Always

17

Mathew POV

There was something wrong. For some reason I could feel it in my bones that something wasn't right. Shawn and I had been talking for what seemed like a short period of time but when I looked down at the watch on my wrist I realised it had been almost half an hour or so since Grace had said she was going to the toilet. I love the girl, I honestly do but her actions can be defeating in times. There was no certainty of what she was up to, she was like her grandmother in that sense. No one quite knew what was going on in their minds and nothing could stand between them and what they wanted, Celestine wanted personal perfection and she hated competition. Anyone she thought of as competition needed to be obliterated. Grace wanted enlightenment and would stop at nothing until she got it. I knew she wanted to see the attic and so venturing up the stairs alone was a big red flag... Celestine following behind her to see if she was okay was in even bigger red flag. 

"Shawn, I hate to say it but I don't think they're in the toilet" My hands began to shake, not from fear but from the illness and these moments were moments I knew all too well. But why now? Why when I seriously had a job to do, "We should go and check on them before something dreadful happens" I then continued, he nodded his head and stood to his feet, 

"You should stay here, I don't think you're strong enough right now" His concern warmed my heart but if there was anything I was strong enough for it was to protect my granddaughter, she meant a shocking amount to me. 

"No, I need to go." He nodded and then we made our way from the living room toward the hall and the staircase, I could already feel myself getting rather dizzy. Oh Jesus Mathew! Why now? This isn't the time for you silly health problems, I need to be strong for her, come on!

 Shawn stopped to look at me for a moment, "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked me, 

"For goodness sake Shawn! Grace could be locked up somewhere with Tina! Stop thinking about me!" He nodded fast and then began climbing up the stairs with me behind him going a lot slower than I used to. I remember the days I would sprint up these stairs, the days when I could never get tired. Those were the days.  We got to the top of the stairs and looked down the hall to see the door to the attic stairway open, Shawn sprinted ahead of me and up those stairs, my vision was blurring and the pain was shooting through my legs. Keep going, I told myself again and again. Just get to Grace, she needs you. I knew I could do it, even if pushing it was getting me closer and closer to the gates of Heaven... or the gates of Hell.  

When I reached the bottom of those stairs I looked up to see Shawn throwing his body into the door at the top trying to get it open, for some reason I couldn't hear anything as I held on to the sides and tried to pull my body up the stairs. I looked up at Shawn and I could tell he was shouting something but I couldn't make out what, he pointed to the door indicating it was locked and by the panic on his face I knew Grace was in there probably with Tina. Oh God No. Please don't hurt her, I begged, I know she can be a handful and all but no one deserves it. Why would Tina never listen? Where's the other Key? I need the other Key, maybe that's what he's shouting. I reached the top of the stairs and felt all over my body and found my keys on me, how convenient. I handed him the keys straight away and he fiddled away trying to find the right one for the door but it seemed that none of them fit. My eyes were getting heavier. It was getting so hard to breath. It's not my fault, I fought it. I had to see them one last time, I just had to see Grace again. Shawn kept banging on the door and was trying the last key while I leaned on the door trying to keep my body stable. The door swung open and my body fell to the floor of the attic, looking behind me I saw Grace. Her hands chained to the ceiling, her back stripped of clothing and bleeding, Celestine whipping her. I couldn't hear it but I didn't want to. I reached my hand out to grab something that might help but there was no point. My chest began to hurt. Gosh it hurt so bad. Shawn ran forward and soon I saw another pair of feet fly past me. She was here. My little girl. Daddy's little girl. Why did It take so long? Look at her, she's so grown and beautiful, she could have been all mine. They pulled Tina away, and Bey pulled Grace into a hug but Grace moved away and ran toward me. I did try to talk but no sound was coming out, the young girl cried in front of me before leaning down to whisper some words, these ones I could hear.