Shadow-Land - Heather Parsons (bill gates book recommendations TXT) 📗

Teri's screamed, lounging herself toward him. All she saw was the way he'd treated her friend and hated him for it.

By the sound of their voices Sierra could tell they were very angry with him. The next thing she heard were footsteps coming her way. With her head now buried in her hands, she couldn't face whoever it it was.

"I'm sorry Sierra, I'm so so sorry." Travis whispered, reaching down and picking her off the floor. He held her close but after what he'd said to her, Sierra didn't want to be close to him. He's much stronger than her but after struggling for awhile she freed herself from his grasp and escaped.

"Travis stop apologizing to me. Just stop!" She yelled. All her emotions and feelings were locked up inside once again and having him close to her didn't change that. Only her eyes betrayed her shedding tears of pain. Him apologizing won't break down the walls, she knew this all to well.

"What do you want me to do then?" His voice was getting louder and his face showed nothing but anger. He knew he couldn't control himself if she left but he couldn't stop the words that came out of his mouth. Releasing all the built up pain inside.

"Nothing, nothing at all. Just leave me alone." She said looking into his eyes and not feeling anything for him. No love, no hate, nothing. Each and every word he's said already is a stab in her heart. Sierra ran up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door behind her. Back on automatic pilot she grabbed her suitcase and carry-on and made her way back out. Opening the bedroom door and leaving it that way as she took the stairs for the front door. Enough is enough, if she stayed she would never recover. Never be able to face another day. Never be whole again.

"What so, your leaving now? You honestly think I'm just going to let you walk out?" He yelled, again not being able to control himself from taking steps closer to her as she in turn reached for the door knob.

"I can't be here right now. I was planning on leaving anyway. You'll understand soon, I just can't tell you why." She stated emotionless, facing off with him one more time.

"What do you mean you can't tell me, why? Is it some kind of secret?" The rage was now seeping onto the floor. His hands balled up in fists at his sides once again. The look of disgust on his face.

"Yes it is, but it's not my secret to tell." Sierra whispered back.

"You know what just leave. That's what you're good at so just go. GET OUT!" She saw the red flash in his eyes. He was losing control. His hand reached out and picked up a vase, throwing it directly at her. She should have moved, should have been scared but she wasn't. Standing perfectly still and just watching him.

"Travis, leave Sierra alone. She's been nothing but an amazing friend to both of us and you know it!" Tanya yelled from the top of the stairs. He turned at the sound of her voice and focused on her.

The vase hit the wall and shattered. A piece of the glass sliced Sierra's cheek, the blood mixed in with the tears now and was dripping off her face. Sierra's eyes watered more because of this but before she let Travis see what he had done. She slipped out the door and left.

Making it outside she gave Albert, her driver, her suitcase and quickly climbed into the car. It was still to earlier to go to the airport, the flight didn't leave until seven thirty in the morning and it was only eleven.

"Albert I need to get some sleep before my flight so, can you take me to a hotel?" Sierra spoke in a smooth, calm voice. Or at least that's what she wanted to sound like but it came out more in soft cries.

"Yes Miss Michael, I agree. You do need some sleep before the flight." His voice was full of concern. She hated calling him and dragging him away from his family this late at night but she didn't have any other choice.

Thinking about the words Travis said and being lost in the fight they had, she didn't know Albert had already parked and payed for a room. He walked over and opened her side letting the cold night's air sweep across her face, pulling her out of her thoughts. Reaching in he offered his hand to help her out. His warmth against her cold dead hand didn't feel right but she took it appreciatively.

Looking around once to focus on where they were and being unable to focus, she dropped her eyes to the ground and watched her steps. Amazed that she still remembered how to do this. Because everything else was just a blur.

"Miss Michael, your going to need stitches. It's pretty deep but I've done what I can right now to get the bleeding to stop." His words were kind. But how did she get in this room when she was just outside. Shaking her head to dismiss these thoughts she tried to focus again on his kind words.

