Chapter 9: Leaving Home
The following morning I sat eating breakfast in silence. Today was the day I was to go back to Rhett like I had promised. Looking down into my almost cold breakfast, which consisted of, Eggs, toast, grits, pancakes. While a glass of orange juice and a glass of milk sat just to the right of me. I really wasn't in the mode to eat anything.
"Scarlett, you need to eat something." Mother said looking over at me as I just sat there still looking at my breakfast. I could tell that my family was trying to hide their sorrows and all while we sat eating.
"I'm not hungry mother," I said lifting my head I looked at my family.
"Katie Scarlett, Mammy, made one of your all time favorite breakfast you have to eat something." Pa said tapping his fork on his plate.
Hearing those words a single tear spilled down my face. "May I be excused?" I asked putting my napkin to my eye.
"Of course dear." Mother said looking at me. I could tell by the look upon her face that she knew I was become upset.
Getting up from the table I ran from the room up the stairs and sat in my window seat. Looking out the window I saw that it had started to rain. What a day this turned out to be. Sitting there for a few short moments I heard a soft knock on my door. "Come in." I said looking at the door as my hand still held the napkin tight. Mother came in moments later. I got up from the seat and went and cried in her lap as she sat in the chair next to my bed.
"Mother, I can't do this." I said as I sobbed into her lap. This was becoming too much now. I thought seeing my family would fill that gap that had been empty for quite some time. No, this was much worse and much harder to do then what I thought it was going to be. "This is just so hard."
Stroking my hair she began speaking. "Scarlett, it is your own choice rather you go back or not. No one can tell you to go or to stay."
"But, I can't mother. I can't stay here. He told me that bad things would happen if I would stay here." I said with my face still buried in my mother's dress.
"You mustn't believe in such a thing." Mother said as she tried calming me down.
"I know." I cried as I finally looked up while mother whipped my tears for me.
"You do know that whatever is to happen you will always be our little southern belle." Mother said with a smile upon her face.
Nodding my head yes that I always knew this. Mother told me to dry my tears and to head back downstairs.
That afternoon came far too soon. While the smell of fall filled the air I stood on the front steps of Tara for the last time. My bags were already and packed into the carriage. Turning to my left I saw my family waiting by the carriage. Heading down the steps I began to cry. This was going to be the hardest part of all. Giving them each a hug I told them how much I loved them.
"I can't believe how much you've grown since the last time I saw you." I told Carreen as I looked at my younger sister who was no longer little. She was a year older, now fourteen and chasing boys just like I had done. "Just think soon you will be married and have a family of your own…however you will have to wait until Suellen marries." I laughed.
Carreen laughed then gave me a hug and told me how she loved me and that maybe she could visit wherever I may be. I told her maybe someday, but the chances where quite unlikely.
Next was Suellen. "Within the next few months you will be getting married." I said. "Frank is a very lucky man."
A smile came a crossed her lips as the look of happiness finally came to her eyes when we talked. "Scarlett, I'm-I'm sorry for all the things I have ever said or done to you." Suellen said as she held tight to a handkerchief.
Giving her a hug and telling her all was behind me. I could tell that everything was behind us it wasn't just words that were said. Going up to my parents mother had tears in her eyes while Pa stood there as if he couldn't believe I was really going back to that awful place.
Mother gave me a hug and for a while didn't think she would let go. "You be careful and know that we always will love you now and forever." She said as I could feel tears fall on my cheek.
Telling her I would I walked over to Pa. "Katie Scarlett, who would have ever thought that out of all my daughters you would be the one doing this to your family."
"Oh, Pa." I said putting my arms around him. This would be the last time I would ever hear his Irish accent or ever see them ever again. After a few short moments I went and got in the carriage. As the carriage went down the dirt road I looked back and saw my father holding mother as if I had died and would never be coming back. Waving bye and telling them I loved them very much I saw them disappear in the distance.
Finally being alone I began to cry more than ever in the past three days. I was right that was the hardest part of them all. Whipping the tears from my eyes I began my journey back to the mansion.
As night fell the carriage pulled up to the house. Stepping out of the carriage I saw Rhett standing on the porch with his arms behind his back, while his legs were just a few inches apart. It looked as if he were a solider waiting to go into battle.
"I see you kept your promise my pet," Rhett said with a smile come a crossed his face. He knew I would come back why did he even say such a thing.
"Yes, Rhett, yes I did." I said walking past him into the house. It was just as I remembered it. Nothing had changed. Then again I had only been gone for three days.
"Did you have a nice time with your family?" Rhett asked as he shut the door and walked towards me.
"Yes, I did" I said not telling him the real reason. I was sad at leaving my family. I would never get to see them again. "Why did you stop m on the way home last night?" I now asked turning towards him
"I told you my dear; it was because I had heard what you had said to Cathleen. I couldn't let you just leave and let you get away with it."
