Immortalis

The rain pelted the windshield as she sped away from the house that she had been captive in for over a year. The briefcase, cell phone and his wallet on the passenger seat beside her. She had driven for hours now and needed to rest. Most of all her curiosity was getting the better of her. She wanted to see that incredibly old, little black book.

The rest area was deserted as she pulled all the way to the back. Once she had parked, she reached to the passenger seat and opened the briefcase. The book was old and worn. It had markings on it she had never seen before. Gently she picked it up and opened the cover. Strange symbols that she did not recognize decorated the first page. Each page she turned to had symbols and ancient text, but she could understand none of it. The only word that even vaguely looked familiar was “Immortalis”.

David would follow her, track her down. She knew that she had not killed him in her escape. She set the little black book to the side and rummaged through the rest of the briefcase contents. It seemed to be typical office paperwork, investment information and pretty useless to her. She put the little black book back inside the briefcase and closed it. He will definitely want that back, she thought as she got out of the car. Her thumb hit the trunk release as she fumbled to lock it up.

“Darn it,” she mumbled to herself as she walked to the rear of the car. When she reached up to close the trunk she froze. Several large gym style bags were stuffed into the trunk. There were so many they seemed wedged in.

“What the heck?” She whispered as her trembling hands reached down to unzip the one closest to her. She blinked, not believing what her eyes were seeing. Cash, and lots of it. Hear heart hammered in her chest and she slammed the trunk closed.

“Oh my god, oh my god,” she began pacing and chanting to herself. “What am I gonna do?” She almost ran inside to freshen up. Staring at her frazzled reflection in the mirror she did her best to make herself more presentable. She looked shellshocked and no amount of pressing her hair down was really helping.

“What am I gonna do?” She breathed as she hurried back to the car. She was trembling so badly that she dropped the keys on the floor. Resting her head against the steering wheel she began to sob. Wave after wave washed over her as she let it all out.

Headlights stopped the sobs in their tracks as she watched the car while she fumbled on the floor to find the keys. Her thoughts hoping it wasn’t him following her as she slipped the key into the ignition and drove away. Her senses began to relax as she saw a motel ahead. She had to rest and clean up better.

She placed the briefcase and other items on the bed as she went straight to the shower, dropping her clothes in a heap on the bathroom floor. The hot water felt so good as it washed over her, seeming to rinse all her worries away. For a few short moments she was completely relaxed for the first time in a long time. She scrubbed herself nearly raw trying to rid herself of him. When the water began cooling, she finally turned it off and stepped out of the bathroom.

With the towel still wrapped loosely around her, she fell back onto the pillows. Her thoughts went to the bags in the trunk and what she was going to do about them. How could she ever explain all that cash? How much was there? Should she bring the bags in and count it? Tomorrow, she sighed softly. Tomorrow she would count it, if she could count it all in one day. She reached over and opened the briefcase, picking up the little black book with the strange symbols on the cover.

The cover was pure leather and so soft. Her hand caressed it carefully. Her fingers traced the strange symbol in the center. David would most certainly come after this and the money. She set the book back into the briefcase with a heavy sigh and rested her head on the pillows again. She knew where she could go. A place she had always felt safe at and he should never be able to find her there. In her dreams she was a child in her grandmother’s front yard, playing with the chickens and so happy.

The morning sun had streaked across the room waking her up with a start. She had been in that dark basement for so long. The only window she had was a small one at ground level that had barely let any light in. The sun felt good as she picked up her clothes and put them on. Using her fingers like a comb she did her best to tame her hair before gathering everything and locking the room behind her. She turned the key in and left the motel behind her as she drove North. The course plotted on the GPS on his cell phone she had taken. She would stop somewhere along the way for supplies and clothes.

The old farmhouse had long since been abandoned. Her grandparents had passed many years ago. Although she had inherited the place, she had not seen it since the funeral. It appeared intact, but its age was beginning to show. She carried the supplies to the front porch and then retrieved the bags from the trunk. Each one was extremely heavy, and she struggled to carry them. When the last one was finally on the porch, she sat on the step to catch her breath.

“Now what? I don’t have the key,” She groaned as she glanced at the front door. She stood and went to the back door. Grandma used to keep a spare key above the door. She stood on her tiptoes and smiled when her hand felt the dusty key.

