Emily's Punishment: Part Two

Chapter Twelve - Goodbye

Chapter Twelve – Goodbye

Emily flinched as his voice suddenly called out from the bedroom. "Don't keep me waiting, baby." She quickly reached down and grabbed her bag from beside the coffee table, her stomach turning as her eyes caught sight of the teacup of wine from earlier. As silently as she could, she crept back out into the hallway and headed for the front door.

"Emily?" he called out. She froze, expecting him to step out of his room at any moment. Holding her breath, she braced herself for the inevitable confrontation, but nothing happened. Then, his voice called out again, more insistent this time. "Don't keep me waiting, Emily. I'm ready for you!" She took the opportunity to make her move. Creeping silently to the front door, she turned her head and called back to him.

"I'll be there in just a second, but I want you to close your eyes for me. I have a surprise for you," she said, trying to sound seductive through the tears and the lump in her throat.

"Oh boy! A surprise!" he called back. "What is it?"

"Just lie there and keep your eyes closed," she replied. "You'll find out soon."

Without hesitation, she silently twisted the latch and opened the door.

"I love surprises!" she heard him shout as she began to tiptoe down the dark stairway to the front door of the house. Now, throwing caution to the wind, Emily scrambled with the latch and flung the door open, hurrying outside into the night.

Her heart pounded as she quickly walked away, leaving the house behind her. Her walk soon became a jog as more tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision with each desperate step. Suddenly, the heel of her shoe caught on the pavement, and she stumbled, twisting her foot. Pain shot through her ankle, but she ignored it, bending down to clumsily yank off her shoes. Stuffing them into her bag, she started to run, with no thought as to where she was going, but just away – away from the flat, away from Tom, and away from everything that had happened that evening.

The world around her blurred as she fled, the lights from traffic, street lamps, and buildings distorting into streaks of colour as she passed them by. Cheers from drunken revellers echoed from across the street, shouts and scuffles erupted from a nearby kebab shop, and the piercing wail of a siren cut through the night as a police car sped by.

Out of breath, and still sobbing, Emily's tired body eventually forced her to slow to a walk. She staggered onwards, slowly realising she had run further than she intended, and now found herself in an unfamiliar part of town. She slowed to a stop and looked back down the wide, empty, four-lane road. Sniffing, she rubbed the tears from her eyes as she stood, vulnerable and alone, trying to figure out which way she should go to find a bus stop, to make her way back home.

Barefoot, she began walking again, feeling a little calmer now but still with tears running down her cheeks. She knew that the bus followed the main road and it wasn't long before she found a stop. She sat alone in the shelter and pulled out her phone.

EMILY: I'M SORRY

I'LL BE HOME SOON

sent 22:23

Almost immediately, a message pinged back, but she ignored it as she boarded the bus and found a seat near the front. All around her, were groups of students and youngsters, heading into town with the intension of having a good time. Laughter and excited shouts filled the air, but Emily felt alone as she stared out of the window, into the blackness of the night and back at her own sorrowful reflection. Her phone vibrated in her hand as another text came in, but she could not bring herself to look at it. If it was Alex, she knew she'd be home soon enough to speak to him. If it was Tom, she didn't want to know.