by Lily Wallis
“Can I get you anything to drink, Elodie?” I ask, and she looks at me with suspicious eyes, before smirking.
“Finally getting to know your place, I see. Yes, wine,” she replies, and I get up to walk toward the door. “Violet!”
“Yes?”
“I want you to bring the bottle, sealed.”
“Of course,” I say, leaving the room.
Once I’m in the room next to the kitchen, I grab a bottle of wine along with a glass. How am I going to pour this in her wine with her watching? I can’t. Feeling defeat, I make my way back to our room, I stop short. Taking out the potion, I drizzle a few drops into the glass, carefully using my finger to coat the sides, discarding the leftover drop on my dress. Opening the door, I see Elodie sitting at the vanity, brushing her hair. As I set the glass and bottle of wine on the table, I look up to see her staring at me through the reflection in the mirror.
“Do you ever think about your old life?” I ask, and the brushing stops.
“No,” she replies, setting the brush down on the vanity. “And you shouldn’t either.”
“You had children, how can you not?”
She gets up and walks towards me, and I’m prepared to be slapped, but it doesn’t happen. Instead, it looks to have triggered some sort of memory she stashed away.
“That life is gone, Violet, and so is yours. The sooner you come to realize it, the better it is for you.”
“How can you stand for him to touch you like that?”
“I give him what he wants,” she replies. “I serve my King. Now pour me that drink, you are exhausting me.”
She turns around to walk to the wardrobe and I take my chance to retrieve the small vial, emptying what’s left into the glass before opening the bottle. My heart is pounding, praying she doesn’t turn around. The cork is popped, and I quickly begin to pour, and that is when she turns around.
“You’re in a different position, Violet. You displeased the King. Hurt the kingdom, put everyone’s lives into jeopardy. I don’t know if life will ever improve for you. Your best shot would be being placed in the gardens or stables.”
“We shall see,” I say, handing the glass to her.
“Indeed, we shall,” she grins, taking a drink of her wine.
She falls asleep about an hour later, complaining of a headache. I wait another twenty minutes until a quarter after midnight to be sure. Walking over to her bed, I lift her arm in the air, and let it go. She is completely limp, and unaware of what I am doing. Sneaking out of the room, I hurry down the back steps, and carefully open the back door, looking around to make sure there are no prying eyes around. When I am sure, I run. Everything is dark, but I know my way, and the adrenaline in my body is giving me the power I need to keep going. Arriving at our spot, I can see Theroux holding a lantern, and I immediately fall into his arms.
“Oh my God,” I say, my arms wrapped around him.
“You did it,” he says, kissing the top of my head.
“Theroux, we have to leave this place. I can’t stay here,” I say as I step back.
“Violet, we can’t leave. Let me talk to Malvado.”
“Theroux, no you can’t. He doesn’t trust you anymore.”
“Violet, give me a chance,” he pleads.
“We need to leave, now!”
“Violet, we can’t go past the perimeter!”
“I can’t do this anymore. If he touches me one more time, I swear I will try to kill him myself.”
“Has he raped you?”
“No, but he violates me, day in and day out. Theroux, I would rather die than be here. I know this is all you know, but I can’t go on like this, I just can’t.”
“Violet, please. He will tire of you eventually. He just needs someone new to spark his interest. There are girls in the cellar, let me present one to him.”
“Theroux, it won’t work. He will know why you are doing this.”
“Then let me persuade Lazare. I can do it, Violet.”
“Theroux, come with me. I don’t know what lies beyond this border, but it can’t be any worse than this.”
Two emotions are written in his face, love and fear. I want him to come, I want to escape with him, but it is fear that keeps him from taking my hand.
“Give me one week, Violet,” he pleads, and I feel defeat. “One week.”
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“Then we find another way,” he says.
“All right,” I say, knowing fully well that there is nothing that can be done.
“I love you, Violet,” he says, pulling me close. “I love you, so much. Thank you.”
“I love you, too,” I say, feeling terrible for what I am about to do.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Theroux walks me to my room, kissing me before hurrying back to his quarters. I don’t remove my eyes, for it will be the last time I see him. I can’t stay here, I just can’t. Malvado will continue to find ways to torment me, and eventually, he will do the same to Theroux. I was ready to cross the perimeter, ready to escape, but he is not. If he hadn’t been there, I would have done it. Even though I will cause him pain with my letter, it will be less than watching me walk into the unknown. Elodie is completely knocked out so I go into her dresser, pulling out paper and her fountain pen. Sitting at the desk, I begin.
