Existence 02 - Predestined

ugh,” I shook my head and started walking back toward the room that I’d been in earlier.
    “Don’t you want to see the library?” Leif asked.
    I thought about what I’d just seen and the idea that the library probably contained ninety percent porn was a major turnoff for me. “No, I’d prefer to go bleach my eyeballs and ears,” I snapped back at him.
    “What about Wyatt?”
    He’d used the power card. I stopped and glared back at him. I hated he had something to hold over my head. “If you were really sorry about tonight you’d send him to me.”
    Lief nodded, “Done. And I’ll bring you food too. Normal food and a soda.”
    I didn’t argue because I was sure once my stomach settled down from the disgusting scene I’d witnessed I would be hungry. It had been awhile since I’d eaten.
    “You need to take the next right then it’s the third door on the right,” Leif instructed. I was good with directions so I hadn’t needed his reminder but I nodded nonetheless and picked up my pace. I was now terrified of what I might witness in these hallways.
    The door was a dark purple with a large black skull carved out of marble mounted in the center of it. I hadn’t paid attention to that when we’d exited it earlier. I twisted the large heavy knob and stepped inside.
    It was sad that this was comforting to me. Earlier I’d hated it. Now, after that horrid experience I decided I needed to get very well acquainted with this room because I wasn’t leaving it again.
    Glancing down at my dress I wanted it off. It reminded me of the other women and I felt dirty wearing it. However, I didn’t see my other clothes anywhere and I wasn’t about to get naked.

Chapter Twenty- One

    The door creaked open behind me and I turned expecting to see Leif with food but instead it was Wyatt. He closed the door behind him and a sad smile touched his lips. He was more solid than souls were supposed to be.
    “Hey Pagan.”
    I stared at him as it registered that he’d just spoken to me in my head.
    “Wyatt, I’m so sorry,” I replied stepping closer to him.
    “This isn’t your fault Pagan. I didn’t understand any of it at first but Leif has visited me several times and he’s explained everything.”
    “No, it is my fault. If I’d just gone with him when he told me about my soul you’d have lived. But I didn’t know. If I’d known they’d take someone else in my place I would have never stayed.”
    “You thought Death would fix it in time,” he replied.
    “Yes, I did. I guess you know about Dank now.”
    Wyatt nodded then reached out a hand and although I wasn’t sure if mine would go through it or if he was a solid as he seemed I reached out to take his. The cold hard hand under mine surprised me.
    “You aren’t like other souls. They can’t talk and they aren’t solid.”
    “I believe it’s because of where we are. Here Ghede makes things the way he wants them to be. I believe he... uh,” Wyatt stopped talking and looked away. He almost seemed embarrassed and slowly tonight’s dinner came back to me and I realized what he was trying to say.
    “ He uses souls as his entertainment?” I asked
    Wyatt peered back at me and nodded. My stomach felt sick again. Had Ghede used Wyatt that way? I was going to throw up.
    “No Pagan, he hasn’t forced me to do any of ... that stuff. I’ve just seen it. I believe my age keeps me safe from it, I’m not sure.”
    I leaned against the side of the bed and sagged in relief.
    “He intends to keep you here you know.”
    I lifted my eyes back to Wyatt’s and nodded. “I know. I just wish there was a way I could get you out of here. It isn’t fair that you have to remain here now that I agreed to come. He has me. I won’t leave.”
    “How is Miranda?” Wyatt asked and the pain in his eyes sliced through me.
    I remembered her sitting on her bed with his notes encircling her and the teddy bear he’d given her in her lap. I couldn’t tell him how much she grieved his death. It would be too much.
    “She’s okay. She misses you something fierce but each day she gets better,” I assured him.
    His face fell, “That was before. When she had you. Now she’s lost us both.”
    The unsaid words hanging in the air between us were thick and painful.
    “She’s stronger than you think,” I assured him but the memory of her drunken body staggering out of the graveyard said another thing entirely.
    “I hope so.”
    I could tell from his tone he didn’t agree.