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V

Richard comes stumbling down as if he were intoxicated and confused. It's dark in the basement, the only light coming from under the door at the top of the stairs.

Donna's eyes have adjusted slightly, but Richard squints. He holds a kitchen knife in his hand, a much more intimidating weapon than she holds herself. But she realizes the only way out is through.

She hides herself in the shadows for a moment watching. Waiting for the exact moment to strike. She'll know it when she sees it. She'll have to. He makes his way deeper into the basement, pulling a cord that illuminates a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. She realizes the moment is now, there's no more hiding.

Donna lunges at him with a war cry, her fingers tightly clench around one of David's keys. She aims for the only place that would hurt Richard enough for her efforts to be worthwhile. He'll have a hard time killing her if he's having trouble seeing.

Donna launches her arm towards him fueled with rage and desperation. She'd been angry for a while, but she's been very good at hiding it. Angry at herself and Daivd. Sometimes she's even mad at the unborn infant inside of her. She knows it's illogical, sometimes she blames it on the hormones.

Truthfully, she knows deep down that when she found out she was pregnant, it was the worst moment of her life. The second worst moment was when David told his parents the news. They didn't try to conceal their distaste. They hadn't approved of the relationship before the complication of pregnancy. They believed the relationship would eventually sizzle out. So, when David's God fearing mother found out Donna was pregnant, she begged them to get an abortion.

David couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd loved and respected his mother his entire life, but this was a turning point in their relationship. He never knew the extent of her prejudices. For her to completely turn on her own beliefs as a Catholic woman because of the color of the baby's skin. He felt like he didn't really know his mother at all. His mother turned her back on her God that day, and David turned his back on his mother.

Donna and Richard struggle, but Donna's efforts were fruitful. He is having a hard time between the voices in his head and David's car key protruding out of his eye. But Richard is still a rather large man and much stronger than Donna. It doesn't take much for him set her off balance with her being so middle heavy. Donna falls to the ground and Richard grabs her by the hair. That fall wasn't great for Donna. She can feel the baby inside of her thrashing, pushing at her walls. Donna yells out in pain as Richard cranes her neck back, holding the knife to her throat.

Blood from Richard eye socket drips off of his nose and onto hers. Donna fills with disgust. She wants to vomit. She feels like she might, but the nausea turns to an infernal burn. It starts at her belly and spreads between her legs. Donna holds her stomach, wreathing in pain. She needs to fight back, but she can hardly breath.

Richard drags Donna by the hair behind him, yelling at people only he can see. Donna thrashes, scratching and clawing at his firm grip on her once perfectly pinned hair. She can feel her strength wanning as a clear trail of blood is left in her wake. It flows freely from between her legs. She grabs at anything within arm's reach.

Richard drags her to the center of the basement where the pit he dug himself resides. He's proud of his hole. It took him three straight days of digging with no sleep. The only thing that kept him awake through it all was the consistent motivation from his mother. He dug the hole for his mother. It was a place he could keep all of his offerings to her. All of Mother's play things: All of her dolls. He'd caught her a pretty doll this time. His mother would enjoy some diversity being added to her collection.

Ricard drops Donna's head and it bounces off of the cold ground twice. He leaves her side, but only for a moment. He disappears into some shadows, but returns before Donna has any chance of catching her breath.

Richard still has David's key fixed in his eye, but he hardly feels it. He doesn't feel much now adays. Blood pours out of his eye as blood pours out from between Donna's legs. He doesn't try to stop it or wipe it, instead he licks his own blood from his lips as he holds two porcelain dolls by the feet. They swing by his sides upside down staring blankly at Donna.

Donna stares at them, fixated as they sway. One had a deep complexion and long curly black hair. She had had one similar as a child. She had picked it specifically because it looked like her. Realization sets in as she looks to the other. It's a porcelain baby doll. Donna physically reacts, clambering up on all fours. She's afraid to stand, afraid to be pushed into the pit she is so deathly close to. Richard carefully places the dolls onto the ground beside him and follows after Donna. She makes it to the bottom step of the basement stairs before he grabs her by the ankles, dragging her from them.

Donna rolls over onto her back. She kicks viscously. She lands her heal on his inflicted eye and Richard reels back losing his balance. Behind them, David stirs. He opens his eyes for the first time since being knocked unconscious. He's disorientated and bleeding profusely from the back of the head. He rolls his head to the side seeing Donna in the fight for her life, but Richard has recovered from her counter and is now winning the battle.

David climbs to his feet, unnoticed to both Donna and Richard. He unsteadily lunges to Donna's rescue, tackling Richard to the ground. David yells to Donna, he tells her to leave him and run. The two men roll briefly for dominance, but David is no shape to beat Richard. He is barely fazed by David's attempts and feels no remorse as he plunges his knife deep into his sternum. Richard wasn't interested in David's soul. Only the girl and the baby.

Davids head hangs over the edge of the pit. Richard hands are around his throat now, squeezing what remainder of life is left out of David. Donna half way up the stairs, stops. She reaches into her pocket retrieving the wire she had hidden earlier. She wraps it twice around both hands and pulls the line tight. She races down the steps, but immense pain shoots down her legs and back. She's in labor, but she has no choice. She runs for Richard, hooking the wire around his throat, pulling backwards with the force of her entire will and body weight.

Richard one eye bulges in desperation. He hits and scratches at Donna's arms, but she only pulls tighter and tighter. Eventually he goes limp. He stares up at her, empty, his throat now wet with blood. Donna rolls him off of her, into the pit. His body slides over the edge and disappears. A few seconds later Donna hears him meet the bottom.

Donna crawls to David. His eyes are wide, but they too are empty. She cries in out turmoil, but also great physical pain. The baby has begun to crown and it is coming fast. Donna lays on the ground, ready to deliver her own baby. Donna holds David's hand as she pushes. Donna screams, her voice bounces off of the tar covered walls. It only takes twenty minutes to deliver and when she's done, she no longer has the strength to escape the house. She couldn't sit up if she wanted to. So, she lays there holding her screaming child. She coos it. Her eyes are heavy now and her whole body grows incredibly weak.

"She's beautiful, David. She's so beautiful." She shuts her eyes, just as she can hear the distant sound of sirens.