AN: Hey sorry it was such a long break again. Finals, college orientation and graduation kinda happened and stuff. lol. But now I have about 3 months worth of free time before I head off to University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh. So hopefully this story will run a bit smoother; if my Supernatural obsession doesn't get in the way lol. I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but I'm thinking I might do a one-shot about what happens when Pitch finds her, unless you guys want that as another chapter. Let me know! :) Read and Review! -Kay xoxo
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jill's breath caught in her throat as Garrett moved closer to where she was sitting on the log. She jumped to her feet; she didn't know why, but she needed to be standing when he reached her.
"You know, I'd wager that you think you're clever," Garrett said smoothly. There was a hint of something under his casual tone, however, something that sent a chill down Jill's spine. "All of this untoward behaviour, trying to find a way out of our little engagement. I had wondered why you didn't want to marry me; there was no rational reason for it. So then I figured maybe you were just a prideful little chit, too good for any one man to have. Imagine my surprise when I follow you here tonight and hear you talking all sweet to another man. An older man, if my ears aren't deceiving me."
He had heard Pitch. But that wasn't possible; only people who believed in the Spirits of Childhood could see or hear them, right?
Jill's eyes latched on to the clenching of Garrett's fists as he continued closer to her. Slowly she started to back away, not liking the look in his eyes. There was a madness there, his dark gaze focused only on her with what seemed like ill intent.
"Pitch is just a friend," Jill said, with a small waver in her voice. "He was being nice and comforting me about the wedding tomorrow."
"Oh I see," Garrett said, mockingly. "Then why wasn't dear Pitch at the rehearsal dinner?"
Jill gulped.
"Father doesn't approve of Pitch," she lied calmly. "He doesn't think Pitch is a good friend for me to have."
"Oh is that it?" Garrett replied, fake relief in his tone. "See and here I was thinking that you and Pitch were planning to run away together."
"What?" she spluttered, still moving away from Garrett who didn't seem to stop in his pursuit of her.
"I'm not an idiot Jillian Overland," he spat. "You've been avoiding me, trying to escape this marriage since our engagement was announced. Now here you are, having secret moonlit meetings with some male "friend." I know what is going on here, Jill and I'm not about to let it continue. You see, I don't like it when other people touch what is mine."
"I'm not some object to be owned," Jill said fiercely, stopping her retreat.
"You are my wife!"
"I'm not married to you yet," the brown haired girl replied. "Nor will I be. I will never be yours."
Garrett's face twisted into an ugly expression. Jill stared daringly into his eyes.
SMACK!
Jill's face whipped around to the side as Garrett's hand connected with her fair cheek. Tears came to her eyes from the pain but she forced them back even as her hand came up to clutch her stinging face.
"You will be mine, Jill," her assailant said menacingly. "You will be mine, willingly or otherwise. You see, unlike the pathetic people in this village, unlike your pathetic father, I have no qualms about putting my hands to my wife. I will handle what is mine however I see fit."
"You're a monster," Jill hissed backing away again. "And you've just given me a way out of this marriage. Abuse is a crime in my village; no one would give a woman to a man who would hit her."
"You'll never make it back to your village sweetheart. Anything could happen in these woods."
The meaning behind Garrett's final statement hit Jill and she ran. Behind her she could hear Garrett in hot pursuit. There were no illusions as to what he would do if he got her. He would kill her. Now that she could get out of their engagement, he needed to get rid off her.
Luckily, thanks to Pitch, Jill knew this forest better than anyone. She knew where each trail lead, where each little niche big enough to hide a fifteen year old girl was. And she knew how to get to Pitch's home.
She knew how to handle fear in most situations; it was a perk of having the Nightmare King for a best friend. But when she stumbled over a wayward branch, giving Garrett the time to inch even closer, panic clouded her mind. She couldn't even think of the path to Pitch's home; she just started running, not even caring for direction. When she hit the lake, her panic increased.
'Not here, not here,' she chanted in her head, backing away. She refused to die by the lake that had taken her brother from her.
She turned left and started running again, but it was a futile effort. She had only gotten a few yards away when Garrett grabbed her by the arm, yanking her around with a violence Jill had never experienced before.
"PIT-" she tried to scream out, before Garrett's large hands wrapped themselves about her throat.
Jill gasped out, her eyes going wide. Her dainty hands came up to claw at the vices cutting off her air supply. Garrett had an evil look on his face and his grip tightened. Her mouth opened and closed rapidly, trying fruitlessly to get some air into her lungs. Nothing passed through her lips and her chest burned. Tears sprang to her eyes as black dots danced across her vision. She was dying.
As her heart stopped beating, she could only think one thing.
'Goodbye Pitch.'
