Psycho Love

27

*Flashback*

"Richard, we need to talk about this!" Mum exclaims.

"We have been over this time and time again. There is nothing left to talk about." Dad paces the length of the kitchen, while mum sits on a stool on the other side of the kitchen bench. They have been fighting so much lately; I don't know what is going on, but it must be serious.

"Nothing left to talk about? How could you say that? Your work is taking over our lives. You are always on that bloody phone, you are never home anymore, and don't think for a second that I don't know about your little holiday workshop."

"This is my job! This is the life we chose-"

"NO! You chose this life! You chose it and I had to jump on board." Mum's voice starts to fade as I head back up the stairs to my room. I close the door behind me so that their voices are just muffled background noise and jump on my bed, grabbing my phone out of my back pocket.

'Hey bitch!' I type into my phone. 30 seconds later my phone dings and I look at Chloe's reply.

'Is that any way to talk to your BFF?'

'Aww, you know you love it.'

'Whatever you say. What you doing?'

'Parents are fighting again. So annoying.'

'Still don't think they will get divorced?'

I roll my eyes, 'My parents don't believe in divorce, you know that. It's just dad's work. He has been crazy busy lately. Something about a big job or whatever. What about you? What you up to?'

'Stalking my ex's insta.'

'Ooooo find anything juicy?'

BANG!

A loud noise comes from somewhere outside my room, making me jump. "What the fuck was that?" my phone dings but I ignore it, shoving it back into my pocket.

BANG! BANG!

I sprint out of my room and start heading down the stairs. I get the bottom step and freeze. Something doesn't feel right. It's way too quiet.

"Mum? Dad?" I yell-whisper.

What was that loud noise? It's not like mum or dad to break stuff and that certainly didn't sound like a glass smashing. I rub my arms to get rid of the goosebumps forming there and push myself off the last step. Slowly I make my way back to the kitchen. As I get closer, I hear someone muttering something.

"Thank god! I thought something bad had happ-" the words get stuck in my throat as I look at the scene before me. Both mum and dad are laying in puddles of their own blood and there is a man in a black ski mask, with a gun in hand.
Mum is laying on her stomach facing away from the man. Her eyes are closed, and she isn't moving but right next to her dad is whimpering. He is clutching his stomach and trying to wriggle towards mum when he stops and looks at me. "Ember. Run." He breathes. I look up from my father's body and my eyes lock with the intruders. The man starts to raise the gun in my direction, and I bolt back out of the kitchen, scurrying towards the back door. Tears are streaming down my face and as I burst through the doors.

BANG!

The glass panel of our back door explodes right next to my head, and I push my legs to move faster. "HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!" I scream, desperately trying to get someone's attention. How could no one have heard the gunshots? Why is no one coming out to help? I trip over my own feet as I attempt to run down the steps of the veranda, and tumble onto the ground.

BANG!

Another shot goes off and it flies over my head. I must've fallen just in time.
"Shit!" I hear the man curse from behind me. I go to stand but my ankle hurts so badly that I topple back to the ground. I must've sprained it when I fell. I'm curl myself up into a fetal position and cry. I don't have time or the ability to run anymore. The man's footsteps get louder as he slowly approaches me as if he is stalking his prey. He stops right next to me, and I can feel the heat of his body as he leans over me. He gently tucks a strand of my brown hair behind me ear and I let out chocked sob. He runs his hand down my cheek making my body shaking uncontrollably. "Please. Please, no." I beg through my sobs. His hand freezes on my cheek and suddenly he is up and walking away. I watch him walk away, sure that he is going to turn around any second and kill me as well, but he doesn't. He just disappears into the night, leaving bloody footprints in his wake. I slowly pull myself to my feet, using the rail as a support and head back to the kitchen. I round the corner and spot mum and dad. I rush over and grab dad's head off the floor putting it in my lap.

"Dad? Dad! Please wake up. Please don't go. Don't die! You'll be ok, I promise." Pulling my phone out, I dial 000. Within 3 minutes, police and paramedics are barging through the front door, but they are too late. I am still sitting on the floor cradling Dad's head, my forehead pressed into his, when a pair of strong hands grasp my arms and try to pull me away. "NO! Don't touch me!" I struggle against the person's grip, "Let go of me! Mum! Dad!" I scream, but the hands don't let go, instead they keep pulling me backwards until I am out of the kitchen. My screams have changed to begs as I wail, "Please, don't take me away. I need them. Please!"

*End Flashback*

"NO! Please!" I wake up to a pounding headache. Fucking hangover. I am never drinking again. This headache is brutal, I can't even see straight.

Hold on! I can't actually see. I can't see anything. I start to panic. Why can't I see anything? I try to bring my hands up to my face, but I can't. They are stuck behind my back. Ouch! My wrists hurt. Shaking my head, I try to stand but I can't move my feet either, that's when I realise that my ankles are hurting too. It's like something is tying them together. The cold steel of the chair presses against my legs and I freeze.

Where am I? What is going on?

"Choose." A voice rings through the still air.

No! This isn't happening. I am still dreaming. I need to wake up. I bite my lip, in hopes that it will wake me up but instead I start bleeding.

The blind fold is ripped from my head.

"Choose." The voice says again.

NO!