Waiting a Lifetime (The Waiting Series Book 1)

by Samantha Peterson

  “How do you plea? I will not repeat myself again.”

  I sit in silence for a moment, thinking. I’m grateful he doesn’t order me to speak again, giving me time to think things through.

  I haven’t done anything wrong so I should plead not guilty, but I do have powers.

  So, will it be lying if I do plead not guilty? Will it even make a difference either way? It doesn’t seem like they are going to just let me go home if I tell the truth, especially since they won’t let me explain anything to them.

  Even if I plead not guilty, I doubt they would let me go home.

  I almost regret stopping Degory in the alley the first time we met, then maybe my life would still be normal, and neither of us would be mixed up in this huge mess. Then again, I wouldn’t have him either. That’s not something I’m willing to give up, even if I could go back and do things differently.

  “Ms. Siebel.,” the voice comes again.

  Not to question me more, but to provoke me to talk again, and make my decision. I look up at the group in front of me, directing my gaze towards the middle, since I’m not sure who I’m responding to.

  “Not guilty,” I say with as much confidence as I can muster.

  Unfortunately, it isn’t much because my voice comes out as just above a whisper even though I can hear myself echoing up through the group again.

  “Very well,” he acknowledges.

  I can’t get used to his voice. Every time he speaks, I feel like I’m getting smaller and smaller – more insignificant. He sounds like a normal older gentleman, older than the grandfather in the park, but it’s the sheer, raw power in his voice that freaks me out and makes me feel so little.

  “Since you refuse to take responsibility for your actions, you will not be given the opportunity to say goodbye to your family.”

  “What?”

  What the hell is he talking about? Is that really what this is all about? Whether I will be allowed to say goodbye to my family or not?

  “We will decide your fate,” the old man finalizes. “You are excused.”

  “NO! Let me go!” I scream, struggling against my bonds.

  I keep yelling and demanding that they let me go, spitting profanities like venom, but no one seems to be listening to me. The bald man that brought me here comes back into the room, unstraps me from the chair, and ties my hands back up with the rope. I kick, scream, and pull against his grip, but it doesn’t make any difference.

  He hoists me over his shoulder and carries me out of the room. My escort holds me in place with one arm, and places the hood back over my head with his free hand. I try to kick and punch him, but nothing works. He carries me all the way back to my cell while I struggle and yell the whole time.

  I recognize the wet scent of the cement and dirt as he descends the stairs, and opens the creaky door towards my new ‘home’. I can even hear the groaning of the bars as he opens them enough for us to step inside, then set me down on the bed.

  Still, I don’t stop fighting against him. He isn’t phased in the slightest, as he unties my hands and removes the hood, leaving me alone in the cell once again. He’s so fast that I don’t have time to get up from the bed to try and attempt an escape. The thought isn’t even able to cross my mind.

  The door to this block slams shut before I can comprehend that he is gone.

  I want to get up and scream at the door for him to come back and let me out, but I don’t have the energy. I’m completely drained again. This time, from the realization I may not be getting out of here like I had hoped.

  Were they holding a trial just to see if I would tell them they are right and say I was guilty? Were they really only going to let me say goodbye to my family if I had?

  I knew they weren’t going to let me go…

  I stand up and slowly pace the small room. How long will it take for them to reach a decision as to what they will do with me?

  What else would they do besides hand me over to their Research Department? Would they just kill me and examine my corpse?

  God, this waiting is going to make me go crazy. How long will it take one hundred different people to come to a unanimous decision and send someone to let me know? I don’t even know if they all have to agree on a ruling for it to happen.

  I pace around for a long while before sitting down on the bed. I feel like smashing my head against the cement wall. Maybe if I do something to hurt myself, they will come sooner with the news.

  That or they won’t actually care, since they could be planning to kill me anyway.

  It would beat what I’m doing now. This waiting is so frustrating. Well, if I smash my head hard enough so that my brains are affected, maybe that will keep them from examining my body.

  A creaking comes from the entrance of the cell block, interrupting my grim line of thinking. I, immediately, stand up and lean against the bars, trying to see who it is. I want it so badly to be Degory.

  The footsteps aren’t hurried, but have a normal pace to them as they approach. It takes a minute before the person reaches me. To my disdain, it isn’t Degory. It’s the dark-haired Lieutenant that came with him to visit me before that stands in front of me now.

  I can feel the fear flowing through my veins and feel the second it reaches my heart. Feel it pumping through the rest of my body.

  “Where’s Degory?” I demand, letting my fear guide my tone.

  “We were never properly introduced,” she states, calmly.

  Her voice is very kind and sweet as she speaks, but I can’t tell if it’s genuine.

  “My name is Mary Hacker,” she says. “I’m the Lieutenant of Division Five. I’m a close friend of Deg’s. We grew up together on the outskirts of Eden before we became Reapers.”

  “Where is Degory?” I repeat.

  I don’t want small talk. I don’t care who she is, I need to know if he is okay. I need to know why he isn’t standing here in front of me to tell me what the Head Counsel decided to do with me.

