ROSES FOR RACHEL: EPISODES 41-50
By Painter
Episode 48
As we entered into the main room, I saw that the others were still here, staring at me wide eyed and bowing with smiles as I walked through.
“You really should have punished her.” Pedro said as we walked into my room, leaving Cromley to guard the door.
I turned to him. “Yes, well, I think the embarrassment was probably punishment enough.” I shrugged. “Besides, I am really not ok with the punishment for everything being death.” I explained. “Especially not just because she was rude to me.”
Pedro sighed, obviously deciding not to argue with me.
“What was so important that we end our meeting early?” He asked and I passed him the letter, chewing my lip while I watched his eyebrows rise as he read. “This is not good.” He said.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Well, duh.” I said with my brows raised too. “That’s why I came to you.” I told him. “What were you all still discussing in there anyway?”
Pedro shook his head and went to sit down at the foot of my bed. “I knew the fighting was getting worse, but I didn’t realize we were losing men at such a high rate.” He said as he stroked his chin. “We’ve got to get Calvin back here if it is truly as bad as he says.”
“How?” I asked sitting down beside him.
“Ask him to come.” He said simply, turning his face to mine. “If you beg him to, I know that he would.”
I dropped my eyes to my perfectly painted fingernails and watched the light glitter off of them. “I don’t think I can do that, Pedro.” I sighed.
“This means a lot to Calvin, and I’d feel bad using his feelings for me as a ploy to get him to drop what he’s doing.”
Pedro put his hand on my shoulder. “This could get him klled.” He said softly, holding up the letter.
I leaned over to Pedro, resting my head on his shoulder, and he patted my back.
I know he’s right, Calvin isn’t thinking clearly, and the last thing I need is for him to be acting on hate fueled emotion and get himself murdered.
“Fine.” I said weakly. “Who knows if my letter will even get to him in time.” I pointed out.
Pedro stood up. “You’ll call him.” He said. “Hearing your voice will make the impact even stronger.” He nodded to himself, like an idea was forming.
“We’ve got satellite phones that we’ve been using to communicate with Calvin’s lead warrior, Master Ronald, to keep us up to date on the latest news.” A troubled look crossed his face. “Actually, it is a little strange that we didn’t hear about this from him.” He said looking down at the letter. “I’ll go get the phone.” He said quickly, rushing from the room.
I walked over to the other side of the bed and picked up Calvin’s pillow, hugging it to my chest and trying to smell him on it, but the scent was hardly there anymore.
Pedro scurried back into the room carrying a big black and yellow phone that looked more like a walkie-talkie. “Master Ronald?” He said into it a couple of times, pausing in between, as he sat down on the foot of the bed again.
Some noise crackled over the line, but nothing I could decipher.
I put the pillow back, then came to sit on my knees in the floor in front of Pedro while he called into it more times, more urgently every time.
After 10 minutes went by with nothing but background noise, a voice finally came across. “Pedro?” He asked breathlessly.
Pedro and I both jumped and I grabbed the phone from his hands. “Calvin?” I called into it, my chest in pain from how hard my heart was beating.
“Rachel?” He asked.
I sighed, “Oh my god, Calvin.”
There was more noise, almost like shouting in the background. “Rachel, what’s going on? Why are you calling? Are you alright?” His voice was frantic and I glanced up at Pedro.
“Ask him where Ron is.” Pedro said quickly, his face a calm mask.
I was breathing heavily too, hearing Calvin’s strained breaths coming across. “Calvin, are you ok?” I asked. “Where’s Ron?”
“He’s dead.” He whispered. “We’re under attack.” He said and then there was more shouting. “Get to the back!” I head Calvin shout, then a loud banging sound.
“Calvin?” I called.
“Rachel, I’m sorry.” He said. “I never should have gotten you caught up in all of this.
I don’t know what’s going to happen to me.” He breathed. “We have to go.” He said. “Don’t send any more men, we won’t be here.” He huffed. “We’ve got a chance at the bastard behind this, and we’ve got to go to-.” The phone cut out for a second. “Be praying that we are successful, then I can come home to you.” There was something that sounded vaguely like gunshots. “I can’t write you or call.
It’s going to be radio silence, make sure you tell Pedro that.” He sounded like he was running. “Rachel, I love you.
If something happens to me, no matter what you find out, please believe I love you, so much more than I ever thought was possible to love another person.”
ROSES FOR RACHEL: EPISODES 41-50
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