His Fatal Obsession

Life on the Rope

The Next Day...

It was afternoon, and many volunteers were packing their belongings; buses awaited them in many villages. Many workers were happy to return home. Many villagers thanked them.

However, one was filled with confusion. Milagros was in her room, all packed, but sat alone in the bed, looking dead. She still did not know what to do, to stay or to go. Tears formed in her eyes. She couldn't get Antonio out of her mind and heart. There was a part of her that did not want to leave him alone. She could not fathom the thought of how broken he would become. It was strange that there was no hate in her heart after what he had done to her. He raped her, but she felt all his suffering, his desperation to be loved.

All her thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door. Then, the door opened, and Conner entered.

Both have not seen one another in a while.

"I see you're all packed. Ready to go?" he asked.

Milagros did not answer or even look at him.

"You know you can't stay here, Milagros. This is not your home. This is not your problem."

Slowly, the young woman stood. "You will never change Conner. You have been spoiled since you were small. You never had to suffer a day of your life. You never had love away from your life but until now." She looked at him. "I see no love within you. I know you don't like Antonio, but he is still your half-brother, whether you like it or not. You can deny it all you want, but you can never deny what is in both  your blood."

Conner clenched his hands into fists. "You've changed and not for the better." He then got a hold of her baggage. "We are almost leaving; see you on the bus." He left with her things. Slowly, she walked out of the house and slowly walked to the trail.

From afar, she saw Antonio's home and walked towards it. When she stood in front of the door, her heartbeat rapidly. She raised her hand in mid-air but hesitated. However, she gave one knock.

There was no response.

"A-Antonio, it's me. I know you are in there and I wanted to say goodbye. I don't know anymore. I don't know. All I know is to tell you that I forgive you, and I hope you can forgive yourself." She stood silent for a while. "Goodbye." She walked away and towards the bus.

Meanwhile, Antonio sat on the floor of his room by the window. He heard Milagros's words, and she was still leaving.

His face was drenched with tears that were now dried up.

In his heart, he felt...nothing.

Absolute nothingness. Antonio looked out the window and saw Milagros entering the bus. "This is it...huh...All for nothing." He stood. "I hope you find happiness. As for me." He looked up at a noose that he made. "I will no longer suffer." He got a chair and stood upon it and put the noose on his neck. "My love for you will always be with me." Antonio kicked off the chair.

....................................................................

Milagros sat on the bus, and the bus began to move away from the village. All of a sudden, there was a painful pang in her heart. She clenched her chest; the feeling did not stop. She immediately stood and went to the bus driver. "Stop the bus!"

"I can't do that, miss. I-"

Then, Milagros went to the end of the bus and opened the emergency door, and jumped out. The bus stopped. The young woman ran back to the village.

Conner yelled after her, but she did not stop.

Milagros never felt so terrified in her life as she ran into the village. She ran faster and faster until she got to Antonio's house. She opened the door and yelled out for him; she heard a noise that came from his room and went there immediately. Once inside, she screamed as she saw Antonio's body swinging.

Then, she got a knife from the kitchen and went back into the room. She got the chair and began to cut the noose. She cried for help as she began to cut.

All of a sudden she heard running footsteps and she called out.

Anthony entered, and his eyes were wide with horror. He got a hold of Antonio's lower body and held him high as he could.

Then, Milagros cut the rope;  Antonio fell onto the floor as Anthony did as well.

Milagros immediately went to him and touched his neck. There was no pulse. However she could not accept him dead. She got ahold of his face, put her lips onto his,, and breathed to into him.

She was determined to save his life.