Desire (On Hold)

Chapter 5

On the side is Lucy Hale as Samara >

Chapter Five

Samara’s POV

I watched Elle from the doorway, horrified at her anger. I had known Elle her whole life and had never seen her be even half as furious as she was when Asteria took the diary off her.

Elle grabbed her dresser and tipped it over, all the contents in the drawers spilling onto the floor.

I looked behind my shoulder at my mother who was sitting on the kitchen table next to my father. She nodded to me to go and help Elle. Although she disapproved of out friendship, mother treated us both as daughters and would do anything to make us both happy. She realised the same thing that I did; Elle needed me right now.

I hurried over to Elle, lifted the hem of my dress up so I wouldn’t trip.

“Elle, Elle,” I cooed softly. I grabbed her hand and sat her down on the bed. “It’s okay. Everything is fine.”

I pulled back enough to see Elle’s eyes red as if she’d been crying. She rubbed a stray tear away angrily.

“I hate Asteria,” Elle mustered with so much loathing, it sent shivers down my spine. I had always hated Asteria, but Elle had always defended her. It was no surprise really, considering she was Elle’s mother. I couldn’t imagine ever not loving my mother no matter how controlling she was. But Elle spoke with such authenticity; it was easy to forget she was talking about her mother.

“I know, honey, I know,” I whispered softly. Somehow I knew this would calm her down. It always seemed to work when my mother did it to me when I was upset, which was quite often actually.

My life was hard. My family and I had been taken to live in this castle when I was a few days old. They had no say in the fact. We weren’t allowed out, nor were we allowed to even breath a word about the ‘outside world’. But Mum and Dad never seemed to pay much attention to the second rule. Every night they would tell me stories about what it was like outside the walls of this castle. They promised me someday I would be free. We would all be free.

I lead Elle to her small dressing room and handed her nightgown to her. She absently dressed. I could see her eyes someplace far away. Her face was completely blank and it scared me.

“Are you alright?” I asked timidly. Elle’s eyes snapped to my face but didn’t seem to comprehend my words. She walked away from me and climbed into her bed, curling into a ball. Her chestnut hair that I envied splayed out across her pillow.

I silently walked back into the kitchen.

“How is she?” Dad asked quietly.

“I’ve never seen her so absent,” I replied honestly. “I’m scared for her.”

Mum and Dad encircled me in a big hug.

“It’s okay, darling,” Mum whispered, her usually strict façade fading. “Everything will be fine. I’ll go and talk to her.”

Mum left the room and Dad held me tight to him. “Love you, Samara,” he said softly. I smiled. Even if I was trapped in this tower, I was lucky; luckier than Elle at least. I had two parents who loved me and Elle only had a mother who didn’t seem to even like her.

Mum came back into the kitchen after a few minutes.

“She has agreed to talk to Samara. Only Samara,” she said quietly so Elle didn’t hear. I nodded and went to sit with my friend.

“Oh Sam,” Elle said, her voice cracking. “I’m so sorry. I’ve overreacted, I know. And your mother just told me how upset you were because of my behaviour. I am so, so sorry.”

I hugged Elle, forgiving her. “So what’s all this about, huh? Surely not about a diary.”

Elle laughed shakily. “Yeah, it’s about the diary. But it’s not just a diary, Sam. It contains the secrets to my mother’s life. It could even have the secret to get out of this place! Don’t you want to escape; be free?”

I still didn’t understand Elle’s obsession, but what she said hit home. I wanted to get out of this place more than anything.

“I’ll help you find it,” I said, making a decision. Elle’s face lit up and she hugged me again.

I wondered where on earth we could start the search. Surely Asteria wouldn’t have hidden it someplace obvious. For all I knew, it wasn’t even in the tower, but I had to look for Elle’s sake.