Ever After

Chapter 24



The Escape



It happened so fast, it was nearing mid night, the height of the Dark ones meeting. I could hear music and chanting, it sounded like a demonic vampire frat party just outside my room. I curled up and figured Sayann was not able to drug Kyle away from outside my door. I just wanted to sleep and try to forget where I was and my impending fate.

The door to my room opened, it was dark so I couldn’t see. I heard Sayann's voice in a whisper, telling me to get up and put on the heavy down filled coat she had in her hand. I struggled to get up, but the adrenalin kicked in and I got to my feet. I followed her as she went to the window. She had the key to the barred gates of my prison. In an instant, she had them open and pulled up the window, bitterly cold wet air filled my lungs and I gasped.

“Here we go Corrine, be strong it’s really cold, but you can do this ok.” She squeezed my hand and encouraged me to go on. I was thankful the room I was in was on the first floor. Sayann helped me to the frozen wet ground just under the window. It was icy and I held onto her desperately trying not to slip.

If she had been human, I would have pulled her down. She was nearly the exact same size as me. The fact she was a full-blooded vamp made me hanging on her arm feel like nothing for her, as we moved along the narrow path into the massive thick woods. It felt like hours since we had broke out of my vampire prison. It had only been thirty minutes Sayann was quick to tell me.

I knew we had to get as far from the stone house as possible before the older vamps sensed we had escaped, or Kyle woke from his sudden nap. I lagged behind her as we darted through the woods, it was becoming too much. I could feel myself getting weaker and colder, my legs felt like lead weights. I started to slip and fall. Each time Sayann pulled me up begging me to go one, promising we only had a little further to go.

Finally she let us rest in a small thick ice covered thicket of opine tress. I was thankful they blocked the icy wind. I was numb all over. I couldn’t feel anything anymore and I was desperately tired. This plan wasn’t working out as well as we had hoped.

“Corrine we have to go another three miles, there is a main road there and my cell will pick up a signal.” She crouched down next to me as I sat on the pine needles, my legs pulled up to my chest shaking.

“I don’t know. I just want to rest for a little bit please.” I whispered. I had no energy left to use my voice. “Maybe you should go on ahead. I can hide here; you can come back for me and bring Doc and William.” I could see by her facial expression that she was not going to go for it.

“Corrine are you crazy? The Dark ones will be on our trail in no time, you have to go on we can’t stay here.” She rubbed my back trying to comfort me. “There is a river near here, we must cross it. If you can make it that far we can hide you. The dark ones rely on their strong sense of smell, the pungent river will mess them up. I have to get you across it, or they will find us both. I will carry you if I have to, please Corrine you must!” I took a deep breath and looked at her eyes pleading with me. She had risked so much; I owed it to her to try.

“Ok, I will try; I will go as far as I can.” That was all I could say.

Sayann helped me to my feet as I stumbled into her hard. It began again, we pushed through the woods. The branches were ice covered and whipped our faces and arms as we ran as fast as we could. Each step was hurting me, death was sounding pretty good right now. I tried to immerse my mind in the memories I had of William and I. I hoped it would make my death hurt less, and maybe I could forget what was happening.

Finally, we reached the river; we had to navigate the icy, muddy dangerous bank to find a safe area to cross. I did not protest as Sayann picked me up and we started to cross the freezing river. The rocks were slippery as Sayann stumbled trying to keep me dry. She of course, was oblivious to the icy water being a full-blooded vamp.

I felt her grasp at my waist as she tripped going up the other side of the muddy bank. The water stung as I fell into the edge of the river. Sayann quickly pulled me out, apologizing repeatedly. The damage was done as I felt like I could barley breath. My body was literally freezing and my heart slowing down.

“God Corrine we have to get you out of here. I'm so sorry I tripped, those damn rocks and mud got me!” We went on just far enough from the river, to where we thought the dark ones would not detect us if they got close. Sayann found a massive pine tree, with huge full limbs weighed down by a thick layer of ice. It created an almost cave like little nook.

“This will have to do; it will get the wind off of you at least.” She carried me next to the trunk of the tree and gently laid me down.

I curled up as my chest burned and my body felt like it was not even mine. I knew this was it, if anybody knew what being close to death felt like it had to be me. I hated to even recall all the times I got within minutes of dying. I laid my head down in the piles of pine needles in defeat. I had nothing left in me to go on.

“Go find them, please bring them back to me.” I whispered, and gave her Williams cell phone number. I could tell she did not want to leave me here. I was not a full blood but I could feel she knew when she did return with the Followers, I would probably be dead.

“Ok I will go the roads only over that hill. I know I can get a signal there, hang on Corrine please. I can get Doc and William here we can survive this ok, can you hear me?” She put a hand on my shoulder.

I only nodded and tried to muster up enough strength to speak.

“Go.” I whispered, and with that, she kissed my cheek and ran as fast as she could to the road.

I was alone now, and listened to the forest around me. I could still hear the river, flowing and crashing nearby. When we had arrived home for Thanksgiving, I had thought my world would be perfect. I was getting better, Will was getting better, life was supposed to be good now. I was now freezing, alone and dying.

I did not want to die alone, not here in these woods, not like this. If I had to go, I had hoped to have Will hold me. I was terrified. To my amazement, hot tears streamed down my ice-cold cheeks. If I could sleep and not wake, I figured that would be best. I had read about hikers and mountain climbers after getting lost or something fell asleep in the cold and just never woke up.

I accepted my fate now, no one was going to sweep in and save me, and I was alone and would stay that way. I tried to lose myself in memories I had of William. I hoped it would make me forget that I was dying cold and lonely. I tried to remember how happy we had been, and all the things we had wanted to do. He had been everything to me, it was hurting me to know I would never get to say goodbye.