  Anger begins to bubble in my belly, causing fire to boil within my veins. The Lieutenant sighs and disregards my question.

  “He’s always been so mature, serious, and a bit cold,” she reminisces. “He’s only ever been concerned with what his duty was. I’ve never seen him go against rules or his duties. Even growing up, he acted mean and distant, though, I knew he cared for me.”

  “Ever since he followed me and became a Reaper himself, he’s been protecting me,” she continues. “He would never admit it, but he’s always looking out for me. I haven’t seen him let his guard down with anyone.”

  She pauses, searching my eyes. I want to ask her again where he is, but I decide against it, holding back the urge. He hadn’t told me he had grown up with someone before he became a Reaper, so I can’t help being a little bit curious about what else she will say about him.

  “In all the centuries I’ve known him,” she says, “I have never seen him act out of the ordinary or disregard his duty for someone.”

  Oh, I get it. She’s looking for what it is about me that Degory loves. Why he’s acting so out of character after two centuries.

  She knows as well as I do that it isn’t just a fling or momentary lapse of judgment for him, but she’s looking for the why more than I am. It is nice knowing someone else notices the love and connection we share together, though. Reassuring, even.

  However, I don’t even know what it is he sees in me. I don’t know her very well, but I would have told her if I knew the answer to that question.

  Chapter 18

  “Where is Degory?” I demand.

  I’m losing patience and fast. She looks down at her feet for a moment before speaking again.

  “There was a Captain’s meeting to discuss the verdict of your trial,” she announces, speaking to her shoes. “There, he was informed of your fate and he made a scene. He was taken to the Division Six barracks and is being monitored by his regiment.”

  “He has been ordered to stay there, but he keeps trying
to get past his comrades and come to you,” she continues. “He asked me to come here and inform you of what the Head Counsel decided, since he trusts me.”

  I hate the pauses she keeps taking in between each sentence. I think she’s drawing out the news, but I can’t figure out why. Either she can’t get herself to say it, or she’s trying to piss me off because she thinks I took Degory away from her.

  Which I never had any intention of doing when we met. I didn’t even know she existed until yesterday. All I did was fall in love, and I couldn’t even control that. I hope she’s the type of person who doesn't like to give out bad news rather than being jealous. That would make this a little less awkward.

  She finally looks up at me when she finishes the news. It’s like she’s studying me to see how I will react, and what makes me tick. Every moment that passes, my nerves became more frazzled and I can’t seem to think straight.

  Thankfully, the fear is gone. Knowing that Degory is okay makes me feel a lot better. I don’t care so much about what happens to me. This became my destiny the minute I stopped him in the alleyway, and I wouldn’t change meeting him for anything – not even my freedom.

  She continues speaking slowly and carefully while watching my every move. I’m getting really sick of her analyzing me like some sort of experiment or something, but from her hints, I better get used to it.

  “The Head Counsel has announced that your powers are to be bound so you are unable to use them. You are to be a research specimen for the Research and Development team, where you will be studied so that Reapers will be able to find more humans like you and learn what it is that gives you these powers. That way we can avoid such dangerous mutations in the future.”

  “I am sorry to be the one to inform you of this,” she says. “For Degory, I wish there was something I could do to help you, or at least keep you from being treated poorly.”

  I don’t want to believe her, but the sincerity is clear. I can’t help but feel relieved that Degory’s friend is kind rather than a jealous nut job. I really am going to be a lab rat for some crazy scientist.

  Her eyes even tear up, showing me she’s earnest about wanting to help me, and not wanting me to be treated like a research specimen. Well, for Degory anyway. It’s enough knowing she cares about him. I’m grateful that he has someone else looking out for him while I can’t.

  “Can you make sure he doesn’t try to come for me?” I request, sniffling.

  I’m trying to hold back tears but I’m not doing a very good job of it so far. She looks at me with a surprised expression.

  “I know that he will never stop trying to save me unless someone like you or me convinces him it will never happen,” I explain. “I don’t want him to spend centuries ruining the life he has built here to try and save me.”

  “I see…” she says to herself. “I understand why he cares so much for you now. I promise you I will do everything I can to keep him from making another mistake.”

  “Thank you.”

  I wish the situation had been different. Under contrasting circumstances, I think that Lieutenant Hacker and I could have become good friends.

  “They will transport you to the Research and Development Department tomorrow morning,” she informs me. “You will be escorted there.”

  I nod and thank her again for coming to tell me all of this. She bows slightly and makes her way out of the cell block. I’m once again alone with my thoughts. I’m not scared anymore, and I’m not nervous.

  I’m actually relieved. I know exactly what is going to happen to me, and I have reassurances that Degory is going to be alright.

  I wonder if he will be allowed to see me when they transport me. It probably isn’t a good idea, though. Knowing him, he will try his best to come after me, and be willing to take on everyone in Eden if he has to.

  Resigned to the Head Counsel’s decision, I sit on the bed. I have no idea what time it is, or how long it will be until morning. I hate this waiting, so I decide to try and sleep, even though it won’t be very restful with the current bed. Not that I expect my new one will be any different, of course.

