Chapter 8

A silence erupted between them. He kept feeding her, obviously irritated by her company. He was strange, she thought, one minute he was very sweet and fun, then, in a moment, he would change into someone completely alien and cold, like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. She had to admit it scared her. Maybe something was wrong with his mind, maybe a couple of personalities were occupying one space.

Edward could hear her mind working. Great, now she thought he was some kind of psycho that talked to trees or something. Change the subject, the God thing didn't work out very well.

"So you've traveled a lot, huh?", he tried to sound light again as if they were hanging out after school one day.

With a small crease in her forehead, she asked, "How do you know about that?"

"I saw the pictures in your house.", Edward fed her another bite, opening his mouth along with her as she did it.

"My parents have almost gone broke making sure I get to see every place I've ever dreamt about.", she tried to smile, but talking about her parents made her feel scared. She might never see them again.

Uh oh, uh oh, Edward thought, she's getting upset again, switch gears, ask something else…hurry.

"Open REAL BIG", he laughed, holding up a big clumped jumble of lo mein noodles over hear mouth, high enough so she couldn't reach it that well.

"Edward!", she couldn't help but giggle, trying to get it with her tongue, but failing, "Come on, I'm vertically challenged."

"Awww.", he chuckled, "Sorry, here." He lowered it down into her mouth and smiled at her, without anything bad getting in the way. He looked at the TV screen for a few minutes, interested in a guitar some guy was playing in a video.

Edward looked down to get the soda can again and heard a tiny sob escape her lips. Jerking his head up, he looked at her, tears ran down her cheeks on both sides, the bluish reflection from the TV made her look like a blue angel.

"What's wrong?" he asked, feeling a lump in the pit of his stomach.

"Nothing." , she lied, and she burst out crying, her head dropping as she wept.

"Sammi.", Edward put the soda down, not sure what to do. Before he knew it, he was stroking her long ebony hair.

"Did I hurt you?", he asked with concern, fishing for the problem so he could stomp it out and make her stop, "Are you still afraid of me? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it's not you.", she answered, sounding so heartbroken. Where was this coming from, he wondered to himself, trying to figure it out.

"It has to be me, there's no one else here." he pointed out.

Sniffing, she jerked her head up, trying to stop now, the tears all over her sad little face.

"Give me a minute.", she said bravely, clearing her throat again.

He rose up quickly and went to the corner of the room, coming back with a new hand towel. She looked back at him with guarded eyes, remembering when he stuffed that into her mouth.

"I'm not.", Edward began, "I just want to wipe your face off, okay?"

"Okay.", she whimpered like a small child, almost making Edward smile.

"Shhh.", Edward tried to calm her, kneeling on the floor and gently ridding her cheeks of the salty tears. He envied her the ability to cry like that. He hadn't cried since the day he lost his life. He doubted he was even able to cry.

"Just breathe slowly.", Edward made his voice extra soft now, his other hand still trailed along down the very long curls on her back.

"You're safe.", he soothed her more, "Nothing will hurt you here with me. I promise you'll be with your parents very soon. You will see home again. Please believe me."

"I do.", she breathed, calming down a bit more now, "I'm okay now."

"Are you sure?", Edward's eyes were filled with worry, bending to meet her eyes. In a moment or two, they touched his eyes, and she looked better.

"Yes I'm fine Edward.", she took a deep breath, looking at the TV screen, afraid to look too deeply into his eyes, "Sorry about that."

"What happened?", he asked, really wanting to know, his hand resting still on her hair now.

"I – can't tell you yet.", she winced a little, daring to look at him again, "I need a little more time, okay? But it's not you, I promise."

"You will tell me, though, right?", he wanted confirmation that he would get to find out this little secret. For some reason, he didn't want to dip into her thoughts without invitation.

"Yea." , she sounded sincere in her promise.

"It's me feeding you that did it, right?", he guessed aloud.

"That's part of it.", she sniffed, looking afraid to tell him more.

"I'm sorry.", he frowned, mad at himself, wishing he could tell her why he kept her bound this way, "I have a secret too, that I can't tell you that makes it necessary for me to keep you like this. I don't want to make you feel this way."

