Maria pulled me from the dead male grinning.
"Lovely." She said, looking between the man and myself. "hmmm… What do you think of this one Jasper?" She asked me.
"Hmm?" I said, a little distracted.
"As a fighter. What do you think? He's dead now, but if he were still alive…" She said with a grin that reached her eyes.
That's when it struck me. I realised what I'd just done. I realised that Alice would've seen me. I realised that I was sinking back into my old ways. She wanted to start another army, start another war. She wanted me back to be hers again… To be a fighter.
My silence continued for a while, so she hit my shoulder.
"Jazz, Hello? Still with me, love?" She said, and I shook my head, clearing all thoughts.
"Uh, yeah. I, uh… Maria, I don't know." I whispered. She slapped me across the face. A frown heavily creased my brow.
"What the hell do you mean by 'I don't know'?!" She questioned angrily. I looked down saddened. I thought for a moment, then looked up at her.
"No. I'm… uh, I'm fine. Let's just go… Now."
She was confused, and I knew that, despite the look on her face. She seemed to mask it well, but she'd obviously forgotten about my talent. I let it stay that way.
When we arrived back at our… home, I looked around. Everything was just stone. Just how I remembered it. She truly hadn't changed it. She walked me upstairs, and I was oblivious as to what she had planned.
Her hand was in mine. I was letting her hold my hand. Thoughts of Alice raced through my mind, but the one that stuck the longest was the one of disappointment and hatred. The one that said 'Don't come back.' The one that told me the woman I'd loved for years no longer loved me in return. No matter how hard my family would try, I wouldn't be able to go back to that because of the look on her face.
Her love was like a burning fire, and my ice cold actions put the fire out so quickly. So heartlessly.
"Jazzy? Are you okay?" She questioned. I was still deep in thought, I hadn't realised we were now in a room, a stone room. One that had just an old couch sitting over against the far wall, and a bookcase with books on… fighting? What the hell was she?
"Hmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine," I answered, my eyes avoiding hers, scanning the room for more. There were some closed double-doors to my left. I was curious as to what was in them, but before I could ponder anymore, Maria took hold of my jaw, and forced me to look into her eyes.
"Jasper, what's wrong with you today? You've barely heard a thing I've said!" That was true…
"Nothing," I lied.
"Okay then. I want to show you something." She said faintly, kissing my cheek lightly. I cringed lightly at the feel of her lips on my skin. The only person who'd done that in the last fifty years or so was Alice.
Again she broke my line of though by grabbing my hand and pulled me towards the closed doors.
Upon opening them, I saw what was really inside. It was shocking as to why Maria would do this to me. To us. Again. It was unbearable to see this. I didn't want to go there again, but she was forcing that upon me. How could she do that?
It wasn't something she'd considered however. She only saw what she wanted. And she wanted me for the rest of her life, but I wasn't sure that I could comply. I didn't want to do this again. I looked to Maria. She was grinning widely, the smile reaching her eyes once more. My mouth fell open, reaching a perfect 'o'.
I cringed at the sight before me.