"Thank you Albert, I'll be seeing Phillip in the morning and I'll ask him if he can do it for me." She gave him a hug and held him a little longer than normal. Her eyes began closing needing sleep but the way things were looking, she wouldn't get much if any at all. Setting the alarm to go off at five AM, she dozed off as soon as my head hit the pillow.

To her surprise her eyes snapped open just before the alarm sounded. Cutting it off after the first beep, she walked slowly to the bathroom and looked into the mirror. Her eyes were red, bloodshot and puffy from crying. Turning away from her reflection, she was now facing the shower. Bending down she turned the water on before the tears returned. The water running drowned out her heart breaking cries. She climbed in after a few minutes and washed the evidence away, hoping that no one would be able to see the truth. Shortly after her long agonizing shower and getting dressed in slow motion, they were off to the airport.

Albert stopped the car by the departure terminal and helped Sierra with her bags. "I'm going to miss you Albert, your like a father to me." She whispered looking at the ground as the tears escaped her eyes again. "Please take this time to visit with your family.” Just the mention had her heart sink deeper in her chest. “I feel I've cheated your family by always stealing you away. I'm going to be out of town for awhile I really want you to visit with your children and grandchildren. Give them hugs and kisses from me. I love you Albert and thank you for always being there for me." It felt like a final goodbye and she wasn't entirely sure if it wasn't. Sierra hugged him again before turning around and heading inside. But before taking that last step inside she turned around one last time to look at what she was leaving behind then dropped her head and entered the terminal.

She walked straight to the ticket counter and checked in her bags. Once everything was checked in and she made sure the flight was still on time, she headed for something opened to grab a quick bite to eat. Much to her surprise the only place opened was a store that sold magazines, bottled water, soda, candy, chips, and a bunch of other things you absolutely had no use for. But being the only place open, she walked inside. The young man at the counter immediately recognized her and began to out his mouth but was stopped short.

"Please don't." She whispered and he quickly shut it.

Looking around for awhile all she saw were things that reminded her of Travis. Imagining him here with her, laughing at the odds things that were quickly grabbed as reminders by passengers passing through. Quickly she shook her head to dislodge her thoughts and grabbed a bottled water and magazine and paying for them quickly before the tears could escape her eyes again. Finding the gate she sat down, placing the water and magazine on the seat next to her. She reached down grabbing her carry-on and digging through it looking for her phone. She wasn't entirely sure if she had already had it on vibrate of not. But when she found it and slide it open, she saw five missed calls and four text messages. Before seeing who they were from, she quickly changed the mode to vibrate. Bracing herself for the messages themselves.

The first missed call was just that a missed call. No voice mail left and after deleting it she moved on to the next one. This one was from Teri, she recognized the number right away. Dialing the voice mail, she sat back holding herself together and listened.

"Sierra please call me. I'm worried sick about you. I'm also driving Joseph crazy making him check the phone every five minutes. Promise me you'll call." Teri sobbed into the phone before it cut her off. Message left at eleven thirty pm. The voice mail then went straight to the next new message. "Sierra it's twelve thirty and you still haven't called me. Please do call me soon. Oh God Joseph don't leave..." This message had Sierra in tears. Her actions are messing up her friends relationships. Message left at twelve thirty-one am. Next new message. "Sierra, Teri has been calling me all night. We're worried about you, please call us. We love you." Hearing Carmen's voice had her hysterical. Sobbing loudly all alone in the airport. Message left at two o'clock am. Next new message. "Sierra honey I'm so sorry. There's no excuse for what Travis did. I know you need time right now but please promise me you'll come back." Joseph's voice was broken and this only made her cry harder. Message left at five fifteen am. You have no new messages.

Sierra dropped the phone from her ear and stared at it. It took everything she had to close it and not make a single call. Being so close to her escape, she couldn't risk someone coming here. If they did there would be no way for her to