  However, I lay down on my side, pull the sheet over my body, and close my eyes. I use the same tactic as the night before, and picture being with Degory. We haven’t spent a lot of time together, but it’s enough to make a lasting impression on us both. Almost like a tattoo that’s been inked onto our hearts.

  The time we have had together are the best moments of my life, and I will always cherish them. Thinking of him, and the memory of sleeping next to him, allows my body to relax, and sleep becomes a possibility. Within moments, I’m dreaming of being in those dense woods with him again, training.

  I’m woken up the next morning by the bald guy again. There’s another guy with him, his presence is a little feminine. That, or he’s simply really concerned about his looks, which is sort of strange for a guy, and one who enjoys fighting to boot.

  I can tell by his voice it is the same man who had joined the bald guy and me on our way to the trial yesterday. He’s complaining to baldy about having to help escort me today.

  I don’t even make that much of a fuss, what’s the big deal?

  Either way, they aren’t kind about waking me. The bald one yells into the cell, while his friend uses the sheath of his sword to pound on the bars. I sit up, wiping my eyes to try and wake myself up faster. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to wake up fast enough for them. They keep being loud even after I sit up.

  “Do you guys have to be so rude?” I comment to myself.

  It’s more of a rhetorical question, but they hear it.

  “I don’t know,” the bald one responds, sarcastically.

  His face is set into a seemingly permanent grimace.

  “We have the boring job of bringing a stupid human to the Research and Development department,” he says. “Division Ten are fighters, we don’t do grunt work. I don’t even know why you need a chaperone. Prisoner detail was not in the job description.”

  “I don’t know how I was roped into this,” the other one says.

  Not to me, but to baldy. I think he’s pretending I don’t exist. He has long, black hair that ends at his chin. He, also, has weird eyelashes that makes him look ridiculous, but it’s clear in his demeanor that he thinks they make him look fabulous. His voice makes him sound snotty and pretentious. It’s difficult to listen to him talk without getting annoyed.

  “You’re the one who took her to the trail,” the feminine one continues, “why do I have to help take her to Research and Development with you? She’s just a human, and not even that strong of spiritual power. How much of a threat can she pose?”

  “None,” the bald one replies, dryly. “I can carry her with one arm and barely notice her trying to struggle. There’s no point in this. They should have had someone from Division Three to take care of this.”

  “I agree,” the black haired one nods.

  I stand, trying to zone out what they are saying, and back away against the opposite wall from the doorway. They open the barred door and come inside with what looks like the same rope as the one from yesterday.

  Putting my hands out for them to tie, I don’t want to struggle. That will get back to Degory and he will want to come after me. If I look like I’m okay and accept the decision, then he will be less likely to risk his life for me. At least, I hope.

  He does know me better than that, so it’s almost pointless to try, but I have to do something so he won’t get himself in more trouble trying to save me from an impossible situation.

  The bald man ties my hands effortlessly and leads me out of the cell, and not very friendly-like either. The other one follows behind me, and they continue to bicker about nothing the whole time.

  They are more aggravating than Ian when he loses on one of his games. Their voices bounce off the cement walls, so it’s difficult to block out. I constantly focus on taking deep breaths to keep myself from freaking out on them for how annoying they are.r />
  After climbing a few flights of stairs, I notice they hadn’t bothered to put a mask on my head this time. I guess, since I’m going to stay here the rest of my human life, they don’t see the harm in allowing me to see Eden at least once before I’m locked away for the rest of my pitiful existence. I just wish I knew how long that is going to be.

  Will they kill me and keep bringing me back until they are satisfied? Or do they not care about keeping me alive at all?

  My escorts keep bickering back and forth as we walk, pretty much ignoring everything around them. The bald one opens another door, and bright light envelopes us, touching every dark corner surrounding us.

  I’m blinded at first. Being locked up in my cell and always having a hood on my head has made me get used to the darkness. My eyes hurt. I shut them tight, hoping my eyes will adjust to the light soon.

  Although I can’t see to walk, the men ushering me keep pulling and pushing me forward anyway. I take my steps slowly so I won’t trip over my own feet, but I take several before I can finally see. I blink until my eyes adjust, and look around to see what has to be the almost whole of Eden watching me.

  I can’t help but search around me. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of buildings surrounding the area and even more Reapers. I can only see the tall ones though, there are many walls that keep each street and section separate.

  Each building looks similar to a hut, but slightly more advanced in nature. As if an older culture or civilization erected them, and they have been improved over time. They are very stable but look extremely old.

  There are trees everywhere that contrast with the white buildings beautifully. I’m sad knowing I’ll never be able to tell anyone about this. My first experience seeing heaven, and I’ll never be allowed to share it.

  I can’t tell how big Eden really is, but I can imagine from what I am able to see. I think it’s strange that there is a large hill, with a steep cliff on one side of it, near what has to be the center of Eden. Along with what looks like two very tall posts stretching up further than I’m able to see.

  I consider what it might be used for before I realize I probably don’t want to find out the answer to that. Either way, this place is even more beautiful than I have ever dreamed of, and I want to live to tell the tale.