Family Ties (Rewritten)

The Break In

Vincent:

There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think of the bitch who ruined my relationship with Emily, and now here we were parked right across from her house, a house that was larger and more beautiful than she deserved. Some nights I fantasized about escaping the hospital and beating the shit out of her all over again. Other nights I dreamed of killing her in the most horrendous of ways and burying her body where no one but the worms would find it.

My nails dug into the side of the leather seat as I watched her walk into the house.  She didn't have a care in the world.  She never had to wake up to being assaulted.  She never watched someone die.  Oh, how sweet it would be to disrupt her bubblegum life.

"Let's get out of here." I said.

Stella drove to the grocery store and went inside with the list I gave her.  There were too many people in Hope's neighborhood to strike right away.  When the sun went down, that bitch would be sorry.

Stella returned to car fifteen minutes later with two brown paper sacks her arms, hugging them against her small chest like her life depended on it. She loaded them into the backseat and climbed inside the car. "Did you get everything?" I asked, leaning back into the seat with a satisfied grin. I had to admit, it was nice making her do all the work.

"Three frozen pizzas, a pack of strawberries, some ice cream, bobby-pins, and a roll of duct tape."

I instructed her to grab the food so the duct tape wouldn't be suspicious. Probably over cautious.

"Good."

"You're not going to hurt her, are you?"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" I sighed, shutting my eyes, "I'm not planning on hurting anyone. I'm just going to tie her up for a while."

Her eyebrows creased and she gnawed on her lip,

She wanted so badly to protest, I could tell.

But she kept her mouth shut like a good girl.

***

The sun faded away into a darkness that took over the sky in such a way that  you could hardly see. It was perfect. We waited until after midnight before driving back to Hope's house.

There were no other cars in the driveway.

And I didn't notice a ring on her finger.

Unless she was living with a deadbeat boyfriend, it was safe for me to assume she was alone.

I grabbed the roll of duct tape and the bobby-pins from the backseat. "Listen, Stella," I said, "I want you to stay out here and keep an eye out. If anyone drives up, or if you see any nosy neighbors lurking around, honk the horn. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"And if for some reason I need your help, I'll flip one of the lights off and on. I shouldn't be in there for any longer than ten minutes. All I'm going to do is grab her, tie her up, and bring her out here."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"What could possibly go wrong?"

"She might have a dog, or a gun, or an alarm system, or-"

"Let me worry about that."

She sighed and pulled our another cigarette.  "I'll keep an eye out.  Just....just be careful."

"I will."

I climbed out of the car and looked around once more before walking to her porch.  My father may have been the worst human being on the planet, but he taught me one very important lesson-how to pick a simple lock with a bobby-pin.  It only took me about five minutes to pick the lock of her door.