Dear Mark,
It was my birthday yesterday, and it made me wonder what happens to you on your birthdays. Do you get extra food or something? Or is it just an ordinary day? Do you even know what the date is? Even if you don't normally, you will this year. I'll write to you. I might even send you a present. A little bracelet or something. O didn't get much. Billy just gave me back on of your CDs that he'd been borrowing. It's the thought that counts. He says hi again. Wants to know if he can come visit his mysterious uncle. Maybe one day, I said. Ha. Not likely.
The 'short break' from Jack became longer and longer, each time we left the house, we'd stay at Dylan's more.nights than the last time. Jack seemed to notice this, and wanted to know where we were staying.
"At a friend's house." I'd reply each time, "Nobody you know, there's no need to worry." And then I'd fasten Billy in his car seat and drive away as fast as I could, excited to find out what Dylan had planned for us that day. It never occured to me that Jack might one day follow us, but I was just about to pull into Dylan's driveway when I notice his blue.car following slowly behind us, I swerved quickly and sped down the road.
"Uncle Dylan?" Billy asked, as he was still quite young and couldn't say much else.
"In a bit Bill. Mummy.just needs to go see a friend first."
"Ok." He giggled, waving at Dylan as we passed him again, going the other way. Dylan saw Jack's car too, and quickly shut the door, nodding at me to show he understood. Soon, we were back on the motorway. My phone beeped to tell me I had a message and I picked it up, not taking my eyes off the road.
Pull over Anna. Jack.
I gulped and pulled over as soon as I could. His car stopped behind us. I watched in my mirror as he walked up to my window and knocked. Slowly I put it down.
"Can I help you?" I asked innocently.
"Cut the crap Anna." He spat, "You're not going to your friend's house. You don't have any friends. I want to know where you go during these 'breaks'."
"I think you'll find I do have friends." I hissed, trying to wind the window back up, but he put his hand on it, preventing it from going any further.
"You do not." He growled, "Tell me now."
I shook my head quickly and drove forwards.
"Leave us alone Jack. Go back to the cave you crawled out of."
"Yeah daddy." Billy laughed, "Uncle Dylan says you Golem."
"Billy." I snapped, "Daddy doesn't need to know that."
"Yes he does." Jack replied sweetly, "Billy, where have you and mummy been going without me?"
"Uncle Dylan's!" Billy squeaked, smiling at me. I glared back at him.
"Have you now." Jack snarled, "Well that's ok. I'll go talk to him while you two go to this 'friend's' house."
"No, you don't need to do that Jack!" I insisted, "We've only been to see him once! That's all!"
"No." Billy laughed from the backseat. Jack grinned at me.
"At least one of you doesn't lie."
"What do you expect Jack? He can't count can he?"
"One, two, three." Billy giggled. I sighed.
"Please just leave it Jack. Look we'll come home. We won't take anymore breaks from you. Just please leave it."
"Ok." Jack nodded, "You go first so I can make sure you do go straight home. I'll be right behind you."
"I know you will." I mittered to myself, putting the window up and driving away.
So that's how I found myself trapped in his house for the next few weeks. He'd watch everything I did, and in all honesty, it was starting to creep me out. I'd called Dylan while we'd been driving back and told him everything that had happened. He knew not to call or text any of us, and anyway, I'd deleted his contact so Jack didn't see I'd had it. But then Jack had to go back to work. His boss said he'd had enough time off and he was needed back at the office. But I knew he'd probably fit a tracker onto something, so we didn't go anywhere really.
I took Billy out to the park again, hoping Dylan would be there like before, but he'd obviously found it'd be safer to stay in his house aswell. That evening, I waited in the house for Jack to get back from work, but he never did. Instead I got a text from Dylan.
He's here Anna. Stay at home, don't worry. He doesn't know about us. But he's mad. Madder than I've ever seen him. All because of me. Don't worry. We'll be ok. Love you x
I did worry Mark. I worried all night until Jack came home. I couldn't ask if Dylan was ok, because then he'd know I knew, so I just had to wait.
So Mark, I found out a bit more about what you did. I went down to the police station and asked about you. As far as they were concerned, Billy was in high school and had to do a project on you. They couldn't tell me much, but what they did tell me got me thinking. You were found hugging your wife weren't you? Talking to her and asking about her day? One of the police officers was there when they arrested you, and he'd been a big fan aswell. Told me you'd never looked so crazy in your life. He was scared of you Mark. Scared of what you'd become, of what you were. And it's scarred him. He told me he'd never get the look on your face out of his mind, no matter how hard he tried. You told them it was jam on your hands, face and on your wife.
Jam? I think they could tell the difference Mark. It wasn't jame they found on the rest of them. And it was probably the way the jame was just pouring out of the bullet hole in yoir wife that tipped them off. Apparently you also tried to tell them it wasn't you who had killed her while you were pointing the gun at them. I don't know how you thought that was going to work. I wonder if I'd ever say these things to your face. Probably not. I'd be too scared that'd you'd break my neck. Anyway. I'll write again. Obviously. I'm not going to leave my story unfinshed, am I?
From
Anna
