To Infinity and Beyond

Silly-ex

Mark's POV

From the airport, I took the first available cab to her residence.

"Speed up. Please." I coaxed the cab driver for the hundredth time. The one hour drive was stirring the pits of my stomach in an unknown fear. Her phone was still on voicemail. The moment her house came in view, I just mindlessly threw a hundred dollar bill to the driver and fled out.

I ran through her front porch and rang her bell.
Minutes of waiting, no response. I then heard what seemed like cries of a baby.

"That's Mia. Crap." I started ringing her doorbell without a break now. Mia's wails were getting louder by the second.

"Avery??" I banged the door in urgency.

"Avery?" The thudding of the door might have scared Mia even more, as her shrieks became gruesome now. Beads of sweat were trailing down my forehead. My heart was thumping in my chest.

I felt goosebumps. Something was gravely wrong, and I had a bad hunch about things. I took an overnight flight here after talking to her last night. I remembered how she was crying hysterically.

"Hey, sister, sorry I couldn't take your calls earlier. I was in an all-day training."

"Mark..." She breathed my name with pain evident in her husky voice.

"Avery? What the hell? Are you okay? Why are you crying?"

"I am... I am sorry Mark, I just... cannot take it anymore. I don't think... I will be able to survive another day in this misery... My life... is a dead end." Her breath hitched in between her wails.

"Avery? What's wrong? What are you even saying? Relax, take a deep breathe and tell me what happened."

"No. It's too late... It can only get worse."

"Avery? What do you mean? Where is Mia? and where is that good-for-nothing husband of yours?"

"Avery? Talk to me."

"My husband..." She hissed, "I wish I could tell you.. but he isn't here.."

"What do you mean? Avery tell me what's happening?" The moment I pressed her with another question, she broke down. Her hysterical yelps were echoing through the phone.

"Avery? You are scaring me. I am taking the first flight to L.A. I will be there at your door by the first ray of the morning."

She heaved a deep sigh. I could hear her sniff, but no words came out of her mouth.

"Avery? Talk to me, sis. I am here for you. Where is Bunny? I am getting anxious now."

"Avery??"

"Mia.. she is sleeping. Perhaps I should too now."

"Yes, you should. I will be there in the morning. Take rest. We will talk once I see you, okay? Everything will be fine sweety, I promise." She just hummed in response.

"Let me see the next flight out.."

"Mark, I am sorry... I hope you would be able to forgive me someday. Be here soon." With that, she hung up.

My nerves were pinned in anticipation throughout the commute. I barely survived the ordeal of my overnight flight.

Getting out of my reverie, I banged her door and yelled her name again.

"Avery, open the door."

I turned around and looked across her street, in an attempt to seek some help. I saw her neighbour had come out too, perhaps due to all the noise and yelling.