His voice was almost pleading for her understanding. But the eyes were what sold her on this. They were so sorrowful, so lonely and at times so wicked. He needed her help and she knew it.

"Have you ever read a poem called Letters to a Young Poet?", she asked, wanting to reach out to him.

He smiled wide, almost laughing. For a second she truly liked him.

"I've read everything.", he informed.

"Good, then," she smiled, "There's a part that goes:

Perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses,

And are only wanting to be US,

Once beautiful and brave.

Perhaps everything terrible, is, in it's deepest being,

something helpless –

That wants help from us.

So you must not be frightened

If a sadness rises up before you,

Larger than any you've ever seen.

If a restiveness like light and cloud shadows

Passes over your hands

And over all you do.

You must think that something is happening with you,

And life has not forgotten you;

That it holds you in its hand.

It will not let you fall."

Edward knew the passages and almost recited them with her, but he didn't. He liked her voice speaking the words. A small smile rested on his mouth when she was done, looking at him as if she just gave him some medicine that would cure his aching soul.

"I like that.", he finally said softly, "I hadn't thought of those verses in years."

"Do you understand what it means?", she asked sweetly, prepared to explain it to him.

"Yes I understand.", Edward sounded a bit insulted that she thought him incapable of understanding the poem.

"I am a terrible sadness, I know that.", he admitted openly, glancing away from her and towards the TV screen, "But life has forgotten me, it has let me fall into a horrid hole, an eternal tomb. Not even you can reach me, I'm afraid."

"Everyone can be reached.", she said firmly, believing it with all her heart.

"You don't know.", he stood up, taking the towel and throwing it towards the bar a little roughly.

"I do know, Edward.", she said after him, staring at his silhouette in the dim light, "You're so alone, I see that in your eyes. I can help you, if you let me. If you trust me."

"STOP!", he yelled, angrily, not wanting to hear her sweet voice anymore, it was making him hope a little, and he hated it. She thought he was a human, she had no idea he was a killer and a demon.

"There's no help you can give me.", he said curtly, "I'm a lost cause, don't try to save me."

Even now, during this conversation, he was counting the minutes until that dealer arrived, bringing his blood with him. He looked at her again, her face looked hurt at his shouting or his words, either way.

"You're duct taped and being fed against your will and you're trying to help me.", Edward said in a deep voice, touched by her kindness, but at the same time, hating it, "I need some air, I'll be back."

He hurried out, closing the door behind him too loudly.

He's a tough one, she thought, and part of her wanted to stay and have some time to work on him. He had the ability to be someone great and his beauty would just be a bonus to the girl who would win him someday.

But the way he is now, isn't right, she knew. The gift was gorgeously wrapped, with the finest velvet bow and sparkling paper. But inside the box was sorrow and pain and rage…and emptiness. She understood all those emotions so well but had learned to beat them down. If she could pass that onto someone else in her same kind of pain, maybe that would make the world a little better of a place for someone to live in. She could leave a mark somehow in this world, before it was too late. Time was running out for her. And her list of things she wanted to accomplish in her life still had many things left to be crossed off. Many important things.

On the other hand, she had to try and escape him. Even being here for a short time was too long for her. She had so little time to waste on this earth. She had to fight for the little bit of life she had left.

"Sorry Edward", she whispered, deciding to act.

Blinking a tear away, she listened and heard nothing. Summoning all her courage, she swung her legs over the sofa and stood on her feet, putting her bound hands on the coffee table to steady her as she got her balance. Being on the swim team, she knew how to balance on the diving platforms. Dad was right, she smiled, everything does have a reason.

She hopped carefully one hop at a time over towards the phone in the corner where Edward had been hanging out. She wished she knew where she was, the address. Maybe there was mail over here somewhere. She made it to the bar, steadying herself with her bound hands. The book he was writing in was here. Flipping through it as best she could with her tied hands, she squinted at the writing, noticing…

'I killed him, savagely, and I loved it.' The ink words clutched at her throat like fingers.

"Oh my god.", she shivered, more determined to get away now.

