by Julie Eads
Knoll looked at me once more and continued talking, but he spoke much quicker this time. “Mina, the truth is they are a part of an organization that takes Royals away from our kind. They raise them as humans so they cannot rule. If we do not have an heir for the throne then their leader steps in to take their place. They were keeping you hidden from your own people, so that their leader Ezra could take over.”
Standing there I felt as if I was part of some sick joke, and I was waiting for someone to jump out and yell, “Gotcha!” or some such silly thing. Yet I knew that in all reality that was a long shot. I couldn’t fight the tears anymore. Sitting down on the frozen ground, I immediately felt the wetness of the snow seep through my jeans. Burying my face in my hands I let out shuddering sobs. I had been living a lie; I didn’t know what to believe anymore. The impossible had become my reality within an hours’ time.
Knoll walked over to where I was and sat down across from me. Gently he laid his jacket round my shoulders. I wanted to refuse it but, in all honesty, I was so cold I was thankful for any warmth I could get. Leaning towards me Knoll whispered, “I am so sorry Mina. I have been searching for you for the last thirteen years. I should have found you sooner. I know this is a lot to take in but I have something else to tell you. They will not let us leave here alive. It is their assignment to raise you as their own but, if you figure out the truth, then they have to kill you.”
I looked up at him; horror spread across my face and stammered, “No! They wouldn’t hurt me. I know they lied but they have to love me. They raised me as their own. They have to love me. Don’t they?”
Before he could answer, Knoll was picked up and thrown backwards by Stephanie. She snarled at me, commanding me to stand up and go to her. I got to my feet and tried to make her think that I was going to oblige. Then I did the only thing I could think to do; I turned and ran for the van. The keys were still in the ignition and I knew that it was my best chance to get away. Before I could get to the van Jack stepped in front of me. He grabbed hold of my arm and sneered, “Not so fast, Mina-Bear.”
Shaking I stood between the two people who I had believed were my parents; the people that I had just been willing to lay my life down for; I was scared and angry. I hadn’t minded dying when I knew that they were there with me. But to die by their hand, that was something I couldn’t get my mind around. Terrified I pleaded with them, looking at Stephanie I said, “Please stop! How could you do this to me?” I couldn’t help but want to know why.
She looked at me as if I was nothing to her before she plainly said, “Because I was instructed to do so.” She showed no hurt or regret; sounding just like a robot.
I looked towards Jack asking, “Are you really going to kill me?”
He placed his hand on my shoulder and calmly answered, “I am afraid so. One life isn’t anything compared to the power we will receive once you are disposed of.” Feeling deflated I closed my eyes, preparing myself to say goodbye to the world.
Suddenly I heard a loud snapping noise and opening my eyes I saw that Stephanie laid dead at my feet. Her neck had been snapped. I screeched with pain. Even though she wasn’t my real mother, I had thought she was for the last thirteen years. She had been like a best friend to me. Slowly I turned to see Knoll and Jack fighting and I screamed for them to stop. “No one else has to die, please.”
Knoll looked at me as he tussled with my so-called father, instructing me to get into the van. With sorrow filled eyes he stated, “No matter how this turns out, know that I will always be sorry that it has taken me this long to find you.” Then he repeated his command for me to get into the van and lock the doors.
If Jack killed him, I knew I was to drive to the nearest coffee shop where I should call the number on the piece of paper he had thrown at me as he had knocked Jack on to his back. Looking at Jack once more I headed to the van. As he quickly rose from the ground I began pleading with him once more not to do this. He just looked at me and said, “Once I am done killing him, you’re next, you abomination.”
