Perfect (Rewrite)

Chapter Seven

"Mom," Chloe cried out, but she didn't jump up from her seat. It wouldn't have done her any good; they weren't really there, instead they were only on the screen, staring back, and all she wanted was for them to actually be there with her, for her. Chloe never thought she could miss someone, anyone, so much. "John." Her eyes moved to meet her brother's, but he didn't give her his usual grin. How could he have? There was no way he could tell she was looking, waiting for him to give her the smile that would make everything ok. The smile that would make everything seem less complicated and evil, but it didn't come, in fact his face turned grim in an instant. Grimmer than Chloe had ever seen it before. Chloe looked to her mom's left and wasn't surprised one bit; her father was nowhere to be found. Typical millionaire, Lyle Provan, missing everything in his kid's lives, including one of their kidnappings. Work was just too important to him, and the realization of that truth crushed Chloe every single time. Why couldn't he, for once, be a normal father and at least pretend to care about their well being? 

"Is there anything you would like to say to her or ask her?" An oddly familiar voice asked her family. Whoever had spoken wasn't on the screen; they were behind the camera, hidden from any viewer's prying eyes. "Anything at all?" Chloe froze and reached up to feel the ear piece gripping to her lobe. That last phrase hadn't come from the TV, yet it was the same terrifying voice; the one voice Chloe would never forget. And it belonged to the man who whispered in her ear.

Chloe glanced to her little sister sitting on the other side of her brother; she didn't look pleased with the current situation either. At least she had someone who cared for, someone who truly loved her. If only she could say it back to them, I love you, would've been the perfect last words. A goodbye would've been nice. Then again, it could've possibly made it harder if she had known this was coming. Who would ever ask for this for themselves?

"Leave. Them. Alone." Chloe stated, wishing she could do anything to stop this man from reaching her family. At least they were still safe, that fact gave her solace. She calmed her nerves and looked back up to the screen, waited for one of them to say something, anything, but the time was ticking, and it didn't seem like any of them had anything to say. Chloe's mother looked normal but her brother was a mess, as usual.

Suddenly an object came into view from the corner of the screen and Chloe strained her eyes to focus in on what it was. She jumped from her seat and turned back to the camera hanging in the corner of the room. "Put it down," Chloe shouted. She felt her own rage consume her; he had gone too far. It was one thing to show Chloe her family, but it was something else to bring them harm, something she wasn't going to stand for. She glanced back to the TV and saw the fear in both of her brother's and mother's eyes. In the corner of the screen the word Live flashed on and off. This was happening in real time.

Chloe looked all around her, trying to find a way to save her family. A way to end their suffering, when all of a sudden Rachel's earlier statement popped into her head. She darted into the kitchen and shuffled through the drawers, searching for what she needed. Once Chloe found it, she returned to the living room and stood behind the couch, angled so that she could see the TV or the camera with just the turn of her head. She gripped the handle with her fingers, and then Chloe lifted the knife to her neck and lightly pressed it to her skin. "Put the gun down," She said before glancing to the screen to see if he was listening, but the gun was still held in it's place. This time she shouted, "Put the gun down!" Once again, she glanced back, still, nothing had changed. The gun was still halfway visible in the corner of the screen and her family was still in as much danger as they were moments ago.

"You think I'm special, right?" Chloe asked, taking a step towards the camera. "You didn't give me my first strike when I deserved it. Well how special will I be when I'm dead? What good will I do you then?" She took another step towards the camera, and then its lens focused in on her. Chloe lifted her elbow, prepared to pull across, prepared to sacrifice herself for her family, nothing was more important than them. Nothing. "That's right, put the gun down, now."

A slight gasp escaped the TV, and then Chloe dropped the knife as she turned around. The gun was no longer in the picture, but he was still in her house, filming her family for whatever his cruel intentions may have been. They were safe, at least, that's how it seemed, taking it one minute at a time was the only way to make it through. The screen turned off and then Chloe walked around the couch and sat down on the center cushion again. She hadn't realized it, but tears had streaked her face and muffled sobs were starting. Then she heard the sound of a creak and she jumped up, sniffling and wiping the stream from her face, being seen like this would only give her the appearance of weakness. And being weak wasn't an option. Jacob walked to the back of the couch and waited for her to turn around, but Chloe didn't face him, so he approached her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Then the two of them sat down on the couch as the night ticked by.

Chloe's eyes felt heavier and heavier by the second, but she didn't want to go to bed. She couldn't, not now, not ever. Her family was in danger, for all she knew, he was still in her house, and there was nothing she could do to save them. Her sobs started up again, so she buried her face in Jacob's shoulder, and they leaned back on the couch as the time and the clocks continued to tick and tock all throughout the rest of the night. Jacob looked over into the kitchen and strained to see the the clock on the microwave, it was past midnight already, and he knew Chloe still wasn't asleep. His eyes grew heavier and heavier, but he stayed up, knowing that she needed him right now more than ever, knowing that leaving her alone wasn't an option. Not at a time like this, not after what she'd seen.

Finally Chloe's breathing slowed down and steadied itself. Jacob still had his arm wrapped around her, and Chloe had pulled her feet up onto the couch beside her. Jacob lifted his feet up and rested them on the coffee table in front of him before leaning his head back and closing his eyes as he listened to the tick and tock of the clock and the slight rustle of the camera in the corner, focusing in and out on the two of them as they fell asleep together on the couch.