TRAPPED IN DARKNESS

Chapter 10: Salve/What's The Ministry?

Amanda sat at the kitchen table holding an ice pack to her wrist. She heard soft footsteps walking back towards the kitchen area. She saw Mark enter the room with a tube in his hand. He pulled a chair and sat close to her.

"How's your wrist?"

"Doesn't hurt now."

Mark carefully removed the ice pack from her wrist and examined it. Sure enough, he could see the hand print to where Vince grabbed at her. Mark shook his head in disgust. "I'm so sorry about this, Amanda."

"It's alright, Mark."

"No it's not. He shouldn't have done that. He shouldn't have even been here in the first place, especially without me knowing he was gonna show up."

"Mark.." He looked into her eyes before sighing. "Besides, I'm the one that should be sorry."

A look of confusion filled his features. "What do you mean?"

She cast her eyes downward from him. "For being such a burden."

Mark placed a finger under her chin, lifting her gaze towards him. "You are not a burden," he spoke softly. "not in any way, shape, or form." A kind smile appeared on Mark's face. Amanda returned the smile. Mark grabbed the tube that he brought to the table, twisted off the cap and squeezed a white content onto the tip of his fingers.

"What's that stuff?"

"It's salve. It'll help with the bruising."

Mark took Amanda's wrist into his hand and cautiously applied the salve to her skin. She jerked just a little bit in her chair. Mark ceased his actions.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"No, it's just cold."

"Oh. My mistake. I should have warned you before doing this. My apologies."

"No harm done."

Mark continued to apply the salve to her wrist until he was satisfied he was done. He twisted the cap back onto the tube and handed it to Amanda. "Why don't you take this and keep it just in case you feel you need it."

She took the tube from his grasp and sat it aside on the table. "Thank you, Mark."

"My pleasure, Amanda."

Amanda nodded, then went silent for a few seconds. Mark knew she was deep in thought. "Something on your mind?"

"Well...something I want to ask you."

"Sure."

Amanda took a deep breath before asking. "What's the Ministry?"

Mark sat back in his chair before answering. "You don't want to know."

"Why not?"

"Because the Ministry is no topic to discuss with a woman."

"Oh, come on, Mark. Please tell me. I mean how bad could it be?"

'You have no idea' he thought to himself. "You really want to know?" he asked.

"Well...I am curious."

Mark arose from his chair, walked over and took Amanda by the hand. He knew that she wasn't going to like this, but she had asked about it. The one thing he vowed to himself just a short time ago, not telling her about the Ministry, she had to ask about it. He promised he wouldn't bring this topic up to her...period. But now, there was no turning back.

"Come with me."