I Will Not Leave or Forsake You

Chapter Three: Have you Forsaken me?

I breathed heavily and struggled with the several keys that jangled from my key chain to find the correct one to lock the door behind me.  I pressed my back against the door and covered my mouth with my hand to quiet the air that swiftly left my lips.

"I KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE."

The words were bellowed from down the hall.  I was hiding in the the corridor for the stairs of the bell tower, and Alastor's screams echoed down the chilled brick walls of our home.  I tried to catch my breath, but my heart beat hastily.  I knew that I had only a little time to act before he would find me, so my best bet was to climb up the steps and hide.

"COME OUT."

I began to head up the winding staircase and cringed at the clicking of my boots on the stone steps.  I hoped that he wouldn't hear me and kept the keys tucked in my robes so they wouldn't make as much noise.  Unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky.  Halfway on my swift journey up the stairs I heard the banging of the door at the bottom of the steps.  I looked down once when I realized the sound had stopped, but I heard a click in place of the rough noise and came to the agonizing realization that I had given him a key to every room in the house besides the cellar.  That one moment that I had trusted him and guessed it would be more convenient for him to have keys for cleaning around the place could be the reason for my ultimate demise.

I no longer bothered to quiet my steps and air flow and simply sprinted as rapidly as I could.  I felt my boot slip and my ankle twisted enough to make me cry out, but even though I was aware that it was hurt I continued to use it to get up and run once again.  Alastor's eyes appeared like one of a beast, and on my way up the steps I prayed fervently for peace and for safety.

I could hear Alastor's shoes rapidly pounding behind me, and I could hear that they were fast approaching the position where I was on the stairs.  I pushed myself forward.

It had been about three years time since Alastor had his first violent incident with me.  I had hoped on that day that he would realize the error of his ways and never do it again, but as the time passed, the Alastor that was kind was harder and harder to find.  It didn't take much to spiral his temper out of control, and the only hope that I had these days for it was to run and hide until he calmed himself or let him abuse me until he tired of it.  The abuse was no longer just a couple of hits or kicks, but I could recall an incident where I was fought for nearly an hour.  The suffering on my behalf was nearly intolerable, and many nights I wept in my prayers before bed.  I asked the lord every day to change the behaviors that he exhibited, but they only worsened over time.  I knew there was never any way that I could fathom the lord's plan, but each day I begged him to change my life.  Each day I was instead granted with patience and a will to survive, but on the things that I asked for my lord was silent.

I finally had reached the top of the steps, and I looked down from the one window at the top.  It towered over our land, and if I wasn't so scared I would be captivated by the beauty of it all as I was every day when I rang the bell.  The sunlight shined right into the tower to indicate that it was midday, and as I realized the futility of running anymore I leaned against the brick wall and slid down into a sitting position.  Unless I intended on jumping there was no point of trying to hide or escape, and jumping was not an option.  My eyes dropped to the soles of my boots.  They had seen better days.  When this day was through, I would take them to be repaired or replaced.  I would decide at a later time.  I would decide at a time after this.  I would persist.  I would survive as I always had.

The clicking of the steps heading up towards me slowed, and I lifted my eyes to see Alastor in the doorway.  As always, his face paint matched the black of his pupils.  The sight which was unfamiliar to me a few years ago and struck fear into my heart no longer was uncommon.  The eyes stared into me, and he beamed brightly between gulps of air.