8
Christine
"I've been waiting for you, my dear. Waiting for so long. They told me that you would come back to me one day. I've been patient; ever so patient. Waiting for you. They say that patience is a virtue. But in my estimation it's a lost art. People, they want everything now, now, now. And then they want more. They want more and more of it."
He was pacing back and forth in the small room. Stopping every so often to look at me and give me a small grin. He reminded me of a teenage boy who had formed a crush on a girl in school. When my eyes would meet his, a sheepish grin would come across his face and then it would quickly disappeared as if he was bashful about me looking at him directly in the eyes. Then he would start pacing again and he would start his monologue again. The other two men in the room watched him with rapt attention. I also could not tear my gaze away from him. His voice, his words, it was all too mesmerizing to look away from and to stop listening.
"They don't realize that beyond that their precious city walls that there is another world and it's full of animals just like yours; my world."
He stopped pacing and came back over to me. Kneeling down in front of me, he took one of my trembling hands in his big paw before he started speaking again. This time, he spoke so softly, the other two men in the room had to lean forward to catch the words that were coming out of their friend's mouth. The man who called himself Bray started speaking softly again and his mysterious blue eyes locked on mine.
"And in my world, when of my animals is sick or hurt, we don't let them fumble around in agony. We put them down."
He let the words "put them down" linger in the air for a moment before he turned to his two companions, "Time to leave boys. Abigail and I have to have a private conversation." The two men obediently stood up and left the room, closing the door behind them, leaving me and the man who called himself Bray alone.
"Hey…." he said softly as he turned his attention back to me. "You want to see something really scary?"
Without realizing it, I nodded. My mind was begging him to continue his hypnotic speech. My mind was racing with images of him.
He smiled and gave a little chuckle. "You seem troubled, my dear. Is something bothering you?"
My thoughts stopped racing long enough to picture John and all of the trouble he had been giving me lately.
"Don't you worry about a thing, my dear. My dear, sweet Abigail. I'm going to put them all down. I'm going to put them all down. Nothing, and no one will worry your sweet little mind anymore."
Chills ran down my spine. "The drunk man the other night….who is he to you?"
For a brief moment I forgot how to speak. "He's…..he's my boyfriend," I finally managed to whisper, silently berating myself for stuttering.
"Does he make you happy?"
I shook my head. He smiled at that gesture. "He will be the first to go, my darling….."
"How will you make him go?" I was whispering. My voice seemed to be incapable of being louder than a soft whisper.
"When Bray Wyatt makes a promise, darling, he always keeps it. So if they're going to keep lining them up here for us, then I promise we're going to keep putting them down. All for you, my dear, sweet Abigail. Follow the buzzards…." His words trailed off as he took my other hand into his, and he leaned closer. Brushing the hair out of my eyes, he started mumbling something that I couldn't understand. "I've waited for this so long. So very, very long. I've been so patient, and now I finally get my reward." He leaned in even closer, let go on my right hand and cupped my chin in his left hand. The moment his lips touched mine, it all came back. Everything that had happened in a previous life was coming back.
I had been struggling for the past two years on finding out who I was, what was I supposed to be doing with my life. I was meant for him. I was meant for this. He broke the kiss and leaned back on his heels, gripping my one hand still in his. His other hand rested on my thigh. "You remember now, don't you?"
I nodded.
"What do we need to do first, my darling?"
The answer that immediately came to my mind terrified me. I knew what he wanted. He wanted me for himself, which meant that John had to go.
He answered for me, "John needs to go away, my sweet….."
I nodded again and was rewarded with another soft kiss. "You are my chosen one. You and I are destined to be one. Let me help you remember the past…"