Eli

Chapter 14

Garret

Why is he in such a hurry?

Garret hid by the corner and watched the man in hood talking to a man standing by, who nodded and pointed his finger at the left way. The man in hood bent his head and ran off in the showed direction and Garret followed.

He turned a corner and his steps slowly quietened, as if he was following someone.

Did he find her?

Garret got closer, placing his hand down on a pommel, prepared to draw his sword swiftly.

"Paul!"

A woman?

A woman cry came out from under the hood. Garret hid himself in shadows and was sneaking closely to the woman who was talking to someone in an alley.

"Mary? What are you -?" man's voice broke.

"Paul, you don't have to do this. You're just being used, they deluded you into thinking your daughter was infected when she was just desperate because she felt alone and hated...They used your grief and make you believe all of their wicked lies. Please, let her go, Paul...You don't want to do this..."

Infected... She must be talking about the girl...She's there!... There must be a way how to get to her...

"They're not lies, Mary. And you should know that better than anyone else. You watched her growing up, growing secretive and isolating herself. She drawn herself into solitude and didn't care about anyone but herself. And then she hanged a rope over a branch, made a loop, put her head into it and selfishly jumped off a chair and her neck broke! You...You should know better than anyone, she wasn't healthy nor sane person!" a man from behind an alley cried at her. The woman broke into tears.

The debris... I must find a way through it...There's no time to search for a path which would lead me to the man from behind...

Carefully, trying to make no sound, Garret entered the house damaged by fire.

"Please, stop it...Stop it already! This isn't a solution, this is a murder! I know you're no killer, Paul... Just... let her go and come home with me," Mary urged, her voice trembling from crying.

The man didn't say a word and broad silence descended on them.

Did they notice me? Garret halted, holding his breath.

"There's no home...There's no home anymore, Mary..." the man finally answered and Garret breathed out with relief. "You, me and... Rose...That was my home. A family I was obliged to protect but failed...And all of this would not happen if it wasn't for this infection. You must understand I'm doing this for a greater purpose...and for her own sake as well... So, please, go home because I'm going to –"

"No, you're not going to do anything but putting this dagger down and letting her go. Until you do that, I won't go anywhere..." A man's dry laugh echoed through the night.

"You just don't get it, do you? I'm doing this no matter what you may say. I was just giving you a chance, so you don't have to watch her die...But if that's what you want, then suit yourself."

I need to hurry!!!

"No, PAUL! Don't do i – "

A sound of a glass being smashed cut through the silence. A man bewildered of unexpected noise, abated his grip and the girl slid down to the ground, exhausted, embracing her neck while gasping for breath between hard coughs. Mary rushed to her.

"What the – " the man followed the source of this sudden noise to find a boy standing above a shattered glass from a broken window. The man narrowed his eyes "Who...?"

Garret pointed his sword at him. "Step away from her."

Paul looked confusedly from a prince to the girl on a ground and smiled. "I see..." the man's stare got distant, "she is precious to you...we've all made that mistake..."

"I don't know what happened to you... But what you're doing, isn't a way out," Garret didn't take his eyes of the man, trying to read through his intentions. "And now, step aw – "

"You've got it right, boy, you don't know what happened... So quit giving me advise when no one asked for your opinion!" Paul threw the dagger in Garret's face and while the prince was dodging it, he drew his sword and yanked the girl out of Mary's arms.

He's fast!

"I know how you're feeling...I was the same...Those eyes of yours, burning with determination to throw everything away to save her... But I woke up from my delusion that she could be saved... You must try to understand this is for your own sake..." Paul's voice was steady and deadly calm as if he was reciting himself the dreadful lies, he had gathered and made up through the years so he didn't stray from his path.

"You...are wrong. We're not the same. After I lost him, I've never believed those wicked lies they were spreading... And would never attempt to kill a deaf person because of such a rumour!" Garret found an exposed spot in man's position and made his move, but the man, seeing through his intentions, just shifted so that the girl was a target. The prince halted the blade just an inch from her face and felt beads of cold sweat on his forehead.

He looked at her. Her eyes were closed tight and her whole body was shivering, she was terrified...He was too reckless and almost hit her...

Arghh...I can't reach him unless I harm her...

"The fun ends here, boy..." the man said and dodged Garret's sword powerfully so that the prince stumbled and fell back. Then he threw the girl on a ground in front of him.

Garret clenched his jaw at girl's groan and got on his feet again. "You bastard!" Garret shouted and ran for him with his sword stretched ahead.

"You'll thank me later..." Paul raised his sword to strike and let the blade lower at girl's back.

"NO!"