Labyrinthine Chapter Ten

Steam billowed across the train platform as the evening train screeched to a halt and the station became abuzz with passengers hurrying to board. Anne Blythe dug the heels of her shoes into the pavement as she breathed in the soot and grime of the station, her fists clenched tightly. The unpleasant memories had begun to haunt her ever since she had held her ticket in her hands for the first time. She had done her best to act as normal as possible, but had failed to keep her tears at bay when they had left for the station half an hour ago. Aunt Julia had held her close as warm tears fell down from her grey eyes and had whispered a few words of comfort.

Anne had a lot to say to her.

Had she really hidden her letters? If yes, why? If not, who had?

But at that moment of leaving, she had felt that she had enough to keep her mind troubled and she couldn't take more. The fear of boarding the train had occupied her mind to the core.

Breathe in. Count till three. Breathe out.

She repeated Dr Brown's instructions in her head and attempted to regulate her breaths slowly. She could feel her heart racing as she did so, but she tried to push away all her fears to the back of her mind.

Everything will be alright. She told herself.

Suddenly a dark fog seemed to encompass her. She tugged at the collar of her dress, gasping as the vision of the blazing fire crept into her heart- so detailed that she could almost feel the heat. Everything was dark and a heart wrenching scream echoed through the compartments...

She suddenly felt herself jerk out of her mind as she felt a warm pressure on her arm. She turned a little to see Gilbert holding her arm tightly, his eyes clouded with worry.

"It's alright." he whispered. "I'm here. Nothing's going to happen."

Anne gulped slowly and entwined her fingers in his, seeking support. For a moment, she even forgot that she had no words to say to him and held onto his hand tightly as they stepped up on the train together. Gilbert guided her cautiously through the passage towards the cabin that had been booked for them and she fought to keep her breaths stable and mind calm.

Gilbert released her hand long enough to push open the door for her. She looked at him from the corners of her eyes and felt a little guilty about the shadow of fear that loomed in his hazel eyes. She opened her mouth to say something to him, but nothing came out. She merely gave a nod and settled herself onto her seat by the little window.

He hesitated at the door for a moment before he slumped down on the seat across from her and stared down at his shoes. Anne noticed that he had done this a lot in the past two days and felt a tiny pang of guilt. She knew she was being unreasonable and the most practical action would be talking to him about their situation, but when has love ever been sensible? She rubbed her forehead steadily as her mind battled whether or not to talk to him.

Gilbert was studying her face quietly from across and leaned towards her with concern.

"Are you alright, Anne?" He asked fearfully. "I know you're upset with me, but I would advise you to talk to me whenever you feel like you're nauseous or-"

"I'm not upset with you." she blurted and felt amused at the shocked expression on Gilbert's face. "I don't know what I feel." she added with her lips pursed.

Gilbert nodded and gave her an apologetic look.

"You have every right to feel- whatever you're feeling." he said in a low voice. His tone made her head jerk and she met his eyes with a startled look. Was he feeling ashamed of himself?

"Gilbert, I'm not angry with you." she said slowly. "I do not think it's your fault. I will need time to think, to adjust. It's not something that we'll deal with and move past, Gilbert. It's a question of our lives."

Gilbert sighed and clasped his hands together.

"I know." he nodded.

Anne felt her heart skip a beat as she prepared a question in her mind.

"How is she?" she gulped. " Is she good with James?"

Gilbert gave a little smile.

"She's excellent with him, Anne-girl. James loves her and so does she." he sighed. "In fact there's nothing wrong with her. In fact, she is one of the strongest people that I've met. Life has given her a lot of pain and she had fought through it all. And to give her more of that is the last thing that I want to do." he paused. "There's only one problem."

Anne's head shot up at this.

"What?"

"I don't love her." he said throatily. "And she doesn't love me either."

"Gilbert, will you do something for me?" she asked in a low voice.

"What?"

"Tell me everything."

Winona cradled a whimpering Nora cautiously in her arms as she paced the room quietly. Her daughter had woke her up from her slumber abruptly so she struggled to keep her eyes open. She had found it difficult to sleep for the past two nights, after she had talked to Gilbert on the phone, so she indeed needed rest more than anything else. But Nora had refused to stop crying that night.

Had she sensed what was coming?

Winona sighed at that thought and held her daughter closer to her bosom. What was she going to do? If Anne was alive there was no possibility that her marriage to Gilbert was going to work. And if Gilbert was to offer to stay with her, would she accept him?

She had seen Gilbert excuse himself to the solitude of woods every night after their rounds where his mask of strength would fall down. She had seen him bite his lips until they bled to keep himself from crying whenever the Anderson girl from the Glen who wore her red hair in two long braids came to visit him. She had seen how he buried Anne's photo deep into his desk drawer after she had put it in a nice frame. She had spotted him sitting alone in the most secluded and dangerous places around the town at odd hours, crying silently. She could still feel the shaking of his freezing body against hers as he sobbed for his dead wife in her arms.

She knew what Anne was to him. How could she take her away from him?

She looked at her daughter tearfully. What would happen to this darling little soul? Would Gilbert want to keep her? Her heart wrenched at the thought of living without Nora crossed her mind.

"We'll find a way out." She whispered and planted a kiss on her forehead.

But she hardly felt that way.