The Space Between Us

Chapter 28 ~ Chase

It was the same girl that I'd seen before, the one with bangs. Only this time, she had the creepiest, most sinister smile I'd ever seen.

She cackled. It was cold and devoid of happiness, two things that laughter should never be. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw River flinch.

"River," she breathed. The girl stepped forward. She lifted her arm and smelled the sleeve of the hoodie that she was wearing - River's hoodie. "I couldn't wait any longer."

River had a mixed look of fear and anger on his face. His hands were balled in fists.

"Lexi?" said River through clenched teeth.

"You... know my name..." said the girl, her smile widening as though being pulled back by hooks at the corners. "I'm so touched, my love."

"Get out," I said in the firmest voice I could muster.

The girl, Lexi, turned her attention to me.

"You... you shouldn't be here," she said, tilting her head.

"Lexi, leave now," said River, pulling out of his freeze.

I saw a glint and realized a small kitchen knife was in her grasp. This could take a dark turn if we weren't careful.

"Why are you here?" I asked the girl, hoping to buy some time. I needed to think of a plan. Right now, the only thing separating us from Lexi was a flimsy table.

Lexi didn't look at me as she spoke, "For him. It's always for him."

She didn't break eye contact with River as she came forward another few steps and then stopped in front of the table still between us.

"River," she said again, "you hurt my feelings by moving away. I liked your old apartment better. Now, you have her."

Lexi's cold gaze landed on mine. Her hand twitched.

I barely had time to react at all. The girl jumped over the edge of the table, grabbed my shirt's collar, and dragged me to the ground with her on top. I hit my head on the wall and my elbow hit the table with a hard smack as I fell.

The fall must've been harsher than she'd anticipated because Lexi wasn't able to do more than lift the knife before she was pulled off by River. I saw her elbow River hard in his side, and he let go of her arms.

All three of us were on the ground, shoved into the corner of the dining room. I got an idea.

"River, get down!" I shouted.

I trusted that he did as I grabbed the leg of the table and pulled it past me as hard as I could. The edge of the table slammed into Lexi's side as she was trying to get up, pinning her there. River and I scurried under the table and out to the other side.

"River! I'm sorry you had to see me like this!" shouted Lexi, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears. She shoved the table away from her, the knife still in her hand.

River put up his hands. "Why are you doing this?"

"We should be together!" she shouted, half crying, brandishing the knife around. "We are made for each other!"

During their exchange, I ran to the kitchen and opened the drawer, looking for another knife. It was all I could think to do at the moment. Instead of a knife, I saw the frying pan out on the counter. Looking back, it seemed stupid. But all that was going through my mind was to get out.

I grabbed the frying pan and ran in front of River, aiming it at Lexi as though it was a loaded gun.

"Get. OUT," I said.

Lexi let out a blood-curdling scream, the kind of scream that a banshee would make right before a kill. She ran her hands through her hair as she let out a terrible noise, the knife scraping the side of her forehead slightly, though she didn't flinch.

"I won't let you ruin this! Not when I'm SO CLOSE!" Lexi shrieked, her hair flying wildly as she glared at me with the most intense hatred I'd ever seen.

She flew at me. I held up the frying pan to meet her blade.

And then River stepped in between us.

Lexi's prepared deadly blow turned into a falter as her brain registered River standing in front of her, not me. But before she could entirely pull back her slash, it connected with River's blocking arm.

"River!" I shouted, kneeling beside him as he collapsed to his knees. He held his left arm, which was steadily turning his side bright red as the blood stained everything. I could see a rather deep, dark red line down his upper arm. He was gritting his teeth against the pain.

"You... you made me do this..." said Lexi with a shaky breath, staring at me with empty, frightful eyes.

I leaped to my feet, still holding the frying pan. "You-!"

Lexi ran past before I could stop her. She threw open the front door and flew down the stairs.

"Go," said River, still clutching his arm. "I'll be fine."

I didn't need to be told again. I bolted out the door and took the stairs three or four at a time as I went down, faster than I ever had before, the frying pan tight in my grasp.

The sun had set by now, so the only good lighting was provided by the orange lamps running down the street.

Of course, Lexi had chosen to cross the road and run up the unlit, grassy hill opposite of our apartment building.

My running hobby was finally being put to use. I dashed across the street and quickly found myself gaining on Lexi as we both ran up the hill. Thankfully, it wasn't a steep hill, and I found my footing and rhythm easily.

Lexi had almost reached the top of the hill when I used all my strength to shoot forward and tackle her legs. As we both fell forward, Lexi swung her arm backward, still holding the knife. I held the frying pan with both hands and met her swing so strongly that the frying pan and blade made a loud CLANG sound that echoed down to the apartment building and back. Because it was so dark outside, I was surprised that I managed to see the knife fly from her hands and into the grass a few feet away.

I straddled her with my legs and used my body weight to hold her down. She had flipped to her back and was staring up at me. Her arms went up in a defensive surrender.

I didn't think twice.

I used my weight to swing the frying pan down on the side of her head as hard as I could. Her head moved to the side with the dull thud from the frying pan, and just like that, she was out cold.

I checked to make sure she was still breathing. Then I made sure I was still breathing.

Then I called 911.