was dizzy with the idea that
had just forced itself on me.  I heard Victor’s voice in my
head, “Use me…use me to save her,” it whispered.  It was that
combined with something Michael had said not so long ago that
inspired me.  I remembered him telling me that Gavin’s blood
had done something to him. 

“Michael, I think there’s a way,” I looked to
my wrist, “Maybe I can make you stronger, like Gavin did. 
Maybe you can take enough from me to find Margaret.”

“Elayna!”  Michael was shocked. 
“Never!  It’s too dangerous.  It’s too late, the sun will
be up soon and if I take too much, if you are too weak,” he was
shaking his head, “No, no, we mustn’t.  Margaret wouldn’t want
us to.”

“Then make me strong.”

There was a long, long
pause as Michael considered what I had said.  I knew he would
say 
yes 
as soon as the words were out of my mouth.  He bent his
neck to my lips.  “Quickly, before I change my
mind.”

I took a deep breath, made my incision and
drew and drew and drew.  I felt like living ice as his blood
flooded my insides; cold, solid, unbreakable.  The sights,
sounds and scents of the world were like a tidal wave assaulting
all of my senses at once.  Michael dropped to his knees and I
released him.  I started to cry he looked so pitiful and
weak.  My Michael, my hero, my everything; I had stripped so
much away from him in that instant that I didn’t even recognize him
as he lay at my feet.

“Margaret,” he whispered as I sorrowfully
kissed his cheeks.

I looked up and suddenly I knew exactly where
Charlie was. I lifted Michael across my shoulders and lay him in
the trunk of the car; fearful that he would be too weak to resist
the sun if it came up before I could confront Charlie.  I
drove us to Michael’s house.

“Charlie, I’m here,” I called as I walked
down the hallway. 

I paused midway.  Somehow he was keeping
his thoughts shadowy and I couldn’t discern them with the precision
I had hoped I would be able to. The strength and surety I felt from
Michael seemed to be wearing off. I could smell Charlie, though, as
I walked; the body wash he used, the deodorant, even the toothpaste
he had brushed his teeth with that morning.  I knew where he
was.

I made my way towards the darkroom.

As I neared the doorway a light flashed
on.  I saw Charlie sitting on the bed eyeing me as I stepped
in.  Margaret was on his right.  She looked unharmed but
her fear was palpable. 

“He has a gun,” I thought to myself.  I
felt disgusted and angry as I took in the situation. 

 “Why don’t you come around and sit here
with us?” 

“No, I don’t think that I will, Charlie.”

“Where’s Michael, I’m sure it must be heart
wrenching to be torn away from him again so soon.  I was
counting on you two being together.”

 “Michael is…he’s resting.  Maybe
you should let Margaret go.”

“Hmm, no, I think she’s quite comfortable
where she is, right Margaret?” he poked her ribs with the
gun. 

I wondered how fast I was and if I could
possibly get her away from Charlie before he had a chance to
react.  I think he saw the plan forming in my eyes.

“You might but then again…” he gave a
sinister little chuckle.  “Is that an engagement ring?” he
frowned.  I’m not sure if I blushed but I could certainly feel
the shame his question brought on as it swelled like a bubble in my
chest.  “I should have known this day would come,” Charlie
spat, “I knew Michael couldn’t be trusted,” his focus shifted to my
face.  “God, I didn’t think it was possible but you are even
more beautiful than ever.”

“I’m sorry, Charlie, I know this has been
difficult for you.”

“Difficult!” Charlie turned from me, “I love
you, Lily.  I always have, since the first day we met.”

I shook my head, “Charlie…”

“Shut up,” Charlie screamed at me, “you don’t
know, you don’t know what I’ve felt for you!! If you ever bothered
to look you would know that Michael’s love is nothing compared to
the way I feel about you!!  Look what he’s done to you!! 
Your mother, your father!!  How can you love him after all he
has put you through?”

I pursed my lips thinking that I understood
exactly what Charlie’s feelings were for the first time since I had
known him.  It was not love that had brought him to this.
 His expression made me recall the night he shot at Victor and
Michael as they fought. Suddenly I knew he hadn't been trying to
help Michael by shooting Victor, he wanted to kill them both.
 The more I thought about it the more it made sense.  I
knew I had to do something before his anger got the better of
him.

Before I could come up with any ideas,
though, Michael’s voice came from directly behind me, “I know why
you’re here Charlie.”

I turned and couldn’t imagine how I didn’t
know he had joined us especially after I had taken so much from
him.  There seemed to be no indication whatsoever of what I
had done to him.  I was awestruck thinking that just moments
ago Michael was nothing more than a shell of the man I
knew. 

He didn’t acknowledge me, “Consolation
prize,” he said to Charlie.

“That’s right,” he nodded.

 “Michael, don’t do it, you mustn’t,
even for me,” Margaret pleaded.  She seemed to know what
Charlie was asking.

