A Priest's Deadly Obsession

Chapter 37 - Death is Not Always Easy

With a sarcastic chuckle James held onto both sides of the front doorway , his eyes were a gentle gaze as they looked into Elizabeth's unraveled long braid.

She had no shoes, her dress was falling off and the first snow storm of the season was just getting started. Already there was about 2 feet of snow that had fallen.

"Oh my sweet Elizabeth you really didn't think this through did you?" James teased.

Elizabeth felt trapped, if she wondered off into the storm with no sense of direction, it's possible she would die from hypothermia. Her eyes scanned through the thick trees but she didn't see any lights, no houses and heard nothing except the low howling of the wind.

Where am I? Her hand clasped over her mouth at her dire situation.

James held out his hand to her, "Take my hand now Elizabeth, and I promise you I won't punish you for what you've done tonight."

To take his hand would mean accepting her captivity and who knows when she would get this chance again. But to take the risk of making it through the storm would mean facing the elements head on with no real way of finding help and possibly freezing to death.

Her head slightly turned to him.

His hand still stretched out towards her, "Come back inside and I'll forgive your defiance tonight."

Albert got up and stood behind James, his eyes were red with anger.

If I stay here with them... I'll die here with them.

She turned away from James to brace herself, her lips quivered as she muttered a simple "No," before sprinted off into the storm.

" Elizabeth!" James yelled out, storming after her but he only made it a few steps before Albert  held him back.

"Let me go! She'll freeze to death!"

Albert held onto his lover "Exactly! She's going to die so there's no point in chasing after her! Let her go.... we don't need her... don't you see that?"

James pushed forward even though Albert clung to him around the waist or anywhere he could hold onto him.

The retired priest pried Alberts fingers off him, in a fit of rage and exasperation over losing the one the he desperately wanted in his life, he lifted his hand high and struck his companion across the cheek with enough force to make the young man stumble backwards and fall.

Albert had been hit many times before by James, all the other times he understand it was either for his best or James really didn't mean it ... he was just angry and afterwards they would make up.

But this time it was different.

There was a level of hate in that blow that dumbfounded Albert. He sank into the snow and the bitter cold suppressed the hurt he felt inside his heart.

James said nothing as he looked down at him, but his eyes spoke the truth.

The truth that long Albert had hoped was a lie.

But now ... Albert could see in his lovers eyes that he was the lie; their relationship and everything in it was nothing but a lie.

A small escape from the bitter reality.

James gritted his teeth at Albert and turned again heading into the storm after Elizabeth.

Albert alone remained. Not knowing if either would ever come back. But if James came back with or without the girl, he knew in his heart that there was no longer any place for him.