Julia Lelieveld and the battle with the underworld
~17~

Oh, that’s true. Lucas would be there. Geez, I completely forgot.

“Hi,” I said shyly, checking the buttons on the blouse to make sure I’d closed them all. Fortunately, the blouse was just long enough that it hung over my buttocks.

“Hi,” he said shyly back. “Are you feeling a little better? At least you look a little better.”

“Thank you, luckily I’m feeling a little better too. My bandage hasn’t even leaked through.” And I pointed to my leg. He followed my hand and looked at my leg. He nodded uncomfortably.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes, pretty much.”

“I’ll make you something.” And he went to the kitchen.

I followed him, glad to be able to walk normally again. It felt good to move. I leaned against the counter and watched Lucas make a sandwich and turn on the kettle. He looked at me smiling.

“Am I doing it right?”

I smiled back and shook my head. “Sorry, I don’t mean it like that. I’m just glad I can get out of that bedroom. That I can walk a little again, I’ll leave you alone.” And I turned around. But before I could walk away I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” he said seriously.

I looked at him searchingly. Why did he do that? He saved me yesterday, he didn’t have to. And he was here to keep an eye on me. His intentions were good, but I couldn’t trust him yet. Not after what he’d done. How confusing.

I nodded and leaned back on the counter.

“What’s changed?” I asked him carefully.

He put the knife down and leaned himself against the counter and looked at me seriously.

“I’ve been thinking about it, about where we’ve been talking in the elevator. I started to doubt my own standards and values. About right and wrong. It’s all so confusing, but since I helped you yesterday, it’s kind of cleared up to me. I felt something I had never felt before. Some kind of satisfaction. Kind of proud, it felt good. Feelings I want to experience more often.”

He shrugged and looked at me uncertainly. I could not believe my ears. How someone could change in such a short amount of time.

Could it be real? Could I trust him? I did not know. He had been so bad, how could he have changed now? Turning your back on your faith was not easy. He had told myself that. But maybe this was a step in the right direction. What would his father say to that? He would blame me if Lucas changed. A shiver ran through me.

“What are you thinking about?” Lucas asked.

“How confusing everything is.” And I shrugged. He nodded in confirmation.

The bubbling kettle pulled me out of my thoughts. Lucas poured the hot water into a large mug and hung a tea bag in it, which he placed on the table along with the plate of sandwiches.

I followed him and carefully sat down and enjoyed the meal. I was really hungry.

“I’ll just text Renzo that you’re awake and that you’re feeling better.”

As Lucas said that, a key went in the lock and Renzo entered. He looked at my and Lucas’ situation at the dinner table. He quickly walked over to me and looked at me. He looked confused and then angry and turned to Lucas.

“What happened? What have you done?”

Lucas looked at him uncomprehendingly. “What do you mean? She just woke up and was hungry.” And he pointed in my direction.

Renzo looked at me again and I quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “It’s true. I just woke up, nothing happened.”

“I can see it in you”, he said, not understanding. I nodded. “Later, okay?”

“What’s going on here?” Lucas asked.

“Never mind Lucas, it’s okay. There’s nothing wrong.” Hoping to calm the situation and that the brothers wouldn’t get into another fight. Somehow Renzo could see exactly what I was feeling. That I was upset.

“How are you?” Renzo asked.

I nodded. “Better. My wounds hurt less. They haven’t leaked.”

“That’s good,” he said softly, building up his wall so that Lucas couldn’t see his emotions. He glanced at Lucas. And before it got uncomfortable, I stood up carefully. “I’m going to the bedroom for a moment.”

They let me go and I walked to the bedroom alone. I looked around and was surprised to see my clothes, washed and folded, on the window seat. I walked towards it. How did they get that blood out? I held up my shirt and there was a big rip on the side, just like my pants. Fortunately, that wouldn’t be noticeable. Today, half the school walked with torn pants. I grabbed my clothes and went to the bathroom where I got dressed. When I left the bathroom Renzo was in the bedroom. I walked slowly towards him, as I did so I looked through the doorway into the living room, I didn’t see Lucas. “He’s gone home,” Renzo said in response to my questioning look.

Somehow I felt relieved. To be alone with Renzo. I walked over to him and hugged him. His wall crumbled again. He looked at me intensely.

“Honestly, how are you?”

I sighed. “I didn’t lie. I feel better, my wounds and body feel better. It hurts less.”

He nodded and continued to look at me.

So I went on, we agreed not to lie to each other anymore.

“I dreamed about Mom. It was very nice at first, but without being able to stop it I had to say goodbye to her again. And that hurts so very much.” As if I had bottled everything up, a loud sob escaped and I felt tears running down my cheeks.

