Promenades

Back pain

Late at night, winter night to be really precise, my back hurts, like everyday but tonight more than usual. I wanted to drink my cup of tea before going to bed. Georges did not wait for me. He needed his good night's sleep. I understand him. In a sense he was not entirely wrong, at our age, we really need to preserve our health. But I really want that cup and a good book. So I did and sat down on my favorite armchair, the one with the old flower pattern, the only one that suits me and my back. I set an alarm, because it is what I do every night, just to be sure that I don't read for too long. The cat comes for a bit of my company and then goes to sleep somewhere else. The house is calm, warm, and homely. It has been since our wedding that we have lived together in that house. Our children and grandchildren grew up in these walls, every memory was in here, in every object. Their rooms are still untouched.

And so, in this incredibly calm atmosphere, I continued to read my book waiting for my alarm clock to ring. Then, too tired to go on, I got up the stairs with great difficulties before coming into bed with my lovely husband who snored like a bear only because of his hearing loss.

Later in the night, I woke up, needed to pee. And for a strange reason, something seemed odd. But I could not tell what. Everything was calm and warm and no one could enter the house, we had the keys on the bedside table at all times. Maybe the cat did break something or did something to wake me up ? Worried about him, I decided to endure great pains to go back to the living room, ignoring my urgent need to pee. Something was more important. I went slowly down the stairs, grabbing the banister for support, and went into the living room. nothing in there. Strange, very strange.

Suddenly, I felt something move behind me, but in my physical condition I couldn't react fast enough. I didn't see his face, one of his hands was instantly put over my mouth and the other was trying to tie my hand behind my back.

Where is the money?

A raspy voice, I couldn't tell his age, but it was a man. Another one came where we were, took some cheap zip ties or something similar, for me not to move. I was pushed to the ground. I felt my hips breaking on the wood flooring.

Where is the money ?

I don't know, she didn't tell me.

Look for it here, I'm going in the kitchen !

Take everything you can !

Because of the pain, I could only watch him searching through all the drawers, taking everything he could, and putting it in a plastic bag. Then he considered me, went up to me and I felt my back hurting more after his kicks. Some cries for help escaped from my mouth but Georges, deaf, was still asleep. Then, he took me, got me up off the ground, put me on my favorite chair, looked me in the eyes with a terrifying smile. He went somewhere to find his partner, with objects I couldn't clearly see. But a more intense fear invaded me. My back still hurts and I cannot hear them anymore. But then, suddenly I couldn't breathe anymore. The air couln'd go through my mouth like it used to. A zip tie was put on my throat. I cannot cry for help. They watch me struggle for a moment. But they were too impatient to let me die this way. The zip tie was removed but as my mouth opened to absorb any oxygen I could find, a liquid poured into my mouth. From a white bottle. It smelled like alcohol and it burned my mouth instantly and so intensely that I could see the reaper coming for me.

You see ?

He showed me the bottle. with a sadistic smile he said :

its bleach. You will die soon, so nice to meet you.

They left. They left me with my mouth burning, my throat scrached and tight, my back feeling sore and my hip broken, but they left. Through the wide open door, some familiar face came inside, searching for me. They saw me, half alive on my favorite armchair and called the ambulance and the police. I was taking charge of but I fell asleep from the relief. When I woke up, in a white, empty room, hospital room with just flower and books on the bedside table, I couldn't feel my body anymore. My mouth was covered in a strange paste and bandages, my hips also wrapped up like a present and the bed accommodated my back pain. No one was here at first but a nurse came and alerted the other people in the service.

I will call the head of the departement !

And she left, once again. but came back with a man, very tall with a welcoming smile.

Good morning, I am so glad you woke up, nice to meet you.

With a raspy voice.