Mommy Monster

Chapter I

I

A quiet street, in a quiet neighborhood. The only sound was a light blue Volvo rolling up the street. It signaled to no one in particular and pulled into the driveway of an abandoned-looking Tudor. A man got out of the car, opened the hatchback, and removed a bag of groceries. He wasn’t overly tall, but he was skinny. A wiry type of body. As he made his way silently up to the front door, the wind ruffled the thinning hair on his head.

The screen door creaked as he pulled it open.

Jim Billingsley had a strange feeling as he slid the key into the lock.

Why am I all edgy? he thought.

I’m safe now. Barbara is locked away and I should be able to relax.

The kids are at Mom’s. I have the whole afternoon to rest. Things should be good.

As he pushed the door open, he noticed that the hall light was on.

I don’t remember leaving that on, he thought.

He felt his heart beat stronger and the little hairs on the back of his neck start to tingle.

“I swear I didn’t,” he muttered to an empty room.

With his senses on edge, Jim tossed his keys on the table, put the shopping bag down, and looked around the living area. The shades were drawn; the dishes he left on the end table after breakfast were still there. He could still smell the cooked sausage in the air. Everything looked as he had left it, except for the light.

And the feeling that something wasn’t right.

Jim took the shopping bag into the kitchen, grabbed the remote to the television, and turned it on. As he began putting the groceries away, the program in progress on the television was interrupted with one of those obnoxious emergency broadcast system alerts.

The local news station’s anchor, Will Samuelson, appeared on the television, and said, “We’ve received a report that two women have escaped from the custody of the sheriff’s department less than thirty minutes ago. Authorities will not release the names of the fugitives at this time, but describe them as one Caucasian woman with short blonde hair, in her mid thirties, approximately 100 to 110 pounds, and one Hispanic woman, with long brown hair and in her mid to late twenties. Both of similar build. The women were wearing the orange inmate clothing of the Camas county jail when they escaped, but they could have easily changed their clothing and their appearance since. Both women are considered dangerous. It is not known whether they are armed, but authorities suggest that if you encounter them, you should use extreme caution. We expect to have more information, including photos of the fugitives very shortly. Again, two women…”

Jim dropped the carton of eggs that he had in his hands. He felt his hands start to shake and his heart begin to thump in his chest. A deep pain in his lower back began to throb as the adrenaline pulsed through his body. “Oh God, I know it’s her. I know it’s her. What should I do? Shit. What should I do?”