“Oh Julia,” Renzo said compassionately. And he grabbed me again.

I couldn’t help it, but I kept crying. How could I lose myself like that? Perhaps because my feelings were so intense because the fifth element was so present. And as I realized that I felt calm again. Renzo ran his hand over my hair and held me in his safe arms.

When I had calmed down enough I lifted my head from his warm chest.

“Thanks,” I said to him.

“For what?” he asked.

“That you’re there for me.”

“Always,” he said. And he kissed me. It felt so good to feel loved in that moment. Trying to forget the sadness and horror that haunted my head, by giving these feelings the upper hand. And luckily that wasn’t difficult at this point. What a kiss. His wall was now completely gone and he put all his feelings into it, making the kiss and the feeling only more intense.

I was startled by my phone, I looked at the screen and it was Sara. I picked it up. “With Julia.”

“Hi Julia, it’s Sarah. I didn’t see you at school today, I was wondering if you’re okay?”

How sweet of her. Understandably, she had questions, especially after I asked last night if she could cover up that I’d spent the night with her.

“Yes, I was with Renzo and I think I ate something wrong. I spent all night in the bathroom.”

I hated lying to her, but Rob said we couldn’t tell just yet.

“Oh my gosh, but are you feeling a little better?”

“Yes, luckily. I hope to be back at school tomorrow.”

“Okay, take care. See you tomorrow.”

“Thanks, see you tomorrow.”

I hung up. Glad she didn’t ask further.

“Will you be able to go home?” Renzo asked.

I nodded. “I think so.”

“Come on, check your wounds first.”

I lay down on the bed. He carefully removed the bandage and looked at my leg in amazement. “Unbelievable.”

I looked uncomprehending, but when I looked at my leg I knew what he meant. The fifth element had certainly done its job. The wound no longer looked red. The scabs were almost gone, so the black suture was clearly visible. “I think I can get the stitches out tomorrow,” he said, still amazed.

He put another piece of gauze on it and pushed my shirt up and took the bandage off too. Like my leg, it also improved. How contradictory it was. Evil had inflicted these wounds, but thankfully the fifth element had almost healed them.

“I’m quite relieved to be honest,” he said, holding his breath.

“Me too,” I told him.

“Come, I’ll take you home.”

I nodded. I put on an extra vest from Renzo, because I think it was very cold outside because of all those tears.

I got on his bike with difficulty, once on it I grabbed him tight. Fortunately, he tried to avoid bumps in the road and we were home in 10 minutes. Dad’s car wasn’t in the driveway. What I did see was my bike with a flat tire against the garage wall. I looked at Renzo questioningly.

“Rob looked for your bike this morning and brought it home. So that your father wouldn’t start asking questions.”

I nodded gratefully. Glad everyone wanted the best for me.

“Come on, let’s go in.”

Renzo grabbed my bike and followed me into the garage. He put the bike down and once in the kitchen I turned on the stove. You could tell it hadn’t burned yesterday. Gosh, it was cold in the house. Renzo didn’t seem at ease.

“What are you doing?” I asked him.

“I don’t know, something doesn’t seem right.” He looked around.

“Wait here.” And he went into the hall. I heard him go up the stairs and after a few minutes he came through the living room back into the kitchen.

“Renzo, you’re scaring me, what is it?”

“Sorry, but I thought Evil was in your house. It seemed like I felt it.” He shook his head.

“Have you felt this before?” I asked him.

He nodded. “Yes, when I had to fight Evil. Even when we had to fight against Lucas. I do not understand.” He looked around again.

“But there’s nothing in the house?”

“No.”

“Honestly, I don’t feel anything, but my instincts seem a bit confused since I was attacked.”

He immediately turned to me and looked at me intensely. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m still tired I think.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“Come on, I’ll put you to bed.”

I walked along willingly as sleep overtook me again. Geez, how much could a person sleep?

Once in the bedroom, I first longed for a hot shower. As if Renzo could read my mind, he went to the bathroom and laid out towels. “Do you think you managed?”

I nodded. “I’ll take your bandage off first.”

I undressed. It was weird. We had already seen each other without clothes, but now I was the one taking my clothes off and he was still wearing everything. He removed the gauze from my nearly healed wounds. Still can’t believe they could heal so quickly. “The connection is no longer necessary. I’m going to remove your stitches tomorrow,” he said with satisfaction.

He looked from my leg wound to my hip wound, then to my lace bra and on to my face. I stood in front of him as he sat on the bench in my room. His eyes darkened. He grabbed my hips and pulled me towards him. He kissed my stomach and went up to my breasts, my neck and then my mouth. The fire grew and I kissed him back forcefully. His warm arms held me tight.

