Passion for War

Chapter 5:

Fitz:

I sit in the library having my fourth glass of scotch, the burning sensation easing my nerves. For the past three months I have been watching Madeleine, waiting for something strange to happen. For her to go back to that place where the animals died and hopefully dig out the hearts but for three months nothing has happened.

This scare of her saying Anastasia's name has put me on edge and I am not sure what to do about it. The storm outside doesn't help with my train of thought but it is nice to listen to. What does this mean? I have seen and done many things in my lifetime. Surely I know this. But as of now, I have nothing.

Give me a sign Madeleine.

On cue I hear the faint sound of screaming, it's coming from outside. But who would be stupid enough to go outside in this storm and at night? I try to focus on that faint sound but the rain is muffling it. I move to the window and try and focus again, what the fuck is it? Closing my eyes I try to track the source, it sounds almost like a woman.

Who is in the forest? Instinctively I rush to Thea's room and when I open the door I find her sound asleep. Sighing in relief I close the door and move down the hall to the other woman in my life. The closer I get to her door the deeper my stomach sinks, something is wrong. But halfway there I look down the stairs and find the front doors wide open and water spraying in from the storm outside. I look back to her room and see the faint outline of light shining through.

I rush down to the front doors and shout out Madeleine's name, the only response I get is the thunder from up above. Training my ears I try to listen to the screaming, it's faint but it's strong and it's hers. I walk into the rain getting drenched immediately but I'm too concerned for Madeleine to care. Why would she go back into the forest again? For three months she was too scared to go out and now she has but something has gone terribly wrong.

I walk into the forest and try to follow the screaming but the rain and the thunder are much louder than her screams. I feel a sense of urgency. "Madeleine!" I shout and receive no response, "Madeleine!" I try again but nothing. "Made-" I stop the moment I hear a slow heart beat.

It's difficult to see in the dark but I manage, I follow on instinct and track down the heartbeat.

Soon I landed up in the spot where she killed all the animals. The heartbeat is loud and slow. Looking around I try to find her but I can't see anything, that is until I see a knife next to a large tree. I rush and pick it up to examine it. It's hers, but where is she?

I hear the heartbeat again but it's much slower. Looking at the ground I realise that the ground is uneven here, but the roots aren't the cause. Without a second thought, I drop the knife and start digging with my hands. With dirt collecting in between my nails I scoop out handfuls of mud to the side of me. "Common peach," I mutter as I continue digging. The water from the pouring rain doesn't help, it keeps filling with more water the deeper I go but I keep scooping. I don't know how long she's been underground but I know that I am running out of time. The rain still pours heavily, the thunder matching the ringing in my ear as I feel something. It's her.

I dig further until her face is exposed, her lips are blue from the lack of air. The falling water hits her skin and instantly her breathing grows more frantic. I continue digging until I expose her upper half. Once her shoulders are exposed, I hook my hands underneath her arms and pull her the rest of the way out. Water falls over her face, washing away some of the dirt from her skin. Her fingers instantly grip onto my shirt as she gasps for air. She can't see with the mud stuck in the crinkle of her eyes and this seems to scare her even more. Shaking, she frantically waves her hands about as she tries to escape from my grasp.