𝐀 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝

chapter 21: A broken promise (Wren)

“No, Wren, Wait,” Lily says with so much pain that it hurts me even more.
I watch her disappear out of view while I go into the shadows of the forest. I can’t leave her like that. I can’t. But when I try to walk back I can’t move my legs, or anything. I’m frozen in place. All of a sudden I can’t hold in my emotions anymore. I fall to the ground curling into a ball crying out all of my anger, jealousy, and sadness. I don't want to lose her. I can’t imagine going back without her. Her parents are going to be so disappointed in me, and they're going to cry just like me. Since I am her bodyguard, if I come back without her, that means I would fail. But most importantly I can’t imagine her not by my side. The truth is I stopped being her bodyguard a long time ago. I stood by her side not because of my job but because of her. We instantly became best friends and maybe something more. I am going to miss her so much, she is like the other side of my heart. Like I said, “I promise you, I didn’t pretend everything. We used to share everything with each other, things that we couldn’t even share with our family. Every experience, every hope and dream, every feeling. That is a bond you can never break. I am still your best friend. Please Lily, we need- I need you back.” And I meant every word with my heart. That was still not enough to bring her back. I guess I underestimated the bond between us.
       I can’t stay on this ground forever. I get up shaking, almost falling over again and see Lily crying into a guy’s arms with her friends around her. I could see that they cared for her, lucky, I never had that before I found Lily. My face falls into a frown. My anger is welling up in me again. It kills me that I am not there for her. I should be the one to confront her, not that guy. But she chose her side.
      “Everything is going to be okay.” I hear the guy whisper into her ear.
      I have seen enough.

****

     I arrived back just two days ago. I was right, when I told them they broke down crying. I have never seen the Bartholomews this vulnerable until a few weeks earlier when they found out their daughter was missing. Many times I felt like leaving because it was a family moment but each time they keep on insisting that I am part of this family and that I have been for a long time now.
     “Wren, I can’t let her get away. She is our daughter. I have to get her back no matter what. I know you tried already but you have to try again and again until she comes back.” Rose said one morning when I was visiting them.
      “With all due respect I think she already chose her side. I tried to get her to come back but the bond we had was not enough.” I say confidently.
      “Well, if you are already giving up on your best friend then it’s my turn to try.”
      “I am not giving up, I just think she needs space. She will come back to us when she realizes she needs us.”
      “I am not going to wait and see if she comes back. I love her and I know she needs us right now. I will go find her anytime of the day if it means she can get her home safe.” Rose says with pride.
      “I get that, but don’t think that is going to work. She is mad with all of us. Especially you. She thinks you lied to her, she thinks you don’t love her and that you're just pretending.” I knew this was going to turn out bad but it needed to be said.
       “WHAT?!?” She said, astonished. “We would never not love her. Why did she think that?”
       “Because of the birth certificate. That you are not her real parents. She thought her real parents would love her more.”
       Rose suddenly looked at me, with a sharp turn of the head. “She can never learn the truth about them. Never ever.” Rose says, her voice sharp.
       “I know. It’s part of my job.”
       “I know it’s part of your job but can you promise, for me? I love Lily and I think the truth would break her. I don’t want her to go through that.”
       “I promise. And yes, the truth is probably too much for her to bear.”
       “That is why we have to go back and get her. So she can never learn the truth.” She says, determined.
       “As I said before, that is not going to work. It’s only going to make her more mad. Stay here. All of us need you. You're the one that’s keeping us together. Please stay, I’m begging you.”
       “I need to see my daughter Wren.” She says, her voice full of sadness.
       I knew she was going to break soon. “Promise to stay?”
       She lets out a huff of breath, “ok, I promise.”

****

       I sit in silence behind the couch with a great view of the front door staring into the infinite darkness. It’s so dark that I can barely see anything. Only the dark outline of the table and chairs with a navy blue sky out the windows with dark trees and nothing. This house is filled with silence, full of sleeping people but me. I’m sitting behind this couch waiting for Rose. I know she will not keep her promise, her will for finding her daughter is too strong for the little promise she made to me. And sure enough I heard a little squeak in the stairs. My ears prick up, straining for any sound. She rounds the corner and Rose comes down wearing a brown sweater with black boots and a brown bag looped on her shoulder. Looking like she was going somewhere. I was right! Well I am never wrong. She comes off the stairs making a beeline tiptoning very carefully for the door, not even noticing me. She opens the door very quietly not making a sound and steps outside disappearing into the shadows.
       Not very long after she left I followed after her opening the door as slowly and carefully as I could. Outside, Rose was standing in front of a floating circle filled with swirls of purples, blue, and black. Something like space. A portal. Rose turned around upon hearing me, her eyes wide in surprise. She pales when she realizes it’s me.
        “What are you doing here?” She says, furiously in a whisper.
        “I know you too well. I knew you weren’t going to keep that promise.”
        “Go back inside. Or better yet go home. You don’t understand, you're too young but I need to see my daughter.” She says, turning back to the portal.
        “Not if I can stop you,” I say, stepping in front of her.
        Rose’s face looked like it was going to burst any second. I know I was pissing her off but I needed to stop her at all costs.
        “Wren, I-“
        She gets cut off when suddenly a black gloved hand covers her mouth, taking her hands and tying them together. His arms looked strong, and it looked like his face was covered in a mask though it was too dark to see. Her eyes go wide in surprise and I do too. She immediately starts struggling but the person’s grip on her stays strong. I was in shock. I was just frozen. And soon enough another person’s hand covers my mouth. I try to scream in panic but nothing comes out.
         “There’s an extra guy. What should I do about him?” I hear the guy covering my mouth say with a ruff voice muffled by the mask.
         “We take him with us. Having an extra hostage can come in handy.” The other guy said with a hint of evil in his voice.
          I see Rose start to struggle again, wippering. She is trying to turn around to look at him. I could tell that she is trying to tell them that I have nothing to do with this. But they never let her turn around. Usually when people are getting kidnapped they have panic in their eyes but in Rose I see deternation. Why do they even want us? No, not us, Rose.
          “Come on, we gotta get going or we're going to be late.” The guy holding Rose said. And the next thing I know I was in the portal heading towards the Lost Worlds.