Silent Emily

Balloon Pop

Axel stormed over to us, his belt raised as he neared. Anne pulled herself off of me, her back pressed against the wall at the foot of the bed.

"What do you think you're doing fucking my woman?" He asked her, his eyes practically red with fury. I had never seen him act like this.

"I-I-" Anne stuttered. Her eyes peeled off Axel and back to me, pleading with me to save her.

"Axel-" I began. He whipped around, his large body towering over both of us as he cracked the whip through the air. A sound as horrifying as it was loud rang around the room. Anne let out a small cry but she didn't fall down to the floor.

"Don't say a fucking word to me," He hissed. "You're carrying my baby and you fuck the dog? The dog Emily? Really? I let you keep this mutt because you wanted her oh so badly. Now I know why."

His body shifted back toward Anne and I noticed the changed expression on her face. She wasn't begging for saving anymore. She was looking death right in the eye and squaring up with him. Her feet moved themselves so they were at a diagonal angle, one a little more pushed than the other. Her fists rose and they came to stop a mere inches from her chest.

"She didn't fuck me," Anne whispered. "I did her. I took it. No permission needed." Her cheeks moved side to side before she spit a glob of her saliva into Axel's face.

His eyes shot toward me.

"Go call for Ethan and Felix."

My heart jumped into my throat, my pulse so loud and fast I could feel every point in my body thumping against my skin. I shook my head.

"Did you just say no to me, girl?" Axel asked, taking a step toward me. "I've been extremely kind to you Emily. You were supposed to die. I let you live because I liked your spirit. I'm not liking it so much at this point."

His hand stretched back into a fist. He flung it down on me, his solid flesh connecting with my face. I let out a scream as I fell to the ground, my hand wrapping around my belly as I hit the floor.

"Don't you ever say no to me again." Axel huffed. "Do as I say and call for Ethan and Felix."

I wanted to cry. My face grew hot and my eyes watered like Niagara Falls as I scooted across the floor to the door. I pulled it open, looking back at Anne. She was still in fighting stance, her eyes dark and focused and her jaw hardened.

She was going to die.

I knew this.

Ethan and Felix were amazing killers, something Axel found himself extremely proud about. His boys were naturals, paved and constructed by the mighty killer himself. I felt the bile rise in my throat as I drug myself a little ways into the hallway.

I thought about how badly Anne had wanted to escape. I was attracted to her, I couldn't deny that anymore. I was scared to leave the kids but I couldn't just stand by idly and watch the same kids I love tear Anne apart.

"Ethan," I yelled down the stairs. "Felix."

I listened to the sound of the heavy footfalls from the boys as they ran through the house. They appeared at the bottom, their eyes on me awaiting a request. They were trained like dogs to come at Axel's every command and since I was promoted to Mother, they came at mine too.

"Yes Mother?" Felix asked. His hands landed on his hips as he stood at the bottom of the stairs next to Ethan.

"Go outside." I ordered to them. The boys shared a quick glance before shrugging their shoulders. I watched as they walked around the couch and disappeared behind the wall.

Even though they were demons, they genuinely were such good kids.

"Emily!" Axel yelled. "Where's the boys?"

I put my hands out on either side of the door frame, my legs shaking beneath me as I forced myself to stand. I took short steps until I made it through the door and back into the center of the room.

"God damnit Emily. I asked you a fucking question." Axel spat. I could see the steam rising from his ears as he held the belt higher in the air.

I knew he couldn't hit me with that. He may hate me now but he wouldn't harm his child that still sat comfortably in my womb.

"You won't hit me," I whispered. "You won't dare harm your baby."

Every vein in his forehead popped out as he took a step toward me. His free hand reached out for my arm. He sunk his nails into my skin, blood beading around the small incisions as he stared down at me.

"You're right. I won't hurt that baby but you best bet that once he's out and about, Ethan and Felix will gut you like a Thanksgiving turkey. You have pissed me off for the final time."

I let out a breath that I had been holding as Axel let my arm drop back down to my side. I clung to it against my chest as I rubbed the small bloody lines that had came from his fingers.

He turned back to Anne, stepping toward her. He raised the belt in the air, the leather gleaming in the sun that shone through the window behind them. Anne was still in fighting stance, her feet facing forward with authority.

"You're nothing but a damn dog." Axel told her. I watched as he lowered his arm with alarming strength, the belt connecting with Anne's face. She let out a scream like something from The Shining. Axel let her drop to the ground, her body shaking as both her hands held her face. She forced herself back up, her legs wobbling as she snuck a look in at me. The belt had hit her hard, her eyebrow streaming a thin line of blood that ran down and into one of her eyes.

"It'll take more than that to hurt me." Anne told Axel. Her nostrils flared as she brought her fists back to her chest. Her eyes were zoned in on his and neither of them were willing to back down. Axel raised the belt again but before he could bring it down a strange noise shook us.

I looked down at the floor as a puddle of blood covered the ground below me. Something warm was trailing down my leg with alarm speed and I realized the crimson tide was coming from me. A loud pop that sounded like a balloon shook the bedroom we stood in.

"Oh my god Emily!" Anne screamed. She raced toward me, Axel right behind her. His hand slid around her arm, dragging her away from me. She fought him off, sliding back against the floor toward me. I sat down slowly, my heart beating slow and loud in my ears as I watched the mini battle.

Anne was near me, her knees falling into the blood as her arms reached toward me. Axel's hand wound itself itself into her hair, yanking her back again.

My vision was fading, various greys and whites clouding around me as I tried to stare back at the two people in front of me.

"Axel I swear if you don't let me help her she and that baby will die."