Tearjerker Thursday: Dark Whispers

Oriana de la Rose is an author, who is not afraid of the public opinion. It's a quality I greatly admire in her. Not only has she written about abuse, rape and other topics, which are not meant for the sensitive reader, her story 'Dark Whispers' is the one I could never forget.

In 'Dark Whispers' Bella and Jasper are victims of physical abuse. Growing up in a home without a mother, where a father takes out his anger on his children, the siblings grow dangerously close.

Feelings have grown to a point where they are considered unhealthy, but in a world where you have only each other, one can not be blamed for needing someone, even if that someone is your sibling. When a night goes incredibly sour and their father dies at Jasper's hand, they run.

It was an accident, but fear drives them away. Because, if no one believes them, then Jasper will end up in jail. As they run and are forced to rely on solely each other, their feelings won't be denied much longer.

Situations keep arising every step of the way and as their lives are being destroyed completely because of events they have no control over, their love is the only power that keeps them going.

Even if their love is forbidden.

"Please don't hate us," I whispered as I looked at him through pathetic tears. "Everyone else hates us. They don't understand . . ."

He gently took my hand in his as a father would a child, a true father. "I could never hate you or Jasper. You two have been through things children should never have to endure. Your Father was wrong to hurt you both as he did. I understand, Bella, and I so wish that none of this had happened." He sighed and looked down at our joined hands. "Do you truly care for your brother as a man?"

I knew what he asking – had Jasper and I made love. I noticed how he carefully kept his eyes averted and I knew he thought it was wrong.

For years I had wondered if what I felt for Jasper was wrong. I knew that he was unconcerned about morality and didn't believe our bond was sinful, yet I had doubts. I had so many doubts.

When Adam and Eve were sent forth to populate the Earth, their children had to create incestuous unions in order for that to happen. It was the only way. But that was the Biblical story and this was now. Things were different and incest was a sin. Father had told us that often enough.

"Yes, I do," I finally answered.

Emmett slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I suppose it only makes sense. You spent all those years with a Father who abused you. Amidst the fear and pain, you turned to the only one who really loved you, who understood everything." He lifted his eyes to mine. "But, Bella, it isn't right. You must distance yourself from Jasper; learn to survive on your own."

"I can't!" Fear sparked through me. "Please don't separate us. They've already done that. Jasper is the only thing I have! He's the only one that has ever cared for me and loved me. No one can possibly know what we went through. No one." A hard lump formed in my throat. Like a ball of rubber bands shoved into a sock, the lump should have been visible. But it wasn't. Only I knew it was lodged there. An engorged tear dropped down my face.

"I know, Bella, I know," he murmured, trying to soothe me.

"No you don't! You don't know." Abruptly I dissolved into quiet sobs. Emmett gently pulled me into the backseat, cradling me against his hard chest. His callused hand smoothed back my hair as I cried for the first time since Jasper and I left home.

There was no way to stop the train of events we had set in motion. I wanted to scream and hit something. Life was so utterly unfair. Had we deserved what was happening now? But regardless of whether we deserved this, there was nothing I could do to stop it. And eventually the tracks would run out and the train would crash to its death.

For a half hour, the tears came. Jasper, exhausted, still slept. Soon, however, the sobs were less frequent and I found that my supply of salt water was spent.

"Blow your nose," Emmett prompted gently, holding out a handkerchief from his pocket. I hadn't known men still carried them. Obeying, I blew my snotty nose, embarrassed at my bedraggled appearance. I hastily smoothed my hair and wiped at my face, knowing it wouldn't help. "Stop, Bella." He stilled my hands with his, his dark eyes staring deeply into mine. "You are lovely."

His words were like a balm over a wound, and I found that I wasn't uncomfortable although I didn't believe him. "How old are you, Emmett?" I asked.

He hesitated. "Twenty-eight."

