Amaranth - By Rachael Wade Page 0,46
in this nightmare. His suit jacket hung heavy on me, enveloped me in his scent, and I felt the need to inhale it deeply, wanted the smell to sit in my bones as a medium. My body grew limp, surrendering to the madness and loss that suddenly surrounded me—the loss that everyone was trying to convince me was only temporary, a madness that would never end.
Gavin gently took hold of my cold, lifeless hand. “I had hope,” he clenched his jaw, “and for what it’s worth, I still do.” Eyes desperate, he leaned forward to kiss me, reached for my face, but stopped. “When I come back, if you’ll have me, you have my word that I’ll spend the rest of my human life making this up to you. I love you, Camille Hart.”
With a grave countenance, he kissed me softly and let me go from his grip.
“Don’t kiss me like it’s the last time. Don’t—”
Turning sharply, he joined Gabe and Audrey. He approached the water, his back to me, head hanging and shoulders stiff. My heart faltered, a flood of heartbreak, resentment, and fear all rushing through me. I watched, helpless, as he waded in to the water, inched forward slowly, step by step.
Irrational, I darted forward, but Audrey and Gabe rushed to stop me before I could get any closer. I shook their hands away from me to reach him one more time. “No, Gavin! Wait! Please, please, please, don’t leave.” My knees trembled, watched the water rise to his shoulders as he descended; his body slightly contorted and his arms and shoulders jerked as he fought the pull of water like quicksand, seizing more and more of his control every second.
The water made its way just below his chin and he finally surrendered, almost completely submerged. Tears nearly blinding me, I continued to struggle against Audrey and Gabe’s grasp, heedless that I was no match for their superhuman strength. Eventually, I gave in. “Take me with you! Please!” Winded, I dashed toward the water again, Audrey and Gabe letting me fly right past them this time.
“You can’t go, it’s another realm!” Audrey shouted. “Mortals can’t enter, you have to let him go!”
“I’ll make sure he comes back,” Gabe hollered.
For a split second, Gavin shifted his head and moved his eyes to focus on his hindsight, as though reluctantly considering my plea. I staggered forward, my feet nearly touching the water, ready to reach out and pull him to me. I extended my hand as far as it could go over the water’s edge, let a long cold breath from my lips as I reached in despair, but my efforts, all of them, failed. He snapped his head back toward the dark abyss awaiting him and quickly disappeared beneath the violet emissions, the water bubbling as it signaled its victory. The darkness swallowed him up and I forced myself to commit the last image I had of him to memory.
Audrey’s voice broke through my trance, and she and Gabe rushed to my side again to hold me up. “He’s going to come back. We all are.” She glared at me, looking as if she needed to convince herself. My eyes frozen on the water and shoulders slumped, I let my knees give out.
“Don’t lie to me.” My voice a whisper now.
“Too late,” she muttered, letting Gabe take over for her before she backed away.
“Joel … can you?” Gabe prompted, then left my side to lead Audrey to the water. I barely noticed other arms enfolding me.
“I’m so sorry,” Audrey mouthed before she turned to face the water, her eyes leaving mine as I began to go comatose. Gabe glared at Joel as he held me, gave him one firm nod. As they made their way into the bayou and waded further into its depths, Audrey’s long hair slithered through the water in the descent, until the crown of her head was no longer visible. Gabe followed her, and I fell to the earth.
The firm, cold arms that had replaced Gabe’s fell with me, let my weight rest against them. My eyelids fell shut and I heard nothing but the sound of night as the wind ceased and the roiling bayou came to a quiet halt. I could feel the temperature rise, the cold air dissipate as my lungs inhaled even, warm breaths again, and all was still as I slid further into an impassive solitude.
AMARANTH
The familiar cobalt blue bottles lined the fireplace windowsills, positioned to capture and destroy