No Escape

Between Anger and Affection

   I slammed the door behind me, the sound echoing through the hallway like a gunshot. My heart raced at the thought of finding Edwin—Silent, or whatever name he was using now. This wasn't going to be easy; the guy had anger problems that could turn dangerous. What if he tried to kill me for not going with him instead of Luke? The thought sent a chill down my spine. Maybe I should just let it go. He had been holed up in his room ever since, well, since Lisa got sacrificed. Perhaps he had some twisted affection for her. My mind twisted itself into knots as I walked, each step pulling me closer to him.

I glanced back, and there he was, banging on my door. Panic twisted my stomach into a tight knot. How was I going to explain this to him? What if he reacted violently? I started to walk slower, the urgency draining from my limbs as I wrestled with my thoughts.

"Alice, there you are!" Edwin's voice boomed, a mix of relief and something darker. "I was looking everywhere for you. I thought you had died." Before I could respond, he grabbed me, pulling me into a tight hug. I felt the warmth of his body against mine, but something was off. My eyes caught a glimpse of the back of his head—was that blood? My heart raced, not just from fear but from curiosity. I wanted to touch it.

Tentatively, I reached up, my fingers grazing the dried crimson. "What are you doing?" he yelled, the sharpness of his tone cutting through the air.

"I'm sorry, Edwin. I didn't mean to..." Oh God, I just called him by his real name. This was bad. He wasn't supposed to know I knew.

"Edwin? No! I'm not called that anymore! I can't stand that name!" His grip on my shoulders tightened painfully.

"Edwin—"

"Don't call me that!"

"You're hurting me!" I protested, my voice shaky. The pressure of his hands was becoming unbearable, so I summoned all my strength and pushed him back. He stumbled and fell to the floor, shock written across his face.

"What was that for?" he demanded, his eyes wide.

"Couldn't you see? You were gripping my shoulders like you were going to crush me! Your thumb was digging into my neck!" My anger flared as I stood over him. "You practically almost killed me!"

"No! Not again! I'm so sorry, Alice. I didn't mean to hurt you." His voice cracked, and I could see the tears brimming in his eyes. This might be the perfect excuse to break things off for good.

"I can't be with you anymore. Edwin, Silent, whatever! I just can't do this. You hurt me, and I can't let that happen again. This has to be over!" I turned to leave, but he lunged for my wrist, grabbing me again.

"Alice! Please! We can work this out!" His desperation was palpable, but I could feel my resolve hardening.

"No! Get off of me! You're hurting me again!" I shoved him once more, and he crumpled to the ground, tears spilling down his cheeks. I couldn't let Luke know. If he found out, he'd go after him, and that's the last thing I needed right now.

Questions bombarded my mind. Where had this strength come from? Was it my abilities? Why could I feel when Edwin was hurt? What would my powers lead to? Am I dangerous?

I turned and ran down the hallway, unable to bear the sight of his sobbing figure any longer. My heart raced, but something else clawed at my consciousness—a biting pain at my neck, like someone had sunk their teeth into me. I glanced down at my wrist. A large, curved, dark brown handprint marred my skin. I needed to check my neck, but I had no mirror.

As I stumbled into the lab, relief washed over me when I spotted Luke. Thank the stars he was here, but dread pooled in my stomach. What if he noticed the scars? I lowered my gaze, willing the evidence to vanish.

"So...how did it go?" he asked, his voice light but probing.

"Good," I replied too quickly, and his brow furrowed.

"Okay?" He stepped closer, leaning in to kiss me. I instinctively turned my head away. "Are you okay? You seem off." A sigh escaped his lips, and I could feel the tension radiating off him. "You didn't do it, did you?"

"I did! I swear!" I lifted my head, but his gaze landed on my wrist, where Silent's mark was still visible.

"What the hell happened?" Luke's voice rose, fury igniting in his eyes. His face reddened as he raked a hand through his messy hair. "Why? Why would he touch you like that?"

"I don't want to tell you."

"Why?"

"Because you'll get angry."

"Damn right! Look at your wrist!" His eyes darted over me, and I knew what was coming next. "Your neck!"

I held my breath, hoping against hope that there was no scar there. "Tell me! You have to!"

"Fine, just don't go on a rampage."

"Okay!"

"Promise me!"

"I promise." I rubbed my left arm nervously, my heart pounding. How could I possibly explain any of this? I sat on the edge of the nearest chair, my mind racing. I began with the moment I saw Edwin at the door, the moment I considered not telling Luke about the pregnancy. I recounted how Edwin had reacted when I mentioned his real name, how angry he got. Finally, I ended with the moment I yelled at him, expressing how I couldn't be with him if he was going to be like that. Luke's face fell, a mix of disbelief and rage.

"Where is that bastard?" His voice was cold.

"I don't know? He was sobbing by my door last time I saw him." My heart sank. Had I just sent my boyfriend to his death?

"You sure?"

"I don't know! You shouldn't trust me. I'm not trustworthy at this point." The silence hung between us, thick and suffocating. I couldn't tell if it was a good thing—he was letting off steam—or bad—he was figuring out I didn't want a fight.

"I'm going to go with yes." His response sent a wave of panic through me.

"Luke, no! It isn't that bad. At least I'm alive."

"Alright... alright. I promised I wouldn't do anything, so I won't. It hurts saying that." His eyes darkened, and I could see the inner turmoil he was battling.

"Good. I love you, Luke."

"I love you more."

"No, I love...you know what? You win." I couldn't compete with his resolve. Keeping his anger in check was hard enough. It proved he loved me, and that thought sent warmth coursing through my veins.

But as I stared into his eyes, the fear lingered—the fear of losing him, the fear of what I had yet to face.

The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken truths. "We have to figure this out," I whispered, knowing deep down that our world was about to change forever.