Enemy Of The Stake

Chapter 3

I still see the scolds behind my eyes. The insults that the two strangers threw at me. How I fail to see how I'll ever smile again knowing they're still in this world with me. How I'll never truly be safe. My shell is broken, and it no longer provides me protection. Before them, I knew there were always threats surrounding me, but was always able to place them in the back of my mind. Behind the glittering memories of love and light. They had strangely managed to kill me. 

They killed the part of me that I was before they broke through my shield. She would never breathe again. And nobody will even mourn her. They'll celebrate. They'll celebrate in the face of me never being the same person ever again.

Now a woman who will forever be terrified of the unknown. Who will never allow anybody to know how amazing she could've been. Who will never have the ability to become someone who never lives with fear deep within her veins. Who will never walk the streets at night. Who will never experience crisp air filling her lungs with freedom.

I feel a kiss land on my neck. A hand wrapping on the other side. My body feels cold, the warmth of it all welcoming. Until a sharpness hits me. A pain unmatched filling my system. An internal scream hit me. It draws me down, and I feel as though I am stepping foot into Hell itself. The devil welcomed me in his loving arms. Burning my neck with his kisses. Sucking my soul out me. Draining me of everything I thought I owned.

"Please stop." I cry. Unsure why I foolishly believe Satan will grant me mercy. How my soul deserves saving any more than any other. How my innocence will not follow me where I'm going.

"Just stay with us Luciette." The voice goes up at the end. "Come on, you can pull through this. Just let it happen." It's filled with a plea, so unlike how I ever pictured evil to be. Much more feminine.

The mouth continues to drink from me. A smile makes its way onto my face as bliss replaces the pain. An excitement of the unknown. I want to be lifted into the sky just as my spirits are being.

A hand strokes my arm. My pulse taps slowly beneath the fingers. The tracing of my veins is effortless and gentle. It's a feeling I recognize instantly. The tough man becomes gentle with his daughter.

My eyes open slightly, making their way slowly to his. All eyes are on me, but I only see the ones that match my own. A light smile shook underneath watery eyes. A ghost of the human I thought could never break. I can barely tear my eyes away from him. When he stands up to his full height, his tall frame towering over my crumpled body, my heart falters. He is focused. A great father, and an even better leader. He was born for this, he only fell into fatherhood.

He looks around the room and whispers to a few men in dark suits. Men I should know the names of, but don't. And that's how they like it. Their faces are unbroken, completely unattached from me.

They nod and exit the room, my father taking one final look at me as he follows them. His eyes still shining underneath the bright lights of the room. The door shuts behind him, echoing in the silent room.

A hand replaces his, and small fingers run up and down my arm. Three pairs of eyes all look down at me. All of these beings focused solely on me. Nobody speaks a word between themselves. Waiting for me to break the silence.

Their eyes are all different from mine. Silently shouting at me to push myself up. Soundlessly begging me to be stronger than I believe I'm capable of being at this moment. My eyes lock on one set. The other two notice and shift over to the individual. No words were spoken between the three. There's fury in his eyes. 

He's upset as he wipes his mouth. He spits onto my carpet, adding another red stain to go along with the others. He stands, pacing throughout the room, eyeing all the individual pieces of damage. "She should be fine now. We've all been through this. It will take her a while to get her footing, but she should come into her own within three hours. If not, that's when we should start worrying."