“Call my cell phone in an hour if you haven’t found her!” I said, slamming the truck door shut and he sped away. I started searching. The parking lot was deserted...save for a red sedan that had a long scratch down the middle of the hood.
I hissed. That was Landon’s car. What the hell was he doing here again? It couldn’t mean anything good. I walked into the store and began heading into the frozen section. As I crossed into the next aisle, a few figures caught my eye.
I Froze in place.
“This town is only so big. Christie has nowhere to hide,” Annabelle muttered, and my heart stopped. I pressed myself up against a glass door, holding my breath.
“Annabelle we have to go,” Landon whined, and I caught a bit of apprehension in his voice. “They’re going to find us soon.”
“Shut up!” Everything is quiet. There’s footsteps, and I could hear her walk closer and closer to the exact spot I stood. If she caught me, it was all over. Nobody in this store was going to be able to stop her from killing me on the spot.
“Annabelle!” Landon whined again. I heard her spin on her heels and hiss, “Oh fine! Just so I don’t have to hear your bitching. Let’s get out of here. You two.” I know she’s turning to the other people with her. “She’s not here. Sweep the area. I want you to find her. We’ll be back to pick you up later, but I don’t want any phone calls unless she’s been found. Understood?”
I don’t wait to hear their responses. As fast as I can, I bolt past the cash registers and out the main door. I run across the parking lot, running faster than I ever have up Main Street and back to Ian’s.
Chapter Ten
Christine
“Did you find anything? Christie?” Ian came home and slammed the door shut as he saw me curled up in a ball on his couch, with eyes that are bugging out of my head and a mouth that’s so dry it’s practically leaking sand.
“Christie! What went wrong? What happened? Did you find out something about the girl?” He sat by my side, grabbing my hand, and that’s all it took for the tough persona I put up for months to come crashing down.
“Christie, what’s going on?” Ian’s arms wrapped around me and he held me close, his expression frightened.
“I can’t tell you,” I blubbered out. “You’ll hate me.”
“No, Christie, no! I could never hate you. Whatever you need to tell me is okay, I promise.”
“No it’s not. You don’t understand.” I try to pull away but he holds me in place, not letting me go.
“What don’t I understand? No matter what it is I promise not to be angry. I won’t be mad, but I can’t stand seeing you like this. It scares me.”
“I know who took the kids,” I whispered, and his eyes grew wide. He grabbed my shoulders and said, “You know? You have to tell me.”
“You’ll hate me, Ian!”
“I swear I won’t! But I need to know. Please.”
“You promise?”
“I’ve never lied to you. Now tell me.”
The whole terrible story comes tumbling out of me, everything from the minute I met Annabelle until now. Everything, except for the story about Faith. When I’m finished Ian is pacing around the room. I can’t read his face.
“And I don’t know where she’s taken them but I know she’s got them, and I know it’s my fault because I led her here,” I finished, waiting for his answer. He stopped to look at me, expressionless.
“I don’t think it was your fault, Christie,” he said. “None of it was your fault.”
“She wants me, Ian. I loved her. I wanted to be with her.” I dropped my head. “You probably think that’s wrong.”
“The only thing that’s wrong is everything she did to you,” Ian told me, sitting by my side. “You are not responsible for any of this. Do you hear me?”
“But Ian...
“No buts.” He wiped the tears from my eyes. “Please stop crying. It makes me sad to see you cry.”
“Ian, you don’t understand!” I said, leaping up from my seat. “I’m a murderer!”
All the color drained from his face. “You’re a...what?”
“I killed someone.” My whole body began shaking and I closed my eyes, tears rolling down my cheeks. “Her name was Faith Everblast. We went to school together and we both joined the cult. She tried to run away and Annabelle ordered me to kill her. I knew if I didn’t she was going to kill me too. So I did it.” I crumpled into a heap on the floor, my head in my hands. “I’m a murderer,” I whimpered. “How could you not see? I’m not good for you, or anyone else. I’m a monster. Worthless.”
