Web Short 1 - Sweet Burden Series
Sophie's Decision (Pt. 2)
**This takes place between Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 and during the same time as Vol. 2.5**
Liam
promptly stood up as his brow creased. Sophie scrambled up to her feet and
secured the blanket around her.
“Hey
Roland. Any news on Hitomi?” Sophie asked. She could see the seriousness on
Roland’s face and it instantly unnerved her.
He
didn’t even bother to look at her as he pushed a few dreadlocks away from his
face. His gaze was fixated on Liam. “I’m not here concerning Hitomi,” he
stated.
The
tension in the air was thick and Sophie fidgeted nervously. “Um, okay. Are you
all staying at the cabin for the night?”
“No,”
he answered still not looking at her. “Can you step outside with us for a
minute Liam?”
Liam
stood motionless and said nothing. Sophie took a hold of his hand and Liam
mashed his lips together as if in pain.
“Roland,
what’s going on?” Sophie questioned with more force.
“It
doesn’t concern you.”
“If it
concerns Liam, it concerns me.”
“Sophie,
stop,” Liam said softly as he turned to her. He took her other hand and peered
down at her. “Just remember I love you.”
Roland
snickered in the background. “Another death god who thinks he can love,” he
mumbled.
Neither
Sophie nor Liam paid him any attention. Sophie wasn’t exactly sure what was
going on, but Liam seemed to know precisely what was happening. Liam
held her hands firmly. “Just promise me you’ll remember. No matter what
happens.”
“You’re
scaring me. What’s going on?”
From
the corner of her eye, Sophie saw Roland move forward. “We’re arresting your
death god boyfriend,” he stated.
Her
mouth gaped open. A sudden rush of fear overtook her. “Arresting him? Why? He
hasn’t done anything.” It had been hundreds of years since she lost her first
love, she couldn’t bear to lose her second. “No. No!” she repeated as she shook
her head. “Who ordered this? Hitomi would never want this.”
“Hitomi’s
not around right now,” Roland replied with a bored sigh.
Why
would London take someone away from Hitomi’s search? Arresting Liam had to be
Gareth’s doing. She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t let them take him.
There was no way to know for certain she would ever see him again. Sophie
looked at the two guys behind Roland. Just by looking at them she could tell
they were still inexperienced. They most likely hadn’t even completed training
yet. She could easily take both of them on. Liam could overpower Roland and
they would have time to escape.
“Sophie?
Sophie?” Liam let go of her hands and gently grabbed her face forcing her to
look at him. “It’ll be okay. I’ll go with them.”
She
hated how calm he was acting. Tears began trickling down her cheeks. “No,” she
cried.
He
pulled her against him in a tight embrace. “I’m counting on you to find me,” he
whispered before pulling away and kissing her.
“Okay,
that’s enough.” Roland grabbed Liam yanking him backwards. Liam stumbled but
never took his eyes from her.
“I
promise,” she quickly said realizing she had never responded to his earlier
request, but she also meant it as a promise to find him. Sophie watched in
horror as they bound Liam’s hands behind his back. Still his eyes never left
her. “Please don’t hurt him,” she pleaded.
“We
won’t. At least not more than necessary,” Roland replied with a chuckle. He
made a motion to the other two angels and they started to lead him out.
Sophie
wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet. She rushed across the room as the angels
readied for a fight. To their surprise and Roland’s disappointment she threw
her arms around Liam’s neck clinging to him.
“I
love you.” With her lips to his ear she whispered, “I will find you.” She kissed him again until the couple was pulled
apart. The angels led him out of the cabin, but Roland lingered.
“An
angel in love with a death god. How utterly tragic,” he commented as he rolled
his eyes.
Sophie
didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. She would take her issues up with
London and get Liam released. She would make them understand he was on their
side.
“Don’t
think you’re getting off easy. London has ordered you back to the Heavens. He
wants to speak to you. How you’ve acted is unbecoming of an angel. I’m not sure
how you can even consider yourself a part of the Heavens. It’s disgusting
shacking up with that thing and calling it love.”
Sophie’s
brow furrowed. She wanted nothing more than to hurt Roland at that point. “Well,
I hope London realizes he’s condemning an ally, an innocent…”
“Innocent?”
he scoffed interrupting her. “He’s anything but innocent. He’s a death god Sophie. How do you know he
hasn’t been reporting everything back to the Afterworld? Maybe he had a part in
the attack on Finn. Maybe he has something to do with Hitomi’s disappearance.”
Sophie
shook her head in disbelief. “That’s ridiculous and you know it. Do you think
he had some role in Obi’s death too?”
“That
might be the only thing to save him if he did.”
“I
don’t know who’s been filling your head with all this crap, but they’re wrong.
I know Liam had nothing to do with any of those things because I know him. He
risked everything by leaving the Afterworld.”
“Or
gained everything,” he replied eyeing her in a way that made her suddenly feel
naked. “I guess it depends on how you look at it.”
He
could ogle her all he wanted. It gave her a small sense of satisfaction knowing
that Roland would be jealous of something Liam had. Unwrapping herself from the
blanket, she tossed it on the couch. She wiped her cheeks free of tears and
crossed her arms over her chest. “If Liam hadn’t stopped me, I would have
kicked your ass.”
A
smirk formed across his lips. “I would have liked to see that. Maybe another
time.” He gave her a wink and turned on his heel to leave.
“The
only time I would ever touch you is if I was beating the crap out of you. Just
keep in mind that I’d prefer the touch of a death god rather than anything you
have to offer,” she spat.
He
stopped for a second. She knew her words stung. Without another word he strode
out the door with such arrogance it made Sophie want to kick him in the teeth.
As the screen door slammed, she rushed over to the doorway. They all took off
into the sky with Roland in the lead. The other two angels had Liam secured
between them carrying him off into the sky. He didn’t appear to be harmed, but
she feared for him. Although death gods seemed to have a monopoly on bad
reputation, she knew how ruthless angels could be. And if they really suspected
Liam of still working for the Afterworld, there would be torture involved.
The
only thing she could think to do was go to Rediisu. With Obi gone, Guri in the
Heavens and Finn turning into London’s lapdog, there was no one else to turn
to. She didn’t trust him, but there was no one left. Besides, if they were
taking Liam then they would eventually come for Rediisu. She would at least
have a chance to warn him and maybe they could help Liam.
(read the conclusion next week...)
