End of Eternity 4

by Loretta Lost

  I’m so glad that I had the foresight to do that rape kit. I suppose you never know when you’re going to need to murder someone, and justify why. I didn’t really expect that I could justify my actions, so it rather surprised me that everyone was so understanding and supportive. The authorities were all on my side.

  Katia helped a lot too, with explaining the situation to the local authorities in their language. Unfortunately, Katia was not as lucky as I was. It turns out that many of the family members of hers that Brad was threatening to kill were already dead. That poor girl.

  Knowing what happened to her makes me extra grateful that I am able to come home to my family at all.

  But there is one missing element. One thing that’s really bugging me.

  While waiting at the embassy, I tried to get in touch with Owen. I called his phone dozens of times, and got his voicemail message, but he never returned my calls. I simply don’t understand why. Luckily, I was able to contact Dad and ask him to send me some money. That is how I was able to purchase this adorable baggy sweater.

  I wonder if Owen is still angry at me for what I said to him on the day I left? I was pretty harsh and cruel. Is that why he ignored my calls? I want to go home so badly, but my house is destroyed and my father is sick. I don’t know what I have to look forward to other than being close to Owen. But I have a heavy feeling in my stomach that I might have lost that opportunity.

  I just didn’t expect to survive. I nearly didn’t. My main focus was on getting through it at all; on completing the mission. It had to be. Now that it’s over, I don’t know what to do with myself.

  “Carm—”

  Brad’s startled plea right before I put the gun in his mouth echoes in my mind.

  The man literally died with my name on his lips. I wonder what the rest of his final sentence would have been. If I hadn’t shoved a gun between his lips and pulled the trigger, I might know what he was going to say. Don’t you hate it when people die in the middle of saying things?

  I guess, strangely enough, I do miss Brad. I’ve already been forced to talk to psychiatrists who tried to make sure that I was dealing with everything well. Or at least that I wasn’t some sort of menace to society because of all this.

  Burying myself deeper into my sweater, I realize that the plane has landed. I’m soon going to get a chance to see my father and sister again. It seems a little unreal to me. I know I should feel happy and grateful for the opportunity, but I am just numb. I just want to sleep. I want to crawl into my own comfy bed and sleep there in my comfy sweater for as long as possible.

  But even that is not possible. My comfy bed is nestled within a house that is partly burned down. I won’t be sleeping there tonight. I feel like I have had a lot of similar comforts ripped away from me lately. It’s the simple, necessary little things that make life tolerable.

  Before I even realize what’s happening, someone is ushering me off the plane. I find myself standing up and moving, walking dumbly through the airport. One leg moves in front of the other, and I seem to be making progress and heading in the right direction.

  When I step through the gates, I have to shield my eyes from the flashes and glares of cameras. I would normally be concerned about my hair and makeup, but I no longer have the energy to care. I scan the faces of the crowd for something recognizable, until I finally see the kind eyes of a family member.

  It is Helen, and she is rushing toward me. My sister throws her arms around my neck and holds me close. She rubs her arms up and down my back, and whispers nice words into my ear. I can’t quite hear her, but I greedily soak up the sound of her voice and the positive tone.

  I wish I could hear what she’s saying, but all I can hear is the gunshot after I slid the weapon into Brad’s mouth.

  “Carm—”

  Helen is smiling and touching my hair, and there are tears in her eyes. My father quickly moves to our side, and he gathers us both up in a hug. He places his hand behind my neck, and rains kisses down on my forehead. There are bandages on his face and hands which cover the scars from his burns, and my heart aches for him. But then I see that under the bandages, his loving eyes are smiling at me, and I know that he is mostly okay. The emotion rips at my chest. I thought I’d lost my father, but he’s here. He’s actually standing right here, and smiling at me. Smiling and crying.

  I am home. I am safe.

  I can finally start to accept this. I can finally start to feel better.

  Tears are sliding down my own cheeks, even though I am not able to speak a word. I still appreciate this. I’m still happy to be back home, close to people I never thought I’d see again.