The house was gloomy and cold. Dust covered everything and as she moved towards the front door it stirred like clouds around her. Thankfully, she had purchased cleaning supplies. She was certainly going to need them. She opened the front door and moved all the bags inside. It was dark by the time she got them all in and lit the candles. How she missed her grandma right now! She could almost smell the sugar cookies baking and hear the stories her grandma used to read.

Once she had all the supplies put away and a hot cup of coffee in hand, she sat on the couch staring at the bags of money. The little black book was on the coffee table in front of her, but the bags of money had her full attention. She would have to wait until daylight to count it. Somehow, she knew that it would be enough that she would never want for anything again. Maybe she could fix up this farmhouse and make it like it used to be.

“Oh Grandma, if only you were here. I could certainly use your advice right now,” she mused as she locked the door and headed to the bedroom. It had been a long drive and she was tired.

Tomorrow she would have to get things in the house set up. Everything needed cleaned and she would need to do some more shopping. She fell asleep almost as fast as her head sank into the pillow, but her dreams were tortured with thoughts of him. He was chasing her and angry, so angry. She tossed and turned on the creaky bed until the morning sun woke her. Sweat glistened on her face when she washed up in the bathroom. Thankfully, grandma had the sense to put a hand pump at each sink.

With a cup of coffee in hand she went to the porch and carefully sat on the old swing. Sighing with relief that it did not collapse, she looked around at the old place. The barn still looked in good shape, could use some fresh paint though. The old wooden fence would need some attention as well. Many sections had fallen apart from years of neglect. The weeds had taken over the yard, but all she felt was bliss. She was home. The only home she had ever felt happy in.

“What was that?” She whispered to herself when a rustling sound came from the back yard. She walked around the house expecting to see a branch brushing the side of the house but saw nothing. “Wild animals likely,” she tried to convince herself as she climbed the back steps and went inside. There was so much to do that she really did not know where to begin.

She went to the broom closet to get the bucket, as she closed the door an arm went around her throat and pulled her tight against a very firm chest. A hand slipped over her mouth before she could even scream. Her hands tried to pry the arm away from her throat to no avail.

“Hello Taylor,” David said with a calm voice, one so calm it terrified her. “You really didn’t think I would let you get away that easy, did you?” The hand over her mouth pulled away, but his forearm still held her throat tightly.

“Please, no,” Taylor gasped as he tightened his arm around her throat. She clawed at his arm and kicked at his legs.

“Haven’t you learned by now that you cannot escape me?” David pulled her to the living room where he stood over the bags of money. “I see you kept it safe for me.”

“How did you find me?” She gasped as his grip around her throat relaxed. Her hands still gripped his forearm tightly, even though she knew she could not fight him off. Her eyes searched the room frantically for a weapon.

“You really should remember not to take someone’s cell phone,” he chuckled. “Ah, my book.” He slung her to the floor and picked up the little black book. “Immortalis, would you like to know what it means, Taylor?”

She did not know how to respond. Her shock that he had found her left her speechless. Hopelessness washed over her as she realized he might be right. She may never escape him. Tears silently flowed from her eyes and dripped from her cheeks to the dusty floor. She felt doomed to be his prisoner forever.

“I chose you, Taylor,” David said. The fact that he was so calm unnerved her. “Immortalis, I think you are ready to know what it means now.”

She did not move from where she had landed. Her entire body shook, and she could not even bring herself to look at him. She knew his face all too well. She felt his hand on her head and began to sob.

“Please let me go,” she begged him. She was on her knees before him and he gripped her hair. Gently he pulled her to her feet. “David, please let me go.” Her voice was soft, but she knew he heard her. Tears streamed down her cheeks because she knew he would never let her go.

David pulled her back to his chest and embraced her with one arm. With his hand he caressed her cheek. She hated his touch but did not fight him. She knew the penalty if she did. His lips brushed the top of her head, then her ear and then softly kissed her neck. He pulled her long hair to the side and kissed her neck again.

“Immortalis, now you will join me for eternity my sweet Taylor,” David breathed into her ear as his razor-sharp teeth pierced her neck.