The Perfect Date *Completed*

Day 21

My whole body ached with exhaustion but I just couldn't sleep. The events of last night kept replaying in my head like a broken recorder. I couldn't believe that I had almost killed Samantha with my own bare hands, hand to be exact. My left hand was swollen and throbbing like hell ever since she slammed the door on it. I was surprised when the doctor told me nothing was fractured, it felt like all my bones had been broken.

The images flooded my mind over and over again, so vivid my heart beat faster every time I remembered how she stopped breathing under me, how my hand so easily squeezed her tiny little fragile neck. The pure terror in her eyes as she realised she was going to die.

If it hadn't been for my nosy middle aged next door neighbour she would probably be dead and I, a murderer. I shuddered at the thought. I didn't even realise what I was doing until the doorbell ringing snapped me back to reality.

When the doorbell rang I quickly released my hands from Samantha's neck but she was already unconscious. At that moment I thought she was dead and my mind went blank. I remembered feeling for her pulse and when I felt it I could breathe again. She was very much alive.

The sound of the doorbell ringing and my neighbour calling out my name made me jump up. I didn't know what to do.

Despite the overwhelming amount of pain I felt in my hand, I somehow managed to drag her into the basement but I didn't have enough time to put her back into her room. An idea crossed my mind when I saw a mousetrap lying idle in a corner on the basement floor. I grabbed it and ran up towards the front door where my neighbour waited.

I hastily opened the front door to see my neighbour Mrs Chastain in her cooking apparel. She looked at me with her bushy eyebrows raised in concern.

"I thought I heard someone scream Jerry, is everything okay?" she asked peering into my living room.

She really was a nosy one, one of those ladies who had nothing better to do than pry into other peoples lives because they were too bored with they're own.

"It's nothing really, my ha-nd got stuck in a mousetrap while I was setting it up. Stupid mistake," I smiled but my voice came out hoarse and broken.

She looked at me and then gasped dramatically ."Oh-my your lip is bleeding. You poor thing, mousetraps are tricky little things if you aren't careful. You need to see a doctor. Let me drive you there now."

I wanted to decline knowing Samantha was lying in my basement and not her room but I didn't want to look too suspicious so I nodded my head in agreement. I quickly grabbed my wallet and locked the basement door before I left the house.

As we were leaving Mrs Chastain peered back into the house again. I gritted my teeth and prayed that Samantha wouldn't make any noise.

"Why are your curtains torn?" she asked inquisitively.

That was it, I was busted. I started thinking of ways to knock her unconscious and kill her. How the hell was I going to do it?

"Ummm I never noticed actually. You know I'm always working, hardly ever at home. I get a housekeeper to come and clean up every now and then," I mumbled. If she didn't believe that, I was as good as dead.

To my relief she laughed. "Oh you poor dear. You know Jerry this place could use a woman's touch. A handsome man like you shouldn't have a problem landing a nice young lady to take care of you. You really should settle down."

I laughed nervously and walked to her car mentally praying that Samantha was okay.

When I got back the first thing I did was rush down to check on her. She was still unconscious so I dragged her into her room with my good hand. As I stared at her lying on her bed I couldn't help but think about the hurtful things she had said to me before she tried to leave. I obviously knew that the door had been locked from the inside but I gave her a chance to change her mind.

She made it perfectly clear that she hated my guts and that she would never love me. After everything I had done for her, she still treated me like dirt just like my mother when I took care of her after my dad left her.

My siblings were God knows where, but I stayed at home everyday nursing my sick broken hearted mother and all she did was insult me and put me down every chance she got. She used to tell me that I was pathetic and that I would end up just like her, sad and alone. After seven failed relationships and now this, I wondered if what she actually said was true.

My blood boiled as I thought about my mother and Samantha's words. If she was never going to love me what was the point in keeping her here. I obviously couldn't let her go so there was only one other way.

I bent down and unknowingly placed my hand on her neck again. Maybe I should just finish what I started. I started to squeeze her neck and she stirred a little. That was when I realised what I was doing and jumped back. I couldn't do it, I just couldn't.

Maybe I would give her another chance, one last chance. I quickly left the room before I changed my mind. I didn't trust myself with her at the moment, I wondered how long it would take for us to be normal again. I definitely needed time and she needed to be punished. A couple of days without food should be a good enough punishment I thought smugly.

So here I was lying in bed thinking about Samantha but sadly unable to meet her.

***

Samantha's whole body was shivering in fear. She wondered why she wasn't dead and if he would come back to finish the job but he never came. Now all she could think about was how hungry and lonely she was.

Fresh tears poured down her face as she thought about how close she had been to escaping. But of course he had been one step ahead again. He always was and always will be. One thing was for sure, she was never getting out of here alive, she knew that now.

pic above: Jerry

Helloo...This chapter somehow got deleted after I published it, I don't know how. Please read this before you read Day 23 if not it wont make sense. I had to rewrite the whole thing, so annoyed. :(:(