The apartment was filled with nothing but silence. “If I could go back in time, I’d change it all,” I whispered. “I’d slit my own throat before taking that girl’s life. I would do anything to change what I did. Anything.”
There was still silence. Ian despised me. I knew it. He was going to call the police so they could cart me off to jail where I belonged, forever. Away and locked up from people, alone where I couldn’t hurt anyone.
The wooden floor creaked and then Ian was kneeling beside me, resting his head on my shoulder, his arms enveloping me. “I know you’d take it back, Christie,” he said, and he placed a kiss in my hair. “But that girl who murdered an innocent is not the person you are today. You did what you had to in order to survive.”
“You would’ve never killed someone,” I said. “You need to stay away from me.”
He lifted my chin with his finger gently. “There is no force on heaven or hell that could keep me away from you. Not even an earth-shattering revelation like this. It’s terrible what you did, Christie. But I will always believe that the real killer behind all of this was Annabelle. Not you. And you need to forgive yourself for what you’ve done.”
“Forgive myself for killing a girl who was just like me? There’s no way,” I said, shaking my head.
“You have to start somewhere,” he smiled. He brushed back my hair so it was out of my face, away from my eyes. “You’re just as beautiful as ever. I’m glad you told me about this. All of it.”
“I’m sorry I lied to you for so long,” I said, still looking downward.
“I probably would’ve done the same thing, if I was as scared as you.”
“Why do you love me?” I asked, and his eyes flickered downward. “Don’t pretend like it’s not true. I know you do. I can see it, everyone else can see it. Why do you keep loving me?”
He looked at me blankly. “I don’t have a reason for why I love you, Christie. I just do.”
With my chin still in his hand he pulled me closer and leaned in to kiss me. Out of nowhere a part of me, a part I thought was lost forever, sprung to life inside of my chest. Ian’s touch spread a warm sensation humming throughout my body, and I sat there, paralyzed as all the feelings I had been denying myself for so long came flooding back.
I had risen from the dead.
Ian pulled away and then whispered softly to me, “And I plan to keep loving you for a very long time.”
I fell against his chest and he enveloped me in his arms. “Ian, I...”
“You don’t have to say it back,” he said. “You can take your time. I just know that I love you. Now and always.”
We stayed there for a few minutes, silently clinging to each other. Ian is actually the first to pull away and say, “Christie, we have to get the police.”
I nodded. “I understand. You have to turn me in.”
“I’m not turning you in,” he said, frowning. “You might have killed someone, but I’m convinced it was for your own survival. And personally, I want to keep you around for my own selfish reasons.”
“That’s not right, Ian. I deserve to be punished,” I protested.
“Call it a character flaw. But if you don’t turn yourself in, I’m definitely not speaking a word of this to anyone. I’d rather not have a relationship with a girl behind bars.”
For the first time in his life, Ian refused to do the right thing. I knew that I shoul
d’ve probably marched right to the police station and told them everything. But for the same reason Ian didn’t want to turn me in, I couldn’t turn myself in either. I couldn’t bear to leave him. Faith was dead, but Ian was alive. And I had to do everything I could to protect him, now and forever. I could honor Faith by making sure Annabelle never, ever hurt anyone ever again.
“Christie,” Ian said again, shaking me out of my thoughts. “We have to tell the police about Annabelle.”
Wiping my face, I put my mask of stone back on. “Right. We can’t waste anymore time.”
“I’m going down to the station.” Ian got up and grabbed his coat.
“Can’t you just call them?”
“I doubt they’ll come out here, not with all the chaos going on. I want to speak to them directly.”
“I’ll come with you,” I said, standing up.
“No you’re not. You’re staying here.” Ian shook his head. “Tessica’s father is the sheriff.”
“Tessica isn’t exactly important right now,” I huffed, crossing my arms.