  I just wish Owen was here. I still have this terrible feeling in my heart, like I’m never going to see him again. I would give everything and an Oreo cookie just to see his face.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Dr. Owen Phillips

  I find myself panting for breath as I burst out of the darkened stairwell and into the underground garage. My heart is pounding loudly in my ears and my shirt is becoming soaked from perspiration around my armpits and the center of my back. When did I get so out of shape? Maybe it’s just the fear and emotion that is putting a strain on my heart and all my other organs. I try to control my frantic breathing as I run through the parking lot.

  My lips are cracked and dried out. I keep trying to lick them and apply moisture, but it seems there is some kind of invisible moisture goblin stealing it all away. Or maybe all the water in my body just drained out through my armpits. Whatever. Who needs good looking lips? Not me.

  When I reach my parking spot, I am disoriented for a moment as I can’t seem to find my car. Then I realize that the new red Subaru Forester is mine. Caroline and I picked it out as a good, safe SUV for starting a family. Well, those were my reasons. “Are you sure you don’t want a sports car?” Caroline had asked skeptically. “I mean, we’re not going to start a family anytime soon, are we?” After minimal arguing, she finally caved and we signed off on the loan for it. Just in case.

  I don’t have time to think about her and our little squabbles right now.

  My hands are shaky when I get behind the wheel. I try to take a calming breath but it doesn’t work. If anything, it actually makes my shaking worse. There is no way I can go out and drive like this. Not if I want to arrive at Dr. Howard’s home among the living. I just can’t believe that Carmen was abducted to freaking Europe. How could I not have known? I just thought she was avoiding me. I called her so many times, and I never thought to ask the police to check on her. Not that it would have made any difference, necessarily, but I still wish that I could have done something to help. I jam the key into the ignition and smile slightly when my CD begins to blare an intense rock ballad.

  I allow the music to fill my ears and soul. Slowly, my body begins to relax. Is there anything like the pure surround sound of a vehicle for stress relief? I don’t know how I ever survived without my car, but I’m just glad that I have a new one now. I also turn the AC on to blast me with some cold air, to deal with the little lakes of sweat that are sitting in my armpits. I doubt I have ever needed more stress relief than I do right now.

  What am I going to find when I drive over there? Is Carmen really okay? What did that madman try to do to her? Did she really survive and escape in one piece? You can’t believe everything you hear on the news. There is only one way to find out: I need to see her. I need to touch her and hold her to assure myself that she’s real.

  The music plays for another few moments before it switches to another track. By the time it does, I feel ready to begin driving. I flip the CD back to the previous track and set it to repeat before turning my key in the ignition. The powerful engine roars to life like a lion. A fierce, formidable lion. I am grateful that I have all this new horsepower beneath my foot, because it can get me to her faster.

  My hand switches the car into reverse and my foot presses against the gas. In a smooth motion, the car pulls out of the parking space with e
ase. I’m still not totally used to the way the new car drives, but every time I give it a shot, it feels better and better. I idly wonder if Carmen will be equally impressed with my new wheels. Maybe I could take her for a drive, so we can get some privacy to talk, away from the family.

  This thought causes my lips to turn upward. I finally feel a sense of elation over the situation. I’m going to see Carmen again. Nothing else matters. If she’s injured or sad, I can help to heal her and cheer her up. I know I can. I can dig deep and find the old, funny Owen who’s hiding somewhere inside me. He can’t be completely gone. My breathing starts coming in an even rhythm rather than in short gasps. Just knowing that she’ll be close to me again has totally stripped me of my anxiety.

  I shift into drive and step on the gas. I am no longer afraid and angry, and it shows in the way I handle the Forester through the parking lot. The wheels hug the concrete as I rip it around corners, navigating it toward the exit. When the car hits the road, I blast it down the street as fast as I’m able. The powerful engine roars as the car accelerates, and with each passing second, I feel more and more at ease.

