Love You Forever (2013 Wattys Finalist)

Chapter 39 - The Falls

Robert was in a church.  Or at least he thought it was a church because of the rows of empty pews in front of him.  When he looked up towards the front, he was surprised to see his mum, dad, Mary and Betsy with Darrell sitting together in the front row with their backs to him.  Why were they here?  Then he looked on the other side of the aisle and saw May and Marianne sitting together. 

He began to feel a sense of dread as he looked down and realized he was wearing a black suit.  There were only two reasons why his and Georgie's families would be together in a church, and since he and Georgie weren't a couple, he knew a wedding was not about to take place.

When he looked back towards the front of the church, his blood ran cold and he suddenly found it difficult to breathe.  A large glossy white casket was on the altar.  The lid was open and he could see plush pink satin lining.  The casket was high enough he couldn't see inside it, but he didn't want to see inside it.  He didn't even want to be in that fucking church. 

He decided he had to get out of there, but when he tried to lift his feet, he couldn't move.  He looked down, trying to figure out why he was stuck when he heard a scream.

"Robert!"

Bloody hell, he thought with his heart in his throat.  It was Georgie.  Something terrible was happening to her.  He looked back at the altar and his heart nearly stopped in his chest.  The bastard was standing at the foot of the casket, his steely deep set eyes boring into Robert, his smug smile plastered on his face.

"Robert!" Georgie screamed from somewhere.

"Robert!" the bastard said heartily.  "What a delight to see you again!"

"What the fuck have you done to her!" Robert shouted.

 "Why, Robert.  Nothing has been done to her," the bastard said smoothly through his smug smile.  

"Robert!"

"She probably realizes where she's going by now, that's all."

Then Robert saw her.  She was struggling wildly as two of the bastard's guards dragged her towards the coffin.  Her face was red and tear stained, her eyes wide with terror.

"Robert!" she screamed as she thrashed her body, trying to get free from their grip. 

One of the guards grabbed her kicking legs, holding them tight by the ankles while they lifted her up, higher and higher.  Robert knew what they were about to do, what was going to happen to her. 

"Let her go, you fucking wankers!  Let her go!" Robert shouted.  He tried to go to her, to save her, but no matter hard he tried to lift his feet, he remained rooted to the spot.  

"Robert!" she screamed as she fought wildly, desperately trying to free herself while they lowered her in the casket.

"No!  Stop!  Leave her alone, you sick bastard!"  Robert shouted, tears coming to his eyes from frustration and fear.

"I must say, Robert.  I'm surprised," the bastard said coldly, his smug smile becoming more broad as he placed his hand on the lid.  "What do you care what I do with her?  You don't want her anymore." 

He began to lower the lid as Robert watched with horror, clearly enjoying himself.  Georgie began letting out long piercing screams with choking sobs at the end that were muffled when the lid closed.  Oh, God, Robert thought desperately.  She was going to die in there.

"No!" he shouted as he sat up in bed, his heart pounding in his chest and his entire body shaking, Georgie's piercing screams muffled through the bedroom door.