Goodnight

3

I fight then, pushing away from Ash. He lets me go easily and I take this opportunity stumble a few feet away from him. He looks amused at what I'm sure is pure terror written on my face, like this is all a game. I cant even find it in me to respond to him, its just so messed up, sick. I sit, cushioned by the mossy forest floor, pull my knees up, wrap my arms around them and rest my head on my knees. I cant marry this stranger. Marriage means so much to us. Its more than a ceremony, more than vows. It means eternity with each other, it means feeling hollow when the other person dies, it means feeling the pain that they feel. Marriage is more than a bond, it is a connection, the merging of souls, of spirits.

"Well, what did you expect?" He kneels in front of me, his voice taking on a softer tone. "You'll make such a beautiful bride, the prize of my family. They are going to love you." I stare up at him then, ridding my face of all emotion. "of course there are still many things to be worked out" Ash stands, holding his hand out to me and I take it, letting him pull me up. I cant help but crumble inside then. I know that Ash is not all he seems to be, meaning that the chance of me escaping this fate is virtually non-existent and I accept that but if there is even a tiny chance of me getting home, I will take it.

We walk at a slow pace, in silence. Ash refuses to let go of my hand but I still walk as far from him as he will allow.

"What do you want to do for the rest of the day?" He acts like everything is fine, like I haven't been crushed. I shrug. "Come on, we need to make today fun. Tomorrow the family is coming." I suck in a deep breath, pushing all of the thoughts of my real family away.

"We could...have a picnic?" The dullness I feel is evident in my voice, flat.

"Now that's an idea. I'll make the food, you just sit and read. We can eat when its dark." He ignores my evident distaste for the situation, smiling wide.

When we get back to the house Ash lays out a blanket for me in the meadow and brings me The perks of being a wallflower, one of the books that I have wanted to read. By the time Ash comes back out of the house, carrying a plate of cookies and various cakes, I have finished the book and the sun is setting, casting an orange glow on my skin. He sets the plate down and sits cross-legged on the blanket, a little too close to me. We sit in silence for a while, with me slowly consuming the contents of the plate.

"I thought you might like that, now that there isn't anyone to stop you eating junk." He says it so out of the blue, still staring at the rapidly appearing stars. I turn away, hugging my knees.

"Don't talk about them." I whisper this, almost like my family can hear me forgetting about them.

"Aww I'm sorry, come here." He grabs my waist, trying to pull me onto his lap. Again, I wriggle away, shoving at his hands but he grabs me more forcefully, painfully, and lifts me onto his lap, pushing my head back onto his shoulder. He whispers in my ear as he wraps his arms around my waist, securing me. "You do have some fight, don't you?" I swallow, hoping that this side to him is the most extreme. I know what he wants. He wants it all to be perfect, he wants me to love him like its my choice to love him but how could I? How could I love the person that has taken me from home, from family, from everything? My head begins to ache so I close my eyes, feigning sleep and don't react when Ash carries me in and puts me onto my bed.