Love Bites

Home is where the heart was

Tasha shook her head slightly, the memory of her sisters death was never far behind her closed eyes and staring into the black abyss of her home, that should have been awash with welcoming light, the memory became almost tangible. She fought to remain in the here and now just like her counsellor had taught her. Pick an object, focus on its mundanity, it's purpose. But terror was clawing at her heart, darkness was whispering in her ear ready to welcome her in its embrace. Tasha's breath quickened, coming in short, sharp gasps. Her hands trembled and her vision began to blur, the staircase swimming in and out of focus. She grasped the bannister to steady herself; stop herself from falling. The roaring in her ears was reaching a crescendo.
From downstairs an unusual noise reached up and grabbed her. Tasha snapped back into herself, her panic gone in an instant. Before she knew what was happening she was walking down the stairs, into the darkness, into fear.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs Tasha paused, letting her eyes become accustomed to the gloom that wrapped itself around her. The shuffling sound, there it was again, coming from the kitchen. Something inside her awakened then and she pushed herself towards the noise. Navigated her way silently through the undisturbed den and dining room, the dark suddenly her friend. Heart pumping faster she edged her way to the kitchen door. 

Across the now seemingly enormous kitchen the back door stood open, it's smashed glass littering the floor like a menacing cache of diamonds. Moonlight glinted off their surface and made the scene look almost beautiful, unearthly; not dangerous - the night hid the sharp edges, the night hid the danger. 

Without thinking Tasha rushed forward, looking out into the blackness of the garden searching for something, a reason for the broken door but saw nothing but ordinary features. As she stood at the door staring out into the night, the evening breeze playing with her hair a sudden noise made her spin, her heart beating out of her chest.

"Dad!" Tasha rushed forward, forgetting her old fear, new fear pumping through her veins like ice.
"O....o.....u...," Her father gasped, bubbles of blood forming on his lips.
"What? Sshh don't try to talk" she said, sobs catching in her throat. 

Without thinking Tasha reached up and turned on the light illuminating the carnage in front of her. Her father was slumped behind the kitchen door, his body riddled with wounds, his flesh hanging in chunks from his bones. On the wall behind him a solitary hand print of blood stared at her. Snatching up her phoned she dialed 999.

She cradled her dad in her arms, waiting for help to come. His breathing was shallow and she sent up a silent prayer that the paramedics would hurry. The kitchen told Tasha a gory story that she didn't want to know, blood spattered nearly every surface, if looked as if... she deliberately shut off her mind. She looked down at her dad, trying not to look too hard at his wounds. His eyes flickered and she squeezed his hand to let him know she was still there. He looked up at her, his eyes welling with tears and a look of pure regret.

Moments later blue lights flickered across the walls, slowed then pulsed steadily like a mocking heart beat. People poured into the room. Strong arms pull her away from her dad. A firm grip steered her towards the door.

It was only then, amid the sudden chaos, that she realised there was no sign of her mum. Tasha spun round, trying to push past the police and the now motionless paramedics beside her dad.

"Mum!" She screamed, long, drawn out, much like a toddler crying out in the night. 

Light now flooded her house, revealing the horror of what had unfolded whilst she had slumbered unaware upstairs. Her mum didn't appear. This was no fairy-tale. The light didn't make everything better. It illuminated horror, terror, death and for once Tasha found herself praying for the dark.