Shocked by his comment I raced to the van and hopping in, I quickly locked the doors. I knew that there was nothing I could do other than watch the gruesome scene being played out in front of me. I was completely numb. I couldn’t believe what was happening. All I knew was if Knoll died, so did my chances of staying alive. Shakily I watched as they slammed each other into the ground. Jack had Knolls’ neck in his hands and was fiercely twisting it. I did what I could and honked the horn making Jack look up but that’s all it took. Knoll jumped to his feet and in a flash he snapped Jack’s neck, just as he had Stephanie’s. I watched as Jack’s body hit the ground and I couldn’t help but scream out loud. I had loved them. They were all I had ever known, but now they were nothing just bodies lying on the cold, snow covered road.
Knoll stood still for a moment before solemnly heading towards the van. I unlocked the door to let him in. He looked at my grief stricken face saying, “I am so sorry you had to witness that. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you.”
I shook my head in agreement, thinking to myself that my life, as I knew it, was over. I had just assisted a stranger in killing my parents; well, my pretend-kidnapping-parents that was. I had decided that was what I was going to call them from here on but I shuddered at the thought.
Chapter 2
Knoll instructed me to move over and let him drive. I turned to him after we had switched seats, and surprised myself by saying, “I can’t leave them like this. I know you won’t understand but I would like to bury them.”
Knoll shook his head in acknowledgement before agreeing, “Okay,” he said, “but we will have to move their bodies to softer ground. It is too frozen here.” His tone was as if we were talking about something other than burying two bodies in the middle of the night. Which made me question of he had ever done this kind of things before.
I grabbed the two blankets from the backseat, where I had made a makeshift bed for our car trip to grandma’s house. Then it hit me and I belted out, “Oh god, my grandma! Did she know about this the whole time?”
Knoll shook his head, “No, she doesn’t know that Jack and Stephanie were in an organization. She thought that they had adopted you because Stephanie couldn’t bear children.” I took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief. At least I knew that someone’s love wasn’t pretend.
Quickly Knoll and I wrapped Stephanie’s body first. I had never pictured myself wrapping someone’s dead body into a blanket but regardless I helped Knoll grabbing her wrists whilst he took hold of her legs and together we lifted at the same time. Shivering, I felt the chill of her hands as I struggled to keep a firm grip with my already frozen fingers. Looking into her empty eyes I thought about all the times I had looked into them and how many times her lifeless arms had been wrapped around me lovingly. This was the woman whom I had called Mom. She was the person who had taught me how to tie my shoes, and talked to me about boys. Now she was nothing. There was a part of me that wished I could have laid my life down on this cold and unforgiving road, the same as she had; that way I wouldn’t have to face the reality of the situation. Knoll, thankfully, carried her to the rest of the way to the van; placing her inside the back where we used to put the groceries on our monthly shopping trips. Next we wrapped Jack in a blanket and laid him next to Stephanie.
Knoll walked me to the passenger side door and opened it for me; climbing in I thanked him as he closed the door. Going round the other side he climbed into the driver’s seat, started the engine and drove forward. I sat enjoying the heat that blasted through the air vents; thankfully thawing out my frozen hands. Leaning my head against the head rest I suddenly realized how tired my body and mind were but, I knew that I couldn’t sleep until we had buried Stephanie and Jack. I thought to myself, ‘I am too young to feel this old.’
As we drove along Knoll turned slightly towards me and said, “I am sorry it had to come to this; I can imagine how you must feel right now.” I rolled my eyes. Although I k
new that he was trying to be sympathetic, I doubted if there was one person on this earth who could feel how I did at this precise moment.
We had been driving in silence for at least an hour. I figured that Knoll was trying to give me time to come to terms with the night’s events, yet I didn’t think that I would ever feel normal again. I’m not even sure that I will ever get over the realization that the people who raised me, the ones who read me bedtime stories, who taught me how to ride a bike were now lying lifeless in the back of the old minivan. Even though I tried I found I couldn’t get my mind around the fact that they had been going to kill me! And all because they were part of some power hungry cult. It was just too surreal to me, sounding like some scary movie or a bad nightmare. However, in reality it had become my life and I would never have believed it until it had actually happened, inches in front of me; I was still questioning my own sanity.