“If she’s there, which she probably is, she’ll convince her father that everything you say is a waste of time. If I talk to them they’ll actually listen.”
I sighed. “Alright. But don’t take too long.”
“I won’t. I’ll grab the police and come straight back.” He dashed to my side and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “I love you. I’ll be back soon.”
“Ian!” I said, and he stopped just before he opened the door. He turned and asked, “Yes?”
I swallowed. “Are we...together now?”
He smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out when this is all over. Be back soon.”
The minute he left my shaking legs caused me to collapse on the couch, lightheaded. Finding out if me and Ian were actually a couple seemed almost as scary as facing Annabelle. Would I even get to find out the answer, or would I be dead? I shook my head. I couldn’t think like that. I actually had something, someone, to live for now, and even though I wasn’t sure if I loved Ian back I knew I would fight for him until the end. That one kiss was all it took to make me be loyal to him forever, and there was no turning back.
Time passed slowly. I tried sewing, but ended up just getting frustrated and resorted to pacing and watching the clock as an hour passed by with no word. Where was he? This was taking forever...
Finally I gave up. I was going down there to find him, Tessica or no Tessica. I ran down the stairs and fired up my junker, heading towards the police station. It was only a two minute drive. I pulled into the parking lot and put my car in park, just about to turn the key off before my eye spotted a large mass of fake blonde hair.
My heart went up into my throat as I watched the two of them out the corner of my window. Ian, pushed up against a wall, with Tessica blocking him in. Right in front of me, she leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on Ian’s lips.
Everything that had been my world for months instantly blew up in my face. I couldn’t breathe and my stomach turned sour. I felt like I was going to throw up. Ian was kissing Tessica, minutes after he had said he loved me. I shook my head, warding off more tears. Ron was right. Ian was a player, and I had been stupid enough to fall for his tricks. He loved me. Right. I should’ve known better to believe him. Nobody could ever love me.
I kicked my car into drive and spun my wheels as I flew out of the parking lot, leaving behind a trail of black smoke. So that was the real reason he didn’t want me to come down to the station. He probably didn’t even care about the kids at all. This whole thing had been about him toying with me just like everyone else, and I had told him everything. I would’ve been better off sticking with Annabelle. At least then I wouldn’t have ever believed for a second that things were going to be okay. I wouldn’t have fallen for a fantasy. I pushed my car past the speed limit as I drove away from this town, this state, this life. I had to leave this place behind forever, no matter what the consequences. No matter what, I would never return to Michigan. I was done with it all.
“I WANT TO DIE!” I shouted, and I pounded the steering wheel with my fists, tears clouding up my vision so badly I could barely see the road. My entire world was pain. I would never feel happy again, nor would I ever care to.
In this agony I realized it. Yes, I loved Ian. I loved Ian with everything I had, and had given him all of me like a fool. I never had realized it because I was trying to deny my true feelings for so long.
And now he had destroyed me. There was nothing left. He meant everything to me, and I hadn’t been able to prevent myself from caring about him no matter how hard I had tried. I had tried to protect myself, but love had won over.
And love had once again screwed me over.
Broken. I no longer cared about life. It was all over for me. I was no use to anyone anymore. I had enough.
I couldn’t stop crying, but through my tears I remembered the kids. Annabelle still had them. I wanted to run away so badly, but I couldn’t let two defenseless children be ruined by her like I was. I had to try and save them. Ian certainly wasn’t going to do anything about it. But who could I go to? The police certainly wouldn’t believe me, not after that display.
I steadied my shaking hands. Ahren and Marjorie. Their son might be a complete douchebag, but they were good people. They would help me. They had to. They were my only chance. Turning the car around I began driving towards the farm as quickly as possible.
The place was eerily quiet when I got out of my vehicle. Something wasn’t right. I hurried towards the house, turning the doorknob. It was unlocked. I headed inside only to find the kitchen empty. Both cars were still here, and it was the middle of the day. Were they upstairs taking a nap? I headed into the living room and gasped at what I saw.
