From here to the Moon and Back

6 "You look beautiful in this dress."

After midnight , I appeared on the river. I looked around but there was no one.

"Hal," I said loudly. "Let's not play hide and seek," I added. I heard his laughter, and after a while he appeared in front of me.

"Hello, Alice," he said, and I nodded. "Long time no see"

"To the point, Hal," I murmured softly.

"Ah yes, Penny ..." Hal smiled and pointed to the box on the grass. I looked at him questioningly.

"It's probably not possible for Penny to hide in such a small box," I murmured.

"You're right," Hal nodded and came to me. I moved away from him. "Unless she had a helper like me"

I moved away from him even more, and my eyes were big like coins. I had a bad feeling.

"What did you do to her?" I asked calmly, but my voice was trembling.

"Why don't you check it yourself?" he asked. "Do it" he added louder. I shook my head.

"I don't want to," I said. Hal came to me and grabbed me by the wrist. I howled in pain. His grip was strong.

I tried to break away from him. I jerked my arm to the point that I felt a crunch and cried out in pain.

Hal pushed me away and I fell to my knees. I thought he would give me a break, but he grabbed my hair tightly towards the box. I kneeled in front of it and with my efficient hand I opened it.

"You monster" I shouted and looked at Hal. "You're a sick man ..." I didn't finish because I vomited.

In the chest was Penny Peabody's head cut off. Her eyes were staring at me and her lips were laced.

Why did he do this to her? Why did he do this to me?

"Why, Hal?"

"You never liked Penny," he replied and knelt beside me. I moved away from him and fell on my back. I quickly sat on the grass and grabbed my aching wrist.

"And that's why you killed her?" I asked quietly.

"Yes." he answered, and I shook my head.

"If you want to kill me, do it here and now." I said quietly, with tears in my eyes.

"Oh, Alice" Hal approached me and brushed my hair back from his face with his hook. I shuddered. "If I killed you now, it wouldn't be fun," he said quietly and put the hook to my neck.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked. "What?" I whispered sadly.

Hal smiled and wove his hand in my hair. He pulled me close to him and kissed me hard. I opened my eyes wide, trying to move away from him.

I didn't want to kiss him. When I felt his tongue on my lips, I felt sick.

"Leave me," I shouted loudly. Hal moved away from me and looked into my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Alice" pulled a white cloth from his pocket. I looked at him more and more terrified.

"What are you doing, Hal?" I asked quietly. "Don't hurt me"

"You give me no choice," he muttered and put a cloth to my lips. I struggled because I had problems with my breath. I was dizzy and lost consciousness.

~~~~~

I woke up and blinked my eyes a few times. I was lying on the grass next to the river. I quickly got up from the ground and looked around. There was no Hal or ... Penny's head. There was no one.

I got up from the grass, brushed off my clothes and got into the car. I drove home. I went in quietly and went to my bedroom. I was hoping that my daughter was still asleep.

When I lay down on the bed I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Penny Peabody was dead. I wondered who would be next.

~~~~~

I woke up the next day, feeling the throbbing pain in my wrist. I looked at my hand. It was blue and swollen. I sighed heavily and with a groan of pain got up from the bed and went to the bathroom.

I took a shower, although it was difficult because I couldn't move my damaged hand. I stepped out of the shower and stood in front of the sink.

I brush my teeth, I washed the make-up from my face and looked at myself in the mirror. I had a bruise around my eyes, I didn't even remember when Hal hit me.

I pulled a bandage and a soothing ointment from the cabinet. I smeared my wrist with an ointment and wrapped with bandage. I covered my bruise around my eye with foundation.

I dressed in a light blue skirt and pastel pink shirt. I put on my sunglasses, I couldn't allow people to see my bruise.

I left the house and drove to town to shop. I drove to the parking lot of our shopping center and parked. I got out of the car and entered the building.

I went to one of the clothing stores because I wanted to buy a dress. I chose green dress with a cleavage and went to the dressing room. When I dressed the dress, I heard the sound of my phone. I picked it up.

"Hello?" I said, not looking at the number he was calling.

"You look beautiful in this dress." Hal's voice made me feel a cramp in my stomach. I left the dressing room and looked around the store.

"Where are you?" I asked quietly, not wanting to make a fuss. I swallowed loudly.

"Here and there," he answered, and I shook my head.

"Why are you doing this to me, why don't you leave me alone?" I asked with tears in my eyes.

"Don't cry, Alice. You know that as long as you do what I tell you, nothing will happen to you," he said, and I bit my lip, not to cry. "By the way, the dress has been paid, it's yours," he added and hung up.

I stood in the middle of the store with a telephone at my ear and tears in my eyes.

This man was slowly terrorizing me, and the worst part was that I couldn't tell anyone.