Trapping My Heart

Trapping My Heart [4] Danger, Danger

4. Danger, Danger

I got out of the car and ran to the front door then stayed in the chill of the night for a while trying to calm my mind. I was scared. Of Mike.

When I opened the door Mike was in front of me, a sinister smile on his face. His arm whizzed past my face to pull me in, then close the door. I flinched.

‘Rachel, baby,’ he growled, I smelt his breath.

Alcohol.

‘Why are you home so late?’ My body was trembling and tears were already begging to ease out. ‘Tell me!’ He snarled, slurring his words slightly and separating each word, which only made me quiver more.

‘I was with Kathy… and her father, And-rew. Andrew.’ His eyes widened and his smile grew more dangerous.

‘Oh, a dad I see.’ He laughed and it sent daggers into my heart. ‘No wonder you don’t want to quit your stupid little job.’

‘No, Mike!’ I denied, though I felt a slight shiver at the thought, ‘it’s not like that. I was with Kathy!’

He seized my arm. ‘Of course you were. Oh, I see your little kids have signed your cast.’ His face contorted as he twisted my arm around, ‘No space left for me... Is Andy’s name here by any chance? Or Kathy? Yes,’ a dangerous look flickered in his eyes as he stroked Kathy’s name, ‘there it is. Right in the middle. How cute, a little face…And a heart……’

I froze, paralyzed with fear. He laughed drily, dragging me into the living room where he dropped me on the floor before kicking me. Hard.

I didn’t hear anything for a second then heard cutlery being moved about in the kitchen. I curled up in a tight ball and closed my eyes, my heart racing. Images of Andy kept coming to my mind, again and again.

How could I help Andy when I was in a mess? I thought once again. His problem with Kathy was the only reason-

I heard Mike come out of the kitchen and enter the living room. I turned to him and I turned cold. He looked like a predator who’d spotted its prey, which, I realised with a heavy heart, was me. He had a crazy look in his eye, and a sharp knife in his hand.. Mike took a lurching step forwards, raised the knife higher… And threw.

In those few seconds I watched the knife pass my face, scratching my cheek, I felt calm. Too calm; like I didn’t care. If I died… I could almost hear a voice, it was trying to tell me something important. I needed to listen... I snapped my eyes shut.

Mike doesn’t love you, you are alone. Mike doesn’t love you, you’d better escape. Mike doesn’t love you, you are alone. Mike doesn’t love you, you’d better escape.

I opened them again, and he was gone.

No. This can’t be happening. This. Is. Not. Mike.

Mike would never do something this dangerous to me, he had to understand, this time it really wasn’t my fault. I hadn’t done anything. He would never do something this dangerous to me.

But... He just had.

Where was he?

I reached up and touched my cheek tentatively, whimpering and recoiling my hand quickly when I felt the sting and the tell-tale feel of blood, sticky on my fingers. Tears crept down my cheeks, stinging the wound more. My cheeks hurt, my stomach hurt, my hand hurt...and most of all my heart... it ached so much. How could he...? My throat closed in on itself. Mike had thrown a knife... turning my neck stiffly to see the object in question, I almost choked. It was lying there innocently. Only a bit of blood showed up on the harmless looking steel. The stainless steel.

He didn’t love me anymore... He would never love me, I’d blown it. What was I doing going anywhere with Andy? Accepting tea? Dropping Kathy off! Thinking about the man’s hands!

I had to be better for Mike. I’d ask him for a last chance. That’s what I’d do.

A sob escaped from my lips as I attempted to stand up only to collapsed back down.

Mike stood over me, grinning. A knife in his right hand, Kathy in his left. He picked her up from the ground with her unruly hair, unaffected by her screams. I opened my mouth to scream but instead felt the blow of his kick. Again and again in my side.

‘Daddy!’ Kathy screamed. Andy leapt up into the air just as Mike plunged the knife into Kathy’s heart.

Red.

Everything was enveloped in red.

Suddenly, Andy was on the floor beside me, ‘it’s you Rachel. Escape. Before it’s too late...’ he warned urgently before Mike’s knife found its way into him too.

There was just me left. Mike’s eye’s flashed black before he lowered the knife towards me.

I was woken up by my own scream.

I must make up to Mike soon, before something terrible happened.