The Meat Cellar (Book #1 in trilogy)

Chapter 21: Like Bleach On Blood

My body began to shake as I stood there half naked. The cold air was no longer the culprit for my shaking, I was certain of that. What the man had just told me had me thinking about what had transpired for the first three and a half years of my marriage. Had Marta actually been fucking the men she brought home because she could, then killed them to keep Martin's end of the deal to get money? I had no way of proving anything now that he was dead. He was the only one who knew the truth and now I couldn't even ask him if he was willing to tell me.

Sam, you need to stop this. You're going to drive yourself mad. The guy was probably trying to turn you against Marta so you would give up her location. You can see that side of the story too, can't you?

Wetting my lips I replied quietly, "I'm not sure anymore." My eyes wandered as I continued to shake, forcing me to find refuge on the couch in the living room.

I dropped down on it and stared blankly at the coffee table in front of me. Light still pierced its way through the curtains, but it gave me no warmth or comfort as the television now caught my attention. It was so easy to turn it on and off with the remote.

I wish I could do that with my mind, I thought.

You don't have to, Sam. You just have to forget what that guy said, my inner voice urged. He threatened you so he could come into the house and get inside your head. His plan was to get you questioning everything you've ever done for Marta. He doesn't want you to believe her because that seed of doubt will eat away at you. Just like it is now.

And what if he's right? I asked.

You won't know if he is! You won't even know if he's wrong either because Martin is dead! Why is it so hard for you to understand this?

Sighing loudly, I felt as though I was forgetting how to breathe. I trusted Marta for all these years, gave her the benefit of the doubt when she told me about Martin and what she had done for us, but now I felt like my world was upside down. Martin's driver was speculating, I knew that for a fact, but his guesses were my fears. Deep down inside I was wondering if those things were happening. Marta said they weren't, but as pointed out, asking Martin about things is no longer an option if he was willing to talk.

The least you can do is call Marta and give her a heads up.

It was a good suggestion, but overthinking had caused me to drift away from the happiness Marta and I had rediscovered and tried to spread throughout the house again. Right when I thought things were getting back on track, they were being derailed once more.

Martin was dead and she was free, but I wasn't. My fears were now resurfacing and dragging me under the murky depths of my mind. I knew she had a dark abyss in hers as well due to what she was forced to do, but it seemed that darkness had spread to me. It was like a venom that she secreted by accident from all the years of fighting to keep me safe from Martin. She kept our dreams alive by going through hell. I wasn't sure if I should be thanking her, or taking her to a mental institution.

Sam, don't think like this. You're above it all, I know you are. You love Marta and she loves you. I know her way of showing that has been through cooking, sex, and killing strangers in the basement, but we all have our different ways of showing our love for one another.

I laughed. "Yeah, we sure do."

Sam, you have given her everything and more. She never asked you to help her kill Martin, you offered. You knew your life with her was threatened and you took action. Her love drove her to kill and eventually so did yours. Hers brought you financial stability, while yours renewed your hope for a future together. If you give up now, it will all be in vain.