Man in the Wall (Who is he?)

Chapter 38 - They just keep getting worse

Stuck in a state of confusion, I find myself staring at Frank as my brows crease together and frown lines deepen. All the while panic involuntarily takes over Peggy. I'm not sure that she's entirely aware of her current behavior.

"What's wrong? What about Steven? What happened?"  

Her grip on me tightens. 

"He's been shot. It was that li-" Frank begins, but shuts his trap as soon as his eyes land on mine, fighting the urge to continue. I crane my neck sideways to gain a clear view of Peggy's features. I have never seen a wider pair of stormy blue orbs in all my life. 

"He's been shot!?" She repeats in pure horror. 

It's quite clear that she doesn't believe what has just been said. Either that or Frank's notorious for being a pathological liar. Although I believe it to be the former.

From the relationship I've witnessed shared between Peggy and Steven, I would never have guessed this to be her reaction. It surely isn't as horrid as the one Steven and I share, but it's not exactly loving nor caring either. She's always in a foul mood whenever he's around only to end up yelling, arguing, or simply frustrated and demanding his presence to be removed from the room.

Before I could even begin to stop myself from responding to the news, the following words slipped out of my mouth; "It's about damn time!".

Peggy's head rotates so drastically in my direction, I swear I heard a bone crack. She stares at me as if I've gone insane. Well, the answer to that is yes, however, not in this situation. I shrug my shoulders and make my way out of Peggy's hold before deciding to continue my outburst.

She was right after all. I am able to stand on my own. Either that or the hatred seeping through my veins is giving me a new profound strength. "Steven's been a vampire for long enough. A throbbing pain in my damn neck that has drained the life out of me countless times. Every form of torture and abuse I endured because of him, freshly embedded in my mind. So yes, I'm glad that monster's finally getting a taste of his own medicine," I spit furiously, the resentment clear in my voice.

"You know nothing about him Vivian! For Christ's sake, stop acting like you do!" Peggy yells at me as her arms swing wildly in the air and my jaw drops to the ground.

I find myself taken aback that she's suddenly defending him. I would apologize and say sorry, but I'm really not. I meant every word I said and I'm not about to take it back. 

"Peggy, leave Christ out of this and I think it's best we talk outside." Frank hastily speaks up after his brain accumulated some form of logic. It's obvious that he doesn't want me to know anymore than what he thinks I should.

I retrieve my jaw from where it hung and return it to the rest of my face as Frank's words echo through the room. Peggy hesitates at first as her glaring eyes linger on mine. It's not the evil glare one would naturally assume it to be. It was more of a glare of dissapoint. After a few unsettling seconds, she spins on her heels and storms out of the room.

"Sit down and stay here!" Frank yells at me before turning around to follow Peggy. 

"You make as if I actually have a choice in this hell hole!" I call out after him. 

I know that this will only add fuel to the fire, but I'm cold in this bottomless pit of the condemned and I've heard that a fire is a great source of heat.

"Fucking hell! I don't have time for you! Just shut up and stay here!" he laments and I know that he has had enough of me. He slams the door shut behind him, followed by a clicking sound that's easily recognised as the locking of a door.