  Thirty minutes and a lot of hard turns later, I’m parked in front of Dr. Leslie Howard’s stylish home. I never realized it was so close to Carmen’s family home, but I suppose that this part of town is filled with rich folk in the medical community. Dr. Howard’s home is not as grand as the Winters’ estate, but the traditional elements fused with modern architecture suit Leslie’s personality perfectly. The best part? Carmen is actually inside.

  I park the car in the driveway, right behind Liam’s BMW. I step outside and all the nervous energy comes rushing back to me. I’ve spent so many sleepless nights convincing myself that Carmen hated me, and it’s difficult to forget that terror. Shaking my head, I force myself forward. As I climb the brick steps up to the front door, my hands start feeling slick and wet with sweat. Of course, the moisture goblin is tormenting me again by making my body do strange things.

  Slowly, I reach out to press on the doorbell. While I wait, I vigorously wipe my hands clear of my nervous sweat. I finish just in time to see Liam opening the door.

  “Hey, man,” I greet him quickly. “I’m sorry for being a dick earlier.”

  “No problem, Owen,” he says as he steps outside to wrap his arms around me in a brotherly hug. “I’ve missed you. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “You have no idea,” I tell him softly as I clap his back. “Now we should probably break this up before your woman gets jealous and finds out about our secret affair.”

  “Oh, I’ve always known,” Helen’s crisp voice says from inside the house. “But as long as you don’t wear him out completely, Owen, I don’t mind sharing.”

  Liam pulls away at this point, his head shaking back and forth in a mixture of amusement and dismay. “Come on inside, Owen. Carmen is upstairs with Dr. Howard getting a more thorough checkup. She doesn’t trust the Ukrainian doctors.”

  I swallow, imagining all the terrible things that could have happened to Carmen abroad. Eastern Europe is a scary place. “Does she seem… okay? Is she all in one piece?” I ask them uneasily.

  “Not really,” Helen says quietly, “but now that you’re here, maybe that will help.”

  Liam sends me a worried look as he guides me into the house, closing the door behind me. The inside of the home is just as lovely as the exterior. I try to focus on the stylish woodwork to keep myself from imagining Carmen being abused and mistreated. Maybe someday, when I have a home of my own, I could also have such charming interior design. That is, if Caroline even wants to get a house with me…

  I can’t even think about her right now.

  When I enter the living room, I see that Carmen’s father is sitting in a sofa and covered in bandages. The poor man. Could this family possibly experience more tragedy? I just hope that it’s all over now.

  “Hello, Richard,” I say softly.

  “Good to see you, son,” he says to me. “My daughter will be happy that you’re here.”

  “I hope so,” I say to him through a forced smile. “I’m so sorry about the fire… and your house. I wish I had known sooner.”

  The older man nods slowly. “Leslie has been taking good care of me. I didn’t want to make you kids worry, but it’s caused this huge disconnect. We should have known something was wrong.”

  I pull my lips together tightly, unsure of what to say. “Where is Carmen?” I croak, physically incapable of making any more small talk.

  “Over here,” Helen says gently, gesturing to a wooden staircase. She walks upstairs, and I move to follow her.

  Once we are standing in front of the room, Helen steps aside. “Be good to my sister, Owen,” she warns. “If you hurt her, I will destroy you.”

  “Of course,” I promise her, reaching out to knock on the door.

  Dr. Leslie Howard opens it a moment later, and smiles sadly at me. “Go on inside, Owen. She’s been asking for you.”

  “Thanks,” I mumble, heading through the door, and closing it behind me. The room is dark and shadowy, and there is a fireplace lit in the corner. I can tell that Leslie has gone out of her way to make it comfortable for Carmen. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, and then I can finally make out the silhouette of a small woman sitting huddled in the middle of the bed. Her honey blonde hair is lit by the fire, and she is hugging a pillow tightly against her chest.

  “Carm?” I ask softly, moving closer so that I can take a good look at her.

  She does not look up at me, and continues to tightly clutch the pillow against her body. As I peer closer, I see the nasty bruises on the side of her face, and on her arms.

