The Stølen Girl

Chapter Twenty-Seven

 Mr. Chambers was pronounced dead at 7:34 PM that same night. Mary had shot him in the chest twice, and it was enough to kill him slowly enough that he suffered. Which, Mary decided wasn't a bad thing.

She liked the thought of her kidnapper suffering. She liked the thought of the man who killed her father in pain.

It made her giddy. Too giddy for it to be normal, but she chose to ignore it. Chose to ignore how red flags should have gone up the moment she realized how she loved the feel of a gun in her hand and the sound of Mr. Chambers crying out in pain.

Theodore wrapped an arm around her as they sat on the couch. "You're finally safe," He whispered into her ear, holding her close.

"Finally." She whispered back, but it broke her heart to know that her father's death was a side effect of being safe. Her heart had been ripped from her chest, and she was traumatized to know that he would never meet Elliott. That he wouldn't see her taking classes or going to school or getting married.

He was gone, almost faster than he entered her life.

Theodore shifted her so she was in his lap, surrounded by his arms. He hugged her into his chest, knowing she wasn't alright. And he wasn't either, but this wasn't about him. This was about them, and finding a way to survive This was about remembering how to breathe and finding the good things in that life that make it bearable.

Things weren't alright, and Theodore wasn't sure when things would be alright. He couldn't promise her anything, except that he would try every single day to make things better for her. He would give everything he had to take away her pain. To make life bearable again for her.

He wondered how many times she contemplated death, because right then, she looked like it wasn't the first time. And he could see it in her eyes, that she was giving up. That she was losing faith in life. That the will to live wasn't stronger than the desire to die.

He wanted to spin lies for her and tell her things would be alright. He wanted to create a world just for her where things would be like they should be. Where they would live as a family with baby Elliott. He wanted to make this a reality for her so badly, but he knew better than to dream like that.

Things weren't alright. They may never be again, but Theodore wanted to try, if only for the girl in his arms. The girl that deserved so much but received nothing.

"Just breathe," He told Mary instead, because right now, that was all he could tell her. It was all they could do.

"I'm trying but I can't." Mary sobbed, breaking down again. "Please bring him back. Bring my dad back!"

Theodore rubbed circles on her back. He couldn't do that. He couldn't do anything to make things alright again. He saved her once, but he wasn't sure he could again. Not when things were like this.

But he wouldn't give up. He would never give up.

There was a knock at the door, but neither moved. And the person didn't wait.

"So, dad's dead, huh?"

Theodore looked at Keith over Mary's shoulder. The boy looked worse for wear, and Theodore remembered what his father said about Keith being in the basement. About abandoning him there to bleed out.

"Mary shot him a few times." Theodore bit out. "He's finally gone, Keith. I can't believe it."

Keith fell to his knees, his shoulders shaking with sobs. "I know. The nightmare is finally over. But, I did something, Theodore. I told the police everything."

"Everything? You mean-"

"The kidnapping. When I got out of the basement I just had to. I knew dad was going to find Mary and I knew he was going to kill her. I thought the only way to save her was to tell the police about him and pray they got here fast enough. But they'll come looking for us."

Theodore looked at his brother. For once, he realized how strong his younger brother actually was. For years, he'd thought Keith was a coward. And coming back, seeing Mary with him, he thought the lowest things of his brother.

But today was different.

"And I'm so sorry. So sorry because if they take you, it'll be my fault that Mary's alone. But I had to. I had to save her and that was the only way I knew how. Please don't hate me-"

Theodore kissed Mary on the crown of her head and set her down on the couch beside him. Her red rimmed eyes watched as he embraced Keith, hugging him tight to his chest. "Don't be sorry, Keith. You did the right thing. You're not at fault here, okay."

Keith was sobbing into his brother's chest. "I am at fault. Everything is my fault. Everything!"

Mary's heart was breaking at the sight. She wasn't the only one hurting, and she felt selfish for thinking she was. Theodore and Keith both lost someone as well, someone she couldn't care less about, but someone close to them.

She'd killed their father.

"Not true. It's because of you that dad was going to be taken to jail if Mary hadn't killed him. And you were so strong to do that. And I know that it wasn't your fault for Mary being kidnapped. And I know that the abuse is something you regret. Everything will be fine, alright? Please just don't blame yourself."

Theodore knew this was right. He knew letting go of his past hatred for his brother's decisions was the right thing to do. He couldn't imagine a life without his family, and Keith was a part of that. And seeing his brother like this hurt him, too.

"But Mary-"

"Doesn't blame you either." She interrupted. She despised of Keith, but it didn't mean she had to blame him forever. She didn't trust him. She didn't like him. But she didn't blame him. He was broken, like she was.

The best thing to do was to let go and move on. And that would only happen if she let the hatred go.

Not an easy feat, but not an impossible one, either.

Mary needed to remember that, just like she didn't have a choice in being kidnapped, Keith didn't have a choice in being born into the family he had been. And while the abuse was his choice, she realized that he too was as messed up as she. Her past wouldn't be erased, and it would never go away. But she could choose to move on. To realize that the past can be used to make a person stronger, and that she could in fact benefit from her experiences.

It was all up to her. She knew this.

She knew that Theodore was forgiving his brother, and she should as well. Keith was a broken boy with good looks and no friends. People flocked to him because of his family's wealth, or because of his looks. But those friends were fake.

And Mary realized that Keith hadn't been kidding when he told her he needed her to be his friend. She realized that she was all he had.

Her heart went out to the broken boy covered in blood. He didn't decide to be a part of his family.

But even so, Mary knew that a part of her would always blame Keith. And she didn't know how to feel about the hatred that still resided in her.  

* * *

A/N:

So hi guys!

This doesn't pertain to this story, but I've submitted The Skeleton Boy into the wattys (most of you read this book, which is why im putting this here) and i need your help to let it have a winning chance!! Please vote and comment!

Okay, enough of Elliott. Back to Mary and her life lol

So far pretty crappy. And for those who have read The Skeleton Boy, I ask that you DO NOT put spoilers here. You know what I mean. Don't talk about the Mary from The Skeleton Boy in the comments. Please. 

This is because people haven't read the skeleton boy yet. THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENS. PLEASE KEEP IT THAT WAY :D

Thanks guys! You're lovely as usual <3

XOXO