The List 1-5

Introduction, Love, Light, Dark, Seeking Solace

#1 Introduction

          “Right this way, my lord.” Sir Wilcott said as he led the Duke through the large house. “Danielle is very excited about meeting you.”

          “It will be a pleasure to finally meet her as well.” The Duke responded. “And you are sure she has no qualms about marrying a man she has never met before?”

          “Danielle is a good girl, my lord. She knows her place and knows how to appreciate good things when they come to her. She’s happy to follow in her sister’s footsteps and marry into such a noble family as yours, my lord.”

          The Duke smiled. “It pleases me to hear that.”

          Danielle’s sister, Catherine, had married the Duke’s older brother a mere seven months prior to this day. It was at the wedding that the Duke first caught sight of Danielle. Catherine boosted regularly to her brother-in-law about Danielle. It was a joyous day when Sir Wilcott learned of the Duke’s intentions toward his second daughter. And although the Duke was a good twelve years older than Danielle, she bit her tongue and obeyed her father’s wishes. Or at least that’s what she allowed her father to believe.

          Sir Wilcott described his daughter as a good girl. This was not entirely true. Danielle was a free spirit who wanted nothing to do with the lifestyle her sister Catherine had been thrown into. And she would do everything in her power to make sure that when she met this Duke he would immediately change his mind. Her mother had successfully thwarted at least half a dozen plans, but that certainly did not discourage Danielle.

          Sir Wilcott led the Duke to the back of the house. Danielle had been out for a ride and was returning soon. But when Sir Wilcott and the Duke stepped outside, they found the two servants that were watching Danielle and Danielle’s horse, but no Danielle. Excusing himself, Sir Wilcott approached the two men.

          “Where is she?” he hissed quietly.

          There was a short silence before one of them answered.

          “She ran off, sir.”

          As Sir Wilcott proceeded to scold the men as quietly as she could, the Duke spotted something out of the corner of his eye. It was a young woman, who he assumed to be one of the house servants for she was covered from head to toe in mud. She was trying her best to sneak into the house without being seen.

          “Are you all right, miss?” the Duke called out.

          The young woman halted. Sir Wilcott turned to see who the Duke was speaking to. Leaving the two men, Sir Wilcott stormed over to the Duke’s side. He knew all too well who she was. He cleared his throat loudly and she slowly turned around to face him and the Duke.

          She was absolutely covered in wet, black mud. She had attempted to wipe some off her face, but there were still remnants on her cheeks and forehead. She dared not look at Sir Wilcott, so instead her eyes drifted to the Duke.

          Even covered in mud, he thought her as beautiful as ever. To her surprise, she realized that she never wanted to look into another man’s eyes.

          “My lord, may I present my daughter. Danielle.”

 

 

#2 Love

          For the third week in a row, Melissa had cried herself to sleep. Her parents wondered how long this would go on. Her friends wondered how long it would take her to see that she was far too stubborn for her own good. Her sisters wondered how long it would take Jake to realize that doing what Melissa told him to do, that leaving, was the worst possible thing he could have done.

        No matter how many times she told herself it was the right thing to do, Melissa could not suppress that aching hole in her stomach that grew with each passing day. She was no good for him. After the hell her real parents has put her through, she was surprised her adoptive parents have not gotten rid of her already. Oh yes, she loved Jake, but love wouldn’t be enough. He deserved better; deserved someone whole. So she told him to go. She told him she did not love him and that she wanted him to go. And he left.

          On this particular night, it had taken Melissa two full hours of tears before she passed out from exhaustion. At exactly three-thirty-three in the morning, her cell phone began to vibrate. She did not wake though. After two more failing attempts, he gave up on trying to call her. Stepping out of the car, he proceeded to open all the doors. Climbing into the passenger’s seat, he plugged in his i-Pod and turned both it and the car stero up to maximum volume. Once he found the song he wanted, he pressed play.

          Melissa stirred from her dreamless sleep as the music reached her ears. A little disoriented, she threw the blankets off.

          “Melissa! Look outside!” she heard one of her younger sisters yell from the hallway just outside her bedroom door.

          Melissa got out of bed and headed toward her window. She knew the song that was playing. She peeked out her blinds and her heart stopped. She quickly pulled the blinds up and threw open her window.

          Jake smiled upon seeing her and continued to sing.

          “Why does every moment have to be so hard? Hard to believe it. It’s not over tonight. Just give me one more chance to make it right. I may not make it through the night. I won’t go home without you.”

          Melissa left her window and hurried toward her door.

          “Melissa, what the hell is going on?”

          “The neighbors are furious.”

          Melissa did not listen to her parents as she hurried down the stairs and out the door.

          “I may not make it through the night. I won’t go home without you.”

          Love would be enough; it would have to be enough.

          Melissa ran to Jake and he took her in his arms as the song ended.

 

 

#3 Light

          Richard Michaels, convicted sexual predator, escaped custody three weeks ago in Tallahassee, Florida.

          Nick Conners, age nine, disappeared two weeks ago from a shopping mall in Nashville, Florida.

          Yesterday, Richard Michaels was caught and taken into custody. Nick was not with him.

          “Where’s the boy, Michaels?” the detective asked again.

          Even after a full seventeen hours of interrogation, Michaels said nothing.

          The detective slammed his fist down on the table. “Where’s Nick!?”

          Michaels looked up at the detective and smirked.

