Bruised (Completed)

Chapter 37

The world stops turning. The cars racing on the roads coloured by the slowly dawning midnight blue dusk, in which street lanterns and lights inside apartments all over the city form the stars on earth, fade away until they are reduced to a mere background humming. Only rushing blood, a panicked thrumming heartbeat, and the infernal beeping of a broken-up conversation are the sole noises existing in this reality.

I'm sorry.

What has he done? In a motherly impulse, hands go to the swelling belly bearing our child in the vain hope of trying to calm the rapidly accelerating breathing.

Forgive me.

'What have you done, Tae?' I mumble shocked, putting the iPhone on the coffee table with a hand that is rendered completely numb. Nevertheless, at the edge of the mind creeps an image portraying a horrible scene, likely confirming the unseen truth. I have experienced first-hand what my husband can get like when he is lead by fury worse than the wrath of Ares, multiple times. However, after the many hours of therapy, I thought it nullified the beast beneath the tanned skin fingers have mapped and marked in our most intimate moments. Bone-weary, I sit down on the grey sofa with tears stinging behind eyes portraying the oceans on a very cloudy day.

I love you.

'It's going to be alright, dear.' To keep my shaking hands occupied and calm the ignorant baby, I rub my stomach whilst worrying a lip which has been bitten many times in grave concern since he went with his father and bid me to go home via the long route. 'Daddy has just run into a bit of trouble. He'll be home soon.' A sob tears itself free from the throat, destroying the last bit of constraint in the already constricted voice, as tears begin to flow freely over cheeks aching for Tae's comforting pecks. I repeat what was said, willing, no forcing myself to believe the words despite the hope-destroying agony and the ghost of his comforting arms around me, warm on the chilled skin. 'He'll be home soon.'

Carefully I lay down on the cushions, face buried in the coarse fabric of the backrest with my arms wrapped around my body, imagining they are his. Stress will do no one any good, especially not the child, so some rest is highly needed. Upon awakening, a plan shall be devised in order to get a grasp on reality and hopefully influence the hands of fate.

If that is possible at all.

What have you done?

***

A buzzing announcing a visitor breaks the temporary mind-soothing albeit shallow slumber. The apartment is painted in shades of nightly cerulean and twilight magenta, making it more difficult for sight to clear as it first has to get used to the darkness.

Laboriously, every movement costing more energy thanks to the pregnancy, I turn over and push myself up into a seating position. The clock on the display of the phone on the glass coffee table signifies only an hour has passed after the crisp white home button has been pushed, slightly lighting up the living room. Funny how so much can change within such a short amount of time.

On the other hand, it is just as queer as knowing that within a period of similar length we have lost our future by Tae destroying the last haunting remnant of his past. I do not need to see the crime to know he has committed it, the bloodlust in his eyes when he told me to get to safety having said more than enough.

Nevertheless, if our life together was the price to pay for finally being free, was it worth it?

There has to be something I can do. I can't let you slip away again.

The urgent drone of the buzzer of the intercom echoes loudly in the empty room, drawing my eyes away from the lock screen that has a picture of Taehyung holding the latest addition to his camera collection, a Leica M6 Rangefinder Film Camera, just as we took a photo of each other in a silly race to see who could react the fastest. I won.