  “Oh, I don’t want you to do it,
Michael,” Charlie looked to me.

I closed my eyes as understanding sank my
heart, “You know I would never do that Charlie.  I’m not sure
that I can; I don’t even know how.”

“But Michael does, don’t you Michael?”

In my mind I considered the possibility, to
save Margaret and thought to myself that if Charlie was capable of
what he had already done and what he was doing now, what wouldn’t
he be capable of if we gave in?  I couldn’t imagine Charlie
ever having the control and compassion to live as Michael
did. 

I joined my plea to Margaret’s, “I won’t do
it, Michael.”

“Ssh,” he came and stood beside me.  He
looked down and brushed my cheek.  He was so calm, so serene
for the situation we were facing.

Michael looked from me to Margaret and his
eyes fell on Charlie.  There was something in them that I
didn’t recognize; a will that wouldn’t be denied. 

“There is no way this will end other than
badly,” Michael’s voice was flat and emotionless.

Charlie shoved Margaret to her feet, Michael
held his hand out to her and Charlie lowered the gun.  I moved
to take her in my arms to get her away from Charlie.  He saw
me from the corner of his eye and for a split second he came to his
senses.  Charlie raised the gun and fired at the first thing
that moved. Margaret collapsed to the floor. 

“NO!” I screamed as I lunged for Charlie with
a brutal determination. 

 “Elayna!” Michael’s voice commanded as
he held me back. I was suddenly aware of what I was trying to do. I
dropped my efforts and fell to my knees in anguish.
 “Margaret,” I took her hands in mine.  “Oh, Margaret,
please, no, no, no,” I was sobbing and shaking.

Michael was dialing 911.

“Michael,” I looked up to him pleading, “you
have to help her.  You…”

“I can’t,” his voice cracked.  “Not this
time.”

“What are you saying?” I screamed at
him.  “We can’t let her die.  I won’t let her die!” 
I tore at my wrist determined to bring her back.

“Elayna, it has to be this way,” he seized my
arm and drew me away as I fought vehemently against him.

“Ssh, ssh,” he soothed and stroked my
hair.  “I promise you, she will be alright.  Elayna, she
is my mother, I love her just as much as you but listen, please,
please listen to me.”

I felt him clamping down on my emotions and
moaned as Michael steered me back to reality, “How Michael, how can
you leave her like this?” I cried.

Michael had me by the shoulders, “The police
and the paramedics will be here soon.   I need you to
leave...,” he thought for a moment, “go to Victor’s.  He must
have a room there.  Go now, before it’s too late.”

“What?”  I shook my head, “No, why would
I…” then I knew.

He had just come home from a business
trip.  He invited his mother to visit.  They had dinner
and after telling her he had gotten engaged, the night slipped away
from them.  They talked about his fiancé and all their plans
for the wedding and their future together.   

When he was getting ready
to bring Margaret home, Charlie showed up embittered and
enraged.  His ex-girlfriend was Michael’s fiancé. 
Michael had me transfixed and I could see everything the way he
would 
encourage
 the police to see it.  I looked around me. 
Charlie was sitting in a stupor on the bed; the gun still in his
hand.  Margaret was lying on the floor in a pool of
blood. 

“She is just in shock, Elayna.  It is
not as bad as it looks.  I promise you, she will be
alright.”

He kissed my forehead; we could hear the
sirens rapidly approaching, “Please,” he urged me, “this is the
best way for this to end.  No one will get hurt.”

I took a deep breath, one last look at
Charlie and Margaret and did what Michael suggested.  I cried
throughout the entire drive and berated myself for not knowing
Charlie nearly as well as I thought I did.  Just a short while
ago I thought he loved me and Margaret and could never do anything
to hurt either of us.  I thought I loved him, too.

I wondered what would happen to
him. 

“Oh, Margaret,” my head was
swimming with so many questions, so many fears.  I needed to
hurry though, I needed to trust Michael and push those thoughts
aside.  As I neared the downtown area I began to feel
sluggish; my heartbeat and my breathing began to slow.  I
parked in the garage and raced up the stairs into the lobby of
Victor’s building.  I didn’t know of any other entrance into
his apartment than the elevator and I fretfully waited while it
made its way down.  My knees started to give way and the few
people who saw me stumble when the doors slid back gave me some
curious looks.  I felt the first little tremors flick across
my skin and as someone approached the elevator intending to ride up
to their floor with me I 
convinced
 him to turn away and
that he should wait for another car.

I slumped to the floor as
soon as the doors slid closed.  I was shielded for the moment
and clawed my way back to standing.  When I finally reached
the penthouse I turned left and right wondering where
Victor’s 
darkroom
 would be. 

“Where the sun shines the least,” I thought
and after getting my bearings felt my way along the wall.  I
pulled all the panels off the light switches and outlets as I went
remembering Michael’s panic room.