Against All Odds

Riley lifted his head. The room was as dark as the night sky. He rubbed his eyes and tried to focus. He was still groggy from sleep and the remnants of an unsettling dream still clung to him, like cobwebs clung to a wall, chilling him to the bone. In the dream, he was wandering the corridors of Reaney Hall, searching for...something. He wasn't quite sure what it was that he was searching for but he knew that it was very important and dear to him and he desperately needed it. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, the beating of his heart echoed in his ears, drowning out all other sounds around him.

He stopped at each door he found and tried it but they were locked. They were always locked. Growing more desperate, he began to pound on the doors, demanding they open but they never did. The hall stretched out before him, growing longer, darker, and more obscured by the shadows cloaking the hall. It seemed to go on forever with no end in sight. Frustrated and feeling helpless, Riley fell to his knees and began to cry. He was trapped, lost in a never ending maze of twists and turns with no way out, and whatever it was that he was searching for was lost in that maze as well, hidden in the darkness. It seemed so hopeless but Riley could not give up. It was imperative that he keep searching. He knew that if he gave up, something terrible would happen.

Riley got to his feet again, forcing himself to go on. He could feel the danger looming over him, the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stood up, panic seized him. His legs felt heavy, his body trembled in fear but he mustered every bit of strength he had left and ran. Riley ran faster than he had ever run in his life. Endless rows of closed doors dashed by as he sprinted down the hall that seemed to never end. It stretched out before him like a snake. His legs burned as did his lungs but still he ran. The hall seemed to grow darker, the doors, walls, floor and ceiling no longer visible. He was running through a pitch black void.

Behind him he could hear the raspy, out of breath, pants of the thing chasing him. He felt cold, bony fingers brush the skin of his neck and he shivered. The fingers twisted through his hair, he felt a hard jerk as his head was violently pulled backward. He stumbled and just as he felt those icy claws wrapping around his throat, he woke up.

He was no longer in the endless corridor being swallowed by the black void. There was no monster choking him. He was in bed, with Noah sleeping soundly beside him, unaware of the horror that Riley had just faced in the nightmare.

The nightmare had ended yet something didn't feel quite right. It didn't feel as though they were alone in the room. Riley scanned the darkness, looking for the intruder, and that's when he heard it, a ghastly scream in the night. Startled but curious, Riley slipped quietly out of bed and threw on a pair of pants. Heart racing, Riley slowly crept out and into the hall where the scream had come from. Standing silently in the empty hallway, Riley listened. The scream he had heard was replaced by the sound of raised voices. A man and woman arguing, the woman's voice thick with tears. He looked around, trying to find the owners of the voices but he was alone.

"Please, don't do this." The female voice pleaded. "He's all I have."

"I have no other choice." The man's voice answered with a cold and unrelenting baritone. The voice of a man not accustomed to being disobeyed. "You've brought this on yourself. If only you had done as you were told."

"No!" The woman screamed again, this time her wails seemed more out of fear than desperation. "No, please! I'll do anything you want."

"It's too late for that." The male voice said. "You've dug your own grave here."

Riley couldn't bear to hear anymore. His heart broke for the tortured soul of the woman who he could only assume was El. "Stop!" He yelled at the disembodied voices. His own voice echoing eerily in the dimly lit corridor. "Don't hurt her!"

Noah, awakened by Riley's shout, jumped out of bed and raced to the hallway where he found Riley, standing in the middle of the corridor alone, his eyes wide with fear and confusion. "Riley, what's going on?" Noah asked, his voice thick with concern.

"I heard them." Riley said, tears streaming down his cheeks. "A man and a woman arguing. The woman was crying. I think it was El."

Noah sighed, shaking his head, his brow furrowed with worry. "You had a nightmare, love."

"No," Riley insisted, his voice trembling. "It was real. I heard them. I really heard them."

"It may have seemed real but it was just a nightmare, that's all. Why don't you come back to bed now."

