The Broken Road (18+)

Chapter 18

The landscape was ever changing as I drove for almost two hours, randomly changing directions every now and then. I felt like I was in a trance, barely thinking as I drove, time speeding past me, feeling disoriented and shaky. It was dark and the road was damp, from some light rain.

A sudden groan beside me made my entire body tense, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the steering wheel.

'What the...' Ken's tired voice moaned. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him rubbing his head, trying to sit up, clearly still foggy.

'Fuck.' I cursed, speeding up. I would have to pull over and dump him soon before he was awake enough to fight me.

'Jenny?' Ken's voice sounded angry, but there was an almost undetectable hint of fear in his voice too. 'What's... what's going on?'

Gripping the steering wheel tightly, I ignored him, speeding up and getting ready to cross the bridge that was approaching. The bridge crossed a large body of water, but in the dark of the night I couldn't tell if it was a river or a lake.

'Answer me Jenny.' Ken spat, though his head was still heavy and he could barely keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds.

'I'm done Ken.' I said, barely above a whisper. 'I'm done with the abuse. I'm done with you.'

'You can't leave me.' His voice was becoming more coherent but his body was still responding slowly. 'You're mine.'

'Not anymore Ken.'

'I will find you.' Ken said sitting up more and trying to look around to see where we are, the darkness working against him. 'I will make you pay.'

'On the other side of this bridge, you will get out and I will drive away. You will never see me or Hannah again.' I said, sounding more calm than I felt.

'I know where your family live.' He replied, his eyes flicking around the car, nervously. 'I will kill them.'

'No you won't.' The confidence in my voice was completely fake, and the thought that I was endangering them had crossed my mind, but I would have to figure that out on my way home.

'How did you do it?' Ken suddenly changed the subject. 'How did someone as weak and pathetic as you knock me unconscious?'

'Sleeping pills. Tiramisu.' I replied, keeping Ken in my peripheral vision constantly.

'Clever.' Ken said with a forced laugh. 'Unfortunately for you, your plan didn't quite work out, did it?'

Ignoring him, I focused on the road. But he was right. He should have been asleep for much longer. I should have dumped him and turned around by now. Although I refused to show it, I was terrified. Every passing minute, Ken regained more strength and consciousness. Meaning him fighting back was getting closer and closer to my reality. On the other side of this bridge. I was half way there. Why did it have to be so long?

'If I can't have you, no one can.' Ken said, in a terrifyingly calm voice. I turned my head to him, confusion etched into my features. His hand clasped mine suddenly. My eyes widened as I realised his intentions. The steering wheel jerked to the right as Ken yanked it suddenly, the car spinning.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. It was just like the crash with Jack, fear consumed me in milliseconds. Ken kept a firm grip on me and the steering wheel, as the car crashed through the barrier and fell down into the water below.

I could hear myself screaming as water surrounded the car, as it submerged. Slowly water started spilling in through the gaps in the door and windows.

'No! No! No!' I cried. 'I was going to be free. I was going to escape you. I was going to be happy again.' I pounded on the window with a fist, desperate to escape.

Looking at Ken, with horror in my eyes, I noticed he had a smirk on his face. 'How did that work out for you? You will never escape me. You're mine forever.'

I fumbled and pulled at my seatbelt, trying to escape, but Ken's hands gripped mine and pulled them away from the seatbelt. Struggling and tugging away from Ken, I tried to regain control, but the water was already filling the car fast and my hope drowning with it.

'Mine forever.' Ken smirked again, before gripping the back of my head and pulling me in for a long kiss, despite my struggling. The water was up to our necks now, and rising fast, my heart pounding in my ears loudly.

Ken's arms curled round me, trapping me in his grip as I took one last gasp for air and my head disappeared under the water. He had accepted his death, and was intent on ensuring I went down with him.

I was doomed. I was going to die. Not only that but I was going to die in the arms of the monster that took everything I had and destroyed it.

I closed my eyes and thought of Hannah. Her long bouncy hair, her beautiful blue eyes. Her laugh. Her innocence and joy. I thought of when she was born. I thought of every one of her birthdays. All of the good times we had, and all the times I would never get to see.

I thought of Jack. Some part of me longed to be reunited with him in death, but the thought of leaving our baby only terrified me. I thought of the first time we met. Our first date. Our last date. Our last moments together. Was Jack afraid when he died? He knew what he was doing when he told the paramedics to save me and Hannah. He was brave. But was he scared? I was scared.

I felt a large blow to my stomach, forcing my eyes open. The gasp of pain left my lips before I realised it, and the last of my oxygen went with it. Ken had punched me. One last time. My lungs were burning. I looked at Ken with scared eyes silently pleading. Once more, his lips found mine, claiming me as his. One last time.

I thought of my parents. Would they be okay? They would look after Hannah. They were great parents. They were always there for me. I wish I took advantage of that more when I had the chance. Every moment we spent together, every hug, every comforting forehead kiss. I wish I could have just one more.

I thought of Anna. My beautiful younger sister. She was by my side for all my highs and lows. We fought, we played, but she was always there for me. I wish I could be there for her. I wish I could see her fall in love. I wish I could see her live the life she always dreamed.

I couldn't keep my eyes open. My lungs were of fire. Ken's body had gone limp beside mine. The car was deep. I wondered if they would ever find us. Maybe we would disappear off the face of the earth and no one would ever know what happened to us. Would that be better or worse? Maybe my family would believe I escaped. But if they did, they'd think I abandoned them. No. I would prefer for them to know what happened and be able to grieve.

My head was heavy. My eyes were closing for the last time. They wouldn't open again.

I thought of Hannah. My parents. Jack. Anna.

Then as everything faded to black, I thought of Troy.