Til Death

35. Henry

TRIGGER WARNING: VIOLENCE. MURDER. SUICIDE. DEATH.

Author's Note: 

For anyone that would like to skip this chapter, I have provided a vague summary of the plot points you'll need to know at the bottom. Or if you'd prefer, please message me and I'll send you the summary that way. 

Much love, Miss Bonnett

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I had been awake for a while with my eyes closed, listening to Edward get ready for the day. At any point the sounds came too close, my body tensed. His scuff of shoes blasted my eardrums the way muskets sounded before they shot birds out of the sky.

Edward sat on the edge of the bed and I froze, readying myself for anything. His breath scattered across my bare skin like dozens of little spiders and I swallowed a whimper. His hand dragged through my hair and I could feel the edge of his nails.

"Henry," he whispered, putting my charade to an end. I let him say my name again, a bit louder. 

"Henry..." A third time was too dangerous to test.

"Hm?" I hummed and stretched out my limbs, performatively. I opened one eye at Edward looming over me. His smile was a good sign. The chokehold around my heart slacked a little. No more pain for now. I could deal with that. "Are you leaving already? It's not yet dawn."

"I have some business to attended to before dawn, but I'll be back before you know it..." Edward said, dragging his finger back and forth across my bare shoulders and back. "I was thinking," he said in a way that made my chest clench. This would be phrased like a suggestion, but it was nothing except an order. "It was quite nice to hear that during my last trip you stayed in this room. Makes me feel like I know where you are...."

His finger left a trail of goosebumps along my skin. "It's how I know you're waiting for me. So while I'm gone, you should stay here. Agnes can bring up your food."

I fixed the smile on my face, avoiding any tremors or twitches, despite my heart beating so fast it threatened to burst out the middle. "That does sound lovely," I said, making my voiced despair sound more like exhaustion. "I think I'll stay in bed."

Edward bent down and kissed my temple, keeping his lips close. "I'll join you, if you're still here by the time I get back." He made a promise I wished he wouldn't keep and kissed my lips next, turning the acids in my stomach rotten. But I kissed him back and when he got up from the bed, I turned and pretended to find a comfortable place to go back to sleep. Waiting for the sound of the door to close, my heart dropped when I also heard a click.

Throwing the covers off, I ran to the door, but I knew better than to try to open it. Edward could still be close. I counted my breaths. My hand on the doorknob. Even without clothes, I needed to know.

With my weight, I twisted the knob and found resistance. "Dammit!" I spat, slamming my hand against the wood, but the fury was still festering inside me like a wild animal biting and scratching its cage. I kicked the door, threw my shoulder against it, until the door got the better of me and I stumbled with pounding muscles backwards. Catching my breath, I collapsed onto the floor and tried listening to the outside world.

He was trying to lock me up forever.

But I was meant to see Nicholas today.

Climbing back to my feet, I rushed to the window. The glass was cool with the explosion of winter outside. It was almost too bright to look out into. With a little prayer, I tried that too. It still wouldn't open. I struggled with lock more, my stomach dropping as I realized the plight of caged birds.