What HE took from ME

Chapter 15-Mrs Goldstine

Brenda

"No!" I cried, running toward Edgar. I had prepared to take that bullet for him because I loved him more than words could describe.

Unfortunately, before I could throw myself in front of the bullet, Edgar had already hit the floor.

"Please, be okay." I cried silently, going on my knees. I held on to his shoulder, which was bleeding slightly, and hoisted his head to my laps. The wound was not that fatal, but he was out, so I figured he passed out due to shock. I mean, Tim just shot him in cold blood. I knew he said he had to kill him, but I did not think he would go through with it. Clearly I had underestimated him.

I tried my best to stop the bleeding because I feared that eventually, it would end up killing Edgar. Unfortunately, I failed, which sent me into panic mode.

I raised my eyes to see Tim's households suffocating us. When did they even get there, and why were they not doing anything to save us. I started shouting over the rooftop for someone to do something, but they just stared at me with Stoic expressions on their faces. Others wanted to act, but one glare from Tim had them cowering back. I shook my head in despair before I called their cowardice out loud. They could not take my harsh words, so they started disappearing, one by one. Cowards.

Tim held his head high, savoring the taste of my frustration. "You will rot in hell, you piece of shit." I spat in his direction before bringing my attention to the helpless Edgar.

He chuckled, then cockily stepped forward. I protectively clutched onto the Edgar while shooting daggers at the monster, "Get away from him. I am starting to think that you are cheating on me. "Tim taunted, stirring Armageddon rage within me. I wanted to hurt him so badly, but I swallowed it down because I wanted his help. Although he shot Edgar, I still thought he had some good in him, so I pleaded my case.

"Help him, please!" Tim laughed at me, and he could not hide how pathetic he thought I sounded.

"I shot him because I wanted him dead, so why on earth would I help him?" He asked, looking at me as if I was stupid. However, I did not care about any of that at the moment. I prayed that he would change his mind and help because Edgar had lost so much blood and was likely to get an infection.

"Please, I will do anything you want, help him, I am begging you." I knew he wanted money, and I was willing to give him.

" No, Brenda. Don't." Edgar groaned. He wanted to stop me from making a deal with the devil. I was glad that he was finally awake. "I love you." He whispered. I smiled sadly at him because I had made up my mind to save him. I had to do something for him. For almost eighteen years, he had been my anchor, my wall, and the love of my life; it was time I paid the favor.

I held his cheek, "I lo..."

"Get away from him, Andrea. I won't ask again!" Tim seethed before he yanked me from Edgar. Edgar tried clutching onto me, but Tim kicked him. He was about to do it again, so I threw myself in the middle.

"Uh!" I yelped when the blow almost broke my rib. Edgar, though helpless, tried to do something to help me, but that only exacerbated his blood loss. It was so bad then because even his mouth was bleeding. "I love you too." I finally said, faking a smile to make him relax.

"I am right here, guys!" Tim said cynically. He did not care that someone was dying. He was getting off by the power he had taken from us. "You know what, come here. I think there is one last member of your family that you should meet before I send both of them to hell." With that said, Tim grabbed my thin arms and yanked me up. He squeezed, pulling me through a dimly lit hallway. We reached in front of a black door.

Tim contemplated for a second, then fetched a key from his pocket. He jammed it into the key-hole, then put it back in his pocket.

He pushed the door open and yanked me up close. "You have been a pain in my ass for far too long," There was a clear indication that he would enjoy whatever would happen to me in that dark room. What is in there?

Oh my God, he was going to feed me to a flesh-eating monster. I could not die just yet, so I decided to make peace with Tim. To avoid getting in that room. Whichever family member he wanted me to meet, I would do it on the street if I had to, as long as I did not get swallowed by that darkness. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Seeing that I was struggling to say something, Tim smiled before pulling me even closer, then he whispered into my ears, "I hope you are indestructible," then he shoved me.

I rolled down an endless flight of stairs, and everything that I tried holding on to, slipped through my fingers until I hit rock bottom. When I did, I could not even remember to breathe.

It took me a century to wake up, and even then, my memory was too fuzzy to make out what was going on. I looked up and saw a ray of light coming from a small hole in the wall, so I pulled myself towards it. I was about to sit when the pile of rags suddenly moved, scaring the life out of me. Not only that, but I thought it was a giant snake-screaming snake. Until the light illuminated the surroundings, and a woman came in view.

God, she was so thin that she looked dead. Bones jutted out all over her body. How was she alive? Or was she not human? I started to back away, scared that she would eat me.

"Andrea?" she called frailly. I think she was uncertain. I knew she could not see my face because I was in the dark, but I could see her clearly enough to read her expression. Holding my breath, I dared not take another step. If she is a zombie, I was off the menu." Andrea? Is someone there?" She repeated, now frantic. She probably thought she was hallucinating. The woman tried moving but ended up falling on the pile. Who was that woman, and why was she locked in a dungeon?

Poor woman, I bet she was ruing the day she met Tim. I felt empathetic, and I sympathized with her. Suddenly, the image of me in her place, flashed in front of me and I shuddered. I could not let that be me, If I was going to kiss Tim's ass, I would do it, but I had to get myself out of there. I was not strong enough to last a day in that dungeon!

Scared, I turned and was about to start climbing the stairs when a sound of an object rolling down caught my ears. Before I could work out what was going on, something hit me, I fell, and it landed on me. Suddenly, there was proper lighting, and I could tell what was crushing me.

Edgar? What was he eating? He was too heavy.

I managed to get him off me before Tim cat-walked the last staircase. He made a pose inspecting the damage he had cause. He looked satisfied with the wreckage he had left of us. Tim then turned to the woman, who had now cowered back. Her horror-filled eyes met his scornful ones.

Tim smiled, "I told you that you would meet her before she dies, didn't?" He asked the woman.

She forced herself up and tried walking forward, but collapsed. Even in her pathetic state, she looked up, "Please, do whatever you want to me, do not hurt her," She begged.

Tim had his lips curved into a sadistic smile, and I felt pity for the woman. Wait, did she throw herself under the bus for my sake? Who is this woman?

Curious, "Who is she?" I asked, directing the question to Tim, though my eyes never left that altruist woman's direction.

"The person I hate the most in the entire world." Tim replied nonchalantly, earning an eye-roll from me. How was that supposed to help me? "She..." 

I tuned him out because clearly he loved playing games with me. I  busied myself with what Loyce had told me  before; I was Andrea Beryl Goldstine. That was too complicated for me. I remembered something about me having money. What was that old man talking about back then? He could not be related to Edgar, could he? 

I subconsciously found myself looking at Tim, tying to prove that he was lying. And that was when I read the last word he said.

"... YOUR MOTHER!"