The Deadliest Desires

Chapter Two

Chapter Two - Keaton

Love is a lot like a rose in the winter... Only the strong survive.

My foot sinks into the wet ground as I continue to walk through the dense forest somewhere in Colorado. I lost track of the state lines. I took a deep breath as I tried to find a way around the huge fallen tree. I can’t climb over it because of all the green moss that grows on everything. It seems to suffocate all the pine trees. Earlier the forests were much easier to walk through. No weird moss, no huge fallen trees, and no odd scent. The trees used to be tall, white, and thin. Finally after walking along the side of the huge pine tree it seems to come to an end. I walk past it smiling that I got past it without doing something drastic.

I walked for another five minutes until i finally came upon some solid ground. This forest is fucking weird, I thought. I looked to both sides and noticed that this solid ground looks a lot like a path. Well I sure as hell don’t want to get my good stuck in quick sand like mud again. The wind picked up making the forest rustle in weird ways and I didn’t and still don’t like it. I continued to walk on the solid ground in which I realized is a real path. No trees or branches cover the line of solid ground. It doesn’t dip or turn in weird ways. It’s a real path constructed by someone for some kind of purposed. I walked for about ten more minutes before coming up on a bend. I stopped and listened to the forest. No out of the ordinary sounds were heard.

I walk past the bend and look down at the ground to see a body laying down on the ground. HOLY SHIT! Please let it be alive! I thought furiously. By the smell of it, it’s a human... Mostly? I can’t be sure. I ran towards it. I rolled over the body to find a beautiful girl. I brought my ear down to her nose to find that she is still breathing but unconscious. Her eyes are shut and layered by long eye lashes. Her lips are slightly parted as she breaths. Her tan skin is unblemished and a little sun burnt along her nose. She can’t be more than sixteen by the looks of it.

A million thoughts start to run through my head as I continue to look at her. Who is she? How did she get out here? How did she get knocked unconscious? Is something wrong with her? Why doesn’t she look completely human? How can I help her? My protective instincts went into overdrive because I started to check her head for any bumps or cuts.

Her eyes fluttered open and looked at me confused. Suddenly she was hugging me very hard and sobbing. “Oh thank god. Thank god someone showed up!” she whimpered into my chest.

I lightly pushed her back off of me so that I could look at her. I looked at her eyes and I was a goner. She wiped her big doe eyes and looked at me confused. “What happened to you?” I asked her calmly.

She looked at me and then started to fidget around with her black, wavy hair which hung all the way down to her waist. “I-I was running this morning, blowing off some steam and when I reached the bend I twisted my ankle funny. It hurt a lot. I scooted my way over to where I could sit down. After hours of screaming for help... I might have dozed off,” she smiled meekly as if embarrassed about the situation. She looks at me surprised, “Oh I forgot! My names is Lilia.”

“Keaton,” I respond.

We nod at each other and I pick her up carefully. I feel the pain she feels and smile slightly as I absorb the pain. She doesn't need to know pain. I have the power and I might as well use it. She vissibly relaxes a little bit as I absorb the pain which isn't really that much pain at all. I sort of smile. As if we have an unspoken agreement, Lilia points down the path and I start walking. She is light so holding her doesn’t disturb me. After about forty five minutes of walking, the forest finally clears and lets us out into a large meadow with an old house in the center of it.

“That’s my house,” smiles Lilia. Her smile is weak but shows great pride. She's happy here... very happy here. 

I look at the old, grand home and notice a figure pacing back and forth. The house itself is beautiful and historical with the vines growing up it and all the stain glass windows. Lilia waves her arm for a while. Once the figure notices us it’s sprinting towards us. “Lilia! Lilia! Are you alright?” yelled the figure.

“Ya mom, fine!” Lilia yells back with a grimace on her face.

Lilia’s mom finally reaches us and she is beautiful just like Lilia. Unlike Lilia, she has short curly black hair, tanner skin, and with dark brown eyes. Unlike Lilia, she seems more fragile and peaceful than her. Lilia’s mom pushes some strands of hair away from Lilia and their gazes lock. Lilia’s mother nods and smiles. She turns to me and gives me an awkward hug with Lilia between us, “I cannot thank you enough for saving my daughter!”

She steps away and continues to smile at me. A shocked expression crosses her face, “Oh how rude of me! My name is Elanore Halloway. I’m Lilia’s mom. Why don’t you come in and we can see what my daughter has gotten herself into.”

I nodded politely as I started to carry her in. Ms. Halloway walked next to me and continuously patted me on the back and told me how thankful she is. When we finally got into their home and I settled Lilia in the living room couch I got a chance to look around. The house inside isn't as old as it is on the outside. The walls are newly painted, the wood is nicely re-polished, all the furniture is new and comfy, electricity powers the house, and they have air conditioning. I sat down next to Lilia as she started to ice her swollen ankle.

“Thank you for carrying me four miles,” she smiles at me. Her smile is sweet and warm but very strong. Her voice isn't shaky as she talks to me.

I nod and give her half a smile, “Of course.”

Lilia laughs and looks down at her ankle avoiding my gaze. Finally she looks up at me and locks onto my gaze, “Why are you so formal?”

This time I laugh. I shake my head but smile, “How else do you talk with someone that's a stranger. I mean, it's not like I find an unconscious girl in the middle of the woods every day.”

Lilia laughs and nods, “Ya thanks again! I was scared to death thinking that no one would find me and I'd die alone or something.”

I shake my head, “Don't you have neighbors?”

Lilia shakes her head, “No. We live on the outskirts of town. The only neighbors we have are two miles away.”

“Wellll... That could be quiet a problem,” I laugh at her. Good that she doesn't know who lives in that old ranch house on the other side of the woods.

She shoves me but starts to laugh too. Lilia looks at her ankle then lifts the bag of ice from it, “Let's see we got...”

I look over at her ankle. The ice doesn’t seem to helping much. Her ankle is swollen and bruised. Its starting to take the shape of an overgrown pear. Lilia gasps as she looks at it and quickly puts the ice back on. “Okay... So it's bad,” Lilia gasps as she lays her head down on the pillow.