Bernadette Azizi - Undying

After a while longer the car began to slow, I immediately took my seat belt off and impatiently waited for Mr Kemp. He noticed my eagerness and rolled his eyes at me.

I got out of the car before he had a chance to turn the ignition off.

“Where are we?”

“Follow me,” he replied, disregarding my question.

So I did. The street we walked down was extremely traditional and seemed to be an affluent area. His walkgradually slowed and he started to walk beside me. He didn’t look at me, or speak a word. It seemed he was unsure of what to say.

“Is something supposed to happen?” I whispered sarcastically.

Still not speaking, Mr Kemp slowed right down and headed to a bench to sit.

“You continue down the street, I will catch up with you, I want to sit for awhile,” he said as he sat down.

”Walk where?” I am sure he could see the disappointment on my face. I turned around with a huff and continued up the street.

Stupid man, why did I believe that he was going to help me?

I stopped and turned back to see him lying back on the bench with his eyes closed.

I waited a second, contemplating whether I should continue or go back to the old smelly cigar car. Even though I was disappointed, and there was nothing here for me, I was in no rush to be in the car alone with him.

I decided to continue. A few minutes into my walk, a terrace across the street caught my attention. It was white with a battered dark-blue door. Intrigued, I crossed over for a better look. It didn’t seem to be occupied, newspapers stuck on the windows and spider webs on the rails made this house stick out for all the wrong reasons. As I stood on the path, I felt an icy-cold chill go through my body and a bitter taste fill my mouth. I pushed opened the iron gate which let out a ear splitting screech and headed towards the door, passing a small overgrown courtyard on my way. As I approached the door I became apprehensive. It had two glass panels that weren’t covered; I slowly brought my face close to the glass. The hallway was long and without light with papers on the floor and furnishings covered with sheets. Then without warning, the door started to shudder. I immediately let go of the door knob unable to pull myself away, I continued to peer through the glass until what seemed like a face slammed itself into the other side of the glass. I pushed myself away from the door in horror and ran back to the path to catch my breath. My heart was racing.

What in God’s name just happened?

I crossed over the road and quickly started heading back to the car, where I hoped Mr Kemp was. I wanted to get out of this place. As I approached the car, I could hear shouting. Unexpectedly James was now in sight.

“James!” What was he doing here?

“What were you thinking, bringing her here?” James shouted at Mr Kemp.

“I thought if…” Mr Kemp tried to defend himself, but James didn’t let him finish.

“What did you tell her?” he growled.

“Nothing, I would never…” Mr Kemp pleaded.

“Just because you’re here to enforce the rules, doesn’t mean you can make them. Catherine’s safety is more important than your research!”

“Where is she?” he added.

“I’m here,” I quietly answered.

“Catherine.” James came to me, pulled me close to him, holding me so tight I could feel his heart beating. Why was he so upset? He has never held me this way .

“Can we leave?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said with sorrow in his eyes. I was confused, not sure what to make of what just happened. Surprisingly, I felt sorry for Mr Kemp. I know he was trying to help me but James obviously didn’t think so. Once in the car, neither one of us spoke. James was still visibly upset. When we arrived at the college, I followed him to his office. Once inside, he slowly lit the fire and came towards me. I didn’t like the look on his face.

“James… About Richard?”

“Catherine, I know what is being said isn’t true. I also believe that our love is powerful and that we can overcome anything. However, I also believe that your life is in danger when we are together. We need to stop this before it’s too late.”

“What are you saying?”

“We need to end this. I need to stay away from you. No good can come of this.”

“No good? No… No… You can’t stop this!”

James came closer towards me. He had tears in his eyes.

“Please try to understand,” he said with his lips tightened.

“No… James! No! Please don’t do this to me. I need you. I don’t want anyone but you.”

“We are not meant to be together. I understand that now. I promised you I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.”

I was broken and inconsolable. I stepped away from him slowly.

“You can’t do this to me,” I pleaded.

“Catherine…”

“Don’t!” I shouted, crying now. I placed my hands on his chest. I could feel his heart pounding. I needed to touch him.

I closed my eyes and moved closer to him, until our bodies were touching. I looked up at him. His face was shattered. But he didn’t want me. In disbelief I left.

When I got to my room, I was so inconsolable I wanted to scream. I wanted to see something break, anything… other than my heart.

How could he just give up on us? Weren’t we worth fighting for?

I felt sick in the stomach; I have never known my life to be so complicated. Could I be anymore unlucky than I am now.

I sat a while longer, thinking… trying to understand what just happened today. Why did Mr Kemp take me to that street? And why was James so angry? I don’t even know how to begin to make sense of it all. My first thoughts were that Mr Kemp was trying to throw me off, with no intentions of helping me today, but James’s reaction would suggest otherwise. What does that street have to do with me?

Could Mr Kemp have something to do with all this, other than just being a nuisance .

I had to see Mr Kemp. I got up and headed for the door. As I opened the door to leave; standing there was the college cleaner, struggling to hold her collection of cleaning equipment.

“Hi… Mary, You gave me a fright,” I said, startled by her being so close to my door.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to give you a scare,” she said.

“I’m fine. Lucky actually, I almost forgot to leave my door unlocked,” I said, trying to be friendly enough so she wouldn’t notice my sadness.

“Well you would have been the first, no one likes to miss out on having their room cleaned by someone else,” she laughed as equipment started falling out of her hands.

“Oh!” she cried.

“Here let me help you.” I bent down and started picking up what had fallen. “Why don’t you bring your trolley down the hallway rather than carrying everything?” I asked impatiently.

“Trust me, there is nothing I would like more than that, but the hallway is quite narrow and I have upset a few teachers in the past, when they had to walk around my trolley. So now I leave it there out of the way,” she said.

“Here, I’ll help you take these to the room you’re cleaning, or is it mine?” I enquiry.

“No, I wish, I’ve just started, I’m heading to Mr Kemp’s,” she said as she started making her way to his room.

“OK,” I replied and started walking down with her. She kept raving on about how it would be so much easier if her trolley was just outside each door. When we got to Mr Kemp’s door she opened it and walked right in.

I couldn’t believe I was in his room. It was so messy! Books and papers were everywhere.

“Where do you want me to put these?” I asked, holding her cleaning products.

“In the bathroom please, I just have to go back and get the vacuum,” she said as she ran out.