"Semi-Short Stories" [ Story Collection ]

Only One Way [] 2/14 []

It's quiet. At a little past four in the morning, Leigh sits awake in the living room. She'd left Stella, Luna's dog, in her bedroom. She didn't want to wake Valencia, and she knew Stella would make at least a little noise out of worry. So Leigh sits alone. In the quiet. Was that a noise? In the quiet. It's quiet. No, I'm sure I heard something... Quiet. A car drives by and partially illuminates the room. But other than that, it's quiet. There's definitely something in the kitchen. A mouse? Something. Something is in the kitchen. Daddy? Is he in the kitchen?

It's hard to breath. She would flip on the light, but then it would be easier for her to be spotted. Instead, she reaches for the nearest gun and switches off the safety. She begins walking towards the kitchen ever so slowly. Her bare feet make a sticking noise on the wood floors. She peeks into the room and spots her reflection in the window. On the other side is her father.

"Leigh! How nice of you to visit me."

The young woman tried to hide how badly she was shaking by pressing the smooth plastic of the phone to her ear and the side of her face. She sat on her other hand to keep it still.

"I'm not here for you. I'm here for me."

"Are you sure you're not here for me? Deep down?" The man on the other side of the glass gives her a smile. "You know you love me, dear."

"That's why I'm here. To tell you that I don't love you. To tell you that I despise every bit of you. To tell you that I hope you rot in hell for all that you did." Her voice is calm. Her hand is shaking. The phone is pressed harder against her skin. She can't show weakness. That's losing.

Martin is frowning. He appears genuinely upset. "But Leigh..."

Leigh maintains direct eye contact. It's a simple yet difficult thing for her to do. But it gives her a little strength. It calms her. He's over there, and I'm over here. He can't get to me. There are guards waiting...waiting to help. To save me, if I need it. But she doesn't need it. Because she's strong. It's why she's here."That isn't going to work."

"Don't make daddy cry..."

"You can cry all you want, you old bastard. See if I care. Go on. I'm waiting." She leaned forward. Still sitting on her other hand. Martin leans forward as well. He's lost his faux frown and gained an irritated look. It's a similar look to when he was drunk and angry, except this one is sober. Not as wild. More calculating.

"You sound just like your mother."

That hit something in her. Her cool slipped...just a bit.

"You have her tone and everything."

"Thank you."

"Last time she spoke to me like how you're speaking now...well. Well, that was the last time she spoke to me. Pushed that dumb bitch down the stairs."

She's tense, but still shaky. But now it's mostly from anger. "And now she's in a better place. Away from you."

"Eh, doubt there's some better place. She's in the ground. That's it."

"Even so. She's away from you."

The table shifts. There's an inaudible crash on the other side of the glass. One of the guards is by Martin, the other is righting his chair. The greying man is an inch away from the glass.

"You think you're so bold, dontcha? Now that you're protected. That's the only reason you're doing this. You're not brave, Leigh. You're weak, and you always will be. I'd prove it if this fuckin' glass weren't here. You know I would." One guard has grabbed him and is fighting to pull him away. "You'd be exactly like your mother if..." The phone was taken. Leigh watches as her father is carried by his arms out of sight. She returns her phone to where it belongs and rubs her cheek.

It's bleeding. She'd pressed the phone so tightly to her face that it cut her. She looks from the red on her fingertips to her now shattered reflection. This...this isn't...

When the realization finally hit her, she sank to the floor, bare feet and legs resting dangerously near scattered shards of glass. She'd gotten lost in a flashback and sent a bullet through her window.She isn't even safe from herself.