soulmate

One Last Time [chapter 5]

My thoughts are numb, and I wonder if I have passed out when I hear the officer say, "Enough! Now. We will be watching this family very closely." There are some footsteps, and the door slams shut.

It is agonizing to sit and hide while hearing shrieks and cries over Zayne. I still do not know if he is alive, but I fear the worst. I wonder if everyone has forgotten me.

Suddenly, my wall creaks open. "Ella?" Carter whispers. "Ella, it's okay. You can come out now." I immedietly wriggle out from the bed, and crash into his arms. "I should be dead, I should be dead." I sob into his shirt. It is an awful sound, but I cannot find the strength to quit. Carter rubs my back and head and leads me outside of my bedroom. "Ella?" Mom stands up and scrambles over to me. "Oh, my Ella." She says. "I'm so glad you are safe."

"No, mom. No. I should be the one who is shot, not Zayne!" I cry. "Baby, no! Zayne would have done anything to protect you; always." My mom wipes her face. I suddenly realize that I forgot to even ask about my brother, and I am angry at myself for writing him off so soon. "Mom?" I ask. A single tear falls from my face and on my t-shirt. "Yes?" She says. "Is he- is he-" I take a breath. Mom seems to read my mind. "He is alive, sweetie. They shot him in the shoulder, so we just have to keep infection out. She takes a breath too. "We can't risk taking him to a hospital. They would ask questions." I feel so guilty, that my brother might die just so me, a child never supposed to have been born, can be safe. I have to get out. I have to go.

"Ella?" Dad calls from beside Zayne. I rush to kneel beside his still form. Zayne's chest barely rises and falls. I sob again. I lay my head on his chest and scream. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, brother," Dad rests his hand on my back and tries to soothe me. I can hear Zayne's slow heartbeat. "Keep going, Zayne," I plead. "Please." Everyone falls silent. "Where are the girls?" I ask through tears. "Charlotte took one look at Zayne and drove off. Ruby and Brielle went after her with the babies. We don't know where they are now." Carter says.

It takes all of me, but I forrce myself to leave Zayne's side. I wait till everyone is preoccupied, and creep to my parent's bedroom, where my mom keeps her cellphone. I stare at the piece of dangerous material. If I am careless, I could get myself killed. But who cares anymore? I flip open the phone and quickly dial in a number that I never thought I would use.

*''''''''*

"Fe?" I stalk through the dark woods, careful to make no noise. I look at my watch. It reads twelve thirty-one. He should be here by now. A pop sounds behind me. Hoping against hope, I slowly turn around and face the person. "Ella." Felix has me in a hug before I can take two steps. I crumble into his arms, and let myself melt. I scream and sob, and I don't bother to worry who can hear me. It must be at least ten minutes before I'm cognizant of my surroundings. At some point, I kneeled down, and now Felix silently holds me on the ground. "I'm sorry," I laugh, a harsh sound in my raw throat. "Don't be." Felix releases me and I sit on the ground. "You deserved that," He said. "I don't deserve anything," I say and feel the sick smile creep onto my face. I must look maniac. "Ella, what happened?" Felix asked. I tell him the whole story, at times pausing to let a tear or two fall once more. His face turns from scared, to angry, to livid, and to pitiful. He abrubtly stands, pulling me up by him, when I finish. Without a word, he starts to jog through the woods, deeper and deeper, until I don't know where we are. Menacing trees tower above us, and owls hoot around me. Little creeks flow, the sound carressing my ears. I am so exhausted, I could collapse. Finally, Felix stops by a tree bigger than the rest.

"This should be good." He fumbles with his shirt sleeves. Nervousness gathers in my stomach while I wait for him to say whatever he is going to say. "Ella, in three weeks, I turn eighteen. I'll get my soulmate. I'll lose you." Felix's face twists into anger. "I had a plan." He finishes. I briefly wonder if maybe he is going to leave me when he finishes his last sentence, "We need to run." I look at his face, hardly believing my ears. "What? Leave? Now?" I say. How could I leave my family, after everything they have done?

"Yes." He says. "If your family would go through all this crap to keep you alive, then I think they would let you leave. But you can't tell them."

"Tell them? Tell them?" I laugh, a real one this time. "After all this, and now I just disapear?" Felix's face betrays his thoughts. I know he is right. I need to go, to save them. I don't think I could bear it, but I have to try.

"I don't want to live in a world that you don't get to see." Felix says. "Okay."
•~•
We hike back to my house, right up to the porch. Felix pushes me on, tells me I must hurry. I silently wrench the porch door open and pad inside. I cringe at the sight of rust colored blood on my door, but somehow I make it too my bedroom. I stuff some clothes and money into a backpack. On my way out, I walk through the living room and kitchen, savoring my house. My house, that I haven't ventured far from in all my life. I pour some energy bars into the bag, and with a moment's thought, slip a knife into the front pocket. My actions betraying my thoughts, I scribble a note to my family and kiss it goodbye.

I can't believe I am leaving. Leaving everything, to run. I don't know what is ahead, or if Felix and I will even make it two blocks away before getting killed. Fear courses through my body, but beneath that is courage, bravery, and determinaton. We can do this. We can start over.

I am not afraid.