Violet

Chapter 62: Stepping Past Boundaries

I sat outside, waiting for Ryan and Jasper to return. It had been two whole days, and I haven't heard a word from either of them. Tate and Caroline were the ones seeking food while Ryan was gone, and they were terrible at it. I was hungry, weak, and worried.

Staring at the fields gave me uneasy thoughts. There was a strong possibility that Jasper was dead. If that was the case, me, Tate, and Caroline didn't have much time. And what about Ryan? Where was he? He couldn't die as far as I knew.

"Violet," I heard a faint voice from behind. I turned around and saw Tate and Caroline standing next to each other. They were weak and hungry like me. Tate held his stomach with both hands. I felt sorry for them and mad that Jasper left us like this, knowing I couldn't leave.

"Hey," I looked at them. "What's up?"

Caroline sat next to me. "Me and Tate are hungry. We ain't never been this long without food or water. So, we think that we should-"

I stared at her and shook my head, knowing what would come next. "No," I said firmly. "You can't go out there looking for Jasper."

"But he could be in danger," Tate whimpered.

"No, we're not leaving," I said. "He's with Ryan. He's okay."

Caroline stood up straight and took Tate's hand. "We can't sit around here no mo. I'm going to find Jasper."

I was about to get up, but the two sprinted away from me. "Run!" Caroline shouted.

I was thrown off when they started running. By the time I got up, they were already past the limits set from me. Looking at me, the two waved. "We'll be okay! We're going to find Jasper."

I started to cry. " Please, come back! You don't know what's out there! It's dangerous."

Without more to say, the two walked away, leaving me alone. My breathing sped up, and I felt like hitting or kicking something. I watched as they disappeared behind the tall grass. Now what? What could I do? Angry and upset, I walked into the house and closed the door behind myself. I was alone. The little bit of family I had left were in danger.

I sat down on a small worn out couch in the living room. I was exhausted and tired. Tired of living this way, tired of dealing with my father, tired of him taking people from me. Jasper, Tate, and Caroline didn't deserve to be taken by my dad. They didn't deserve what could be waiting for them. My life was so damaged that I no longer cared. If I stayed here, people would come and go. My father would somehow continue to taunt me until I joined him. He wouldn't mind waiting. He would wait years, I just knew it. Wiping a tear from my eye, I sat up thinking twice about what I was planning to do.

"Violet?" I turned to my right and saw an old woman seated on the couch I had been sitting on. Her face was covered in wrinkles, and she looked as worn out as the couch. She gave me a weary smile.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" I asked, backing up a few steps. She didn't look dangerous, but I wasn't 100 percent sure.

"Your dad won't stop until someone stops him," she continued. "I'm afraid to say that your time in the world is limited and you will never have a happy ending as long as your father is alive."

"How do you know my father?" I asked.

"I'm your grandmother," she turned away. "Your father killed us. He's a ruthless murderer."

"But-" I stuttered. "How am I able to see you? You're dead."

She sighed. "You're very vulnerable right now, and when a person is at their lowest point, sometimes they're able to see things others cannot."

"Are you a ghost?"

She shook her head. "I'm no ghost, Violet. I died here, but my soul is not here. It is in that damned book, and I've been trapped for so long. I've been tortured for so long, and I'm tired. So I'm here to tell you this," she leaned in towards me. "If you're leaving, be smart about what you're doing. You do not want to be trapped here like us. If you do, you'd only wish to be dead. Your father is torturing us. Please, stop him!"

I looked around then ran my finger through my hair. "I just-I just don't know how to stop him."

"Get out of here, Violet," she pointed at me. "Find your dad and do what it takes to save your friends. I believe in you. Please save us. Please, Violet. We are putting our faith in you."

Before I could say anything more, she vanished. The couch was empty, and I was alone in the room. I thought about what she said. I sat on the couch and looked at my hands. What could I do to save them? I've faced my father before, but how would I now? I argued with myself for a good ten minutes, thinking about what to do. I finally came to a decision of what had to be done.

I got up and walked outside. Taking a deep breath, I set my intention for one thing. I focused on my intention as I started walking. It had to work. I needed it to work. I stopped at the end of the house and took one more deep breath. The boulder was my limit, but this time, I took another step and passed it. I took more steps, and more, and more, and more until I was more than 20 feet from the house. I looked back at the house and saw the old woman and an old man standing next to her, waving at me. Their mouths didn't move, but I heard her words.

"Be careful, Violet."