Knoll finally turned off onto a gravel road and solemnly said, “I figure this is where we should bury them. There is an old cemetery up the way. People haven’t been buried there since the 1800’s, so no-one will notice two extra bodies.”
I don’t know why, but I got offended by his statement. He sounded like a mafia hit man so I said sternly, “They are people, not just bodies!”
He put his hand on mine replying, “You’re right. I am sorry.”
I shook my head, stating, “You have no reason to be sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me? Why am I still trying to protect them, after all they have done to me?”
Smiling gently at me Knoll responded, “Because you have a good heart, just like your real mother, and those two are all you have ever known.” I didn’t reply; I just made a mental note to ask him about my real parents at some point; but first, I had to assist in burying my pretend ones.
When we reached the cemetery Knoll got out of the car, going to check if there were any spots open to bury them in. He waved for me to get out of the car which I did. Even though I had helped carry two dead bodies, which had frightened me by the way, I still had an ominous feeling about being in the cemetery. I couldn’t believe that after all I had witnessed tonight I was still apprehensive about entering such a place.
It reminded me of the time my best friend Katelyn and I had snuck out to go ghost hunting. It was last Halloween, at our local cemetery back in Palm Springs. We were there for ten minutes, and both swore we had heard something moving in the woods so we had run out of there as fast as our feet could carry us! Neither of us could sleep for a week and I wondered what she would say if she had seen what had happened tonight but I guess I would never know as I would never see her again. It felt as if I had lost everyone I loved, not just my pretend parents; and all in the same night. And now, here I was burying two people that I had inadvertently help murder. It is funny how life turns out. However, I was not laughing, I was feeling destroyed.
Suddenly my thoughts were cut off as I realized the obvious; and looking to Knoll I asked, “How will we bury them without a shovel?”
He laughed lightly, replying, “Well, I guess I hadn’t thought of that. But there has to be a supply shed around here somewhere.” And gesturing for me to follow him we started searching round the cemetery. Unfortunately all we could see were some old, battered headstones and grief. Then finally, just as we were about to give up, we spotted an old shed at the east end of the cemetery.
I was running out of patience, finding myself becoming short-tempered, so I shouted in a smart-alecky tone, “Well, we can forget about getting in there, unless you have a crow bar on you.”
Knoll just laughed, asking, “Now, why is that?” He had one eyebrow raised, as if I had said something that had sparked his interest.
About to snap again, as I felt myself becoming angrier by the moment I looked at him and said, “Well, isn’t it obvious? There is a dead bolt lock on it. Besides, I am in no mood for sarcasm.”
I felt like walking away as he chuckled softly to himself and approached the rickety old shed that appeared to be on its last leg. Collecting myself I responded, “I guess we could just huff and puff and blow it down. After all it looks like it’s been here before the cemetery was built and I laughed. I suppose I was trying to find humor in the situation.
Turning towards me Knoll smiled, simply remarking, “No.” Then he grabbed the lock in his hand and, within an instant, he had crushed it in his palm. I stood there staring in astonishment. It took me a moment to build up the nerve to ask how he had done that. But before I could say anything, he turned to me and said, “There is a lot we need to talk about Mina, although right now is neither the time nor place.” I shook my head in agreement. As much as I wanted to argue, he had a point, so I told myself to take things one task at a time as we headed back to the van.
Helping Knoll lift Stephanie out of the van first we gently carried her, setting her down next to the spot where we were going to bury her. Taking it in turns we dug and dug; throwing dirt here, there and everywhere, until finally we had a whole deep enough to place her in. Knoll lowered himself into the hole and placed Stephanie carefully inside it. I searched the wooded area until I found a patch of wildflowers; picking a few and placing them on Stephanie’s body. Knoll covered her with dirt and then surprised me by turning and saying, “I know this is hard for you and I know that you are trying to keep a false composure Mina but remember I am your guardian; I am here to catch you when you fall. I am telling you this because I truly know how it feels to hold a grudge. You need to forgive her so I will give you a few moments alone whilst I begin digging the other hole.” He had said it without giving me a chance to argue.
