"How can you be okay when you're still in that monster's hands?" he asked, stepping forward and keeping his aim fixed on my forehead.
"Because he’s shown me what it's like to love," she revealed.
Fuck. Bad answer. I knew her father wasn't going to like that response, and he wasted no time with firing a round right above my head. "What have you done to her, you disgusting sack of shit?"
I bit the inside of my cheek, trying my hardest to hold back the building anger inside of me. It wasn't his fault that my mother died, but he was still involved in the tragedy. If he wasn't on our side after the fight at the cabin, who would be?
Lilly stood in front of me, arms outstretched. She was trying to protect me, bless her heart. "He's not a monster. He’s the one I will spend my life with. You don't know him like I do," she said.
"I know enough," he snarled.
I brought her hands down and walked in front of her. "Then, know this," I said. "I was the monster who saved your daughter's life when she crossed the Great Divide and broke your beloved pact. I was the beast who took a beating to set her free when she was captured. I was the savage animal who would do anything to make sure she has a brighter future full of love, grace, and glory. Your daughter made the decision for herself. If we're going to live through this, we need to leave before my wretched family tries to kill us all."
I wasn't going to take anything for granted anymore. I was stepping through the flames and forcing my way into the unknown.
Lilly walked toward her dad, and he slowly lowered his weapon. She placed her hand on the rifle and took a deep breath. "Our life here is done," she said. "Both sides of the forest are uninhabitable. That was no one’s doing except nature. There are no lines to cross. We need to find shelter, Dad."
"Lilly, I—" He stopped short and seemed to turn inward. His jaw shook. "No. Your mother wouldn't want it."
She hugged her father. "She would, Dad. We deserve a better life."
He dropped the hunting rifle and wrapped his arms around her. Tears fell from his eyes. "Oh, Lilly," he wept. "Goddammit, I'm sorry for everything."
But as soon as he let go of her shoulders, he pushed her to the side and grabbed that rifle. Raising it up toward my head, he said, "But I can't let this relationship happen. I won't."
Lilly
We were survivors. The only ones who carried the torch of life. We were the last vestiges of humanity. Hope and strong-willed desire would not be abandoned, nor would it stay broken forever.
Our hearts were strong. Our will was pure. We would stand the test of time because we were built to last. At least, that was the lie I was told and chose to believe. Until now
.
My eyes adjusted to the darkness of our RV. My dad stood above me. "Lilly. It's time to get up and face the consequences," he said.
Everything had gone to shit. We used to be the hunters of the woods, but now we were the ones searching for safety. Dad moved our home to a secluded and heavily concealed area, but I knew they'd find us eventually. We had to keep moving, so why was he keeping us here?
I looked at him, and I could barely recognize his face. The look in his eyes was one of confusion and twisted thinking. The strength he’d taught me to display was gone. I saw a scared animal. Not quite a monster, but it didn't take much to turn someone into one.
He had seated Lucian on a chair. Tied him up like a prisoner. He was ready to beat him, to interrogate him about the choices I’d made for myself.
It wasn't Lucian's fault. It was mine. I was strong enough to bear the responsibility, and I wanted to stay with him.
"I can hardly look at you," I said to my dad.
He paced the home. "You are naive. His family are the enemy."
"They’re just like us," I shouted.
But he was quick and fierce with his response. "They’re nothing like us."
Lucian hung his head, breathing deep. He was patient and silent. The sad truth was that he’d been made used to this treatment. He told me people would react to him poorly. It made me see how right he was. And his courage made me love him more.
My father stopped and stroked his beard. "Your mother wouldn't have wanted this," he said.
I shook my head. "You keep saying that, but Mom was a good person. She would have sought peace."
I knew he was just going to lie to me, but I was so dumbstruck by his continuous denial of the truth that I didn't know what else to say. I opened my mouth but hesitated. It felt like there was no getting through to him.