Reluctantly, Riley nodded and allowed Noah to lead him back into the bedroom and to their bed. Riley slipped his pants off and climbed under the comforter with Noah. He snuggled up close to Noah, with his arm wrapped securely around him, Riley laid his head against Noah's chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat a soothing lullaby. But, Riley's mind was far from at ease. He was certain what he'd heard was real, and a deep sense of foreboding settled over him. Slowly, Riley fell into a restless sleep, only to be haunted by another vision.

***

Riley opened his eyes and saw El, hovering near the foot of his bed, her ethereal form floating above the ground. She was dressed in a long, white, and flowing gown. Her golden hair cascaded around her like a halo, and her eyes were filled with an imploring sadness that pierced Riley's heart.

"El?" He whispered, sitting up in the bed and looking at the apparition with concern. "What are you doing here, what do you want?"

Without saying a word, El turned slowly and began to move towards the door, her form barely disturbing the air as she floated through the room, the skirts of her gown billowing out around her like clouds. Riley slid out of the bed, quickly dressed, and then followed the ghost out of the room and into the hall. His heart beat fiercely within and he suddenly found himself in the grip of fear and determination. El led Riley down the hallway, past the Rose room, and to the foot of the stairs leading to the third floor. She stopped, then turned and looked at Riley.

Slowly, the arm that hung at her side began to rise. Her outstretched finger pointing upward, a silent command to Riley. She wanted him to follow her to the third floor. Most likely to the nursery or her own private room though why she wanted him to return to the third floor, Riley could not say.

"I can't." Riley whispered, shaking his head in protest. "I promised Noah I wouldn't go up there alone anymore."

El's ghostly form shuddered, releasing a mournful moan. "Save him." She whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Save who?" Riley asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Save him." El repeated. "Before it's too late." Slowly, El's ghostly figure began to lose it's shape. Her features faded into shadow, her gown, a wisp of clouds, and before Riley could even begin to process what was happening, she was gone.

Shaken and confused, Riley returned to his room. Unable to sleep, he picked up El's diary and began to read where he had left off, hoping to find some clue as to who she wanted him to save and from what. The house around him creaked with the sounds of the night. The light of his phone illuminated a small area of the space around him, chasing away the shadows. As Riley delved deeper into El's tragic tale, a chill settled over the room, the ghostly atmosphere thick with mystery and sorrow. He knew that whatever secrets Reaney Hall held, he was meant to uncover them. Not just for El, but for the sake of his and Noah's future together.

***

Noah remained asleep beside Riley, his steady breathing a constant comfort to Riley. Just knowing that Noah was there, within reach, helped to ease Riley's paranoia and calm his nerves. Riley didn't exactly fear El, or worry that she would do anything to harm him, but the nightmares, visions, and ghostly whispers left him with an unsettling feeling as the lines between reality and the surreal were beginning to blur. Riley began to question his own sanity. Was any of this real, or was it all in his head?

Sitting on the bed with El's diary open in his lap, one thing was clear to him. El was real, and so was her suffering. The words on the page were evidence enough that she'd actually existed and that something horrible had happened to her. Her story, heartbreaking and tragic, compelled Riley to learn more. Each word painfully etched on the pages of her journal drew Riley deeper into her world, revealing her hopes, her fears, and the crippling despair of feeling trapped in a house that should have been her sanctuary.

November 3rd, 1998

Why? That's what I keep asking myself. Why? Why is this happening to me? Why am I being punished this way? Why can't I have my happy ending? Well, my life certainly isn't a fairy tale and no Prince Charming is going to come to my rescue. Hell, at this point I'd settle for a cowboy, or even a motorcycle riding, leather jacket clad, bad boy. I'm not picky when it comes to my heroes. Just as long as they sweep me off my feet and we can ride happily into the sunset together. Unfortunately, there is no hero in this tale, no one to liberate me from my tower. I'm all alone.

I'm not feeling sorry for myself, I'm just stating facts. I'm trapped here. Officially being held prisoner under the guise of helping. They say it's for my own good; they say they're only trying to protect me from myself but it's not me they really care about. I know that now. It's my baby they want. I overheard them talking about taking my baby away once it's born. I can't let that happen. I have to find a way to escape this place...with my baby. I won't let them win, I can't. This child is all I have left.

