My Lovely Sea Gypsy - Chapter 17

Resident Evil and its characters belong to capcom.



A Graveyard of Roses








Leon watched the bodies submerged in the water with attention and curiosity. All the bodies were intact, as if those women were just asleep or as if they had just died.

"Help me " Leon walked behind Jill when he heard a feminine and gentle voice. "Please."

Leon looked around and the water seemed inert. Looking back, he saw a slight movement in the water where they had passed before.

"It is a mistake, I don't belong here." The female voice whispered and then Leon could only hear her crying.

Leon began to walk back to where the water was moving. He knew he should be careful, it could be a trap. But his principles would never allow him to ignore a call for help. Even if he knew that could be an illusion, Leon could not avoid some concern. He needed at least to check and see if there was something he could do without being at risk.

Her sobs became increasingly loud in his mind and suddenly Leon could not hear anything else. When he approached the place, he could visualize the long black hair under the crystal clear water, she suddenly looked up and he could find beautiful blue eyes that stared at him. He felt totally touched by those beautiful eyes begging for help, even in silence.

Leon felt strongly compelled to help her, to jump into the water and save the beautiful woman from that sad situation. He was mesmerized. Even with much difficulty, Leon held himself back. His reason told him to be careful not to believe in that beautiful illusion.

The woman began to sink slowly and raised her hand out of the water, still staring at Leon. Leon realized his hand automatically reached out towards her hand, regardless of his real will. At that moment he caught himself in a strong inner battle, where he tried to regain control of his own actions. He realized that he had lost control and started to get worried, because he was aware of what was happening.

Bending over the water against his will, Leon noticed that his fingers almost touched her fingers when someone entered in front of him pushing him back. Leon fell on the floor and heard a bang in the water, as if someone had fallen in it.

"Keith!" he heard someone scream.

Confused and dazed, Leon glanced sideways and saw Jill running towards him. A few seconds later he could understand what had happened, Keith had fallen into the water after helping him. Leon shook his head trying to catch up and stood up looking for Keith, as he realized that the waters became revolts.

The ground began to shake and the bridge where they were began to crack. Jill was preparing to jump into the water when Leon grabbed her by the waist.

"Let me go" She screamed and kicked out, "Keith! Keith!"

Grabbing Jill, Leon tried to walk away from the tremor to where Chris was, who also started walking towards them.

"Let me save him." Jill was still screaming.

Once the noise and the slight earth tremor stopped and, Leon put Jill on the ground again.

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The earth tremor of short duration was enough to break the bridge in two and cause a slight landslide on the first side of it. Once Leon put her on the floor, Jill walked near the place that had slid and she approached of what was left of the bridge, looking down. She quickly identified Keith fallen in the mud.

"Keith!" Jill screamed.

Jill realized that Chris and Leon approached her over the broken bridge and looked down.

Keith had part of his body mud-covered. With some difficulty he lifted his head and began coughing, spitting some water.

"Keith! Are you okay?" Keith was still coughing then Jill looked at Leon. "We must rescue him. A rope. The guard must have a rope."

"Wait Jill" Chris said as he looked out for the place. He was probably analyzing the terrain. "We need to evaluate any moves very well."

"Jill" Keith called her as he tried to get up, but after a grimace of pain he dropped his body back.

"Keith, how are you feeling?" Jill asked.

"I think I need a shower. It was a dirty job, I guess..." he answered.

"We'll help you, Keith." Leon said.

"It would've been better if your flirtatious side had not fallen into the trap of the damsel in distress." Jill looked at Leon.

"Jill, don't blame me for trying to help someone, but in this case I had no control over my actions, I was mesmerized."

"Stop it" Chris said as he threw the rope down, trying to measure the area. "Finding the culprit will not solve our problem."

"You are right." Jill dropped her shoulders.

"Keith" Leon looked at his friend who was still lying in the mud. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine..." Keith replied "But my leg seems stuck and I can not feel it."

"Damn it" Chris said holding the rope "The rope does not reach the ground or near it. Even if someone goes there to help him, we do not have enough rope to reach them and bring them back."

