from my lungs, crawling through every vein and organ of my body. My knees weakening as the sensation exploded from my fingers, the pressure in my eyes building.
I grabbed my head shuffling backwards through my room, kicking snow onto my feet, soaking my socks. Then, the socks disappeared and the pain stopped
“Eva!” a familiar voice called.
“I’m here!” I opened my eyes. My dirty brown dress was damp from the falling snow.
“Evalynn!” Another deeper voice called.
Each voice echoed in opposite directions with no one in sight. I attempted to control my steps, my voice, but once again, I was merely a guest pulled into this world.
I was back on the same covered path just like before, when I woke up in the clinic. Things were a little familiar and even though I was still lost, I knew now that someone was searching for me.
“Eva!” the familiar male voice grew closer.
The feelings of hope fluttered in my stomach at the sound of his voice. I was drawn to that man calling for me. He was the person I wanted to find me.
I felt the days of cold wearing on my body. How long had I been out here?
“Evalynn, there you are?!” My relief sank.
Before I could understand the acid burning a hole in my chest, I was running fast and far. . His hard steps chased behind me through the large maze of trees, splashing through the tiny creeks and over leaves and branches.
"Evalynn! I don't think you know what you're doing," his booming voice echoed in the forest.
My loss of breath made it difficult to respond. My tears froze in midair as the feelings of life and death consumed me.
"Evalynn! If you stop now, I will be lenient," and for I moment, my legs hesitated at his offer.
My choice was made for me as I was forced to stop by the edge of a very long drop. I struggled to keep my balance when a tug of my dress pulled me from teetering along the line of death. Falling back into his arms, I was relieved.
"Evalynn." I cringed knowing he caught up to me.
"Please," I panted struggling out of his grasp.
"Please what? Have mercy on you?" He stood much taller than I. Scooting backwards I was trapped between the edge and his unforgiving glare.
"Please, don't hurt me," my small voice was begging.
"I'm sorry, Evalynn. I cannot allow you to continue to defy me. You ran from your home. From us. From me. I cannot allow you to come back until you have been punished for your infractions."
"No, I'm begging you," I groveled at his feet knowing what he was capable of, what he was going to do to me. For a moment, I was terrified.
"You have been hiding from us here in this very unsafe forest with a boy, a boy who is not of our faith. Living in sin," he shuddered, shaking his head, eyes pinched shut.
"No, I have been out here alone, he was just trying to help me."
"You were to marry my son, Evalynn. What will he think of your adultery?"
"I love your son. That will never change."
"And you left him just as well. What game are you playing here?"
Pulling me up by my hair, I met his dark, soulless eyes. A swift swing brought me to my knees; tears bury my face in salty stains.
I peered at him through my rapidly blinking eyes, fearful of what he was doing with the belt he whipped through the loops of his pants. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"
Slowly, he wrapped the black leather belt around his right hand. My silence warranted a slap across the face. "What do you want me to say?" I coughed, blood spraying into my hands.
"Are you talking back to me?" He stood, the tightness in his jaw more pronounced. Holding the belt at his side, uncoiled from his fist.
I had no strength. I had been running for miles, my stomach empty, and my mouth dry.
I tried to understand everything that was happening, who this man was, why he was being so cruel to me. He was being so cruel.
"No, you wouldn't talk back to me, now would you?" He stroked my cheek still pained by his leathery fist.
I continued to watch from afar, I was stubborn. "I
I grabbed my head shuffling backwards through my room, kicking snow onto my feet, soaking my socks. Then, the socks disappeared and the pain stopped
“Eva!” a familiar voice called.
“I’m here!” I opened my eyes. My dirty brown dress was damp from the falling snow.
“Evalynn!” Another deeper voice called.
Each voice echoed in opposite directions with no one in sight. I attempted to control my steps, my voice, but once again, I was merely a guest pulled into this world.
I was back on the same covered path just like before, when I woke up in the clinic. Things were a little familiar and even though I was still lost, I knew now that someone was searching for me.
“Eva!” the familiar male voice grew closer.
The feelings of hope fluttered in my stomach at the sound of his voice. I was drawn to that man calling for me. He was the person I wanted to find me.
I felt the days of cold wearing on my body. How long had I been out here?
“Evalynn, there you are?!” My relief sank.
Before I could understand the acid burning a hole in my chest, I was running fast and far. . His hard steps chased behind me through the large maze of trees, splashing through the tiny creeks and over leaves and branches.
"Evalynn! I don't think you know what you're doing," his booming voice echoed in the forest.
My loss of breath made it difficult to respond. My tears froze in midair as the feelings of life and death consumed me.
"Evalynn! If you stop now, I will be lenient," and for I moment, my legs hesitated at his offer.
My choice was made for me as I was forced to stop by the edge of a very long drop. I struggled to keep my balance when a tug of my dress pulled me from teetering along the line of death. Falling back into his arms, I was relieved.
"Evalynn." I cringed knowing he caught up to me.
"Please," I panted struggling out of his grasp.
"Please what? Have mercy on you?" He stood much taller than I. Scooting backwards I was trapped between the edge and his unforgiving glare.
"Please, don't hurt me," my small voice was begging.
"I'm sorry, Evalynn. I cannot allow you to continue to defy me. You ran from your home. From us. From me. I cannot allow you to come back until you have been punished for your infractions."
"No, I'm begging you," I groveled at his feet knowing what he was capable of, what he was going to do to me. For a moment, I was terrified.
"You have been hiding from us here in this very unsafe forest with a boy, a boy who is not of our faith. Living in sin," he shuddered, shaking his head, eyes pinched shut.
"No, I have been out here alone, he was just trying to help me."
"You were to marry my son, Evalynn. What will he think of your adultery?"
"I love your son. That will never change."
"And you left him just as well. What game are you playing here?"
Pulling me up by my hair, I met his dark, soulless eyes. A swift swing brought me to my knees; tears bury my face in salty stains.
I peered at him through my rapidly blinking eyes, fearful of what he was doing with the belt he whipped through the loops of his pants. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"
Slowly, he wrapped the black leather belt around his right hand. My silence warranted a slap across the face. "What do you want me to say?" I coughed, blood spraying into my hands.
"Are you talking back to me?" He stood, the tightness in his jaw more pronounced. Holding the belt at his side, uncoiled from his fist.
I had no strength. I had been running for miles, my stomach empty, and my mouth dry.
I tried to understand everything that was happening, who this man was, why he was being so cruel to me. He was being so cruel.
"No, you wouldn't talk back to me, now would you?" He stroked my cheek still pained by his leathery fist.
I continued to watch from afar, I was stubborn. "I
Similar Books
