Page 111 of Stone

Roars of laughter filled the air, but somehow, I hauled up to my feet, cradled my bump in my hands, and without looking back, I ran.

“I love you,” I sobbed. “I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

“Elise!” The shout sounded so far away.

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you,” I whispered. “I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you,”

A yell. “Robert! She’s over here,” then a muttered. “Sweet Jesus.”

I kept quietly chanting over and over. “I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.” Warmth hit my skin, but I pushed it away. “I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

Arms banded around my back. “Come on. We need to get you out of here.”

“No!” I shrieked, fighting to get away. “I wanna stay with John.”

“It’s freezing, Elise. I need to get you warm.” Somebody tried to lift me, but I struggled, trying to claw at the ground. “No!” I wailed. “Leave me alone.”

“Stand back, Dad. I’ll get her.” Heat hit my spine. Then I heard a whisper in the shell of my ear. “Think of the baby, sweetheart. Think of her.”

“He took him from me,” I sobbed. “He took Bessie, and he took John.”

I felt myself being pulled away from the rough bark of our tree, and I sobbed harder. “He took him from me. I hate him. I hate Bandit.”

I was lifted into warm arms. “Wrap that blanket around her, Dad. She’s frozen.” My breath hitched, and I screamed, “Get off me!” squirming in his grip. I struggled, every part of me twisting, fighting him like a wild animal. “Get your hands off me!” I shrieked as I felt someone restrain my arms.

“She needs a hospital, Son.”

“I’ve got her. She’s okay.”

I tried to open my eyes so I could beg to stay, but they were swollen shut. “Please leave me here.”

“Get her in the car, Robert.”

“No,” I begged. “Please don’t take me away.”

My stomach was crammed with pain. Everything hurt, head, eyes, skin and bones, my heart and soul. I couldn’t breathe because every time I tried, I felt the ache of my lost love.

My body was jostled as Robert carried me across the icy ground. A car door opened and then slammed shut, and another voice called out, “Is she okay?”

“She will be,” Robert muttered.

I’ll never be okay again. I thought.Not without John.

I was jostled again, and the air around me suddenly heated. I shivered as it seeped into my frozen skin. Then, I was pulled into a firm chest, and just for a second, I allowed myself to imagine it was my ol’ man holding me close.

I thrust my face into his neck and inhaled his goodness, but it smelled wrong. My heart shattered into tiny pieces, and I moaned at the agony enveloping my chest.

A soft rumble came from beneath me as Robert grunted, “I’ve got you, Elise.”

An engine purred to life, and we began to move.

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you,” I whispered.

Robert softly shushed me. “Go to sleep. I’ll take care of you.”

Oblivion seemed like heaven. I didn’t want to hurt or feel anything more, so I snuggled deeper and fell asleep.

Three Days Later

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