My instincts were sharp again and my body filled again with the wonderful feeling it could give me. I felt his hands go to my bra closure and without any effort he clicked it open. My bra fell over my arms to the floor. My hands went to his shirt and unbuttoned it and lowered it over his arms. I stood on tiptoe and hugged him. His warm muscular body against my cold body felt so damn good. And without warning he lifted me up without any effort and carried me to the bathroom. He set me down gently and turned on the shower faucet. Soon the warm jets streamed against the white marble of the shower tray. Gratefully I went into the shower and Renzo gave me company. Gosh, these days I would look at showering in a different way. I didn’t know it could be this nice.

Once dried and dressed I really felt the fatigue. I snuggled under the covers. Renzo looked at me for a moment and gave me a kiss. “Just go to sleep. I’ll stay awake for a while, it’s still early.”

I nodded, too tired to answer.

In the distance I heard two people talking. I turned and realized I was in my own bed. I looked up and saw Dad talking to Renzo in my bedroom.

“Hi sweetie, are you feeling a little better?”

I looked from daddy to Renzo, he wouldn’t have said anything, would he?

“Renzo just told me you ate something wrong and he took you home.”

I tried to switch for a moment. “Yes, Dad, I’m fine. Sleep helps,” I told him. I tried to say as little as possible, trying to keep Renzo’s story as honest as possible.

“Go to sleep then, hope you are well enough for the Christmas ball.” I nodded and turned around.

I heard Papa say that Renzo could go home, but Renzo said he wanted to watch me. To my surprise, Dad was fine with that and even promised to bring him some food. I didn’t experience anything more, I fell back into a deep sleep.

The alley was dark, only a slight twilight of the moon through the cloudy sky left a shadowy light.

I looked at my clothes and saw that I was wearing a beautiful deep red dress, suddenly someone grabbed my hand and I looked up and saw Renzo in a nice black tuxedo standing next to me. He was beautiful, but before I could say that, he suddenly looked at me with a painful look. Immediately I saw why, he had a big red spot on his white shirt.

I wanted to hold him, but I couldn’t. He wouldn’t let it. As if I couldn’t get through to him, but before I could do anything else I felt him tugging at my hand, as if I had to take him somewhere. But I was wrong. He didn’t pull on my hand because I had to come, no, he pulled on my hand because he fell. The force let go of our hands and he fell to the ground with a dull thud. As if it happened in slow motion, I watched as he fell. His arms at his sides, his head turned to the other side of the alley. And only then did I see why his shirt was red. A large knife protruded from his back. My stomach turned. No, this was not possible.

I knelt in my red dress next to him and shook him from side to side, but he didn’t respond. I screamed, my voice echoing in the alley. I felt his neck, but I couldn’t feel a heartbeat. I quickly grabbed his wrist, I couldn’t feel anything there either. I brought my face to his, no breathing. I felt the tears running down my cheeks. I didn’t dare take the knife out of his back, what if it started bleeding even worse.

Now that I was on the floor, I saw what else lay on the floor. The ground was littered with bodies, they lay lifeless in the alley like Renzo. I couldn’t stand it, my stomach turned and I spit out my stomach. Out of instinct I had turned around, if only I hadn’t. An elderly man lay close to my feet, his eyes staring into the dark sky. No more life to see. His gray face had a painful expression. Blood everywhere. I tried to move so I wouldn’t touch other bodies. And as I pushed myself as close to Renzo as I could, I saw that the bottom of my dress was white. How strange. It was hard to see in the dim light that shone. I picked up the bottom to get a better look, and as I did I felt my hands get wet. I quickly let go of the dress and looked at my hands. They sparkled red. Red with blood. I was so shocked that I stood up.

I looked around numbly. All bodies covered in blood and lifeless. I looked down at my dress. And now I felt the body, also wet. Again my stomach turned and I spat out bile.

To my surprise there was a knife between the ornate ribbon that was around my waist. Carefully I picked it up and saw that it was covered in blood.

And as if it was only then that it dawned on me. Startled, I dropped the knife. No this was not possible! With one last look at Renzo, I ran out of the alley. I looked back one more time. I looked again at the terrible scenario that had happened in the alley. To the horror scene I had caused.

I woke up with the same nauseous feeling. I still envisioned the bodies. But worse, Renzo. His lifeless body burned into my retina. I closed my eyes for a moment and felt tears being squeezed from my eyes. Had I cried in my sleep?

I looked at the alarm clock. It was half past five in the morning. I looked around my room and there I saw Renzo sleeping on the couch. Carefully I got out of bed and walked over to him. I saw his chest rise and fall quietly.

Relieved that it really was a dream.

I went to the bathroom and turned on the hot stream of the shower. There would be no more sleeping.