Inside the livingroom is stiff and silent for a moment. Dallas and my dad take the sofa across from Kellan and I. Kellan leans back into the seat, jaw raised in a slight display of arrogance as he displays boredom at the sight of Dallas. Dallas on the other hand seems intimidated and flustered, as he looks to the larger man at my side. Dad seems utterly uncomfortable and confused. And me? Well, I might as well not exist at this point. I am lost among the cold war taking place before us. Shots are fired and battles are being fought right now that nobody can see or hear. Kellan's calloused hand finds my inner thigh and I cringe under the touch. Dallas looks away and Kellan sits forward in his seat, smug.
"Alina." Dad breaks the silence. I turn my attention towards him to avoid the other two sets of eyes. "Hsve you heard from your mother?" I'm unsure how to safely answer, and it's hard to lie under my father's strict and all
The phone call was tough, much tougher than I expected. He gave me the details for the services. Two days from now, and graveside. Apparently she didn't want to have a visitation. Dallas kept trying to talk about us, and it was scaring me. Kellan had me sitting on his knees, and I didn't want to be cruel to Dallas's feelings, but I also didn't want any more excruciating injuries to deal with. I was already self conscious and hurting enough. "Alina. I hope you don't think I was in with your dad on his weird ass outburst. He hadn't even let in to me that he was going to say anything like that. I know you probably can't say anything outright, but something is wrong. It's not drugs. I know you better. Even if you no longer want me, I just want you to know that you can come to me for help if you need it. I don't want you to feel trapped." "Dad's been w
I test the knife across my skin, trying to ignore the gun feet away. I tell myself just to do it, but when I put the blade deeper I scream and flinch. My hand is far too shaky. I'd skin myself alive before I could make a crisp line. I try to focus on anything else, as my nerves and emotions merge. I growl in rage and I stab the knife into the floor, cursing. I pull my legs up, heels on the floor, knees bent and I fist my hair. "That's hardly even a paper cut, Alina. You are better than this." His taunting only enrages me more. "Leave me alone. Damn it. Some of us aren't bonkers. Some of us don't stab ourselves with wild dhit or burn our own tits with a hot blade from a fire pit." I snarl. "You know damn well I won't leave you alone. Calm your ass. You killed a woman with a briefcase and another w
It's bittersweet, you know? Moving, packing up. Having to put the pieces of you past, or previous life into a box to start new. The emotions I had unpacking my things from leaving Dallas, have mutated, and the new form of them leaves me sullen here. There was never much, but the photo albums haunt me when they fall open and reveal a photo of mom and I, or a few of Dallas I hadn't gotten to toss yet.Kellan decided we'd start with my house though. Smaller, fewer things. I'm still worn out and tender from the ridiculous day I had yesterday and lack of rest. This slows me, almost as much as these damn padded cuffs. Kellan doesn't complain though, he just helps me with things that prove difficult. Like taking away the albums and putting them away, or taking large sections of clothes with hangers down from the closet.He decides we'll leave the futon, book shelves, and even the box spring and mattress as they are big and we won't need them. We fo
My feet are pressed firmly into the floor board to stop their shaking. I keep wetting my dry lips and I sit with my hands in my thighs to keep from being observed constantly wiping them. I need to appear docile and calm, he can't know what I'm doing. I also think of backup plans in the event my attempt fails as it very well could. The rain picks up outside, and we pull into the drive. My muscles coil in wait as I anticipate him coming to open the door. I debate leaping into his snd going out that way, but he could see and keep smashing the lock on the key fob to hold me up until he could reach me. I also could fumble or get caught before I could wrestle my way across and jump out. Then, my backup plan would be useless. I could never lie my way out of that. His hand leaves me as he parks and makes his exit. The rain becomes more aggressive, almost a warning. It beats down ominously and
Exhaustion settles in, the coyote is wearing down much slower than I am. I tremble with my efforts, sweat beading across my body as I work furiously to finish him off. Before he finishes me. It's too big though, too stout, and with out my arms I can't kill it. I tried even to bite its neck, but it's fur was too dense for my smaller human teeth to get deep enough into it's pelt. The sounds of feet and howls in the distance remind me that I have a continuously shrinking time frame. I am going to die. I barely avoid a snap near my eye, but my quick thinking spared me. The beast bites into the rope near my wrist instead, and with a sharp movement I am able to free an arm without losing my grip with my elbows on the animal's throat. I jab its eye blindly with my freed forearm. It tips and snarls, and I rake it's eyes again and dig my fingers into it's throat just under it's jaw as I
