Eternal bondage (Book One of the Eternity Series)

Chapter 13 | Part 2

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I opened the door and got out of the car, watching Ethan as we made our way onto the porch.  He knocked on the door and a middle aged man opened it.   

“Yes?”

“Ethan Roshe,  I had called earlier.”

“Yes sir, right this way.”

The man led us to a sitting room where Ethan sat down, I stood by the door. Another man entered the room a few moments later.

“Mr. Roshe, I’m Edwin Karls, we spoke earlier.”

“That we did.”

The two men stood as grasped hands in a handshake.

“Yes, yes, right this way then.”

Ethan followed the man out of the room and motioned for me to come.  He led us down the hallway and out the door.

Outside we walked into a barn and up to the loft, I saw two women leaning over a bed.

“Really is a pity the poor thing.  Probably over-exposure to the pollution in the river.  That damn factory, never hurt one of them before though.”

I was confused as to why we were here.

What interest would Ethan have in some sick slave girl? He turned to me.

“Go see who it is.”

His voice was taunting, it reminded me of the night my parents had died.

I made my way to the bed and found Lilli, lying there on the verge of death. my mouth opened as I sat next to her, the two women retreated, leaving me there with her. She opened her eyes

“H-hh-hayden?”

She struggled to say the word.

“Lilli, it’s me, I’m here.  Please tell me you’re going to be alright.”

“Haydenn, hhelp me.”

Lilli could barely speak, using all her energy to say the few words.

I turned to the man who had led us here.

“Is there nothing you can do to help her?”

“We’ve tried everything we know to try.”

I turned back to Lilli and held her head in my hands, running one through her hair.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and all around them was puffy and red, her face was pale and almost lifeless.

I had pushed my emotions down, but now I couldn’t stop myself, I began to cry, my tears falling onto Lilli’s face.

I held her for what seemed like hours, but I knew was only the last few minutes of her life.  

She died in my arms.

I sat on her bed crying over her lifeless body.

“No, no you can’t go.”

Even though I was 18, my voice cracked.  

Ethan pulled me off of her and back out to the car.

I got in and stared into the distance the entire 45 minute ride home.  Neither of us said a word.  

We reached the house and Ethan said,

“You’re free to run back to your basement.”

And I did, I went down to the basement, passing Maci in the kitchen but not being able to even look in her direction.  

I made it to my room and collapsed in front of the fireplace I didn’t bother to light it, I just stared into the empty hole, envisioning the flames.

*