Ahren and Marjorie were both tied up, their mouths gagged, rope lying all across the floor. I ran to them, kneeling to begin untying their mouths. “Mr. and Mrs. Rosenthal, are you alright?”
The minute I got Ahren’s gag off he said, “Christie, you have to get out of here!”
“What are you talking about? Who did this?” I asked.
I heard a soft chuckle behind me. “Oh Christie. You’re always the last to know about everything, aren’t you?”
I glanced over my shoulder to see Annabelle standing there, with Landon by her side. I caught his eyes, and he guiltily looked away.
Annabelle smiled triumphantly at me and said, “I was only here on some unfinished business. It’s awesome that you walked right into it.”
“Leave her alone, Lia,” Ahren said. “She has nothing to do with this.”
Lia? I looked back at Annabelle, and then remembered what Ian had told me long ago. Of course. Now I saw the similarities. Ian’s missing sister. She had run away from here long ago, and I had ended up falling for both of them. How sick and twisted could my life be?
“She has everything to do with it, father,” Annabelle snapped. “It’s all thanks to Christie that we’re here. You didn’t really think you had outrun me, did you?” She laughed.
“Your parents didn’t do anything but love you! They were looking for you for ages!” I shouted back at her, stunned by my own bravery. I had never yelled at Annabelle before.
“All they ever wanted to do was control me,” she said, looking directly into her mother’s tearful eyes. “They forced me to go to church. I hated church! They insisted that I become a cheerleader and be a good little girl. I was never allowed to mess up. I was never allowed to be me. I always had to be perfect.”
I recoiled in shock as I noticed her voice started to waver. Never, in all my life, had Annabelle ever seemed anything but infallible.
“But that’s all over now,” she whispered, and that terrifying, perfect face was back, a smile spreading across her face. “I hate them, and I hate my brother too, perfect bastard that he is. Once I’m done with you two, he’s next.”
My heart gave a dull thud. Ian. No matter how much of a jerk he was
or how badly he had broken my heart, I still loved him, and there was no way in hell I was going to let his sister kill him. “Over my dead body,” I hiss.
“That can easily be arranged,” she said. She gestured to Landon and he started moving towards me, his hands reaching for my throat.
“Landon, you don’t want to do this,” I said, slowly rising to my feet. “We’re friends.”
“I’m sorry Christie,” he said, eyes are full of regret. “But I have to. I love her. This is the only way to prove it. She already told me so.”
Landon charged towards me. I dove quickly out of the way and he ended up slamming into the fireplace behind me, causing picture frames and glass ornaments to shatter across the floor. As Landon stood up an expression of hatred and confusion flickers across his face. He was too far gone. He fell deeply under Annabelle’s spell, and there’s no way I could break it.
“You can’t fight me!” he yelled, his hands balling up into fists. “Once you’re in the cult, you can never get out! You’re in it for life!”
“Get this over with!” Annabelle demanded.
Landon went to charge at me again but before he could the door flew open and the roar of a lion echoed through the entire room. Ian charged towards Landon and tackled him to the floor, and the two rolled across the rug. I turned towards Annabelle, who was temporarily stunned.
I flew towards her with a wild yell, grabbing her hair in my hands. She shrieked and started punching me in the stomach, winding me. I let go of her hair and slammed her into the wall instead, forcing her to the ground. We barely missed Ian and Landon as we tossed each other across the room, her landing a heavy blow to my eye. I lost sight for a second, but didn’t stop fighting. Reaching behind me I grabbed the first thing I could off of a side table, an iron candelabra.
“You’ll never do it,” she hissed, blood streaming down her face as well as my own. “You’re too weak.”
“No, Anna! I’m done with the cult, I’m done with being miserable, and I’m done with being afraid of you!” I raised the candelabra above my head and smacked her across the face.
These Starcrossed Lives of Ours Page 13