AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He was trying to save a life, you can’t do this.” She shakes her head, her voice coming out weak as she drops to her knees ready to beg.
“Charlie Fairman has not only been leaving the village without the Elders' permission, but he has been trading with outsiders.” Gasps from all the bodies surrounding us echo his words. “He has brought forbidden substances into our community.” Solomon passes his father a see-through plastic bag that contains a small bottle of liquid and what I think could be a syringe, causing even more disruption among the villagers.
“It’s insulin,” Charlie croaks. “My brother is showing symptoms of a condition cal–”
“Silence!” My husband holds up his palm and cuts him off. “The village has a healer and your brother, Peter, has been in all of our prayers.”
“Prayers aren’t enough and the remedy is so simple—”
“In fifteen years, no one but your Elders have left this village. We take the burden of risk from the outside world to bring you your supplies, to provide you with the medicine you need. It is the only way we can ensure we remain pure from the sins of the outsiders. What Charlie has done has put us in danger, he has risked the safety of this sanctuary and that is punishable by death.” Abraham stares Charlie coldly in the eyes.
“NO!” His mother screams again, her husband standing beside her with his arms crossed at his front and his head lowered, doing nothing to fight for his son. Whispers pick up among the villagers and my husband digs his fingers into my bicep and draws me closer to him.
“We won’t mention the impurities he provided for you, not now that the problem has been rectified,” he hisses quietly into my ear.
“I command that you all bear witness to what happens when a threat is made upon our village. Laws are made for our protection, to ensure the survival of our righteousness, and those who don’t abide shall be sent to God, for His judgment.”
I watch as Solomon and Elder Andrew release Charlie from his shackles, then roughly force him against the thick, wooden post that village notices are usually nailed to. Charlie’s mother sobs and everyone holds their breath as my husband steps in front of him. I can’t hold in my tears anymore, and when I open my mouth to scream and protest, Charlie shakes his head at me.
He tries not to show how scared he is as my husband takes the blade that my father passes him. I watch the terrified breaths Charlie blows out of his mouth, praying there is something that will prevent what’s coming.
There are tears in my friend’s eyes, instead of hope, when he looks at me again. The sad smile he gives me before my husband slices through his throat and spills his blood, makes my heart sink into the pit of my stomach before I black out and crash to the floor.
I startle myself awake, clutching my throat as if mine was the one that had been gashed open. My chest feels restricted as I try to catch my breath and my shaking is uncontrollable. The sweat makes the tee of Skid’s, that I’m wearing, cling to my body. And when I look to my side and see Charlie sound asleep, a relief starts to creep in and make my chest lift a little easier. I don’t want him to see me like this. I’m the only constant my little boy has ever had in his life, and he needs me to be strong.
I tuck the covers back around him and get out of bed, following my instinct, and head into the room next door. Skid wakes up with a jolt when I click open his bedroom door, and he looks kinda fearful as he turns on the bedside light and sees me standing beside his bed.
“Ads, what’s wrong?”
I try to keep breathing, so I can get my words out for him
“I… I had another dream,” I explain. “I was… can I…?” I look to the space beside him, craving the comfort of his body against mine, and when all the color drains from his face I suddenly feel really stupid.
“Don’t worry, I shouldn’t have come in here. I’ll grab some water and I’ll be fine.” I turn my back and head for the door again, feeling sick with embarrassment as well as fear.
“Addy.” Skid’s voice has me spinning around, and though his eyes seem sad, he pulls back the covers and invites me in. “Get yourself in here.” He growls at me softly.
I take him up on his offer and slowly sink into the mattress. I don’t think about what a huge mistake relying on his comfort again is, instead, I let that instant relief wash over me when I rest my head on his chest. Skid pulls the covers around us both, wrapping his strong arm around my waist and drawing me tighter to his body, holding me exactly how I need him to. With his chest hair tickling my cheek and his head balanced on top of mine, I close my eyes and drift back off to a much more peaceful sleep.
Ididn’t sleep for the first hour after she came to me, I just lay awake feeling her body breathe against me and letting the betrayal of having her in mine and Carly’s bed sink in. This wasourspace, and despite the fact Addison needed me, having her in it shouldn’t feel right. Yet somehow, in amongst the war inside my head, I managed to drift off to sleep, and now waking up with her in my arms doesn’t feel nearly as wrong as it ought to.
I feel something move between us, and when I look down and see a huge pair of brown eyes, alert and staring back up at me, I almost jump out of my skin.
“Morning, mister.” Charlie beams enthusiastically as he continues to forge a space for himself between me and his mom.
“Sorry, kid.” I shift out his way awkwardly, not sure if he’s supposed to be here or not. Addison stirs awake and when she sees him in the bed, sandwiched between us, a panicked look overcomes the drowsiness in her eyes
“Shit, I mean… Morning, sweetheart.” She smiles at her son and then looks at me with flushed, red cheeks as she smoothes out her hair.
I like that it’s all stuck up and outta place, I like even more that she’s got that damn fuckin’ tee of mine back on, and it takes me a few minutes to realize that this is the first time in years that I’ve woken up with a smile on my face.
“I don’t think you should be in here, bud.” Addison ruffles her son's hair playfully.
I spent the night before last comforting them both, but Charlie wouldn’t have been aware of it. I made sure I was outta their bed before he woke up.
“Why not? You were in here.” He looks up at her innocently, and I do nothing to hide the smirk from my face as I watch her try and tackle his curiosity.
“I was just… I must have drifted off in here last night while we were talking.” Her cheeks flush even redder.
