The Beast Within Us

Chapter 16: Bottled Up Inside

"No... No! NO!" I scream. "This can't be happening..!"

I instantly fall to my knees, the cracked totem pole still in my grasp. Teardrops build up in my eyes and drop onto the dust covered floors. One after another fall as my body shakes.

I hold the broken totem pole tightly in my hands, as if I hold it tight enough it will fix itself and everything will be all right. Sadly, that is not the case. All I can do is let our a sad cry.

The totem poles were the last connection I had with my parents. I have never seen their face... I don't even know their true names. These totem poles housed their final thoughts and with one of the jeweled eyes cracked I doubt I will ever be able to hear those final thoughts.

I stay there, on my knees, for what seems like hours. I finally found a bit of strength to lift myself to my feet and walk out of this place. I stand outside of the broken building, for a moment. I never look back as I walk out of the barren land back into the more lively part of the forest and towards the pack.

My feet drag and the weight of my sadness pushes down on my shoulders. I wish for nothing more than to hide away from all my failures, my mistakes. I carry the totems in my hands like heavy chains. One of the last existing remnants of my parents. Gone.

I make my way into the pack not caring if anyone was looking at me. I probably look like hell. I am covered in soot and I walk like the dead. I might as well be dead...

I make my way over to the old woman. She never looks up at me. I stop in front of her.

"Have you found what you are looking for?" She asks.

I drop the totem pole down in front of her. She slowly picks them up and looks over them carefully. I feel the tears build up in my eyes again and I slump down in front of her.

"Please." I cry. "Tell me they will still work."

"I cannot answer that... for I do not know..."

"Then can you fix it!?"

"I cannot..." She whispers.

Tears run down my cheeks, "So that's it? I'll never know my parents' final thoughts..?"

I place my head in my hands and cry. That is all I can do. After everything, I end up with nothing but the knowledge that whatever my parents had thought of will be lost forever.

The old woman removed my hands from my face. She held mine. Her own hand felt like leather, worn out from long years of use. Though her touch brings me some form of comfort.

"You do not need a totem pole to know that in their final moments all that they could think about was you." She reassures.

I sniffle and wipe away my tears.

"How could you possibly know that?" I question.

"What else could they think of as the world burned down around them? They were slowly fading away... but their minds could never stray from the thought of their daughter making it to safety."

She lets go of my hands and wipes away the last few tears from my face. She places a kiss on the top of my head and mumbles something to herself.

"What else could they think of but you, Delilah?"

"I would give anything to have them by my side..." I whisper. "It's not fair..."

"That is life." She says. "But, if we lose ourselves in the past we will never be able to move forward into the future."

She pats me on the shoulder and lingers for a moment. She pulls out a small satchel. It is very old. The clasp is broken and the fabric is falling off. Though, I believe, the sentimental value it possibly holds makes it impossible to part with.

"It is time for you to move forward."

From out of the bag she pulls out a small bottle. It holds a liquid that seems to almost glow even with the sun shining down on us. Just looking at it sent a shiver down my spine.

"You have been asking many questions since you arrived here. Unfortunately, I am not the one to give you the answers... but this will..." She states

I roll the bottle in my hands. It is cold... I am about to open it when the old woman quickly stops me.

"Now is not the time for such answers." She says. "Though, I ask one question: do you believe you made the right choice coming here?"

She returns to what she was doing as if I had never approached her in the first place. I knew she didn't want her to answer now, I am relieved because I really didn't have an answer for her at this moment.

I look at the bottle one more time before I put it in my pocket. I pick up both of my totem poles and leave the old woman alone. I sigh as I make my way back to the main house. After all that has happened today all I want to do is crawl into my bed and sleep forever.

I open my bedroom door and am instantly faced with an angry Jason. I am extremely confused as to why he is just waiting around in my room.

"Uh... Can I help you?" I ask.

I walk over to my dresser to put away my totem poles and the bottle the old woman gave me. Every step I took I could feel his angry eyes following me. I turn around and glare at him.

"What!"

"Where the hell have you been!?" He blurts out.

I roll my eyes, "As if I need to tell you my every whereabouts."

"I can't believe I am forced to watch over you!" He frowns. "You are the most frustrating woman I have ever met!"

I walk up to him with my arms crossed over my chest.

"I'm glad I know I bother you so much. It's a real treat." I smirk. "Don't expect me to apologize for being me."

"Don't test me!" Jason growls

I scoff, "Or you'll what?"

Without a single warning or a slight hesitation or even a second thought...

He kisses me...