My dearest Theroux,
Words can’t describe what I feel for you, and having to say goodbye pains me. I know you have hope, and hope is what keeps you going. I have lost all hope, lost every ounce that aids me to fight in this battle, a battle I cannot win. You have shown me something I have never known, a love so pure, so warm, and so selfless that I will have my fill for a million lifetimes. You will reside in my heart until I take my last breath, and I hope you will remember me and know that I love you with every fiber in my soul. Be strong, and one day, we will meet again.
Yours,
Violet
Placing down the pen, I wipe the tears from my eyes. I don’t read it again, but instead, fold it and place it into my pocket. Lying in my bed, I don’t find sleep. Instead, I wait for morning, knowing this will be my last night in hell.
***
“Violet, what a surprise,” Adele says as I rush into the kitchen.
“I don’t have time. Please, give this to Theroux later today,” I say, handing her the paper.
“What is this?” she asks.
“I need to go,” I say, hurrying out of the kitchen.
Heading towards the back door, I know I have about twenty minutes before I am supposed to be in Malvado’s room, so this is my chance. It is still a little dark outside, and I hope that no one will be outside. As I finally reach the spot Theroux and I have made our own, I stop. The whispers begin to speak, and I stare into the unknown. How far will I have to go? What will happen? Taking a deep breath, I feel myself begin to shake. Last night I was ready to go without hesitation, today, I am afraid. I take a few moments to get myself together, remembering why I am doing this. I begin to step forward, and the whispers multiply, and become louder. My jewel is glowing, and I continue, taking another step. The whispers grow louder and louder, almost feeling as if I am completely surrounded. I take another step, and my wrist begins to burn. Looking down, I watch as the jewel’s glow starts to dissipate and that is when I hear a scream…it is Theroux.
“Violet. No!” he screams.
Turning my head, I see him running toward me. Before I can speak or move, a fog appears, completely surrounding me. I turn around, and around, but the fog shields everything in front of me. I still hear Theroux screaming, but it seems to come from all directions. I begin to walk, blindly, reaching in front of me, and that is when the fog begins to lessen. Looking at my wrist I notice my jewel has completely disappeared, and I start to search for any sign of life.
“Hello?” I yell, realizing the whispers have vanished. “Is anyone here? Can anyone hear me? Theroux?”
“Only us,” a voice says to my right, and I turn to l
ook.
The fog completely disappears, and I see a woman sitting on a fallen log, her clothes tattered. As I rush over to her, I see more and more people come into view, and relief hits me.
“Oh my God. You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” I say, and as I look around, I count at least twenty more people. “I thought I was going to-”
“Die?” a voice asks behind me.
Turning around, my eyes widen, and I cover my mouth. It is the woman that was near death that I saw drug down the hall after Malvado had his way with her, the night I sat in the hallway.
“I thought you had died!” I say, looking at the scars covering her face. “I thought he had you killed,”
“I am dead,” she replies. “And so are you.”
“What?” I ask, looking around. “No, I can’t be dead. I’m talking to you. Who are all of you?”
“My child,” an old man says as he walks through the now abundant crowd of people. “We are the whispers.”
“What does that mean?”
“The majority are the castaways, the ones Malvado no longer needed. Others are the dead that Malvado’s men discarded into the bayou, and then there are some like you, that hoped for an escape.”
“But if you are dead,” I begin, unable to find the words.
“We are spirits, damned here for an eternity. We can never leave, and we will never change.”
“No,” I say. “No, it can’t be.”
“I’m sorry, my child. You traded one hell for another.”
Turning around, I look up and see someone standing in the distance. I begin to walk, and as I get closer, I see that Theroux is still standing there.
“Theroux!” I yell.
“It won’t work,” the man says, and I start to run. “You can’t break through the barrier!”
I continue screaming his name, running as fast as I can. I don’t remember walking such a distance, but I am determined to reach him. Suddenly, I crash into an invisible wall and fall back. Getting up, my hands explore what it could be, and it feels like a wall of glass. I begin to bang on it, screaming his name from the top of my lungs, and a second later he steps closer. I see his jewel glow and that is when the entire glass wall begins to shake. He is so close, but he can’t hear me. I continue to scream, and I watch as the man I love is broken, tears falling from his eyes.
“Theroux! Can you hear me?” I continue, banging on the glass. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry.”
“I love you, Violet. Can you hear me?”
“Yes,” I yell. “I can hear you. Theroux!”
