The Prison of Time (Hannibal)

Part 3

Days slowly began to blur, whether she slept or died by the hands of Hannibal everyday would be the exact same.

She began to think she was in hell, this endless loop of death. 

Maybe she had finally gone mad but the thought of putting a bullet straight through Hannibal’s skull was more appealing then anything she’d ever thought of. 

She owned a gun, she always had. Her father was rather paranoid and maybe some of that carried on into her blood. 

Kneeling in front of the safe she entered the code. She hadn’t opened this safe since she closed the gun in there for the first time. 

The cool pistol felt like a wave of relief over her. She was never one to even think of killing, even crying at stepping on an ant. 

But, this was her last option. 

Before going to Hannibal’s she decided to make one stop. 

Her fist pounded against the wooden door, shouting, ‘Jack, let me in!’

The door opened to reveal a man with a very annoyed expression. 

‘Brianna,’ he said, ‘I get about three days off a year, this better be good.’

‘Jack! Listen, I need to talk to you,’ she paused and glanced around, ‘we need to speak inside.’

‘Sure, why not?’ He said. He opened the door and she rushed inside. 

Brianna paced the floor while Jack watched on in worry. 

‘Want to let me know why you look like a squirrel who got into a bag of molly?’

‘I need a favour,’ she said, ‘I'm going to Hannibal's house this afternoon. He's going to try and kill me, he will try to slit my throat.’ 

Jack froze and stared at her wide and unblinking eyes. 

‘Those are some pretty serious allegations, Brianna,’ he said.

‘You've been suspicious of Hannibal this whole time, if I’m wrong, who cares. But, I need you to bring some officers this afternoon, please,’ she said. She was ready to fall to her knees and beg.

Jack had never seen her like this before. He had been apart of the force long enough to know many warning signs of a broken psyche. 

‘Okay,’ he said, ‘but, if nothing happens I'm organising a therapy appointment for you, okay?’

She sighed in relief. 

She spoke again with haste, ‘yes that's fine. Thank you.’

She stood at Hannibal's door. Her heart pounded in her chest like the drums of war. She knew there were at least five officers hiding outside of the house, ready at any moment. 

The ornate door opened in the same way it always did. She knew Hannibal only ever killed her with a knife, so hopefully a gun would do the trick.

‘I trust your studies are going well?’ 

Brianna didn’t want to entertain him any further, this needed to end.

‘Cut the bullshit, you're not fucking killing me,’ she said.

The sound of a gun cocking snapped her out of her revengeful thoughts. Her eyes traveled around the room until she saw where the noise had come from.

‘Will?’

‘Put the gun down,’ he said. 

Will’s jaw clenched. Brianna looked at him, her heart breaking in two. 

‘Will,’ she whispered, her grasp on the gun loosening, ‘what are you doing?’

Her eyes met his and it was as if she was looking at someone else.

Realisation dawned on her and she spoke again, ‘the wine. I didn't fall asleep, you poisoned me.’ 

Will looked at her, confusion evident in his eyes. 

Hannibal quickly grabbed Brianna’s arm and forced the gun out of her hand. 

Just as she was going to have her throat slit for the eleventh time the door came crashing down. 

‘Drop the weapon!’

‘Get on the ground!’ The officers yelled. 

Will dropped the gun and put his hands up. Hannibal let go of Brianna and dropped the knife, also surrendering.

She ran behind the officers and panted softly. 

‘You wanted me dead,’ she whispered to Will.

She had never felt this kind of betrayal before. The one person she had trusted was the one in on ending her life. 

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘I wish you could understand.’

‘Then make me understand, you piece of shit!’

‘Enough!’ Jack intercepted, stepping out from behind the officers. 

Hannibal looked at Brianna with a smile, ‘I suppose I underestimated you, sweetheart.’

She stood in front of them, the only thing stopping her from tearing them both apart was the many officers behind her. 

‘Take Brianna back to the station,’ Jack said. One of the men grabbed her and led her out of the house. She wished she could stay and strangle Will in front of Hannibal, but that wouldn’t heal her broken heart. She sat in the back of the police car and glanced out the window. 

Surely she had done it. Her head rested against the car seat. 

‘Please, don’t restart,’ she said. The man driving glanced at her in the rear view mirror, he didn’t bother question what she was talking about. 

Not long after Brianna sat in the police station with Jack across from her. 

‘So, how did you know Hannibal was going to kill you?’

‘Lucky guess,’ she said. Jack’s eyes narrowed, he was tired and not in the mood. 

‘Cut the bullshit, Brianna,’ he said. Brianna looked at him, her eyes tired and distant. 

‘I have lived the same day over and over for so long. Every single time I would get killed by him…or Will. I tried so many things, I don’t even know if this one will work or not,’ Brianna said. Jack looked at her before groaning and rubbing his face. 

‘Fine, don’t tell me,’ he said. He stormed out, leaving Brianna alone with her thoughts. She sighed and rested her head on the table, sighing softly. She was so exhausted. She needed to close her eyes for just a second.

A few seconds is all she needed. 

Just a few seconds.