Eminence

Note 3 - The Contract

Warren left the room and headed down to the pier. He figured he would walk for a good while to clear his head. Seeing Emanon in a state of anxiety made him uneasy. He wasn't sure how he would even try to take responsibility for her situation. There were too many things he didn't know: were still people chasing after her, how long she had this condition, how often she needed to feed, what was in the contract, and what would happen to her if it broke. Questions swirled in his head. He started to feel woozy and decided to sit on a bench. If he can't shake his uneasiness, it would only make Emanon more distrusting and fearful of him ditching her like Jack, and then what would she do? Kill him? 

***

Emanon stared at the alarm clock on the bedside table. This clock had been the bane of her existence since she first entered this motel room. Time had never felt this unbearably long; however, recently, it's been torment. She couldn't stop pacing the room. Usually, she would feel secure with a contract, but now that he knew her name, he could end it at any time. 

"That's how contracts are supposed to work... hah..." She said aloud. She knew it wouldn't be fair. She was desperate—she is desperate—and terrified. Slowly starving death is a pain that she never wants to experience again, and thinking about it as being a possibility soon was starting to eat away at her. She wouldn't blame him if he left her, she wouldn't blame him if he killed her, and she wanted him to stay with her. He was all she had right now, and as shameful as she felt, it was difficult not to try to cling to and appease him. All this energy she's wasting makes her hungry, but she's so overwhelmed with emotion that she can only think of crying. 

"Please... Please come back..." She cried.

***

Warren stepped out of the deli store with a bag in his hand. He glanced at his watch for the time. 

"Shit...."

The line had been ridiculous, and they were unfortunately short on staff. Warren ended up spending nearly half an hour there. He started to pick up speed as he got closer and closer to the motel. Was she freaking out? He felt guilty. 

"Please don't be angry-" he thought as he opened the door. However, Emanon wasn't on the bed where he had left her; although the bathroom door was cracked, no light was on. 

"Emanon?" He put his food on the dresser and looked under the bed—no sign of her. 

"Oh no..." His stomach dropped. He got off the floor quickly and ran to the bathroom, pushing the door so harshly that it hit the doorstop with a loud thud. Flipping the light on, he found Emanon in the bathtub, curled up in a ball. She appeared to be sleeping. He suddenly dropped to his knees with a sigh of relief. 

"That was too careless of me..." he said aloud. Dragging his hands down his face out of stress, he stared at Emanon for a while. 

"We should have just talked right then and there." He thought. I should have just waited to eat. I'm only causing more harm by being reckless. She's just trying to survive. Leaning back in the door, Warren decided to stop avoiding the most crucial questions in this situation. What does he want to do? Stay with her? Does he pity her? He knows it would be irresponsible to stay out of pity. He would grow to resent her and leave, maybe even kill her. Suddenly, he felt someone crawling on him, and he looked up. 

Emanon sat on him, buried her head into his chest, and wrapped her arms around him.

"You're almost like a snake." He chuckled. 

"I'm not a snake..." Emanon said, her voice muffled in his clothes. 

He frowned and put his arms around her.