Standing by the graveside I stared at the pile of dirt that now held my mother, or the woman who I had thought was my mother and wondered if she had ever really loved me. I thought back to how good of a mom she had been. She would come to all my games, and was very understanding when it came to problems that teenage girls faced. But then, the image of her growling at me flashed back into my mind and reality set in again. I had to face the truth that she didn’t, hadn’t really loved me. No, she had used me, as if I was a simple pawn in a game of chess; only keeping me safe and happy so that her leader could win some sort of game. Knoll had told me that I should forgive her, but how? She had ruined my life; and would have killed me if she had gotten the chance. Turning away from her grave I walked to where Knoll was waiting patiently next to the freshly dug grave for Jack. He looked at me; concern spread across his smooth features and gently said, “Mina, Did you make your peace?”
I shook my head in the only way I could, responding, “Yes.” Then we walked silently to the van as we still had to bury my pretend father.
Carrying him to the second grave we set him in the hole, the same as we had Stephanie. Knoll then filled the hole with dirt, as he had the other one, patting the dirt down evenly and making sure Jack and Stephanie were one with the earth. Once he had finished he turned and walked away, giving me a few moments of privacy with Jack, the same as he had done with Stephanie; somehow I appreciated the notion. Maybe he knew something I didn’t? Maybe one day I would regret it, but as of yet I couldn’t forgive Jack, just as I couldn’t forgive Stephanie. How could I? Looking at the grave where the only father I had ever known was resting I thought it odd that I wasn’t in tears, yet my body felt tired and my mind kept taking me back to the hundreds of memories I had shared with the two people I had once called mother and father.
One memory that was particularly stuck in my head had happened when I was five years old. It was Christmas Eve and the house had been filled with my so-called cousins, aunts and uncles. As I was the youngest there I had to go to bed earlier than everyone else but I never really obeyed that stupid rule. Without anyone’s knowledge I crept down the stairs and poked my head around the corner, hoping to get a glimpse of Santa, and my gifts of course.
I had sat there for what felt like hours when I spotted someone carrying a bag of gifts and placing them under the tree. I gasped! I thought I had finally
caught Santa Claus. Rushing down the stairs I yelled, “Surprise Santa!” And when the man, who I had assumed was the mythical all-knowing and magical Santa Claus, turned around it proved to be none other than Jack’s alcoholic brother, Bill.
As he turned I screamed and cried, refusing to open any gifts or partake in Christmas for the next two years. That was until Jack had rented a Santa costume and paid a man he worked with to wear it. He had even built a homemade sleigh out of spare parts from the garage and used the neighborhood dogs, putting twigs on their heads antlers. The man had explained to me that Uncle Bill had just been working for Santa, because he was sick that day and was unable to make his rounds. The memories made me smile for just a moment.
As I stared at the ground that now housed the loving man, who had gone through all that trouble just to make me enjoy Christmas again, was something I couldn’t possibly fathom. How could this have been the same man who had wanted to kill me just hours earlier? I knew I couldn’t forgive him and decided that I never would. He had made me love and trust him and it was in that moment that I decided when, and if, I ever had the opportunity to meet my actual parents, I would never put that much love and trust into them, no matter how selfish it seemed. I would never allow another person to turn my life upside down again.
Walking over to where Knoll stood waiting I told him coldly, “I am ready to go now.”
He just shook his head and walked off towards the van. Following him, I climbed into the passenger seat and waited for Knoll to get in and get seated before I asked the obvious question, “What now?”
As he looked at me, a humorous smile displayed across his face. I began to wonder if smiling was his defense mechanism, because he was always smiling at the strangest times. “Well, we need to find a place to sleep for the remainder of the night,” he informed me. I wanted to know more but had to keep reminding myself about what Knoll had said, ‘one thing at a time.' I kept repeating that to myself as we headed off to an unknown destination.
