“Embry dear, what I’m really trying to tell you is that despite giving life to three beautiful children, I wouldn’t wish this type of life on my worst enemy, and you darling are far from my enemy” she sighed sadly, stretching her hand across the armchair to hold mine in comfort.
“So, what do I do?” My voice cracked, I couldn’t tell anymore what emotion that was due to, there were too many to pick from. Too many emotions like a whirlwind in my mind, knocking my thoughts together.
“I wish I could tell you, but if I had the answer to that question neither one of us would be here right now” I could feel another lump rising within my throat. I had needed the reassurance she provided within the first couple words, I was like a child, I needed my hand held throughout every decision, I needed somebody to tell me how to leave.
Those last couple words, well, they lit a panic inside of me that I didn’t think could be put out. Evelyn had been here for over twenty years, she had much more knowledge than me and yet could never find a way out of this lifestyle. What chance did I have?
My inner turmoil was ready to consume me, it’s gnawing jaws open ready to leech onto my skin, however, letting him once again come to save the day Noah had interrupted me from my inner dilemma. His steps sounded out against the hardwood floor, each step matching a beat of my thumping heart.
“Are you ready for lunch, little bug?” He held his elbow out for me to take, his face showing cluelessness to the words that had been previously exchanged in this room. Throwing a small thank you Evelyn’s way I took Noah’s offering elbow, still seemingly struggling to escape my own mind.
“I didn’t know you had another sibling?” I whispered out, needing to distract myself with any other topic. “I never really talk about them much, I’m the youngest of three, Indigo, Sebastian and then me, she should be joining us tomorrow night for dinner actually, I wanted the whole family here to celebrate the anniversary with us” he beamed proudly at the mention of that occasion. I gulped at the memory of such a date.
The 18th of November, the last day I had seen him.
*Flashback*
The courtroom was buzzing with chatter as everybody waited for the hearing to commence. A young girl sat upon a wooden chair at the front of the room, nervously biting the inside of her cheek. It was her first time ever stepping into a court and she had somehow managed to land herself as the victim.
An unsettling silence covered the large space as the defendant walked in. 18 year old Noah Hill, on trial for first degree kidnapping, a serious sentence that could get him up to 20 years in prison.
The attorney stood and walked up to face the judge, the curious crowd intently hanging onto every word that echoed throughout the building. “My client has been accused of kidnapping the plaintiff, and proposing the possibility of a threat to her,” he sucked in a breath now turning to face the jury. “My client admits to being in Ms Thompson’s presence but claims he made no threat to her safety during this time.”
The young girl shook in her seat, a fear so intense wracking her body. And so the court hearing continued like this, each side presenting their argument. The constant gawking of the male burning holes into the side of Embry’s head, she knew he was trying to get her attention, but she could not find the courage inside of her to look at him throughout the whole exchange.
The moment of truth had finally arrived, the judges voice booming throughout the court. “Members of the jury, have you reached a verdict?”, one woman stood up, giving a curt nod, “Yes, your Honour, we have”. Embry could feel her heart beating in her throat, while on the other side of the courtroom sat a laxed defendant sure he would not be entering the gates of prison anytime soon.
“Your honour, the members of the jury find the defendant GUILTY of first-degree kidnapping.” Loud conversation erupted throughout the courtroom as the male shot up in his seat, unbelieving of what he had just heard.
“Order, order in my courtroom” the judge said in a stern voice. “I will now pass sentence on the verdict. I find the defendant guilty of second-degree kidnapping and sentence the defendant to six years in prison, without parole.” The crowd roared in displeasure at the judge, as the opposing attorney shouted out his complaints.
The young girl was guided from her seat to be brought out of the hall, but she was harshly grabbed by the handcuffed boy as he rushed to get in for a final say. His voice cold and menacing, his body language intimidating as he lowered himself down to her ear. “This exact day next year, I’ll have you in my arms again and I will make you watch as I kill everybody who kept us apart and after that I’ll make you fully mine” his smirk was daunting. It was the kind of smirk that became ingrained within the mind of the scarred girl.
It had taken months for her not to visualise it every time she shut her eyes. “Aye Hill, off” he was quickly pulled away as the nauseous female was brought outside.
Her eyes were glassy with emotions as she could feel eyes on her from every angle. Her head shot in every direction searching for some kind of escape, her eyes not missing the exchange between a middle aged man and the judge within a secluded corner of the vicinity. A wad of cash was placed into the hand of the judge as swift nods were exchanged.
For maybe if she had some more knowledge she would have been mad at the fact Noah Hill was only charged with second-degree murder. She was a minor after all, which fact enough would have gotten him at least twenty years but the law can be a corrupt system for those who don’t have cash to burn.
*End of Flashback*
“T-the anniversary” I stammered, hoping he wasn’t intent on going through with the promise that had haunted me for the past year. “Yes baby girl, the anniversary, I plan on making it unforgettable” I blinked hard trying to see if what I was witnessing was reality.
Was it not just an hour ago we were bonding? Was it not just this morning he was sharing his trauma with me as he sat and told me I wasn’t crazy, as he looked me in the eye and gave me hope.
He was a constant on and off switch and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep up with him. “But I thought we were on good terms?” I questioned gazing up at him.
His manic gaze softened, “of course we are little bug, I promise it’s nothing bad,” I let out a sigh of relief at his words. I knew earlier had meant something.
Silly me for not already realising his promises meant nothing unless they assured suffering.
Lunch had gone by uneventfully, just me, Noah and my newfound belief he had changed as we talked like we used to. I mostly used this time to get information on this fifth family member.
Her name was Indigo, she was 25 and sort of blacklisted by her father. Noah seemed to have had a good relationship with her by the way he spoke of her, which I concluded was because they both had a rocky relationship with their father and shared the same hatred for him.
The part I found most interesting was the reason for her semi-abandonment of the family. “One day she had put two and two together and realised the story behind my parents and how my father wanted the same for us Sebastian and me, so she up and left, disgusted with his treatment of women” Noah had stated.
I found it near impossible to hide my excitement, she sounded like the exact person I have been looking for. “Does she know about me?” I asked finishing off my food. “Of course she does, you were all I talked about when I came home for the summers, she probably knows a bit too much if I’m honest” he sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.
“S-so, she knows about last year” my tone was hesitant, if she had known and hated the idea of it so much, why didn’t she come to help. “No actually she doesn’t know about last year’s incident or where I’ve been for the past year and I’d like to keep it that way, so you can’t say anything” he warned, his face growing concerned.
“Nope, not a peep from me I promise” I smiled complicity as though the cogs in my head weren’t turning with ways to approach her with my plea for help.
But everything in this house comes with a price.