Michael's Story

Chapter 16

In the middle of the night, headlights rounded the corner as a car drove past. Trinity stood on the curb and drummed her foot on the pavement. Her stomach roiled with dread. She began to wonder whether she'd made the most appropriate choice.

The shadowy vehicle made a sharp U-turn. Trinity swallowed all of her skepticism. The situation had escalated to the point where she could no longer back down. She watched as the car in front of her came to a halt. A click signaled that the doors were unlocked.

Trinity's foot stopped tapping on the curb, and she stepped down. She grabbed the door handle and turned to take one more look at the house before opening the door and sliding into the vehicle. Trinity sat in the passenger seat, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps.

Trinity heard a gun cock and then felt the cold metal push against the back of her head before she could even open her mouth. Her heart fell to her ribcage. Though she was curious about her captor, she knew better than to turn back and risk being

Trinity's attention was drawn to the driver, who was probably not Julian. Her voice shook as her whole body trembled. Even though she was frightened, she felt she had to speak up.

"P-please. He's in there sleeping, I swear." Trinity managed to say.

Although Trinity intended to address the driver directly, she could not break her gaze from the road. The longer the rifle was kept on the back of her neck, the tighter she felt every muscle. Finally, a tear stung the gash beneath her eye, and she tightly closed her eyes.

"He did that to your face?" The driver asked.

Trinity acknowledged it with a nod. Trinity knew for sure that it wasn't Julian seated next to her. With Julian's calm tone, she felt at ease. This was a new voice to her. The impression she got from Julian was arrogant, yet he was extremely polite. Death and sorrow invaded this person's aura, making them feel like the grim reaper.

"It wouldn't be the first time. I need him gone, and I need him gone now." Trinity said, the desperation laced in her voice.

She gulped so loud and hard that she swore the two men heard it. He was as quiet as a lion stalking its prey, and Trinity was unsure of their belief in her. Fear had shackled her and held her captive.

She felt the sharp edges of the shackles digging into her bare wrists. The salt from her tears stung much more than the bruises and cuts she got from Eric's beating. Now that the gun was no longer pressed against her head and the car was empty, she felt a sense of relief.

Her son's cries of pain echoed through the home and into the vehicle. Trinity glanced at her home with her mouth as wide open as her eyes. Then, everything surrounding the home went dark as the house started tilting.

She attempted to unlock the car door by force, but it was sealed. Trinity heard her son's cries amp up to a point where she felt like her heart was racing a hundred miles per hour. Finally, her arms gave up, and she rolled onto her back to attempt to force the door open with her feet.
Trinity kicked at the door, wishing it to open so she could get to her baby. Once again, Trinity kicked as hard as she could before her body gave out. She was sprawled out in the middle of the car, sobbing uncontrollably.

Everything about it, she felt, was a mistake. She made a terrible mistake by asking Julian to murder Eric. She understood, on some level, that she didn't want him to die. Her only desire was for Eric to leave her alone.

Everything went still again, and then she heard the doors unlock. Suddenly, Trinity sprang up, pushed open the door, and ran back inside. As Trinity entered the living room, the guy had a pistol aimed at Eric's head, and the baby was in his arms.

Trinity stretched her arms out for her child and opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Again, she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. In a show of mute fear, Trinity stroked her neck.

Trinity rushed over to rescue her kid from Eric as the guy cocked his pistol back. She tried to pull on her son, but he was as firm as cement. Her body offered no sources of strength or stamina. She was still weak even after she pulled harder.

She heard the gunman say, "This is what you wanted."

Then, when Trinity opened her mouth to scream, someone fired a gun. And then there was total darkness.

Trinity jolted up out of her sleep. She sat up in bed, sweating profusely, her heart pounding violently in her chest. Trinity exhaled deeply, wiping the perspiration from her brow with the back of her palm. She reached out in the dark with her hand and felt about until she found Eric lying next to her.

"You good?" He asked groggily.

The frustration she felt just before falling asleep was revived by the sound of his voice. She turned her back to Eric and resumed her supine position. Her nostrils flared up, but she remembered her dream and realized how realistic it had seemed.

The depth of her remorse caused her to wonder whether she'd ever wanted Eric dead. She entertained the idea of having Eric murdered before finally coming to terms with the truth: she didn't want him killed. Trinity could not bear the emotional toll of being responsible for another person's death. She needed to create an alternative plan.

"I'm sorry," Eric muttered.

"What's new?" Trinity replied coldly.

"We don't need to be together, that's evident, but you can't take my son away from me. He's a boy, and boys need their fathers. You won't be able to teach him the things I can teach him. So, whether you like it or not, he's coming with me."

"I'll call the police."

"I don't give a fuck. One thing I do care about is being in my son's life. I love you, Trinity, I always have, but I will put a fucking bullet in your head if you take my son from me." Eric said firmly.

Trinity decided to keep quiet. It wasn't worth it to get into another argument with him. Said said to herself: Even if he was free today, he would be locked up the next day.