"That was probably the goal of this, to divide us." Jill looked at Chris before she asked worriedly."So what do we do?"

"He seems hurt, he cannot get himself out of there alone. So the only alternative is that someone go down there and help him, but both will have to go back to the boat. There will be no return."

Jill looked down and sighed. She slowly realized that all the fireflies were lost along the way. She just didn't expect everything to happen so fast. With more challenges ahead, she was counting on Keith's skills and experience to help them.

Apparently only three people follow on the mission and this number was very small in her opinion. Although Jill knew she should remain confident.

"I know who needs to return with Keith." Jill said, lifting her head and looking at Leon.

"Yes, I also now know that" Chris said approaching her and handing her a torch "Go take care of your friend, Jill. He needs medical attention, he needs protection to his boat. By the signs, we are now close to the indicated location, we'll have no more surprises like this. So you can go."

"No, Chris. Leon had better help him."

"So come back with me, Jill." Leon stepped forward Jill and took her hand. "Keith needs your care and I will protect you two on the way back."

"No Leon." Jill said, pulling her hand back "I promised Chris that would help him with these signs. "

"You heard it, there won't be more areas marked as those ones."

"This doesn't mean that there won't be any more symbols and marks on the way."

"Jill, be rational, think of your parents." Leon said trying to take her hand again.

"I gave him my word and I owe him my life." She said moving away from Leon a little.

"Jill" Chris looked at her tenderly "I'll be happier and more peaceful if you listen to your friend and leave with them. You've helped me a lot, we are alive thanks to you. But now they need you."

"Chris, only one person is enough to help Keith, but two for the mission is a very small number."

"That's ok, Jill. If you gave him your word..." Leon approached her again "So I'll keep it for you. You help Keith and go back home and I will follow up with Chris. You know you can trust me."

"Yes, Jill. I agree with Leon. I demand that you come back with Keith. Stay calm, Leon will be a great partner."

Jill sighed discouraged. Those men could be more stubborn than her. This time she grabbed Leon's pulse gently. She should admit that she was amazed and very proud of his attitude, to see him willing to follow the mission with Chris for her."

"Leon..." she smiled at him.

"All this happened because of me. Let me fix things, Jill."

"I'm sorry, it was not your fault. I just said that because I was nervous. I know how some energy works, you were probably mesmerized. Maybe you looked into the eyes of any of them..."

"Yes, that was it!" Leon said serious.

"It doesn't matter now. Now we need to help him. But first, I want to thank you so much for everything, you are a great person and I feel honored to have you always near by."

"So you agree with our decision?" Chris asked.

Jill looked at Chris and smiled before looking back to Leon.

"I will be forever grateful for your noble attitude, Leon." Jill put her hands on his abdomen gently before looking him in the eyes" But... Forgive me." Jill pushed him backward.

Leon tried to grab her, but he overbalanced and fell down the bank. He rolled down the muddy bank before falling near Keith. Jill closed her eyes avoiding the disapproving look of Chris and preparing to face the consequences of her actions.

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Lana entered the room carrying a tray with fruit juice and bread. As soon as she looked at Excella, she understood what she should do. She placed the tray on the bed and poured a glass of orange juice for the elegant woman on the bed of satin.

Excella looked out the window as she savored a piece of bread.

"It's already dusk, Lana?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"How long have I been here?"

"For a few hours. Feel better?"

"I think so. I hate having a headache" Excella savored another piece of bread and looked Lana again. "Did the priest come?"

"No, ma'am."

"Damn it. Those guards will keep annoying me with that haunting story."

Lana looked at the ground and remained motionless.

"Cats, screaming, crying. They are crazy and think they are listening to haunt. They will still drive me mad too if that priest does not come soon."

Lana said nothing, just stared at the floor.

"Say something, you worthless. After all, it was you who killed that woman and now her soul wanders the cells, because of you."

"Forgive me, ma'am. I just followed orders."

"That's ok. Send another messenger to that stupid priest. Say we wait his visit soon, otherwise he will have to talk to Wesker when he returns."

"As you wish, ms." Lana said bowing deeply before Excella.

Lana knew she would be in trouble if Wesker didn't arrive soon.