FEAR
Chapter Eight
When I broke free of my stone skin when sunset came that evening, Elisa was standing there, it was almost as if she had never even left me, as if only a second had passed since I'd turned to stone and awakened again.
I could not believe what Elisa had told me, it had stayed fresh in my mind through sleep even in my dreams, how could this have happened?!
And then I knew why, because I had failed to protect her even though I knew those guys had been following her – how foolish I was, how could I just forget her like that?
"She was attacked!?!" I demanded in anger, my eyes blazing white.
"She's in hospital, she's pretty hurt…" Elisa stated, she looked down at the floor, "I spoke to her, she's very frail, and frightened. We got the guys who did it, but…y'know…she's in a very bad state."
"I don't believe this…" I sighed, I collapsed to my knees, putting my hands to my face, "How could I have let this happen?!"
"Brooklyn, it wasn't your fault…"
"What is going on?" Hudson asked.
"A woman Brooklyn rescued from some thugs was attacked again early this morning…" Elisa responded.
"I was meant to be protecting her…" I sobbed, I felt like breaking down and crying forever, I could not believe I had let this happen.
"You were distracted with what was going on…you couldn't have been with her every minute of the day…" Elisa put her hand on my hair, and sighed.
"Brooklyn, you were distracted with dedicating your time to the clan to find Goliath, you couldn't have known they would jump her again," Lexington stated.
"Yeah, I mean if this was anyone's fault its our fault – the police's fault – for not having protected her – not your fault," Elisa agreed with Lexington.
"No, it was my fault," I stood up, "I had promised her I would protect her and I have let her down – where is she?"
"Manhattan General, room 119," Elisa responded.
"I must go see her," I stated, and with that, I left.
My wing hurt tremendously, and I winced and almost completely tumbled from the sky into a building, with a little more control, and the help of the splint on the bone, I was able to stay in the air. I headed towards the hospital, and searched every window until I found hers – and I barely recognised her.
Elisa had been right, she was in a bad state.
The window had been left open so I was able to pull the window up the rest of the way and creep in, she was awake, and turned towards me when she heard the window going up, I looked at her, and rushed to her side.
"Alena…" I murmured, I put my hand on one of hers, and she pulled away. She had one black eye – so swollen and bruised, and almost seemed to be completely welded shut, the other eye red from crying. She was covered in bruises, there was a cut on her head, and she'd had several stitches, I felt as if I were about to burst out in to tears seeing her like this.
"I'm so sorry…"I whispered, "I…" I looked at her, she just turned her face away from me.
"Please go," she croaked, her voice emotional, a tear squeezed out of her one good eye as she closed it.
"I didn't mean to let this happen…" I tried to explain.
"You said you would protect me, Brooklyn…where were you…where were you when they were kicking my ribs…where were you when four rapists were forcing themselves on me?"
Tears burned my eyes, "I…I…"
"Please go…"
"Alena…"
"GO!!!!" she cried, "get out of here!!!"
I felt as if my heart were broken, I had let her down badly, if only I had been there, if only I had not forgotten about her. If only things were different. My hurt was not as much for me as it was for her, but I felt as if once again I had been rejected coldly. This time I probably deserved it, this time it was probably my fault.
I slipped out of the window and headed back to the Eyrie building, crying all the way, and feeling idiotic for letting tears flow from my eyes as if I were a hatchling with a skinned knee.
When I got to the building, I met up with everyone in the recreation room, they could see I had been crying, but no one dared say anything.
"What now?" Broadway asked, he was sitting on an easy chair, a book in his hands as if he had been trying to distract himself temporarily.
I stood there for some moments, trying to pull myself together for the clan, trying to tell myself no matter what hurt and dejection I was feeling, that I needed to show a brave face for them, I needed to be strong.
"We look for Goliath," I sniffled, trying to ignore the fact that my emotions were so blatantly staring them in the face, I was in no fit state to lead them – but what choice did I have.
"That…will not be necessary."
We all spun around to see Goliath in the doorway, he looked grim as always, but well, not a scratch on him, no look of exhaustion, he looked well – better than we had seen him in a while.
"Goliath!!" Elisa gasped, she put her hand to her face, I think it was not the shock of him being okay that had given her the reaction, was as much the look on my face, as I demanded the explanation.
"Where…have…you…been…" I asked through clenched teeth, my eyes still watery.
"I have been away – doing some soul searching," Goliath stated, "and I felt I needed to leave so that maybe you would learn the value I have to this clan – and also learn how it feels to be a leader full time once again," Goliath added. "I was hiding out on the Statue of Liberty, doing a lot of thinking…"
"Oh god…" Hudson looked down, "Goliath, do you REALISE how much trouble you have caused?! You say you hate recklessness and foolishness, and those are the very values you have shown!"
"You…left…without telling anyone…without telling ME!" Elisa stated, "You had us all out on a search party for you…" she looked quite upset, she tossed her long hair over her shoulders, and looked away from him.
"Hours were wasted, hours that could have been put to BETTER use," Angela frowned, "Oh father…"
I was breathing heavy, I felt as if I were about to lash out any moment, my heart was beating heavy, and adrenaline was pumping through my veins like pure electricity.
"YOU!!" I leapt, throwing him against the wall in the outside corridor, pinning him back, "BECAUSE OF YOU A WOMAN LIES IN HOSPITAL!!"
"Brooklyn!!" Hudson yelled, he pulled me back off of Goliath, I was becoming more vicious, trying to claw and kick, Broadway, Angela and Hudson still had to struggle holding me back.
"What are you talking about?!!" Goliath picked himself up, his eyes flickered angrily.
Elisa stepped forward, "If the clan had not been out all night last night looking for you, Brooklyn's friend would have not been attacked – because instead of having to lead the clan in your search, he would have been able to be there to save her…"
"You betrayed us, Goliath! You sicken me!" I growled, "you should have never done this, Hudson is right, it was reckless and foolish!"
"I am sorry but I—" Goliath tried.
"I don't want your bullshit excuses!!" I yelled, "while I'm glad to see you're well, I'm FURIOUS to find out you were not kidnapped or in trouble somehow. I'm disgusted with you, Goliath, you don't do things like this to your clan! Because of you I lost a friend, and she received a beating, and a fate far worse than death – to be sullied by four different men?! Do you realise if you had not done this she would be alright right now?! If you had been here I might have never broken my wing, if you had been here NONE of this would have happened. I can't believe for this last three days I have WORRIED about you!! Stressed to the point of despair over you!!! You've done us all a wrong. Most especially Alena Martin."
"Brooklyn…" Goliath tried, his voice softening.
"Leave me the hell alone…" I pulled away from Hudson, Broadway and Angela, "all of you," I stated, and went to find a place to be alone, out of the way from everyone.