Midnight Lily(75)

I untied my other hand and stumbled off the bed, grabbing the bedpost so I wouldn't fall as blood rushed to my head. The world swam in front of me for several moments until it finally cleared enough for me to move forward, pushing my feet into the slippers on the floor. I headed toward the door, but heavy footsteps coming toward my room caused me to turn, stumbling toward the window. I pushed it upward, the scrape of the wood making my blood run cold. A blast of frigid air hit me in the face. I was crying outright now, almost sobbing as I climbed over the sill and fell clumsily to the ground, picking myself up and beginning to run as I heard him yell something behind me, his voice laced with rage, caught by the howling wind and tossed away somewhere behind me. It was snowing. Oh God, it was snowing, the ground already dusted with the barest cover of gleaming white. Everything shimmered and glistened around me. So cold, so very, very cold. I ran on, stumbling once and crying out, picking myself back up. I didn't know which direction to go, was turned around, blinded by the snow. Something flew by my head and I yelped, stumbling again, but when I opened my eyes, I saw the glow of owl eyes looking back at me and heard its quiet hoot as if it was telling me to follow. And so I did, following the shifting air in front of me, the movement left behind by the bird's wings. It felt as if the tears were freezing on my face and despite the fact that I was running, I was shivering with cold and with fear. And I was so dizzy, so turned around, so alone, so scared. I ran and ran, until I came to a big, heavy, iron gate. Mercifully, the padlock was hanging from the chain, unlocked. I gasped out a relieved breath and squeezed through the opening, running once again, slipping, moving toward the dark wooded area in front of me, the hoot of the owl finding me again in the dark. I ran toward the sound, letting it lead me, wondering if the man was closing in. Hide, hide, hide my terrified mind chanted.

The branch of a tree hit me in the face and I let out a small scream, pushing it away. I looked behind me and gasped to see not my grandmother's rental, but Whittington standing in the distance, massive and gothic, looming against the dark sky, the moon covered by clouds, the flurries of snow almost obscuring it now. This had happened before. A wave of dizziness hit me, causing my thoughts to scatter like feathers in the wind. And yes, now I could hear someone pursuing me and so I pushed forward, running between trees, over stones and small twigs that caught at my feet and caused me to stumble again and again, hearing one last, distant hoot that faded away into the black night.

And then I saw someone in front of me. He appeared out of the darkness, a beacon of light walking toward me through the white, swirling air. It was a man, a man in a heavy coat and boots. It looked like he had several blankets around his shoulders as he trudged through the blizzard, straight toward me as if I alone was his destination. My heart almost leapt from my chest, but I didn't move. Time stilled, holding me in some kind of wonder I didn't understand. I glanced once behind me and then turned toward the man again. The man who'd been out here in the snow. Why? I strained my eyes as he drew closer and when I saw it was Ryan, I cried out, a wild sound of joy and relief that broke the silence of this hushed, winter night. I ran toward him, and he caught me in his arms as I sobbed out his name, both of us sinking to the ground where he held me in his lap. "Shh," he said against my hair. "Shh, Lily."

"He's coming after me," I cried.

"I know," he said, but there was no distress in his voice. "He'll be gone in a minute."

I looked behind me, as understanding began to dawn. "He doesn't exist," I breathed.

"He did, once upon a time, at Whittington. But he's gone now. We escaped a long time ago. Whittington's closed."

I glanced back at Whittington and realized he was right. It was dark, abandoned. I raised my face to his, calming, trusting him with my whole heart. He loved me. He always had. Perfectly mine. "It's snowing," I whispered.

He smiled so gently. "I know, baby." He kissed my cheek, caught a tear on his lips. "I know."

He held me in his arms for several moments, his warm lips pressed to my forehead. "Last night, we were together on the bridge," I murmured.

He raised his face from mine, smoothing my hair back. "We were together," he said. "There was no bridge."

Where do you land?

In your arms. I land in your arms, and you land in mine.

My heart rate slowed as the dark world cleared, the snow fading into late morning sunshine. "We're back," I said. "Oh Ryan, we're back."

"Yes," he answered, kissing my cheeks, my forehead, my chin and my nose. He smiled. "We are. We're back." The air grew warmer, the sharp scent of pine and damp leaves registering, his arms tightening around me, pulling me closer.

"Yes, we are," I repeated through my tears, my lips turning up into a trembling smile. My savior. My love. He must have come back right before me. "Are you okay?" I asked softly.

"Yes, I am now." He smiled.

After several moments, he helped me to my feet, taking a blanket from around his shoulders and wrapping it around me. I leaned on him as we walked, feeling stronger, my mind clearing. I inhaled a deep breath of air, looking at the man walking beside me, the man who I loved to the depth of my soul.

"Thank you for coming for me," I said.

"Always," he answered.





EPILOGUE