Disclaimer: Don't own.
Chapter Nine- "I Can't Wait Forever"
"Slow things down or speed them up.
You're running now for way too much. (and on and on and on...)
Or you are not gone.
Spare me just three last words.
"I love you" is all she heard.
I'll wait for you, but I can't wait forever."
Hawthorne Heights- "Ohio Is For Lovers"
Downstairs, Alice was scrambling eggs for Leah. She had pushed all thoughts of Leah's leaving out of her mind and was focusing on her body. She loved the way Leah talked, the way she moved, the way she looked into Alice's eyes and never looked away. She loved how Leah was being so protective over her, but Alice wasn't going to allow her to win. She was determined to go with Leah wherever it was she was going.
Alice was pulled from her thoughts by a knock on the front door and an older woman's voice calling out, "Yoo-hoo, Alice! It's Ella Merriam, I brought you some soup."
Alice's eyes widened in panic and she didn't move an inch. She stopped breathing to listen for sounds of her leaving.
Mrs. Merriam knocked again. "Alice, are you awake?" She called. Alice stood not moving and still not breathing. She heard a clank on the front porch.
Mrs. Merriam sat the pot of soup down on the porch and took the spare key out from under the Brandon's welcome mat.
Alice heard her slip the key in the lock and she bolted for the front door. She threw her body against it just as Mrs. Merriam started to open the door.
"Alice, there you are. Honey, let me in." She said.
"I'm actually really busy right now, thank you for the soup you can leave it on the porch." She said quickly.
Ella Merriam pushed on the door, "Alice Layne you let me in this minute young lady."
Alice stepped away from the door and braced herself for Mrs. Merriam's scrutiny.
"Well, I never." Mrs. Merriam said as she stepped into the house. She looked over at Alice and her eyes grew as wide as saucers. "What on earth have you got on?"
She didn't get a chance to answer, as Mrs. Merriam walked into the kitchen and looked around. "What's going on here? Who else is here?"
Alice snapped. "Just mind your own damn business and get out."
Mrs. Merriam dropped the pot of soup onto the table and came over to Alice. She spanked her behind and said, "I think we should just call your parents in Porterville. I'm sure they'd cut their trip short, don't you think? Just what have you been doing in here? It looks like you might have just thrown yourself a little party. Yes, your parents will want to hear about this."
She went over to the counter and picked up the phone, but the cord fell to the floor. Mrs. Merriam sighed. "I'll just use the phone in your father's study." She walked from the kitchen.
Alice's eyes widened and began to panic. She ran after the older woman to stop her, but there was no need. As soon as Mrs. Merriam opened the door to John Brandon's study, she found herself looking at the black metal of a gun. She gasped.
Leah stepped out of the study holding the gun to Mrs. Merriam's face. "Sit down!" She commanded. Alice placed a chair behind Mrs. Merriam and forced the older woman to sit. "Alice, tie her up." Alice found the rope that Leah had used to tie her up two nights ago and tied Mrs. Merriam's hands.
Alice shoved a napkin in the woman's mouth and went over to Leah. "How are you feeling?" She asked. Leah didn't answer, but clamped her teeth together, so Alice took that as a sign that she wasn't feeling that well.
Alice went into the kitchen and found the knife that Leah had threatened her with when she first broke into the house. She went into the dining room to Mrs. Merriam and held it to her throat. She took the napkin out of her mouth and said, "Tell me what to do to make her better."
Mrs. Merriam spat through her teeth, "Never!"
Alice pressed the knife to her skin. "This is your Christian charity? She is sick, her leg is infected and she has a fever. Now tell me what I can give her to make her better."
"If her leg is infected, then a doctor will have to write a prescription for antibiotics. There is nothing that you can do." She answered.
Alice took the knife away from her throat and started towards her father's study. Mrs. Merriam spoke, "I know that she is that Indian girl that everyone's looking for, the one that murdered those two poor defenseless boys in cold blood. She deserves whatever punishment God has in store for her. Her soul will be banished to the fiery depths of hell.
"And if you are sinning with that girl, you won't be far behind." She said.
Alice spun around and faced her, "You don't know anything." She nearly shouted. "All my life you, my parents and everyone else have been telling me I'm going to hell since I was old enough to hear. You people are all too busy punishing people for being human that anyone would want to go to hell, just to get out of this town!"
Mrs. Merriam gasped. "You blasphemous little thing! You are certainly damning your soul."
"Bitch!" Alice yelled. She grabbed the back of the chair and jerked Mrs. Merriam backwards. She screamed as the chair toppled over.
"If all of you aren't there, hell should be a big improvement." Alice said and then walked into the study to find Leah leaning against the desk. She walked over and hugged her.
"How are you?" She asked again.
"I have to leave, Alice." She said.
Alice nodded. "I know, listen, I have a plan. We can take Mrs. Merriam's car and drive as far away as we can. We'll get a different car when we can and we'll go south. We can cross the border and hide out in Mexico."
Leah looked at her. "Alice, I can't take you with me."
Alice pulled back. "Are we seriously having this conversation again? Don't you want me?" She asked.
Leah sighed. "Alice, listen. I do want you, believe me, I want you more than anything. I love you and I want you with me every second of the day. That's exactly why you can't go with me." Tears began to fall from Leah's eyes. "You have to stay here and live your life for me."
Alice bit her lip as tears slipped over onto her face as well. "Leah, I love you, too. I've never loved anyone before and now that I've found you, I know that you are it for me. I can't live without you, Leah. Please don't leave me." She pressed her hands to Leah's face and began to cry harder.
The girls sobbed and held each other close. Leah couldn't believe that Alice returned her feelings. In her head, she replayed those words that Alice had spoken to her. Alice took comfort in Leah's arms surrounding her.
With everything in Alice's life, with her parents being so overbearing and religious, she had lived in fear of messing up and disappointing them. Or of disappointing God and going to hell, Alice knew what it felt like to be repressed and live in total fear of someone.
However, in this moment, standing in Leah's warm embrace, Alice felt really safe for the first time. She felt that Leah could protect her from her parents. And even the devil, should he appear.
Leah released Alice and said, "We have to go."
A/N: Ah! Cliffhanger! Sorry about that. :) Sad to say this story is coming to an end soon, but that just means that part two will be up that much sooner. I really hope you guys don't hate me for the ending and please stick around for part two. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
In the meantime, you should go read my friend, Tifa. Loveless' (just take out the space) new story called "Obsession". It's an Edward and Jasper story and it has my stamp of approval. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Until next time my lovelies! -Loveless-
