Timeless - Max Verstappen

Chapter 12

As soon as my door is closed behind me I clamber underneath my bed, unhooking the loose floorboard as I retrieve my notebook that I stashed there. I sit at my desk and I continue writing about our story. Making sure that it is saved somewhere so maybe one day in the future, someone will read about us and know the truth. I continue to write through the stiffness forming in my hand.

My my ice cold dinner sits untouched next to me as writing is interrupted by a scraping sound. I jump from my chair and turn to where the sound is coming from. I watch as the large wardrobe slides forwards. My heart races, I am unsure of what is causing this. "Is this the curse Victoria spoke about?" I softly say to myself, backing away. "Anna?" I hear a familiar voice. I slowly creep forward until I see Rachel slip out from behind the wardrobe. "Rachel." I gasp and run to her, diving into her welcoming and comforting arms. "How did you get here?" I ask her. "The reason why this wardrobe is so large, is so that it can hide the servants door behind it. Your mother had the wardrobe put in when you were young, to cover the doorway and she was hoping it would limit the amount of trouble you would get yourself into." Rachel says. "Oh, that does make sense. Why are you here?" I ask her, confused. "I will take you to see max for a short time, but only if you answer a question that I have for you. It must be the truth." She says. "Yes, please. I will tell you anything." I say to her. "The questions you asked me about kissing and the marital act, that had nothing to do with the princes visiting, did it?" She asks. I shake my head no. "I wanted to know what I was doing when I was with him." I say to her. "Was it as good as I had explained to you?" She asks. "It was better than I had ever imagined." I smile. "I am so glad to see you happy, come if we move now you can spend some time with him before I have to bring you back so we aren't caught." She says as she ushers me behind the wardrobe and down the stairs.

We eventually reach the cells. Rachel stops me for a second. "You will only have five minutes with him, I managed to convince one of the guards to leave their post early so we don't have much time." She says and I nod. Eager to see Max again. She points to the end of the corridor and I run. "Max?" I call out as I move down the corridor. "Anna?" I hear a few more cells down. I come to the source of the sounds and find him sitting up against the side of the cell. His body pressed against the bars keeping him there. I fall to my knees next to him, ignoring the pain as it shoots through my legs. "My love." I say to him with a small smile, grabbing his hands through the bars. The shock on his face turns into a smile. "Rachel helped me see you." I say to him. "I owe that woman so much." He laughs and I place my forehead against the bars, near his. "I don't have much time. I love you and I will find you in another life, I promise. We will have time to be happy together. We will have a family. I know we will." I say to him as the tears well up in my eyes. "I will find you. I will make sure of it. We will be happy." He says to me, wiping the tears from my cheeks as I see his own eyes begin to water. "Anna, we must go." Rachel says from down the corridor. "I love you. For the rest of time." Max says, I manage to kiss him through the bars. "I love you too. For the rest of time." I say before I reluctantly get up and Rachel and I race back to my room.

I arrive in my room and fall to the floor in a heap, my tears streaming down my face. "They must hang me too. I wish to die with him. I wish to spend eternity with him." I cry as Rachel holds me. I cry into her shoulder until a headache begins to bloom. An idea appears in my mind, but I shove it away. Unsure if that really is the best course of action in this situation.

I climb out of bed, not ready to face today but I know what I must do. I place my notebook underneath the loose floorboard. I decide to leave my ring from Max, so I know it is safe from anything that may occur today. I place the floorboard back, sliding it into place. It is barely noticeable but if you know to look for it you will find it. I dress myself and brush out my hair. Before I know it, the clock has ticked closer to midday. The tears well up in my eyes as I walk out of my room, towards the staircase leading upwards towards the room on the third floor with the best view of the square, my fathers old drawing room. I have not been in here for years however I find the courage to push the door open. The dust fills my lungs but I rush to open a window. Allowing fresh air to flow through the stale room. Not even my mother dared to touch the art supplies. There is a small staircase in the corner which I know leads to a turret. My father and I spent hours mapping out the stars from up there. It is the highest part of the castle.

I climb up the wooden stairs and a slight breeze picks up my hair as I reach the top. It is a small platform, surrounded by a waist high stone wall. I look out at the view, my eyes landing on the square in front of the castle. I stand there for what feels like hours. Watching the crowds grow around the stage. The stage where Max will take my heart with him to the grave. I watch as people talk when they bring him out of the castle. The people treat these types of things as a spectacle, a show if you will, put on for their entertainment. He tries to look back, searching the lower floors, I am assuming he is searching for me. They muscle him up and onto the stage where a noose hangs. His hands are locked in cuffs as they slip the loose knot around his neck. I decide my idea really is the best course of action. I step up onto the waist high wall. "Max!" I call out, his head snaps around and so does everyone else's. "For the rest of time. For the rest of time." I repeat to myself as the guard pulls everyone's attention back to him as he reads out Max's crimes and officially sentences him to death. As he is about to pull the lever that will end the life of the only man I will ever love,

I step forward.

The wind rushes through my hair

It rushes past my body as I fall

This is the most freedom I have ever felt.