Chosen For Life

Chapter 25

Leila

My body felt heavy as it lay on the comfortable mattress beneath me. I was on my back, my hands resting on my stomach. Darkness was behind my eyelids, indicating it was still nighttime. I turned my head to the other side, reaching over to the empty space next to me. Then, my stomach dropped.

My memory flooded back, images filling my mind of what had happened what felt like minutes ago.

My eyes snapped open, and I sat up, tension shooting straight up my neck, sending a splitting headache to my head.

"God.." I grumbled, bringing my hands to my eyes. I rubbed them, massaging them in hopes to calm the pain that felt like it was right behind them.

I dropped them into my lap, taking in my surroundings.

I was in a giant bedroom. The ceilings were high, the walls filled with what looked like red wallpaper, like someone smeared pomegranates all along the walls. Despite the darkness of the walls and furniture, the doorway to the bedroom was bright white, with a golden handle.

I looked down at my legs, realizing I must've been laying on a king size bed. I'd never been in a bed so large before, I hardly took up any room.

It took me a moment to realize the man sitting in the corner of the room. My eyebrows furrowed as I looked at him, a cigarette hanging from his mouth as his legs were crossed. His elbows leaned on his knees as he was indulged in the book before his eyes.

"I'm sure you've been told it's rude to stare at least once in your lifetime, Princess." He said, keeping his eyes on the book.

I didn't reply. I didn't even have the energy to figure out who this stranger was, or why he was in my room. My only focus was on seeing Makari.

I slid to the edge of the bed, swinging my legs off the side. I stood up, my bare feet hitting the cold hardwood floor.

I was wearing some weird, long nightgown. It was silky, and thin as it brushed against my body. I turned to look at the man again, before looking at the door. Cautiously, I made my way to the door, my feet softly hitting the ground as I took each step.

I didn't even make it to the door before the man was longer on the chair, but standing right in front of me. Or should I say, above. He was quite tall, his chest directly in front of my line of sight.

"Move, please." I said, looking up at him. "No can do." He said, shrugging, as he held onto my shoulders, pushing me back a few feet.

"...Why not?" I asked, stepping back to where I had stood. "Doctor's orders." He replied, pushing me back again.

I took in deep breath, before letting out a long sigh.

I looked to the side, pointing at the portrait hanging on the wall.

"Hey, who is that?" I asked him, as he turned to look at the portrait. "Who's who?" He asked.

And then, I ran.

I sprinted around the stranger man, escaping his attempts to grab me, before pushing open the bright white door. I turned right, running as fast I could down the long hallway. I heard the man yelling behind me, his voice filling up the hallway along with the pattering of my bare feet on the ground. I didn't know where I got the burst of energy, or where I was going, but I needed him. I needed to see Makari.