And the story continues.
Please let me know what you think. Only a few more chapters to go!
I tried to pull away, but he didn't let me.
"No. Don't tell yourself that, do you hear me?" He gave me a small shake and I nodded meekly at his vehemence. "Okay. What else happened?"
"John was near the front of the house and helped me out the rest of the way. He held me because I was still struggling."
"I'm glad you made it out." I laughed, but it was cold.
"I'm not!" He tensed.
"Then you wouldn't be here."
"I know. It might have been better that way." When he seemed to sag and move away from me, I grabbed his hand, realizing my mistake. "No Abe! I'm sorry! I didn't mean that!"
"But you did." He pulled his hand from my grasp. The quiet defeat in his voice was worse than if he had yelled. And I hate it when people yell.
"No, Abe… Please let me explain!"
"Explain, then." He was on the other side of the room.
"It was my fault, so I should have died in the fire. I'm so glad I've met you guys, but my parents didn't deserve to die. They were good people."
"So are you." I shook my head. "Do you really believe that you deserved to die?" I nodded. I wanted him to come back, but he stayed away. "Why?"
"It was my fault!"
"It was an accident! Why can't you see that?" I wouldn't look at him. "If you really feel that way, I'll leave. You won't have to be around me. I'll make sure of it."
"No! Please don't do that!"
"Laura."
"Yes?"
"Are you trying to confuse me?"
"What?"
"First, you say it would have been better if you'd never come here. Now, you want to stay."
"I just miss my parents." He finally walked towards me. When he sat down and put his arm around me, I leaned my head on his shoulder again, wanting to be close. "I'm sorry."
"I know."
"I've never heard that response before."
"I meant I know you miss your parents."
"Oh." He held me close. "You know that I am glad I came here, right?"
"Yes. I can read it," he said after a pause. "But you still blame yourself for an accident." There was extra emphasis on the end.
"It was—"
"Not your fault!" he insisted. "If you continue to blame yourself and not listen to reason, then I'll leave. What do you believe?"
"It was my fault." When he stood, I quickly continued so he would stay. "If I hadn't left the stove on or if I hadn't left the potholder on it, my parents would still be here!"
"And you wouldn't be here." I bowed my head and didn't answer. "Laura, I can't watch you ruin yourself this way. It's worse than watching someone drink themselves to death." I started crying at the pain in his voice. "I'll see if I can arrange for you to return to your aunt's."
"No! Please don't. I don't want to go back!" I could see him tense and feel him get angry.
"So that's why you want to stay. You just want to stay away from them."
"That's not the only reason." He didn't answer. "Abe, you can tell that it's not."
"Can I?" Then he was gone. I cried myself to sleep, the first natural sleep in weeks.
--
Someone was shaking me awake. I groggily opened my eyes. It was brighter, so that meant people were up. I could see, so that meant it hadn't been a dream.
"What?" I managed to ask.
"You need to get up, Laura." It was Hellboy.
"What is it?"
"We need your help with Abe. He won't come out of his tank or talk to anyone. It's very unlike him."
"What's wrong?"
"We don't know. Here," he put something on my feet; "Liz got some clothes for you."
"Thanks. Are the blinds and the door closed?" I asked, even though I could tell they were.
"Yep. I'll wait outside for you."
I opened the door when I finished. Hellboy motioned me over, caught himself, and called out.
"This way." I almost smiled since I could see him, but he didn't know that.
"To the library?"
"Yeah." We set off quickly. "Wait!" I stopped immediately.
"What?" I asked, though I had seen the wet floor signs.
"The floor's wet. Be careful."
"Why is it wet?"
"Abe. The library's right here."
"Ah." He opened the door and followed me in. I could see the large tank to my right, but asked anyway since no one knew I could. "Where's his tank?" I said quietly.
"To your right," Hellboy whispered back. I turned to it and walked forward until I could touch the glass. In the far left corner, where the lights barely reached, I could sense him hiding.
"Abe? What are you doing?" After a pause, I heard something, but it wasn't with my ears.
'Hiding,' he projected to me. It felt weird.
"Why?" Everyone in the room was exchanging looks.
'For some reason, I can project to you… I would prefer not to talk to everyone,' he answered. I turned to the others in the room.
"Could you all leave? He won't talk with so many in the room."
"Fine. Come with me." It was Manning and he was motioning everyone out.
"Do you need us to stay?" Hellboy asked, meaning Liz and himself.
"No. I think I can handle him." He smiled and Abe and I were left alone. "You can come out now." I heard splashing and a few mechanical sounds as he got out. Wherever he was, I couldn't see him until he descended a set of stairs and stood near me at the front of the tank. "I hear you've been causing trouble."
"No trouble."
"The hallway outside is soaked."
"Oh. Right. I forgot about that."
"What'd you do?" He seemed ashamed.
"I had a fit."
"What?"
"I had a fit, tantrum, whatever you want to call it." I stared at him in disbelief.
"You?"
"Yes, me."
"Talk about surprising." He walked away from me to one of the many shelves of books.
"There are many things that surprise people."
"You surprised Red, too."
"I know."
"So… What's going on?" He didn't answer. "If you only want to talk to me, then it must be something private or…something to do with me." He further distanced himself from me, but I followed anyway. "Abe, look at me. Abe!" I turned him around, but he moved away from my touch.
"I've been confused. I'm not able to control my emotions or myself. I don't know what's happening."
"You can't get something or someone off your mind?" He nodded. "I know exactly how you feel." It was my turn to move away; he stayed near the bookshelf as I moved to a couch and plopped down. Because he didn't come near, I spoke. "I won't do anything. I promise." I had my head laid back on the back of the couch and my eyes were closed. It was a few minutes before Abe came near me again and handed me a book before sitting on the other end of the couch. I looked at him, then down at the book in my lap. "Why did you hand me Romeo and Juliet?"
"Forbidden."
"What is?"
'Us.' I guess he couldn't say it out loud, so I decide to try and project my thoughts as well.
'Says who?' He looked at me in surprise. This time, I said aloud, "Did you hear me?" He nodded. "Cool."
"Yeah."
"It's strange. I've never been able to do that." He began to stand. "Uh-uh. You haven't answered my question."
"No."
"Are you only answering in monosyllables?" He shrugged. "Fine," I continued. "I'll concede that 'forbidden' has three syllables. But other than that, you're not answering much."
"I—" Then, I heard him in my head again. –can't.
"Why not?" He went back to one of the numerous bookshelves, while I put the book away and stood near him. "I'm sorry for what I said or didn't say last night. I was…insensitive." He made as if to interrupt, but I stalled him. "Just listen. I'm not normally like that, so I apologize. It's the reason for what's happening now, isn't it?" He didn't speak, but I knew the answer. "If you want me to go back or think it would be best… I'll do as you wish." It surprised me when he didn't give a negative or positive answer. I grabbed Romeo and Juliet again and held it up. "You know what they were going to do, right? They were going to run away together." He turned.
"But we can't. I'm needed here and I'm sure your aunt and uncle need you back." I dropped the book.
"Finally, you talk, and it's to tell me something I don't want to hear. They'd only want me back to be their maid again." I picked up the fallen book and set it on the couch. "Abe, I can't leave yet. I haven't thanked you for what you did."
"How would you do that?"
"I had an idea…"
TBC
Ooo...What kind of idea?
Well, I kind of want to know what happens next, so please review!