The E.A. Barket Short Stories

Fault pt. 1 (Edited)

I hold the picture in my hand. The picture of me and him, before he turned into my greatest nightmare.

The nightmare I run from, weep for, and do crazy shit because of him. I grabbed the lighter I found in the motel room next to a pack of unsmoked cigarettes.

It takes a few tries to get a flame with my thumb shaking fingers. I lit the small flame and put it underneath his corner of the picture. It burned up his smiling and carefree figure.

I gently put the lit picture into the ashtray and it continues to burn, over my face, until it's no more. Almost like my heart, I thought darkly.

No. No, this will not break me. My eyes find the pack of cigarettes on the night stand, and slowly pick it up and undo the wrapping, but instead of cigarettes, there's ten, $1,000 dollar bills. I bit my lip, thinking of what I can spend his life savings on.

I just felt the urge to lash out at him. He broke promises that were just not meant to be broken. I grabbed the phone book off the dresser and fingered the pages until I found an all night bar.

I know if I stay here to long, he'll find me, he always finds me. I grab my backpack, and stuff the money back in the cigarette pack. I was about to open the door when the door knob shook on its own.

My breath caught in my throat as a deep voice sounded from the other side.
"Aria! Open up right now!"

I reminded silent, "Come on Ari, I know your in there, I only want to speak to you. I need to see you." He whispered the last part, pain laced in his voice.

He spoke softer, hoping to coax me out, but I was used to his antics. From the corner of my eye, I saw the bathroom, with a yellow light shining from a crack in the chipped white door. I quickly grabbed a chair from the table and dragged it into the bathroom.

I spot the small window, big enough for me to fit through, and I lean the chair against the wall. I quickly lock the bathroom door. Opening the window as a loud bang sounded from the other room.

"God dammit, Ari! I swear to fucking God." I could hear his huff, then a loud band sounded on the bathroom door and I nearly fell off the chair as I yelped. I quickly covered my mouth.

Moving quickly I threw my bag through the window, then my head when though as I pushed my body out, the door banged open, and Dominic quickly grabbed one of my legs trying to pull me back, his grip on my ankle nearly painful.

I screamed and tried to pull away, shoving my leg towards his face.

I pushed extra hard on the side of the window, but it was no use, he's stronger than me. But I'm more clever.

"Ow, Dominic, your grip hurts." I wince.

His grip loosened a bit and I use it to my full advantage. I completely pull myself from the window and fall down the wall on a pile of throne vines. I wince in pain and quickly pull them out of my skin grabbing my backpack and starting to run, the bruises on my ankle throbbing.

"Ari! Aria! Stop running!"

I run faster as I hear his voice making it into a large field behind the deserted motel. I stopped and he stopped a yard or two away from me, but moving closer slowly, cautiously, as if I'm a wild tiger he needs to tame.

"Why should I stop running?! As long as you're still breathing, I'll never stop running. I'll never stop trying to get away from you. I'll never be yours."