As we make our way to the door to the podium, Mary stops us. I look at her with so much anger and disappointment, I tell her, “please let us go. I want to avoid hurting you, but I will do whatever is necessary to protect us.”
“They threatened to kill all of us. I thought one life for hundreds would be acceptable. I’m so sorry.”
“You tied him up to a bed.”
“He wouldn’t stop trying to escape. I had no other choice.”
“That’s the thing, Mary, you had a choice, but you made the wrong one.”
I want to rip her head off, but before I have time to, I feel a little hand tugging on my side. “Lilly, I know grandma made a mistake, but she’s not bad, she just made a bad choice.”
He’s so innocent. I feel so bad knowing what is going to have to be done, and he’s so little. Can he bear it? Will he forgive me for what I’m going to have to do? I don’t want to take the chance of us being captured. It’s time to kill them all.
“Jayden, some things are unforgiven when you do something so terrible.”
“Lilly, just wait. You don’t have to kill me.
“I’m not going to be the one that kills you. You didn’t complete your mission. You’re already dead.”
She looks at me with such sadness, I almost start to feel bad. She has made her bed, and now she has to lie in it. I can’t feel for everyone, I have to let them pay the consequences of their own actions. I then realize that time is being wasted, that it’s time for Jayden and I to get the hell out of here. I then turn to Jayden.
“Now Jayden, I need you to listen to me and do exactly what I say. When we get on top of the podium I’m going to shift into my wolf, I want you to grab onto my shoulders and hold as tightly as possible, do not let me go. Do you understand?”
“Yes, you’re going to shift into your wolf, and you want me to sit on top of you and hold really tight and not fall off.”
I begin to walk to the podium Door. I am not afraid because I am strong because I have someone to fight for, someone to live for the best of all, someone to love. I open the door and peek out, and I see nothing surprised. But I know that I am not alone, I can hear the breathing of many.
I do as I said, I shift into my wolf and I wait to feel little hands covering my neck. Once I feel his grip around my neck, I take off running as fast as I can. My lungs are burning, wanting to get somewhere safe. As I realize, there will never be anywhere safe. No matter where we go, there will be someone after us. Trying to take what isn’t there’s to take.
Then I hear A familiar voice, star, and she says. “No matter what, Lilly, we will be strong because we found our reasoning to live.”
Knowing she is right that we will be fine because we are together. We will figure out what to do at the time. That there is no need to pretend to anybody. That I can be who I want to be, that there isn’t a person who truly can defeat me. That nothing can be held over my head because I have everything I need right here.
My father trained me to take care of myself and with my added strength I will have no trouble taking care of myself. I will be able to protect Jayden from anyone who tries to hurt him. That he will not need for anything because I will be there for him forever.
We have been running for hours, I can see better now that it’s becoming daylight. I search for the highest tree to hide and sleep in, but also wanting to make sure I can see my surroundings just in case someone is dumb enough and tries to sneak up on us.
Yes, I found the perfect tree. I nudge Jayden awake. “Buddy wake up. We are going to climb this tree, so we can get some rest and begin our journey.”
I shift back into my human, to put Jayden on my back as I climb the tree. I think about when I was a kid we loved climbing trees, it was so much fun. My brother and I would race to see who could get to the top first. Disappointed that this is not for fun, it’s for survival.
As I find the most comfortable branch to sit on and also to have enough room to put my legs up. I took Jayden from my back and put him on my chest. I get as comfortable as possible. I feel as he grips on to my body. Like he’s holding on for dear life. I then wrap my arms around his body and hold him. Then I leaned down to whisper in his ear and I tell him, “I love you Jayden.”
I then hear my favorite noise in the world As he tells me, “I love you too, Lilly.”
As we sit there, I wait for him to fall asleep. I watch our surroundings and take in the beauty of nature. As the leaves are blowing and the squirrels are running tree to tree. The birds chirping, It’s music to my ears. I am feeling relaxed, more relaxed than I felt in so long.
Not wanting to get rid of this great feeling. I try not to think too much, not knowing what we are going to do or where we’re going, I’m just grateful we’re together. Knowing, no matter what, I will figure it out. As my eyelids are finally getting heavy, I shut my eyes and go to sleep.