The Woman Behind the Eradicator

The Mess She Made

As they pull up to Sam's home, her heart pounds. It almost feels like it's going to beat right out of her chest. She can feel the blood rushing in her ears and she starts to shake her head.

"I can't do this." She cries out.

Rhea reaches out to her and places a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes you can. You can do this Sam. I'm with you and I'm not going anywhere without you."

Samantha takes a deep breath and nods, signaling that she's ready. Or, as ready as she'll ever be. Rhea gets out of the car, walks around to the passenger side and opens the door for Sam to get out. Just as she does, she notices the front door to her house is open and her husband is standing there with folded arms.

Her breath catches in her throat as she recognizes the anger in his eyes. The one only she can see when he puts on his charmingly fake smile for Rhea. He comes rushing out and opens his arms to Sam.

"Samantha! I was worried sick!! How much was the trip, miss?" He asks.

It's not until Sam doesn't come rushing into his arms and Rhea doesn't smile, nor reply, that he realizes something is amiss. His eyes narrow and he drops his arms.

"Let me guess, you're the one who meddled in our business?" He asks Rhea.

Sam instinctively takes a step back and Rhea protectively moves in front of her.

"You made it my business when you nearly beat her to death." She replies coldly.

Jordan scoffs, "That's an exaggeration at best and this doesn't concern you. Samantha. Come inside now. We need to talk."

"Oh we're coming inside. But there will be no talking. We're just here for her things." Rhea replies.

She reaches back and blindly grabs Samantha's hand and leads her around Jordan, making sure to keep between them the whole time, and into the house. This is getting too easy.

Just as the thought crosses her mind, the two hear the front door slam and lock behind them.

"Go pack what you want, Sweetness. It's okay." Rhea says quietly.

"Rhea n-no he'll-"

"Just go hun." She cuts off.

Samantha looks back at Jordan, who's creeping towards them, and rushes to her room to pack her things. Just as she's adding her valuables, she hears a hoarse holler from outside the room and glass shattering in the kitchen.

She comes running out with her bag and sees Rhea on her back on the kitchen counter, Jordan leaning over her with one hand wrapped around her throat and the other punching her in the ribs.

"You're gonna learn not to get involved today, bitch! You don't have the element of surprise to protect you this time!" He shouts in her face.

"LET HER GO!" Samantha shouts, tears falling from her eyes.

She sees Rhea's eyes turn towards her, with her face turning red, and sees an anger in them scarier than anything she's seen from her in the ring. Rhea looks back up at Jordan, who hasn't stopped punching her ribcage, grabs a rolling pin from next to the stove and whacks him over the head with it. Jordan hollers and loosens his grip on her throat. His first mistake.

Rhea shoves his arm away and manages to kick him square in the groin, making him stumble back off of her and fall back onto the floor, writhing around in pain.

She screams angrily and jumps on top of him, her legs gripping either side of him to hold him down as she delivers blow after blow to his face. He doesn't get time to shield his head as she punches him. Samantha is screaming for her to stop but she doesn't hear her. Or she doesn't care. Not until she feels someone grabbing her from behind.

Rhea instinctively reacts and throws her arm back, elbowing Sam square in the jaw. The yelp that comes from her makes Rhea's anger subside immediately, and is replaced with sadness, worry and fear.

She quickly rises to her feet and tries to help Sam up but she scrambles away from her, getting up on her own as she holds her face and sobs.

"Sam..." Rhea starts but Samantha turns and runs out the door.

"We're not much different," Jordan says as he spits blood up on the floor.

Rhea grabs Sam's suitcase and runs outside to find her. She looks around and in every seat in the car but the woman is gone.

"What have I done?" She whispers to herself.