Hearing those last few words made me wish I WAS back with my family. "Why did I ever come back?" I yelled at Rhett as I looked him in the eyes.
"Because you didn't want to put your family or you in danger." Rhett said as his ice cold voice came through the air.
Looking at him with absolute horror as if I had been caught off guard doing something. "You, you monster" I yelled in his face as I could fill mine go red. Uh, how could he say such a thing? I was very close to leaving and never coming back regardless what would happen. He couldn't do anything to me or my family. He was just trying to scare me.
A laugh came from him as his head went back. "Oh, my dear how you fill your head with many things."
My face went red at this. How dare he? How dare he say such things went through my head? However, every now and then I wondered. I had been here for a year and often wondered if I was in a horror story or something. Seeing all kinds of things, from dark shadows, things that weren't really there, feeling my skin being ripped open by something sharp and feeling something with fur and what not. "Things aren't filling my head Rhett; I have heard things threw out the night." I said as I turned the other way so I wouldn't look at that face. I knew I shouldn't have come back. Why did I? Did I think things were going to be different? Maybe I did, maybe I wanted things to be different. Maybe I just didn't know. That was it I just didn't know.
His hands came upon me. I could fill his hands on my arms. They were so warm and almost welcoming. Looking over to the side as if I were to turn on him yet again I didn't. Before I could do anything Rhett turned me around with force. I couldn't move I could breath I couldn't do anything I was helpless. Wrapping is arms around me he drew me close and before I knew it he began kissing me. I began struggling against his kiss. Finally breaking free and backing up. "Don't touch me." I said in one breath. Going around him I went to my room.
Closing the door I could hear him coming. "Leave me alone." I said as I leaned against the door. Moments later I could hear a key being turned into the key hole. Putting my hand on the door I began pulling and tugging on it to open. "Rhett, let me out!" I yelled.
"You said you wanted me to leave you be my dear." Rhett's voice said.
"Rhett please let me out. What am I your prisoner again?" I asked with my hands pressed against the door.
Rhett didn't answer all I could hear was the silence between us. Great, we were back to where we were over a year ago.
As the sunset another day went by. October 30th to be exact. Being here for two weeks since I saw my parents. Walking down the hall I came a crossed Rhett's room. Opening the door I looked around. Something odd lingered within the room. Stepping in further I began looking around more. This room felt rather different then all the rest of them. This room felt rather dark, deep and something I couldn't quite place. Touching a nearby table I got this uneasy feeling and something telling me I needed to leave this room.
"Don't turn around." I hear a deep voice say as I stood still as a statue. That feeling I had got when I walked into the room just got worse. I feel a hand upon my shoulder. Turning my head rather slowly and looked at the hand. Not listening I turned and looked up at the face that held that voice. All I could see was the eyes within the dark room. The figure stood rather tall. 6'1 maybe even taller. Looking into those eyes something looked as if I knew it. I knew them from somewhere. A certain light glistened in them. A look of mystery filled them. For some odd reason I couldn't look away from them.
The next thing I knew I was knocked to the ground with a big cut on my left cheek. Touching it I could feel the sting of it and blood coming from it. Looking at my fingers three drops of blood fell from it while some was smudged on my finger.
I could fill its breath upon me. Seeing the door I began running for it. Stumbling out the door I began running out. I ran right into Rhett's arms.
"Oh, Rhett, it was awful." I said as Rhett looked at me as if I was crazy or something.
"What is my dear?" he asked as if he didn't know what I was talking about.
"This thing, it had a deep voice telling me not to move and I did and then I got this cut on my face." Looking up at him. I felt something on my arm. Looking over I saw blood on it. Looking down at Rhett's right hand I saw blood dripping from it. "What's this?" I asked with fear.
"It's nothing my pet; I just cut my hand on a knife." Rhett said wiping his hand on a towel. Taking his hand in mine I saw no cut, only just the blood that was upon it.
"It's you, you're the one." I said breathless. How could I be so blind, backing up from him with wide eyes?
"Scarlett, let me explain." Rhett began taking my injured hand. Drawing me back in his arms I avoided his eyes as much as I could.
"No, now let me go." I said trying my best to fight back against his touch. I knew that if I stayed like this much longer I would be under his spell and charm.
"Don't try to fight me Scarlett; you know you don't want to." Rhett's voice came as he looked into my eyes.
Yes I do. I wanted to yell out as I still looked into his eyes. How could I say that? Half of me wanted to but the other half of me wanted to tell him how I felt. But the question was could I EVER be happy here?
A/N: Another long chapter lol. What do you think will happen? What do you think? Would like your thoughts. Halloween is almost here. Hope I get this done this weekend.