End of the Line

by Ottilie Weber

I left the motorcycle a few blocks away from Manson’s home. The house seemed to be lifeless. Everything appeared dark ‘til I reached the back of the house. A speck of light flickered up by a window on the second story. I glanced around and didn’t see anyone, so I pulled myself up a tree near the house.

  Finally, I worked myself to the branch to level with the window. A candle was shrinking on a small holder. The flames danced around the big room. Every shape of the furniture and the dark wood reflected the light back to its source. My eyes gazed over every part of that room and saw a bed in the middle of the room ‘til they stopped on the bulge in the middle of the bed.

  And just as if the lump heard my heart’s desire, the figure stretched itself and rolled over onto the other side so that it faced me. Lauren’s dark eyelashes created long shadows on her thinning cheeks and the curve of the lashes and cheek bones collided.

  I stared at the ground below me as I realized Lauren was being well taken care of, no thanks to me. I sighed, recognizing maybe I should leave her there with Manson. I began to climb down the tree after I noticed that Lauren was safe and sound, better than I could ever do for her. That was when the candle flickered as the door opened on the opposite side of the room, Dean Manson walked into her room. I watched through her window with anger and repulsion came over me. I couldn’t stop what was happening, but the scene was getting to me. My whole body was rigid; my grip on the tree branch was tense.

  Manson walked closer to Lauren just so he could rest his hand on her head. He ran one of his fingers through her curly hair as the light caught every twist and turn of her locks. My heart ached as I watch him touch her like I wanted to, like I had done. I took a deep breath, hoping the painful twinge would just go away when I saw his lips press against her forehead. I wanted to rip that man limb by limb. I was going to get her out of there if it was the last thing I'd ever do.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lauren