A Thousand Years

4

                                                                            ….

                I can’t breathe, or think…but it just stands there, staring at me…a wolf. It suddenly starts to close in on me, but the growling grows louder. I turn around, and find that more have come. Three…four…five…all surrounding me, closing in on their prey. My breathing quickens, and my heart races inside of my chest. I keep turning, trying to find a way out—something I know I’ll never find by now.

                Their amber eyes, all on me, their teeth, sharp, long, moist from hunger. The suspense is causing my mind to race and sweat to slip down my cheeks, but the freezing wind keeps me chilled to the bone.

                Finally one of the wolves lunges at me, as its paws are off of the ground, I hear a gunshot, and its body hits the muddy ground. I hear five more shots, and soon the wolves are running from me, afraid for their lives. I turn and see a man, young, holding a rifle to his eye, keeping his aim—on me. He continues to walk closer, keeping it pointed at me. I see him lay his finger gently on the trigger, and tears slip down my face. Just as the trigger is about to be pulled, he’s here—Jack. He stands in front of me, in the same protective stance as he was in with his mother. The man’s eyes widen, and he stumbles as he runs in shock from Jack. I watch as the man’s silhouette slowly disappears through the trees.

                Jack turns to me, serious as ever.

                ‘Jack…’

                He sighs, ‘Damnit, Lea. Are you trying to get yourself killed?’ Before I can answer, he continues, ‘your skin is like ice…we need to get you inside…’

                Once we’re back to the mansion, he has me sit on the couch in front of a large fireplace. The heat warms me up quickly. Jack paces the floor.

                ‘Jack, please, I—‘

                He suddenly appears in front of me, putting his ice cold hands to my cheeks. But I don’t pull away. ‘You have to promise me, now…please, please, Lea, don’t do anything like that again…promise me…I want to protect you…’’

                I whisper, ‘I promise…’I turn away, and hear him walking away, but before he leaves, ‘Thank you…’

‘…You’re welcome…’

 I go up to bed, restless. I stare up at the ceiling, anxious, surrounded by silence. A million thoughts race through my mind…

                If it weren’t for him, I’d be dead… he saved my life…

Why did he save my life?

Why can’t I get him out of my mind…?

                Through the night, only one name is in my mind—Jack. And when my eyes close, I only see him.

                I get out of bed, and see it’s still the middle of the night. I slowly creak open the door, and look out to the balcony. He’s there, unaware of me behind him. He’s sitting on the railing, looking up at the sky. I want to get his attention…to hear his voice. When I see him, all I can think of is the way he saved me, the way he made me promise…he wants me safe—but why? I open my mouth, ready to speak, and reach out my hand towards him. My fingers are only spaces away from him when…I pull back, and my throat closes. I shake my head, and walk back to my room, locking myself in for the night, as my stomach flips and my heart races, tears stream slowly down my cheeks as all of my uncertainty consumes me.

                I wake up again, and morning greets my window. My dreams were filled with terrors. My father…Jack’s burning flesh underneath me, my mother’s bones cracking against the floor…the revolver pointed towards my father…all of their blood…on my hands…Jack…he’s the only thing I have that makes me want to breathe. He’s all I want…but how long can I stay with him until I start to outlive him…I need to be with him forever…whether he wants me or not, he’s all I have.

                I go down the stairs, searching for him. I run through all of the rooms, frantically. Finally, I find him, sitting on the balcony like he never left. I run out onto the balcony, ‘Jack…’ my voice is out of breath. He turns to me, with a perplexed expression. ‘I-I know how this works…you’re frozen in time and each second I’m alive, I’m getting older, and…someday I’ll be an old woman and I can never…we can’t…’

                ‘What are you trying to say…?’

                ‘If I’m dead, we could…you and I…’ I can’t find the right words, so I pull the pistol from my waistband, and hold it in my palm before him. I look back up to him to see his reaction.

                 ‘Lea!’ Jack stands in front of me, his eyes overflowing with a tragic mixture of pain and shock. ‘No! God, no! I can’t let you do this—I wouldn’t…let you do this! Please!’ All of my strength escapes me.

‘Please, I’m doing this so I can stay here—so I can stay with you!’

 ‘I can’t let you do this…’

‘But this is for both of us—it benefits the both of us, don’t you see?!’

‘I just—.’

                 ‘WHY NOT?!’ he just stares at me, still afraid, ‘WHY WOULDN’T YOU!?’ My voice cracks, and rings against the walls.

                ‘Because I love you…’ his voice is so calm against mine, so composed and tranquil…

                Instantly I freeze, and stare at him. He doesn’t smile, but stays entirely serious and stern, but the way his cold hands are gripping my wrists tell me he means everything… it’s why he saved me, why he wanted my promise…why I’ve spent so many sleepless hours… he loves me…

                ‘I’m trying to protect you…’

                ‘What are you talking about…? You…why didn’t you…when were you planning on telling me this…?’ Finally I whisper, knowing what I should’ve made myself believe from the beginning, ‘I can’t…’

                I run out of the servant’s back entrance, through the back of the mansion. I keep running, until the winter air outside wraps me in its chilled embrace. I keep going, hearing his voice behind me echoing. Once I’m back in the woods, I kneel down, wrapping my arms around myself, gasping for air. I try to breathe, feeling my heart pound when I suddenly hear the sound of a rifle behind me. I freeze completely, and hear footsteps. The man from before…the night with the wolves, stands before me. He has a grim expression, concentrated, intense as he holds the rifle to his eye, keeping perfect aim once again. Jack appears, and my memories flash back to that night. But tonight, the man is more determined, and doesn’t flinch one muscle in his body. Jack’s voice hits the air.

                ‘Get…away from her…’

                The man doesn’t speak, but the suspense between the two has my heart racing and my mind spinning. I hear my breath getting faster. Jack takes a step towards the man, but the man sees it as defense, and I watch his fingers pull the trigger.

                Jack’s voice is soft, ‘No…’

                I freeze, as I watch the bullet go through Jack’s form…

                Straight into my chest…