There was a couple drops of the tomato juice he was drinking earlier on the bar top. She gulped, looking at the closed door he'd gone out. Her finger touched the one drop of juice and, trembling, brought it up to her tongue.

Her eyes went wide in horror, knowing the salty thick taste. Blood.

"Shit.", she panicked and suddenly forgot all about the phone nearby. She picked up the ink pen and put the handle into her teeth, shoving the sharp metal writing tip into the duct tape around her wrists. It punctured the surface and she began to work the pen up and down until it did begin to cut slightly down the first layer or two.

"Come on, come on.", she prayed, her jaw and teeth starting to hurt a bit.

She knew now there was no going back. If he found her now, he'd certainly kill her, with pain probably. She felt sad for him at the same time. He really needed some help and she wished she could've been the one to give it to him.

The TV screen changed and shed lots of light out now, revealing the small sink behind the bar. The feeling of Edward's wet fingers easing the tape off her lips flashed to mind. She moved herself over to it, peeking at the door again. Nothing. Turning the faucet, she felt hot water and it pleased her sore numb hands. She worked her wrists back and forth under the water until they softened and she bit the goopy tape, pulling it off at last. She let her butt fall to the floor, using her tingling hands to slide the socks off, the tape removing with them.

She was free! Still in a daze from the rush of excitement, she forgot about the phone and rushed towards the door Edward had used to get out.

"God, be with me now.", she whispered, closing her eyes and daring herself to slowly open the door.

She had it open a slit and didn't see anything but blackness. Daring to open it more, she was thankful it didn't squeak or creak. This room had no hint of any kind of light at all. Shivering, she reached her hands out, blind, feeling around as she took little baby steps.

Still no sounds around her, only the TV going in the other room she'd just been in. Something was telling her to get down and hide, that Edward might be back any second and would easily see her here.

Good idea, she thanked the angel who'd given her that suggestion and dropped on all fours, crawling silently, feeling her way on the cold cement floor.

She felt something hard and smooth, metal. Smelling wax and rubber, she realized this was his car. Maybe she could get in it and drive off, she thought to herself, then sighed. She had no driver's license or even a permit. And she didn't know how to drive, even if she had the keys. Crap.

Maneuvering around the car with her hands, she kept going, always listening for footsteps or his voice, even his breath, but all was dead silent.

Something horrible in her head kept telling her she was going to be caught any moment now, and images ripped through her brain. Edward slamming her body up onto the car trunk, choking her with his bare hands, raping her, tearing her clothes off, stabbing her over and over again, cutting her throat with one quick slice, shooting her in the head from behind her. All these were possibilities but she kept moving, growling to Satan to leave her alone with these pictures.

"Please,", she breathed, hardly making a sound. It seemed like she'd crawled for miles and still she could find nothing, and still blind in the blackness.

As if someone heard her prayer, white light rose up from the left suddenly, going in a circle around the room. A car's engine was pulling up, the headlights blazing, showing her the interior of the garage. Edward's car was black and shiny at her side.

"Finally.", Edward's voice was in the distance, sounding pleased and joking.

She crawled faster towards another little door where the voices were coming from, listening but not seeing them yet.

"I'm not late.", the other voice laughed, "Jesus, addict much?"

"Shut the fuck up and give it to me already.", Edward's voice still sounded as if he were talking to a friend.

Drugs, she figured that part out. God, Edward, you are in big trouble, she thought, feeling an overwhelming pity for him.

She knew after they were done, soon, he'd be coming back in through this door.

She had to move very soon if she wanted a chance.

Slowly, she turned the doorknob above her. No sound. Good. She opened it so slowly it took an eternity to even peek outside to see Edward and the other voice outside.

"Thanks.", one of their voices said, she couldn't tell which.

"Thank YOU.", Edward's voice replied as she trembled, seeing them now.

Edward was smiling, looking at the man across from him. It was dark outside so she couldn't make out many details of the other man's face or dress, but the rest was crystal clear. And it happened in two seconds, so fast.

With the speed of light, Edward's silhouette spun around behind the man, gripping his face and holding it back and off to the left, then he bit into his neck, swallowing hard, holding the limp struggling man up on his feet.

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WinndSinger