Chapter Four

Poor Unfortunate Souls

I can still remember those dark blue eyes looking up at me from the stretcher. He gave me a faint smile, trying to ensure me that everything was going to be okay, while simultaneously trying to boost his own confidence. "Don't worry," he began slowly his voice low and scratchy," everything will be fine. Hey. When all of this is over, when I'm better, you'll be the first person I come see. I promise."

His voice rang in my head, reminding me of that day. That was when they wheeled him into the surgery room, where he slipped into a coma, and never woke up. I had already felt bad about the whole situation, and hearing his last words over and over in my head didn't make things any better. I let out a sigh and glanced at the ginger man next to me that was rambling on.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I flashed him a small smile.

"Sure Rod. Why?"

"Well," the young man began, "you had this very distant look in your eyes." I shook my head.

"It's nothing." Rod cocked his head to the side, moving his feet back and forth in the river just on the edge of my farm.

"You know, my mom always said that when a woman says it's nothing it really means that she wants to talk about it."

"Well, no offense to your mother, but I really don't want to talk about anything," I replied lying down, hands behind my head. Rod leaned back on his hands looking at me.

"Sure of course, whatever you say," he replied.

"Hey, everyone has their secrets," I replied closing my eyes. Rod's heart was in a good place, he meant well which was probably why I could tolerate him so much.

"What about you Rod?"

"Me? What?"

"Do you have any secrets?"

"Oh yea! I've got tons of secrets!"

"Oh really?" I asked looking at him a smile on my face.

"Yup! For instance! When I moved back into town, I was a bit disappointed that Allen moved back before I did, I wanted to be the one that moved back first. It was kind of a bet we had between ourselves."

"One which you lost."

"Yup. Also! I use to have the biggest crush on you until I saw that Neil was still living here, then I kind of mentally shit myself cause he would~" Rod rambled on before stopping and giving me this embarrassed look. I sat up slowly.

"Oh no, you can't pull yourself out of this one now. You have to finish that statement," I replied and Rod flushed a deep shade of red. He scratched the back of his head.

"It's nothing, he just...I mention you to him a couple of times, and he kind of just scowls at me as though you are the most annoying thing in the world." I rolled my eyes, I knew that was not what Rod wanted to say, but I let it go considering I knew how Neil was. So I played along.

"Yea Neil can kind of be an ass at times, but he's not entirely a bad person." Rod laughed.

"You're right he's not. I think he just has a problem expressing his emotions," Rod replied standing up.

"Leaving already?" I asked and Rod nodded his head.

"I have a few things I need to take care of around the house before I go out and meet Allen."

"That sounds like fun," I replied standing up as well. Rod smiled.

"I haven't seen Allen in years so I'm sure it will be interesting," he replied and I stood up as well stretching.

"Yea, I should get myself into town as well, I need to add some finishing touches to the inn before the new tenants move in," I replied following him off my farm and into town. He gave me a quick hug before bidding me good bye and parting ways with me. I made my way to the other side of town and walked up the hills to the place where I was building the inn, at the top of the hill overlooking this half of the town. I walked into the inn and made my way up the stairs to the attic so I could get onto the roof. I needed to add some more shingles to the roof before I could tell Dunhill that the place was ready for people to live in, and so I put my headphones on and went to work placing the shingles. I needed to immerse myself into my work, as much as I hated the summer heat, I was not about to work in the freezing weather of winter.

It seemed as though it were nothing but a few minutes, but my watch told me otherwise when I glanced at it. I had been at it for hours, but the roof was finished. I stood up and looked at my handiwork. I nodded. I have to say I'm not a vain person but damn do I make a good building. I smiled to myself as I made my way off the roof and down the stairs when I could hear something behind me. I stopped and turned around slowly. I didn't see anyone, but I could feel something watching me. I took a deep breath and started to walk away. Calm down Elise, this is all in your head, I tried to convince myself, when I stopped again hearing a voice. I was frozen. I knew that voice...But...They couldn't have followed me here could they? No. We took care of them three years ago. Right? I told you I would pay back to you unto what you did to me. I heard and whirled around, my heart beat quickening its pace. Calm down Elise, it's nothing~you know as well as I, that something is never just in your imagination. I told you that you and I would meet again. That you and I had unfinished business~

"Shut up!" I shouted dashing out of the building only to run smack into Neil.

"What the hell?" Neil demanded and I rubbed my head looking over my shoulder at the building.

"Nothing, I'm sorry Neil, I didn't mean to run into you like that," I quickly stammered still looking over my shoulder at the inn.

"What are you looking at? Is everything okay? You look as though you just saw a ghost," Neil replied helping me to my feet. I shook my head.

"It's nothing. It was nothing. Just my imagination," I replied looking down at my feet and Neil bent forward to look me in the eyes.

"Are you sure? You look pale and terrible," Neil replied and I took a step back.

"I'm fine, it's nothing," I replied and Neil took a step forward.

"Are you sure?" He persisted, and I nodded my head furiously.

"Yes yes I'm fine," I replied turning around. "I have to go. I have things that I need to do," I finished dashing off north of the town and heading into the woods leaving Neil standing there looking dumbfounded.

Poor thing, she runs as though she can escape us.

We are everywhere.

You told us that we would be okay.

You said that you would protect us.

Why are you running?

Don't you care?

Don't we matter?

Don't you have a conscious?

Don't you miss us?

I did what I could. I was one person. I was beside myself, you have to understand that I tried my hardest. I thought to myself as I leaned against the big tree deep in the woods, but the voices never stopped.

You poor unfortunate soul. You ran away from us. You ran away from him. Why? Why can't you answer us? Are we no longer good enough for you? I could feel my knees growing weak, my head spinning. You were right. I wasn't alone. He believed in me. He followed me too, that was a mistake. I'm sorry. I thought furiously sinking to my knees, my head feeling as though it would explode. I'm sorry.

You left us for this new life. You abandoned us. You forgot.