____________________________________________________________

Riley's heart ached for El. Her desperation mirrored his own feelings of despair. If he didn't already know what kind of a person Lilian Reaney was, he might have thought that El's fears were just a product of her addiction. He didn't think that though, not having seen first hand just how cruel and vindictive Lilian could be. She was obsessed with power and control and not a woman who was used to being told no. Riley really had no idea what Lilian was capable of but he didn't think it was too far fetched to believe that she was at least complicit in El's confinement. She may have even orchestrated the entire thing herself.

Riley continued reading, each new entry painting a more vivid picture of El's troubled life and the hell she was made to endure while living at Reaney Hall.

November 3rd, 1998

Update...

Again I spoke to Stephen today. I begged him and Lilian to let me leave. I didn't ask for money. I didn't ask for anything but my freedom. I told him I just wanted to raise my child away from this place. This house, it's like a mausoleum, depressing and oppressive. I've never liked this house, even while living here as a child. There are too many skeletons hidden in these old closets, too much bad energy. I just want to get as far away from Reaney Hall as I can. Stephen won't let me leave though. No matter how much I beg, his answer is always no.

He says he's doing this because he loves me and cares about me. He says he's worried about me and my baby, about what I might do if left to my own devices. I don't believe him for a second though. He's made me a prisoner here, completely at the mercy of him and his witch of a wife. God, how I hate her. I hate the way she looks at me, the way she acts as if I'm beneath her. I hate that she treats me like I'm trash. I'm sure if she had it her way I'd be on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors like a common servant. She's turned Stephen against me, convinced him that I'm worthless and for that, I will never forgive her.

I wish that I were writing this entry from my bed in a hotel somewhere but I'm not. After Stephen refused to let me leave I attempted to sneak out. Leaving with nothing but the clothes on my back, I waited until everyone was asleep, or so I thought. I made it as far as the driveway and had planned to walk to the main road and then hitch a ride from there. I'd be long gone before anyone even realized I was missing. My plan failed miserably though when Stephen's creep of a manservant, Thomas, caught me and forced me back into the mansion.

Like a loyal dog, he dragged me back to his master, my brother, and told him about my failed attempt at escape. Stephen was furious. He ordered me to my room and then locked me in. That's right. I'm locked in here now, like a criminal. And why? Because I wanted my freedom. That's all. I just wanted to be free. I never should have come here. I never should have trusted him. That's a decision I'll regret for the rest of my life.

Since my failed escape attempt, Stephen and Lilian watch my every move. I'm never alone anymore. They've even hired a babysitter to watch me. An omega named Eric something or other. Morgan I think. Eric Morgan. He seems nice enough if not a little sad. He doesn't talk about himself much. He doesn't talk much at all. So far all I've gotten out of him is that he's nineteen and lives with his parents. This is the first job that he's ever had. I guess there aren't really a lot of options for employment where omega's are concerned.

I used to be indifferent about omegas and the problems they face. I never really saw them as actual people I suppose. Getting to know Eric a bit more has really made me start to re-evaluate the way I view them. Eric is very kind and so caring. He always seems to put the needs of others before his own. He's a hard worker, never complains and well, he's the closest thing that I have to a friend here. I just wish he'd open up to me a bit more. And maybe smile once in a while. Sometimes I wonder if we have similar lives. Is he a prisoner too? Just held in a different kind of prison?

Oh well, maybe one day we'll both be free of this place. I hope anyway. I have to have hope. Without it, I know that I would go insane. My baby is the only thing that keeps me going now. As for Stephen and Lilian, there is no reasoning with them. The only chance at freedom that I have now is to escape on my own but it isn't going to be easy. After my last attempt, they no longer trust me. Not that I can blame them. My past mistakes still haunt me. My biggest mistake was coming here, I see that now. I can't dwell on the past though. The future is what's important. The future, and my baby. Above all else, I need to protect my baby.

Maybe Eric could help me. I'm not sure yet just how much I can trust him. He does work for Stephen after all. If he does prove trustworthy though then I could potentially have someone in my corner, a link to the outside. I'm not sure yet what he could do to help, being an omega and all, but I'll figure something out. I'm pretty smart, despite what Stephen thinks and I'm good at getting myself out of sticky situations. Lord knows I've been in a few over the last couple of years. Had a few scrapes with the law but I always came out smelling like roses in the end.

