Free Indignation by Celinda Santillan Page A

turning himself into the same person of that night. Her only memory now is of those Moments where she thought he loved her. Also the note that made her clear, her clouded mind. A note he left on her doorstep, while hiding in the shadows.
     
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    Goodbye. Never again.
    -Julian
     
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    He left no explanation. He left her, not caring what she would feel. Now as she remembers the last several days of his return, she realizes just how blinded she was. He isn’t Julian, the man she fell in love with. He was never that man. He caused her so much pain that she knows he doesn’t deserve anything from her.
    She closes the purple leather scrap book filled with pictures and memories of the two of them. They’re all pictures of lies, and deception. He never cared for her. She now realizes that. It took her four years to fully understand the damage he caused along his way through her life.
    After so long, she will learn to fight those memories that have caused her nothing, but remorse and solitude. She’s Alyssa Pike who has two great friends that will always be there when she needs them. Brandon and Jim is all she will ever need. Julian is out of the picture. She doesn’t want any explanations for his leave. Julian didn’t have parents and always seemed older than he ever told her so she knew he left by his choice. What else is there to say?
    “Goodbye, Julian. Have a nice life.” She closes the scrapbook of memories. She wipes the tears that have fallen silently. “No more tears, Julian. No more tears.”
    Alyssa walks quietly into Jim’s room. He lies down with his eyes closed. His steady breathing tells her that he has fallen asleep. She lightly presses her lips to his forehead. “I love you, Jim-Jam. Get better for me.”
    She quietly closes the front door behind her. The moon is up, staring down at her with a taunting light. Only the moon will ever know of her real fear, and her addiction. Only the moon will never speak all the secrets it holds. That’s why it’s silent. That’s why it’s haunting.
    She gets into her grey mini cooper and drives on the road leading to her addiction.
     
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    Julian stalks Alyssa. His priority as an Elim will be to protect her. Gabriel made that very clear. He stares at her will indifference. The woman staring up at the moon is the same woman who he has learned to transfer his hate. She was his downfall and he will be hers.
    He drives about fifty yards away from her. His lights are shut off so she won’t notice that she is being followed. It seems stranger to him that she would drive out at midnight. What does she have planned? His curiously grows when she misses all the exits and continues to drive north. He continues to follow her until she suddenly makes a sharp left, leading to a narrow dirt road that he knows too well.
    He has a sketchy feeling when he puzzles over the thought of her heading toward The Jag, a place that secretly sold drugs, and exported cargo that was too dangerous for her to even know about. He has to change his tactic. He lets her drive further away from him. Hades followers run The Jag. They are ruthless without any control from their leader or any higher ranking immortals. Their sense of direction is driven by the misery or others and pleasure of destruction.
    Julian parks behind a wide oak tree. He doesn’t need the Followers knowing his form of transportation. He jogs his way towards the clearing as he notices Alyssa opening the door of the small hut and disappearing behind the door. He follows her quickly. Alyssa’s appearance in this territory is like meeting the reaper, a very dangerous move that can’t be undone with his name. These are the few that would not care to die at the hands of Julian. They would actually be blessed. They have no minds of their own to fully acknowledge the outcome of their lives.
    He follows her scent towards the only closed door in front of him. He opens it with ease and makes his way down the broad