Extraordinary Royalty

Chapter 15

Where am I? Why is it so dark in here? I run my hands along the ridges of the wall and try to find the light switch. The wall feels different, sticky, but smooth like corn syrup. A dim light flickers in the distance. I run to it, every in of my being pushing me forward. As I get closer, I see someone lying still on the ground. When I get to the body my heart plummets to my feet. There lying on the ground lifeless and covered in blood is Henry. My legs become like jelly and give out from underneath no longer able to hold up my weight. My heart begins to pound, and tears start to pour down my cheeks as I pull Henry into my lap.

Another light flickers on a few feet away from where I sit shaking uncontrollably. The is lying there - dead as well. One by one lights flash on around me, each one revealing every person I have ever loved lying lifeless in a pool of their own blood. Even Julie. My body shakes and shudders and my throat starts to constrict. 

"It's sad isn't it. Everyone you ever loved is dead and it is all your fault." I turn around but, no one is there. 

"Who are you?!" I scream. No reply. I hold Henery's limp body in my arms and start to rock back and forth. 

"They would still be alive if you caught him." Someone says from behind me but, again, there is nobody there. 

"What did you do?!" My heart pounds and my hands get clampy. My head starts to spin. 

"No. Not what did I do, what did you do?" Footsteps start to sound from behind me. I let go of Henery's body and lunge at them but, before I can do much more, I am pinned to the ground. It's me. 

"You had the chance to save them but, you did nothing. You weren't there when they needed you the most." 

"It wasn't my fault. Julian—" 

"Julian pushed you; you are the one that didn't give it your all. You could have saved them all. Now they are all dead and you have no one to blame but yourself." 

"NOOO!!!" I scream. 

"Yes, and all you had to do was listen to him."

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"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

"Evangeline, WAKE UP!!!" Shawn yells as he violently shakes me awake. My body is filled with adrenaline as I shoot out of the bed, knocking Shawn to the floor. I don't stop to help him up as I bolt from the room and find my quiet place. I need to think and process, and just be alone. I need to be alone. My quiet place is a corner in the archery range - no one goes into the archery range since the "incident" - behind the equipment. The dust tingles my nose as I climb over the equipment and hug my knees to my chest, letting my thoughts consume me in the dark. Where could they be? How have we not found her yet? How does a known enemy of the crown kidnap the prince and the queen, and no one see a thing? If I don't find him, he isn't going to stop at the queen, my mother. He is going to kill everyone until I have no one left to lose. Why is he doing this to me? I let out a silent sob as I rock back and forth on the ground. Where could he hide the queen? He has to be somewhere close, maybe near the ports.  Come on Evangeline, think. 

"Evangeline!" Shawn shout, interrupting my thoughts as he opens the door. His voice booming in the big, cavernous room. I squeeze into a small, tight ball, up against the wall, and don't make a single sound.

"Evangeline, please, if you are in here say something, anything." Shawn pleads, but I don't say a word. I still need time. I wait for Shawn to leave the room, then released a breath I hadn't even realized I was holding. I sit there in the silence until I hear someone else come into the room. This time, no one calls out a word. I hear the footsteps as they near where I am sitting. Then they stop. I hear some shuffling and then there is silence again.