*Dallas's POV* I wipe down my black dress shoes and quickly check my reflection before rushing to answer the screeching door bell. Alina's father would be here soon, i asked him to visit with me before her mother's services. I despise the man, but being in good with her family might be the only way to stay in touch with her now. Dealing with Brett is worth it not to be completely shut out from my soon to be ex wife. Ex wife. It really is happening. Once those papers are signed, it's done. She'll likely want to sign them today. I spent the last two years reveling in scandal and flings, salivating at the thought of ditching her. Of being free and finding a woman more my family's caliber. A woman of class, confidence and oozing sex appeal. I found several, but I messed up. As much as I enjoyed the women, they just weren't wife material in the way A
I squeal as I awake, body slick with a thick layer of sweat. I stretched, and tore my good limbs on the briars along the blackberry vines. My body is still aching, and my skin is scorching hot despite the shade and moist earth beneath the bush. I can no longer feel my foot, but I refuse to look at it knowing that the sight would shake me. My head throws, and has a "pulse" thrumming above my ears and between my eyes. Pressure, like a sinus headache. "Fan-freaking-tastic..." I pant. I assume my crawling position, and I wiggle out from the brush. It is still daylight, and I do not know it'd it's the same day or next. I am thirsty though. My tongue feels like sandpaper. Squirrels and birds are flighty in my descent to the creek, and I flop unceremoniously onto my stomach to drink. A turtle ducks back into it's shell across the creek from me and I huff. The best part about drinki
*back to Dallas* It was becoming too hard to keep my cool, after listening to them coordinate a search warrant for both Alina's and Trevor's homes. I kept hearing them discuss arresting Alina as well, and the thought unsettled my stomach. Finally, I said screw it and I walked out of the lobby and to my vehicle ignoring the screeching secretary. Nobody would fill me in. I had no idea what was going on, but I was not about to sit here and listen to them any longer. I begun to worry I had done the wrong thing. What if Alina's dad was right? What if they were really just dealing or something and I accidentally rolled on her and got her into trouble? I could never picture her doing anything of the sort though, but whatever reasons they wished to detain her too, I am certain she is innocent.
The past few months have been a roller coaster. It has been nothing but stress and anguish. Physical and mental pain. I've had to endure so much therapy and so much attention that I can't hardly stand to leave this house anymore. I can't really even say my house, as it belongs to Dallas. It is no longer mine. My home is on the market. It was in terrible shape after the community rummaged it, investigations were conducted, and horror enthusiasts from all over broke in to take photos and party. That being said, lack of my own hone, confidence and privacy have lead me into a violent depression. One minute I am low, and the next I am literally ready to fight on short notice. My therapist threw a bunch of large terms out there, but I couldn't focus. I tire of being scrutinized and the entire time he inspected me I longed to jab an ink pen between his teeth to remove thst insufferable bit of kale. He became 'especially conc
"Yeah. Yeah. I will call you when I have updates. I promise, I am fine. She will be too. I'll call you again later. Yeah. I swear, alright? Love you too, bye. " The voice breaks me from my slumber, and I bolt up only to lose my vision. Something is in my arm. Im tied still! I feel stinging on my arm as I go back down, and alarms beep. It's Dallas. That's his voice. He can't be here, Kellan will kill him! "You...you have to...leave. Leave...he'll...""Hey! Shhh...shhhhhh. He'll do nothing. You aren't there anymore." I can feel tightness in my chest, and my breath quivers. I want to open my eye, but I'm scared. I'm afraid of what I might see. Feet rush into the room, and this finally is enough to make me look.Nurses. Nurses? An IV is hooked, barely, into my arm. The crappy hospital lighting is harsh and I groan as I blink away 'film' over my eyes
*Kellan's POV* "Alina!" I shout, as her body tumbles from the window. I rush across the room on instinct, but it is too late. She lays, sprawled motionless on the ground below and my breath catches. My chest heaves and panic sets in. I was willing to kill her, but couldn't do it. I had stalled and tried to talk myself up, but I couldn't. I had thought she was bluffing, but she had the fortitude I locked and she did my job for me. Creature barks and rubs circles in the room, confused, but sensing something wrong. "Alina!" I scream again. My mind is in two places. I want to rush down to her, to see if she's still with me. I also know I should run. If I can't save her, I am wasting time. She could be dead. Dallas was right, I need to get out of here. Squandering my time will only have let Alina possibly die in vain, but I don't want to leave her.