“Until we meet again,” he replies, tears falling from his eyes. “I hope you escaped.”
I watch him walk away, still screaming his name. I sink down onto the ground, tears streaming down my cheeks. The old man sits beside me, his hand on my back, attempting to give me some sort of a comfort.
“He can’t hear me,” I say.
“He can hear you,” the man replies. “But only as a whisper.”
Epilogue – Theroux
“Is this seat taken?” I ask, and the young redhead turns my way.
“Oh, it’s not,” she replies, a shade of pink decorating her cheeks.
“Now it is,” I grin.
“I see that. My name is Tara, and you are?”
“Theroux,” I reply. “You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No, I’m from California.”
“Oh,” I smile. “That’s a stretch. What brings you to my fine city?”
“I was here for a wedding. College friend. I decided to stay for a few more days to make sure I see everything.”’
“And have you?” I counter.
“Why? Is there something you want to show me?”
“Perhaps,” I chuckle. “But first, how about a drink?”
“Mmm, are you buying?”
“I am,” I say.
“Let’s do this!”
Tara. The easiest of all of my conquests. Honestly, I don’t even think the drink was necessary. She would have followed me back to my hotel room regardless. Taking her to the cellar, my mother walks in behind me and gets a good look at the new girl.
“You think this one has what it takes?” she asks, using her foot to roll her limp body over to see her face. “Pretty girl.”
“I don’t know,” I say, as I begin to leave the room. “I’m going to go outside for a bit.”
“Her clothes?”
“Lazare has her suitcase.”
“Good. Welcome to the Bayou, my dear.”
As I step outside, I start to walk. Others may think it’s just a leisurely stroll, but it never is. I stop near the stables, the very spot where I last saw Violet before she disappeared from my sight. Even after three months, there is a pain that resides deep within my heart. Every morning I wake, hoping it was just a bad dream, but it never is a dream.
I come to this spot every single day, because I can still feel her here. Stepping closer, the whispers begin, and I close my eyes. I know she is there, and today confirmed it. As Lazare, Thibodeux, and I brought Tara back to the bayou, I heard her voice. She didn’t call for help…she called my name.
Theroux, I’m here. I am right beside you. I love you.
It took all of the self-control I had not to rip the blindfold from my eyes. I wanted to see her, I wanted to touch her. Lazare kept telling me to ignore it, for it was the beast manipulating my mind.
Stepping even closer, my jewel begins to glow, letting me know I need to beware. As the whispers continue, I turn my head and see the Mansion in the distance. This is my home; this is all I know. The only time I was truly happy was with Violet. Without her, I have nothing, and as time passes, I continue to lose the man I was when she was by my side. Turning to face the trees, I take a deep breath.
“Violet, if you are in hell, I am coming to join you, my love.”
Without hesitation, I begin to walk straight ahead, when suddenly, the skin around my jewel begins to burn. Holding it up, I watch as the jewel disintegrates, and within seconds, it’s gone. A fog surrounds me, and faces appear, faces of the ones I once knew, the dead, the missing, everyone but her.
“Violet!” I start to yell, running straight ahead, unable to see in front of me. “Violet, where are you?”
The fog begins to subside, sinking to the ground. My heart is pounding, and my eyes search everywhere, when suddenly, I hear her voice.
“Theroux,” she cries, and I turn my head.
“Violet!” I yell, running towards her.
The moment I wrap my arms around her, I feel relief. She holds me tighter than she ever has, and my aching heart is revived. As she loosens her grip, she looks up at me, tears filling her eyes. She opens her mouth to speak, but I place my finger on it.
“Shhh, my love. Our time begins now.”
Until we meet again…Looking back, there are several things I would have changed. I would have never taken Violet to the bayou, but I let fear control my life for so long. Fear controlled me the day she stepped past the boundary, when in fact, I should have run after her. Fear no longer consumes me, and I traded my life for something better. An eternity with the one I love.
Did you enjoy your journey into the bayou? Let me know by leaving a review. I would love to hear what you think. Thank you for taking the time to give my novel a chance.
Other Books:
Ride or Die – Gates of Hell (Book One)
https://www.amazon.com/Ride-Die-Gates-Hell-MC-ebook/dp/B07SHNQF2S/
Cash – Gates of Hell (Book Two)
https://www.amazon.com/Cash-Gates-Hell-Lily-Wallis-ebook/dp/B07XJ5KFYV/
Killer – Gates of Hell (Book Three)
https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Gates-Hell-Lily-Wallis-ebook/dp/B081GHX3YX/
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