RAW Deception (Round 2 in the RAW Instinct Series)

Chapter 14

Listen to the music: Shane Ward - Damaged

The next day, Joe arrived to fetch his belongings at midday and sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor. He didn't understand Shane. Three weeks ago they were so happy in love, making love. It was heaven. He belonged with Shane of that he was sure, until Gregory came along.

Just then, Shane opened the door.

"I heard a noise. You packing?"

Joe stared at the floor. "Can we talk about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about, Joe."

"Is this how we end? You and me. Two years of a solid relationship reduced to anger and violence."

"I was prepared to stay with you until the end, Joe. I even told Gregory that. I thought you cared."

"I'm not going to die, Shane."

"Your illness. It gets worse. There's no cure."

"I'm not sick. Never have been. It's all been a lie."

"Jesus! Joe. What next? You're a habitual liar. You're a fucking fraud. Is this how you get these guys? You lie to them."

Joe nodded. "Your sister should have known, she is a doctor."

"More like a nurse, actually. She didn't diagnose your illness. All she did was make sure you took the correct dosage of pills. You need help, Joe. You can't do this to people," Shane said.

"Sometimes I know it's wrong. Other times I think I'm living in the lie, and that it's the right thing."

"Get some help, Joe. Before you go down that dark road any farther, get help."

"You think I'm sick. Say it. Say you think I'm sick."

"You're not sick, Joe. But, you do need help."

Shane noticed Joe's eyes darken and his face went from friendly to taught anger. Still at the door, he turned to leave, and, not taking his eyes off Joe, said, "Take whatever you want Joe."

A half hour later, Shane knocked on Joe's door. He knocked again then opened and peeked inside. Joe wasn't there.

He looked in the lounge, dining room and Joe's old room and stopped when he heard a noise coming from the kitchen; like metal falling. He cautiously approached the kitchen.

"Joe?"

He wasn't there.

A long breadknife lay on the floor. He stood in such a way that he could not see Joe's arm protruding from behind the pillar leading into the hallway.

The moment he came out of the kitchen into the hallway to check the guest toilet, Joe came up from behind and raised a curved knife taken from the kitchen drawer. He swiftly brought it down with such force into Shane's shoulder that it went in all the way to the handle.

"If I can't have you, no one will!" His voice was not his own. It seemed possessed by some evil entity. He withdrew the knife as Shane spun around with raised hands and the knife came down again and punctured the palm of his hand. A black void had taken residence in Joe's eyes. Shane's blood spattered all over his face. His hands were bloody.

"You're mine!"

Sharp, blinding pain shot through Shane's body as he collapsed to the floor, knocking the vase of flowers off its table. It shattered in the bloody river on the floor. Joe was about to stab him again when he managed to grab a large piece of the vase and slam it against his left temple.

Joe fell, unconscious. He wouldn't remain unconscious for long. Shane had to move fast. He always carried his phone with him but not this time. He had left it in the bedroom. He struggled to lift himself off the floor and covered his shoulder wound with his healthy hand then raced up the stairs and rested on the landing.

A sharp pain shot across his back as Joe came up from behind and stabbed him in the other shoulder and when he fell, Joe dived for him but Shane rolled away and the blade missed him by inches. Joe got up and dived again but Shane lifted his legs to stop him from falling onto him with the death thrust.

Shane kicked him backwards and Joe flailed towards the balustrading. The wood cracked and split with a loud crunch and he screamed as he fell to the floor below. Shane peeked over the edge and buried his head in his hands when he saw Joe lying twisted below.

A few minutes later he managed to get to his phone and called his commanding officer at the police station, then passed out.

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