If my heart beats any faster, I will die. I just know it. My heart slams in my chest so hard that it's difficult breathe and remain quiet. I'm having issues getting enough air glow around the shirt, and my nose is stuffy from so much crying recently. Sweat freckles my forehead and I can feel most of me trembling. This is the moment I've both dreamed of, and dreaded. I'll either be free, incarcerated or dead soon I imagine. Kellan plants a chaste kiss on my forehead before answering the cellphone."Hello, Dallas." If I were a dog my ears would perk up. I try so hard to catch anything I can, but it's difficult to hear over my own heart."No. I found the dog, thanks for so thoughtfully returning him. How did you find me?""Aren't telling me? How bold. I see you've finally grown some balls. Let me put this in terms even you can understand. Y
Kellan stood hovering until I was able to drink the broth. I had it everywhere, but I clutched the cup for life unwilling to let him assist. Things were unsettling before, but they have went completely nerve wrecking now. He nearly killed me, twice, no three times. Again. And that was just the last day in the woods and chopping my leg off. Now he expects me to help him kill Dallas, all for a flash drive that I had planted in the box. How did he get it though? Didn't Kellan pack everything? Did he leave the box out for Dallas? "You're really going to meet him?" I ask, testing the water. Kellan laughs. "Fuck no. You think I'm stupid? You know he has been in cohorts with authorities now and that this is a ruse to get me out every they can ambush me. However you've mostly been ignoring me, and I knew this would get your attention. Now, that I
*Dallas's POV* Don't hate me, we go back in time a bit here. I exited the woods as quickly as I could, with emergency personnel on call and attempting to contact the helicopter that was scanning deeper into the woods. I quickly relay what I know about the policemen and direly injured Alina, and I pray they come quickly enough and with backup to apprehend Kellan and retrieve her safely. I hope she is right. She's never lied to me, to my knowledge, and she swore he didn't want to kill her. Still, I panic and regret my decision to listenvt9 her and leave her behind. I regret myself for being too legal minded to have just hunted that bastard down abd shot him. As I wait, and pick myself apart, an idea hits me. I retrieve my cellphone and pull my sim from it. I run as fast as I can to the cabin, and search for Kellan's truck. I could tuck my phone in it
I'm cold. I'm cold and it's dark. I can't bear to open my eyes yet, so I just exist. Feeling my body jar about on a smooth, chilly surface. What happened? I'm still alive? I don't quite understand yet, but I know I was supposed to be dead. I even feel dead. My body is sore, and numb at the same time. My mouth dry and a piece of fabric tied around my head covers it. No. I shiver. I try to stretch but I realize that I am bound. I can't move. I can't feel my lower half. I panic and try to thrash about, but I can do nothing but shimmy a few inches across the cool surface. A bump jars me again and I plop down roughly from the impact. Am I in a vehicle? I whimper and try to focus my eyes, and to my luck a faint light enters through what I imagine is glass somewhere. My head throbs with the invasion, but soon I
*let's start with Kellan again* I halt with the saw just touching bone as a screech fills the room. My face contorted with horror, followed by fury as I realize it is Keenan messing with me. I shake my head and start again, wincing as I push the blade through the bone. Her little leg shakes at the force, but she is still out. Despite the tourniquet, there's still mess and it eats at me to see it. To see her like this. To do this. If I hadn't, she would set up sepsis. She would have died. In a way, I saved her life. It certainly does not feel like it. Finally, through the bone the rest goes smoothly and the offensive rotting area is removed. My hands still shake aside place the saw on a nearby bag and use a clean part of my arm to wipe my sweat. Keenan immedi
I taste the copper in my mouth, long before the slap takes place. In my haste to free myself of Kellan's hand, I bit him which immediately triggered the slap. I'm so used to hurting now that I do not spare a moment to recover, as I scream with everything left in me at the low flying chopper. I can feel my chest deflate as it shows no sign of having seen me or anyone having heard me. Irate, Kellan begins his merciless beating and I know somehow this is it. I'm dead. I miscalculated, again, and now I'll pay. I want to beg to him for some bit of mercy, to tell him that I'm sorry and I understand. That I know now why I have to be trained and disciplined. Polished. I am a fool and a failure, the hole I dig myself is far worse than the fate I tried to avoid. I grab at his boot in vain as it collides over and over with my face. The last thing I see is the sole of his boot and his scowl as he hovers