Going Dark

Ambrosia's P.O.V

God I hated the smell of hospitals and even more so, I hated that almost all the staff knew who I was. Adjusting my scarf to hide the dark bruise along my jaw, I stepped into the private hospital ward that housed my mother for the past five years.

A familiar ache formed in my chest when I took in the tangle of wires and tubes, the only thing keeping my mother alive.

“Hi, Mama,” I whispered, my voice breaking as I closed the door behind me. The room was dim, save for the weak light spilling from the hallway. My mother’s once vibrant face was pale and slack with a thick tube connected to her mouth.

Blinking back tears, I sat by the bed and wrapped my trembling fingers around my mother’s frail hands, shivering from how cold they were.

“They still haven’t found you a suitable heart,” I choked out through a throat clogged with tears. “I…I wish I could do more, but I don’t know what to do anymore.”

My tears came hot and fast, stinging my ears as they slid down my cheeks. “I’ve tried, Mama. I really have. But everything’s falling apart.”

I pressed my forehead to the back of my mother’s hand, willing my tears to stop falling. I didn’t know what to do again and I’m just tired of thinking so hard. “Ah, mama.” I whimpered, the sob slipping out. “Steven…is not the same man anymore. He doesn’t look at me like he used to. He…he hits me now, mama,” my voice cracked, the admission nearly choking me. “Every time I try to talk to him, he punches me, like…like it’s my fault.”

A part of me waited, hoping my mother would respond to my words, but as usual she laid there, comatose and unresponsive to the pain in my chest. Pulling back, I sniffled as I adjusted the scarf higher. “I still love Steven more than anything, but he hates me. And I know he blames me…"

'....For what happened that day.' I added silently as the memory flared in my mind. I had to pinch my eyes close and hold my breath to banish it.

After sitting in a morose silence for a long time and crying my heart out, I finally leaned down and brushed a kiss to my mother’s forehead. “I’ll find a way to get you a heart,” I vowed. “I don’t care what I have to do. I won’t lose you too.”

That said, I left the room in a daze, clutching my purse tightly as I exited the hospital. The turn my life had taken pressed down on my chest like a boulder. Steven had stopped paying for my mother’s hospital bills and my savings were nearly gone. Soon, there’d be nothing left and I–

He’s just stressed,” I repeated the mantra I created for the past few days, holding onto it like a lifeline. Once he pays off the debt, things will go back to normal.

But even as I thought it, a strong doubt threatened to quash it all so I just tuned out my inner voice and focused on my mostly quiet surrounding. Since the hospital wasn’t that far from the estate, I decide to walk to and fro but that prickling sensation started again–like eyes boring into my back.

I glanced over my shoulder for the third time that week and saw it again–the black Mercedes. My pulse quickened as I began to walk faster, hoping to either outrun the car or have it pass me. But it didn’t. Instead it continued to crawl behind me, following me.

My heart thundered as tears stung my eyes. Why won’t they just leave me alone? They ruined my marriage and now they were fucking stalking me!

I broke into a jog as the entrance to my gated estate came into view. If I could run fast enough before the occupants of the car decided to get in my way. Holding my purse tight, I began running, feeling my heart beat increase as the car also increased its speed, hurling towards me, headlights shining right on me.

Finally, I pushed through the gates and slammed it shut. Tears blurred my vision as I hurried to my front door. This was what my life had become. Thank God my usually nosy neighbors were on a summer cruise.

The tears ran down my face as I fumbled with my keys. Finally, I was able to gain entry into my house and I quickly shut the door behind me, pressing my back to the wood. Once my body stopped shuddering, I realized the house was eerily silent and dark.

“Steven?” I called in a trembling voice as I reached for the light switch. But before my fingers could find it, a hand tangled in my hair and yanked me backward.

I screamed, the sound ripping through my throat as I was flung across the room. My head bounced against the floor and white-hot dizzying pain exploded in my skull. The lights soon blazed to life and I blinked through my tears and disorientation to find Steven standing over me.

He looked livid, eyes bloodshot and glassy from one too many alcohol. An acrid stench of whiskey clung to him and it turned my stomach.

“Where the hell have you been?” He slurred and I flinched. This wasn’t who my husband used to be.

“I…I was at the hospital.” unshed tears made my voice thick as I cradled my throbbing, possibly bleeding head. “Visiting Mama…”

“Liar!” he roared and slapped me hard across the cheek. I saw stars and the force of the blood snapped my head to the side.

Copper bloomed on my tongue as I whimpered, tears streaking my cheeks.

“You think I don’t know what you’re up to?” my husband who used to dote on me seethed with so much hate and disgust in his gaze. “You’re out there spreading your legs for every man with a fat cock to fuck your cunt!”

“No!” I cried as his words pierced my heart. “I would never–”

“You’re a whore!” He struck me again and again until I crumpled under his assault, curling into myself as both his boots and fists rained down on me. Tears spilled from my eyes as the pain became one with me and I could only lay there.

When he finally stopped, and disappeared into the bedroom, I thought it was over and tried to pick myself up, sobbing quietly as blood dripped from the open wounds and bruises on me. But my husband returned and my blood turned to ice at the gun he was wielding in his hand.

Steven waved the weapon erratically, his eyes wild with rage and hate. “I’m done,” he screeched, “I’m gonna kill you, and then I’m gonna kill myself. That’s the only way to fix this!”

“Steven, please!” I started to sob again, crawling backwards on my arms despite the pain. “You don’t have to do this! Please, I’m sorry for what I did.”

But his finger tightened on the trigger and time went still. I let out a scream but the sound was overshadowed by a loud growl.

Before I could even process what was going on, Steven let out a horrific scream and the gun clattered to the ground, along with his severed hand.

Blood sprayed in violent arcs over the walls as Steven stumbled back, clutching the bleeding stump of his arm. His screams were like literal pig squeals.

But a gunshot rang out and pain exploded inside me. The world went dark after.