My eyes roamed over his features, from the brown eyes, his straight nose, to his full lips. I had never touched anyone other than Jasper and I wondered if it would be any different when the man wasn't my brother. Emmett had acted more as a parent to me than a lover and I wished I could tell him how much that meant to me. But I couldn't find the words. I wanted to know if all kisses ignited my body with fire and if Emmett's mouth could possibly be as soft as Jasper's.

"Kiss me, Emmett," I whispered, looking straight into his eyes. In that moment, I simply wanted to forget everything, to have a distraction from Hell.

His hand brushed a lock of hair back from my face. Emmett's large hands cupped my face softly and pulled

his mouth to mine. Our lips touched with the lightest of pressure. This kiss was nothing like the one I had shared with Jasper so long ago. It was simply the joining of two mouths, as simple as a pen to paper. I felt strangely cheated, as if I had expected to feel the heat and butterflies I experienced when Jasper's lips had pressed to mine that one time. Then he pulled away and smiled slightly.

"No fireworks, huh?"

Despite myself, I smiled back. Emmett had a healing presence that set my soul at ease. I felt nothing more for him than the deepest of gratitude for understanding and the wish that he was our father. "No fireworks," I agreed.

"You better get back in the front seat before Jasper wakes up," he said, moving away.

I nodded and climbed into the passenger's side front seat.

"I'm glad he's getting some sleep," Emmett said, gesturing to Jasper. "I know why he's so distrustful of me. He's terrified that I will somehow separate you two." He paused. "Jasper's only reason for existence is you. Although he is more skilled at keeping his thoughts from his face, he doesn't take as much care with his emotions. If you were to be killed, Bella, he would find someway to take his own life." Emmett's eyes turned up to mine. "I cannot believe that any love this strong can be wrong."

"Thank you," I whispered, looking over at my brother. Emmett politely averted his eyes as I crawled over the middle console and into Jasper's lap.

"You two need some kind of protection," Emmett murmured then and I ignored his comment. "And I don't mean condoms."

As if it was the simplest of gestures, Jasper's arms went softly around me. Here was the reassuring warmth I had known my entire life, here was where I wanted to be when breath left my body for the last time. I stared up into Jasper's face, serene in sleep, and touched my lips to his chest.

Only once did I look back on Emmett. He was asleep on the backseat, yet he could have slipped out any time after that one glance. I didn't want to turn my eyes from Jasper. Somehow, I felt that there was something terrible looming on the horizon, something that neither of us could postpone. There was only so much time that we had with each other until it happened – that tragedy that was approaching

And it was advancing fast

Besides the lemons, which are many, this is my favorite part. Emmett is understanding and truly compassionate, a trait Bella hadn't seen in others before. It was a small fleck of light in this sad tale. This tragedy might not make you cry with every chapter as other stories do, but it is a powerful story. How easily things go bad and how one mistake leads to many other misfortunes in life, is so well depicted. I know a lot of you won't even read the story, because of the sexual relationship between Bella and Jasper Whitlock, and that's a shame really. This story shows us the hardships people less fortunate than us are faced with, which is something we often forget. Even when things are bad, they could always be worse. That's what I learned from this story.

Also their love, which I believe is the purest of loves since there are no alterior motives but to love each other, is a beacon of light in the darkness they live in.

This story reminded me of one of my favorite book series, 'the Dollanganger series' by Virginia Andrews. There the love between siblings is also an essential part of the story. They too, fall in love because of the cruel and inhumane circumstances they are forced to live in.

When in trouble, when in need, do we need to cling to the first person available? So why point fingers if that person happened to be your sibling?

Of course, I have no personal experience in the matter, since I am an only child. But I can understand. And that's what matters.

Oriana de la Rosa, you have done a wonderful job with this story and I admire you as a writer. I hope you will continue to write, for you truly have a great talent.

To everyone else, I hope you'll enjoy reading this and I'll catch you all next week.

Sniffles out,

Salacious S