One Shots & Contest Entries

¶Entrance¶

Round 2 - Picture Prompt #1
clarino910

The craving to find him was agonizing. It burned. It physically burned deep into every fiber of my body. It was a fire that invaded each cellule and occupied what was left of my soul. I had to find him at any price.

I'd been trudging through the grove for what seemed like an eternity, barefoot, parched, starved, defiled. My tarnished dress was once of royal elegance. My sullied hair was once adorned with flawless russet curls. Now I merely appeared like a ghost of my former self.

Lost in the thick sunless woods for days, all I could think of was him. Tristan. The most significant man in my life. The man for whom I would relinquish the world.

The only memory instilled in my mind was the trail to his cottage. His beloved home at the fringe of the woods, guarding the forest in which I was left to suffer. Tristan was my only hope and yet, my greatest failure.

Most of my memories vanished after what had happened in the woods. Ambiguous glimpses of my attacker lingered and sent stings of furious pain in my chest. The lump in my throat ached and I clutched my neck with my hands, as if to throttle myself. The physical and emotional pain were excruciating. I loathed myself for feeling this way, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of betrayal.

He promised, I thought. Tristan promised to meet me in the woods but he never came. He could’ve rescued me. He could've saved me from being violated. We could've been together for good. I loved him and I thought it was requited. How could he abandon me?

The visceral fire intensified and urged me to continue my fervent trek. In the swirl of painful thoughts and befuddled emotions, I found myself in front of his gate. An entrance to my salvation.

The oxidized, intricately crafted wrought-iron was shiny black in the moonlight. Dragon sculptures guarded the entrance on each side above the stone walls. I pushed the gate lightly but it was locked. Strange.

The entrance of his house used to be wide open whenever I'd come here. It used to welcome me like home. Now it repelled me. It didn't feel as safe as before. I tried to push my way in, the gate rasped but something was blocking it. There was neither a lock nor a chain but the gate was tightly fastened.

“Emelia?”

A familiar voice echoed in distance and then I saw Tristan stagger into my view on the other side of the entrance. His comely face was in shock, unshaven, exhausted cerulean eyes wider than the sea. He panted and reeled as if he was about to fall unconscious. His golden hair glinted and fell on his forehead, grey waistcoat unbuttoned, sleeves folded up carelessly. He looked miserable, but he stood still, gaping at me, legs spread in a defensive stance.

I felt a surge of deep need flooding through my veins. I missed him. I needed him. I wanted for his comfort and love. His presence was so pungent that I wanted to break the walls and run to him. But he didn't move one step towards me.

“Tristan. Help me,” I cried.

“Emelia! How could you be here?” Tristan frowned, pressing his temples with his fingertips.

“I followed the trail. Please, let me in. I'm hungry and cold.”

“I'm so sorry, darling. I cannot let you in.” His voice was smothered. He gnawed his lips in evident anguish.

Tears refused to spill on my face. I couldn't believe my ears. “You abandoned me? You no longer want me, Tristan?”

Tristan sighed heavily, shut his eyes and said in a hushed tone. “God knows how much I've wanted you, Emelia.”