  “Carmen!” I gasp, moving to sit on the bed and reaching out to touch her elbows in horror. “Oh my god. What happened? Are you okay?”

  It takes her a moment, but her head finally swivels up to look in my direction.

  “Owen?” she asks softly, and tears instantly flood her eyes. She squeezes the pillow so tightly that I imagine it bursting in an explosion of feathers. “Owen, you came.”

  Lowering her head, she sobs softly into the pillow.

  “Hey,” I say softly. “Hey! Carm?”

  “I thought I was never going to see you again,” she whispers. “This doesn’t feel real.”

  Reaching out to gently remove the pillow from her hands, I place it aside and take both of her hands in mine. “Well, I’m pretty real,” I tell her softly, trying to scan my mind for something funny to say. I’m upset when my powers of improvisation fail me.

  “You are, aren’t you?” she asks, smiling through her tears. “Come here.” Reaching out, Carmen grabs the front of my shirt and pulls me closer. She then wraps both of her arms tightly around my neck. “God, Owen. I was so scared.”

  “You’re a tough girl, Carmelita,” I tell her quietly, holding her soft body in my arms. When she sinks against me completely, I am overwhelmed by the feeling of her familiar form. Why does it feel like I’ve held her a thousand times before, just like this? She is just as perfect as I remember, and tears spring to my eyes. She really didn’t abandon me. I nuzzle her neck and breathe in deeply, discovering that I had been holding my breath.

  Only when I can begin breathing again do I notice that she is silently crying, and that her tears are soaking my shoulder. “Hey, hey!” I say softly. “You’re a champion, Carm. You survived the big bad wolf trying to eat you alive. Those better be triumphant tears of victory, because that’s the only kind I’ll allow you to shed.”

  “I killed him,” she whispers, pulling away slightly. There is a haunted look in her eyes. “I shot him, Owen.”

  Swallowing a gulp of saliva, I look at her nervously. “You did what now?”

  “I put a gun in his mouth and I blew his brains out.”

  I stare at her, so stunned that I am unable to blink. “Oh,” I murmur in a dazed voice. “Wow. I feel like there’s a porn joke somewhere in there, but…”

  She lifts the palms of her han
ds and presses them against her eyes. “It was all like a really bad porno. He made me wear a white dress and forced me to marry him. It was in this really old church and I was chained up—god, it was like something out of a Dracula movie. Really fucking ridiculous.”

  “Darn,” I say in annoyance. “I was planning to kidnap you and marry you, Dracula-style! Of course, I was thinking more Vegas and fun, and less torture and death. But still, there are too many similarities. Now he’s gone and ruined my surprise. I’ll have to think of something else.”

  A gentle smile touches Carmen’s features. When she smiles, I can see just how swollen her face really is. My heart breaks a little to imagine what she’s been through, and I reach out to slide a hand beneath her ear, letting my fingers get tangled up in her beautiful blonde locks.

  She’s such a gentle girl. I can’t imagine what a toll it has taken on her to need to end another human life. I think it’s the worst thing she could have possibly suffered. I’ve seen her go through an immense amount of pain, but she’s never been broken like this before.

  “You’re my hero, Carmelita,” I tell her with complete honesty. “The bards will write songs and sing of the legend of the buxom blonde who slayed the fearsome Lawyer-Felon Beast. You shall be revered for centuries to come, and all young women will look up to you as the picture of strength and resilience.”

  “Owen,” she says tiredly. “That’s sweet, but I don’t have the mental energy to process your charming monologues right now. Will you shut the hell up and kiss me?”

  “You don’t have to ask me twice,” I say, leaning forward to press my lips against hers. The moment we touch, I feel an explosion of fireworks within my skull. This is it. She’s the one. There’s no question. This one kiss tells me all that I need to know. I think I could survive on just the precious feeling derived from her kisses—no food, no water, no shelter needed. Just Carmen’s kisses. I feel her body melting against mine as she surrenders to the embrace, clutching her hands tightly around my back. I lower her body to the bed to ease the pressure of sitting, and make her more comfortable.