The Ghost

64. Friend

Third person's POV

Flashback

A young girl of 16 speeds down the road ignoring the angry honks of drivers. She's on a mission. Not to kill, but to gain some freedom from her life of chains.

Her grandfather has chosen a husband for her, and she is expected to marry him in one week, but she can't. Not when her heart belongs to another.

A woman of incredible strength, resilience and heart despite her young age. A woman who could never reveal her true feelings when danger threatens those who'd forced their way into her heart. Her Galaxy.

A large mountain looms in front of her as if challenging her to climb it to freedom, but she continues on the road to her family mansion at the base of the mountain.

Pulling into the mansion's driveway, the young woman gathers all her courage and approaches the elegant doorway, not letting any emotions sway her from the demands she has to make. Revulsion swarms her as the doors open revealing the overt grandeur and gaudy decor of her family mansion.

An older looking butler locks eyes with her and turns expectantly, walking through the halls closer and closer to the office of her grandfather. As the pair approaches, panic tries to swarm her mind, but she fights it with thoughts of her one true love. The wonderful woman who is putting herself through so much pain to protect everyone else.

As the door swings open the old man stares at her expectantly, but she brushes it off, moving into the room and gracefully sitting on a chair.

His eyes darken at her disrespect, "It is customary in this household to bow in my presence, Ashley."

"Yes, well... I doubt that you would want my fake respect when you hear what I have to say." The young girl lifts her chin defiantly.

"And what pray tell would that be?" He raises his eyebrows.

She takes a subtle breath for confidence, "I will not marry whoever you have chosen."

"Hmmm... you don't have a choice in the matter. You will marry him, or I will beat you until you will. Either way he will become your husband." His calm demeanor contrasts with his words, but the threat in his eyes makes her struggle to stay loyal.

"I don't think you realize just how well that school of yours has trained me. I don't care how hard you try..."

Before she can even finish her sentence a dark laughter fills the room. "If you honestly thought that would prepare you for me then you are sorely mistaken, not even your precious Galaxy could take me. There's a reason she returns so often. Did you not recognize the signs? Oh and you were going to fight me just for her, that is rich!"

Her eyes flash in anger and disgust, "Oh I recognized the signs, I just chose to trust her strength and believe in her. Either way she would have been pissed if I stepped in."

"What a friend you are then!" He comments sarcastically, "I don't think anyone else could have subjected their friend to all of the pain she's going through."

"You know, at least I've managed to protect her from all of the pain you caused me." Ashley screams in anguish.

Anger flares within the old man's eyes, "Well if she won't listen to reason then we will have to make sure she says I do to you on the day of the wedding. Won't we Alexander?"

Turning slightly to see both men, her eyes get a wild almost feral look in them. Each of the men warily moves closer, trying not to spook her, but once Alexander is within he'd reach she reacts. His blood flows down her arm as the blade she clutches pierces the artery in his neck. Satisfied that he'll die, Ashley turns away from the man that used to aid in her torture lessons and watched as she was told to kill her own mother and then did.

Her grandfather keeps his distance, but shakes his head disappointedly, "I thought you would have figured it out already, nothing you do happens without consequences." Then he lifts a gun from behind his back and shoots her with a tranq dart.

Two days later she awakens in a cell quite familiar to her. It's one at the school that the teachers' use during pain endurance tests. Although this time there's a computer screen lighting the room up, showing the headmaster's office and three men talking lowly waiting for someone.

After a while watching, Galaxy shows up and once she sees who's in the room she tries to run away, but is caught by two guards behind her. One of the men sedates her and then she is carried to the desk where he proceeds to cut her open and remove something from her body. Once he's finished closing her back up the men start to use her face to get themselves off and Ashley can't handle looking at the screen anymore.

As time passes she can hear the screams from Galaxy echoing around the cell, but still she refuses to watch anymore of it. Hours after the screen goes black, her grandfather, the headmaster, enters her cell with a passive look on his face.

"You could have made that so much less painful for her, but you had to be selfish and only care about your love for her. Now... no matter what you tell her or when you tell her, she will never forgive you for this pain you've put her through."

Ashley bows her head ashamed at what she has allowed Galaxy, her Galaxy, to put herself through. A small tear drops from her eye, making a grin spread across his face maliciously.

"I think you should feel a fraction of the pain she does every time she comes home, so these men are here to show you." He says emotionlessly trying to intimidate her while signaling 5 guards from all over the school to walk in.

A/N

Me: brain give me an idea!

Brain: not yet

2 weeks later

Me: please brain!

Brain: fine... I need a break

Wattpad: do you wanna publish

Brain: not yet

Finger: Yass

Me: well fuck sorry peeps

Lol my inner dialog trying to write this chapter.

Probably posting a double update today cuz y'all deserve it!

See you in the next chapter!