          “Be careful, detective. Remember your blood pressure.” He said, sarcastically.

          The detective rose from his chair, running his hand through his hair. Every minute he couldn’t get Michaels to talk was another minute Nick was in danger. He leaned over the table, placing his palms down on it.

          “Michaels, you always tell me that the things you did to those boys, you never did any of those things to hurt them-“

          “I loved those boys.” Michaels interrupted.

          “And you love Nick Conners?”

          Michaels glared up at the detective.

          “Of course I do.”

          The detective leaned closer.

          “Then tell me where he is.”

          Michaels turned away.

          “If we don’t find this boy soon, he is going to die.” The detective shouted, almost pleading with Michaels.

          What happened next came as a surprise to the detective. He thought he saw a tear roll down Michaels’ cheek. The detective’s voice softened.

          “Richard, where’s Nick?”

          One hour later, the detective and another dozen cops arrived at a large abandoned warehouse just outside Tallahassee. Kicking down the entrance, the police made their way inside and began searching. They called out the boy’s name for twenty minutes before they heard something from behind a bolted door.

          Nick shivered as he heard something begin to bang against the door. When it finally gave in, the police found Nick. For the passed two weeks, Michaels had been keeping Nick in the same room. There were no windows, no other doors, one bed, and a bucket. Nick was chained to the bed with a black bag over his head.

          Detective Conners ran to his son and lifted the bag off his head. And, for the first time in two weeks, Nick saw the light.

 

 

#4 Dark

          Dear Ryan, hey there little brother. Listen, I know you don’t like these kinds of letters, but I don’t know how many more letters I’m going to be able to write. I’m sorry to pin this on you, but I don’t have anyone else at the moment. I don’t think there’s anyone left.

          You see, last night we were raided. We tried to hold them back the best we could, but there were too many. They easily outnumbered us. But we fought just like we were trained to. We fought long into the night. I’m still amazed that what seemed to be like days turned out to only be mere hours. I won’t go into any of the gory details, I know mom would kill me for doing that. I wouldn’t want you to know anyway. What happened last night, well it’s hard to imagine that such things could happen. And I was there!

          But now, now it’s quiet. For a little while you couldn’t hear anything over the noise of the battle. Then came the screaming and the moaning. I heard men make the most horrifying noises Ryan. But the quiet is the worst part of all. I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here in the dark and the silence. It feels like an eternity. Every few minutes or so I catch myself whish that the firing and yelling and screaming and moaning would start up again just so I wouldn’t have to endure this silence anymore.

          I’m scared Ryan. I know that’s something I probably shouldn’t be admitting to my little brother, but I’m scared. I don’t’ want to be in the dark anymore. Too many things can happen in the dark and the cold and the silence. But after last night, after what I saw, after what I heard, after what I did, I wonder if there can ever be light again. Well, for me at least. Even if I make it through this, I know that I’ll always see their faces and I’ll heard their moans sound in the dark. I don’t want to die here, but I don’t know if I have the strength to live either.

          I’m scared Ryan. It’s so dark here and I can’t hear them anymore. It’s all gone silent. I’m alone. I’m scared. It’s so dark.

          Ryan, if you get his letter, please tell mom th--------

 

 

#5 Seeking Solace

          “We’re supposed to be pulling off the biggest car heist in this f*****g state’s history, and you’re telling me that Chris, my number one car-jacker, is at the beach one hour before the heist!”

          Todd watched the vein on Van’s forehead throb. Clearing his throat, he scratched the back of his neck.

          “Yes, that’s what I’m telling you.” Todd said frankly, trying not to show any fear.

          Van ran his hands over his face and laughed. Todd stood there for a moment, totally and utterly confused, before joining in the laughter. Van quickly stopped.

          “Go get him!”

          Todd silenced, jumping back at Van’s command. He turned around and quickly left the garage. Five minutes later, Todd arrived at the local beach and parked next to the only other car that was there. Chris was not in it. Looking down the boardwalk, Todd spotted someone standing down by the water’s edge.

          “Chris!” he yelled, running toward the someone.

          Chris heard him, but paid no attention. He kept his eyes closed, facing the water. The wind blew, spraying him lightly with the salty ocean water.

          “Chris,” Todd skidded to a stop beside him, out of breath. “Van sent me. He’s in a foul mood, Chris. A foul mood. He says you have to come back right now. Chris, are you even listening to me!?”

          Chris took a deep breath.

          “I come to his same spot before every car-jacking job I do.” He said calmly, keeping his eyes closed and his hands in his pockets.

          “I know you do. But Van-“

          “Do you know why I came here Todd?”

          Todd made an odd noise suggesting annoyed fear, but went along with Chris and his question.

          “No, why do you come here?”

          “Listen.”

          Todd did as he was told. He stood there in silence. The wind blew; the waves lapped up against the sand; a seagull flew overhead.

          “I don’t hear anything.” Todd moaned.

          Chris smiled. “Exactly.”

          He did not care that Todd didn’t get it.

          “It’s the calm before the storm.” He said.

          “Okay, that’s great. Can we go now?”

          Chris removed his hands from his pockets. He began waving them through the air as if conducting some invisible orchestra. After a moment, he cued the ending and opened his eyes.

          “All right, let’s do this s**t.” He said, turning to walk back to his car.

          Todd took a confused glance at the ocean, then followed Chris to the parking lot.