All dares. No truths.

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

 

‘Theo..’ I whisper as tears run down my face.

I feel his hold on my hand tighten as he speaks up. ‘Do you love me?’ He asks softly.

I nod repeatedly, my tears falling from my cheeks to his shirt. ‘With all my heart.’ I reply in a broken voice, sniffing.

‘Then marry me.’ He repeats and closes his eyes briefly, wincing, before opening them again.

My mind instinctively goes back to four years ago, and all the pain I caused us by my cowardice.

‘Yes.’ I nod, not giving it much thought. ‘I will marry you.’ I say kissing his hand. ‘We will get out of here, and I will marry you.’ I reassure him with a smile as tears run down my cheeks.

I see him smile, as he takes the ring off the velvet box with difficulty. He places the ring in my ring finger, closing his eyes as he whispers ‘Good.’ He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it letting out a sigh.

I stare at him, feeling my heart swell up with love.

How could I run away from this, four years ago?

I see Theo’s smile dim to a straight line and feel his hold on my hand loosen. ‘Theo..’ I whisper tightening my hold in his hand. ‘Theo.’ I nudge his arm obtaining no reaction from him.

‘Theo!’ I scream letting go of his hand and touching his cold cheek. ‘N-No.’ I say in a broken voice as a current of tears run down my cheeks. ‘Don’t leave me. You can’t leave me!’ I pound on his chest, touching his cheeks as I run my fingers through his hair and off his forehead.

‘Theo..’ I whisper letting my head rest in his chest, feeling no heartbeat.

I feel my stomach drop as the horror of losing him fills me, and I cry, and cry and cry.

Funny how life works.

One minute we have the whole world in our hands but decide to give it up; next thing we know, we’re getting it back just to have it ripped from our hands in less than a blink of an eye.

I sob harder, closing my eyes tightly and hoping by any chance this turns to be into a nightmare.

That by some chance I fell asleep on our way to the estate and Laila will wake me up just to realize this was all a bad dream.

That by some chance, Theo is still.. here.

I’m still sobbing uncontrollably, when I hear the sound of footsteps crunching leaves near me.

I raise my head, getting my hair off my face with bloody hands as I stand up grabbing the gun in my hands and raising it in my shaky hands.

Maybe I can scare them off.

I see two shadows nearing as I yell in a raspy menacing voice ‘Back off or I will shoot!’

I see both shadows stop and raise guns in their hands as well, before walking closer to me, the light of the moon lighting their faces.. and uniforms.

‘Drop the gun Ms.’ one of them says, and I feel my whole body tremble as I fall in my knees, relief hitting me like a wave.

I see them walk closer, their guns still aiming at me.

‘We have two bodies, one dead, one injured and a possible shooter.’ One of them says through his radio and I break off my reverie seeing him lean and check Theo’s and the other man’s pulses.

I drop the gun, not realizing I had been holding it in my hand still and crawl towards Theo’s body.

‘Stand still Ms!’ One of them yells as I yell at the same time. ‘Help him please! Just help him!’ I sob taking Theo’s hand in mine and connecting my gaze with them. ‘Please..’ I whisper with tears down my cheeks.

I see both men glance at each other, and one of them nods, lowering his gun as he takes a step closer to me.

‘I need you to step away from the man, Ms.’ the officer with the gun tells me and I nod, reaching down and kissing Theo’s forehead. ‘You’ll be ok.’ I whisper standing up and away from him.

I watch the other officer tell a man their location through the radio, as he asks him to bring a coroner, before walking towards Theo. He carries him in his arms and walks away through same path they came from.

I stare after them in a daze, closing my eyes and praying for Theo to be ok.

‘Please turn around Ms.’ The officer says and I oblige still in a daze as tears keep streaming down my face.

I hear the sound of metal clinking before I feel the coldness of handcuffs in my wrists as he pulls my arms behind my back.

‘I- I didn’t do it.’ I whisper brokenly. ‘Not him.’

 

‘You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney.  If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?’ The officer tells me as I keep whispering ‘I didn’t do it.’

 

I feel him push me gently towards the woods, and even though I’m in the company of a police officer who thinks I’m guilty of shooting my own fiancée, I can’t help but feel a slight relief knowing it’s over.

 

And I know Theo will be alright.

 

He has to be.