At this point I'm willing to try anything. I won't stop. Not until I'm free of this hell and my baby is safely in my arms.

_______________________________________________________________

A noise from the hallway snapped Riley out of his reverie. He quickly hid the diary under his pillow then waited, holding his breath nervously. The floor creaked under the weight of someone walking down the silent corridor. Riley listened, his heart beating faster and faster. He glanced to Noah, still asleep and unaware of the presence beyond the door. The approaching foot steps stopped just outside and Riley braced himself for whoever or whatever was about to enter the room unannounced, intruding on the quiet solitude of the one place inside the mansion where Riley actually felt safe.

Riley heard the click of the door handle and he tensed. Frozen, and ready to scream for Noah to wake up, Riley kept his eyes trained on the door, his fight or flight instincts taking full control of his body. Then, to his complete surprise and relief, the intruder released the handle, turned, and left. Riley sighed, releasing the breath he'd been holding and allowed himself to relax some. Noah had thankfully locked the door. Riley figured that Noah had been worried that Riley might sleep walk out into the hall and right off the second story balcony. He couldn't really blame him for his concern, especially after finding Riley in the hall way yelling at ghosts.

Checking beneath his pillow to reassure himself that El's diary was safe and secure, he nuzzled down beneath the covers and prepared for sleep. Cuddling close to Noah, Riley suddenly realized just how tired he actually was. El's diary would have to wait until morning. Riley needed sleep and sleep came quickly. For the first time that night, Riley's dreams were pleasant ones and his sleep remained uninterrupted for the remainder of the night.

***

Riley wasn't sure just how much more of this he could take. Sitting across from Lilian with his eyes downcast, Riley could feel the tension between them building. The silence in the room was thick with unspoken animosity. Noah attempted to break the silence by engaging the two in light conversation, but neither Riley nor Lilian were in a talkative mood.

Noah sighed, rubbing at his temples. "This is ridiculous." He grumbled. "You're the two most important people in my life. Can't you put aside your differences so we can get through at least one meal together?"

"I have nothing against your mother Noah, she's the one who has a problem with me." Riley brushed a strand of hair behind his ear then glanced up briefly to look at Lilian.

She ignored him completely, then looked at Noah and smiled sweetly. "I have no idea what you could mean, dear. I'm just sitting here, minding my business and enjoying a lovely breakfast with you."

Noah rolled his eyes. "Mother, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You and Riley haven't spoken one word to each other sine we sat down. How much longer is this going to go on for?"

"I'd speak to him." Lilian said curtly, "if he were worth talking to. As it is, he is completely insignificant and unworthy of my time or attention."

"Mother..." Noah narrowed his eyes, his anger flaring. He was about to snap back at Lilian but then stopped suddenly, turning his attention to Riley who was seated beside him. "You okay?" He asked the omega.

Riley, who had up until this point, been poking at his scrambled eggs with his fork, quickly pushed the plate away from him and covered his mouth with is hand. His face paled as a wave of nausea washed over him. Abruptly, Riley stood up, mumbled an apology, then rushed out of the dining hall in search of the nearest bathroom.

Noah's brow furrowed with concern, while Lilian continued to sip her coffee, her expression indifferent. When Noah moved to follow Riley, Lilian's sharp voice stopped him.

"Really? You're going to run off after him? Can't you see he's doing this just to get your attention and garner sympathy?"

"Yes, I'm going to check on my fiance." Noah snapped. "And I don't think he's trying to get attention. He looked genuinely sick and I'm worried about him.'

Lilian shook her head, chuckling to herself. "Well, he certainly has you fooled, doesn't he? I'll give him credit for that at least. He's a master manipulator if I ever saw one."

"I'm not going to listen to anymore of this." Noah pushed himself away from the table and stood up. His harsh gaze locked on his mother. Her condescending and nonchalant attitude only served to anger Noah more. "If you'll excuse me, Mother, I'm going to attend to my fiance now."

"Wait." Lilian sat her cup down with a deliberate clink. "Is that boy still reading Eleanore's diary?"