The Love of a Stranger

How Could You?

It was unbelievable how much of a state she was in; no make-up making her naturally wrinkled face clear to see, her frizzy hair, her clothes had been ripped and the thread had been pulled on and most importantly, the blood-filled bandage that hugged her stomach. She could barely support herself as she clung to the doorframe, but the one thing that didn't change about her was her determination to end my life. She attempted to walk in but failed by stumbling over and falling to the ground grovelling at my feet. I was sure as anything that I wasn't going to help her no matter how much she begged.

"What happened to-"

"Catherine." She interrupted coughing and hacking away. She had managed to crawl her way to the back of the couch, leaning her back against it.

"She had failed me, my plan was to get rid of her but it backfired and I'm in desperate need of medical attention."

Her and her fancy words.

That's when she looked up at me, her eyes full of hope. Nope.

"So now you come crawling back to me as if I'm going to help you? Well you can scrap that idea." I said.

"Please..."

How could she have the audacity to come to me in desperate need of help and expect me to deliver? I simply glared at her, my eyes bloodshot and steam was flowing out my ears. I began to think, maybe there was some wicked plan to this abnormal behaviour, she's hated me all her life...so why change now?

"I could never, ever forgive you for the pain you caused me and everyone else I know. Why couldn't I just have a normal mum and have a normal life? I know how difficult I was as a baby but was plenty of other solutions-"

"I KNEW THAT...but they just didn't work."

"Ugh, don't even give me that excuse, you should've never of became a mother." I barked at her. It was true, she was a pathetic excuse for a mother, she was so caught up in her own precious little life that she didn't even have the time or the perseverance for her children, well...not for me anyway. Her facade continued as she made herself cry. I crouched down so our eyes were level with each other.

"What's the point in me helping you when all you're going to do is kill me?"

Now that was a question she couldn't answer because there simply was no answer. I heard footsteps coming through the outside corridor and into the doorway. That haunting sound of the cocking of a gun swam through my ears once again. I snapped my head around to look at whoever had the gun. My eyes widened. The heartbreaking feeling of betrayal took over my body as soon as we stared into each other's eyes.

My father. My very own dad, stood in the doorway holding a gun, directly pointing it at me.

"Dad...what are you..."

I looked at my dad then back to my mum who now had a massive smug looking smirk on her face. I knew it. There was some secret plan to all this. They had been working together all this time. For once I had believed that I actually had at least one parent that loved me when really, he was just as selfish as his wife. If I was to congratulate him, it would've been on his lying, cheating ways and his acting skills. It pained me to think that the whole time I was telling my dad about everything, he already knew.

"I wouldn't kill you, you're father is perfectly capable of doing that himself." My mother stabbed me with her smug words however I ignored them and looked into the guilt-filled eyes of my dad, mentally asking him, after all that he's been through, why?

"But dad..." I sniffed. "Why?"

"You have to understand that whatever I do, is because of how difficult my life is right now. I'm so sorry." He sternly said, on the verge of breaking down. How is his life difficult? He has a job, owns a lovely house, a wonderful dog and the rest of his life to look forward to. As if by reading my mind he answered.

"This was all your mothers idea. She had it all planned out. Within seconds she gave me a house, money, a corner shop to own so this plan could work."

"But why? Why did you agree? Can't you see how much of a horrible woman she is?" My voice getting louder, tears became more frequent and generally, I felt physically sick.

"I know. But I had no other choice. I was homeless Laura, and when someone offers you all these things for free you take it and not even having a second thought to it. But somehow I knew there would have to be a consequence. And I'm afraid this is it."

I stood there in silence, gradually processing everything that came out his mouth, processing how much of a mess my life was. It seemed that life just hated me for no particular reason; everyone that has ever loved me has turned their back on me, every successful thing I do in life always has a downside. There was no happiness to be found anywhere near me. I could feel the suicidal thoughts creeping their way into my mind again like an infection, the itching temptation to surrender myself to these selfish, despicable people was unbearable, at least then, there would be some happiness in them.

Silence separated us all until one final click of the gun. I saw his finger curl round the trigger hesitantly applying pressure.

"Do it." My mother urged him. "Do it now." She continued.

"Wait! Wait! Can you just please promise me one thing? Don't. Hurt. Dan." My mouth quivered as it took the form of an upside-down 'U'. My dad nodded but my mum never moved a muscle, she wasn't promising anything. Before anything else happened, I took my phone out from pocket, pressed the necessary buttons and held it close to my ear hearing the multiple ringing tones and then eventually, his voice.

"Hello?"

"Dan. I want you to stop whatever it is you're doing and just listen to me very carefully." I took a deep shaky breath before I chose my words. "From the moment I met you my life changed drastically-"

"Laura? Laura, stop it, why are you saying this, you're scaring me." I ignored him and continued, I didn't have much time left.

"We've had our rough times but there were some absolutely unforgettable moments that make up for that and I can't thank you enough-"

"I don't understand, why-" his worried voice made me drown with guilt.

"And I realise now, how much you mean to me in the times like these-"

"What times? Why are you saying this? Just stop. I'm on my way-"

"Don't. I wouldn't want you to do that-"

"I don't care, something's obviously wrong."

"Remember what I asked of you? Just promise me that, okay? It's for the better. I love you Dan."