Fractured

Chapter 24

I was surprised to hear the front door open then as I was playing with Jack.  It wasn't like I was expecting anybody to be home yet but it put me on edge as a heaviness came over me.  Looking up from where I was on the couch, my eyes met Clare's as she stepped in the house.  And her eyes... they met mine and they didn't show the shadows of ignorance today as they had yesterday.  No, it was clear she wasn't going to pretend as if nothing happened like before.  I felt a sickening feeling come over me when the fact that she was home early backed that theory up.

I heard Jack jump down from the couch when he looked up and away from his toy and to Clare.  You can bet he was no longer in the playful mood at seeing her now in the room.  He made his quick escape up to my room and I could only wish I was Jack, to be able to run up and away from her now.  Of course, for him it was instinct now since she treated him so badly. 

She slid her coat off, her boots off in the doorway after she shut the door... but what sent chills up my body was that her eyes... they never left mine.  They buried themselves deep into my eyes, my soul, and planted itself there where it infected me.  It hurt me, to the point where I was close to fleeing.  Because I knew then, despite the fact that the cameras were up, that she was going to hurt me.  Badly. 

I will take it... I must take it.  The cameras are there, it will be one huge step closer to locking her up... I need to do this, I will take it.

By the time she was done taking off her winter wear, she just stood there and stared at me.  Creepily.  I could only sit there, frozen on the couch.  The silence between us was powerful, thick in the air, and seemed even more threatening to this already terrible situation that I knew was about to occur.

"What did you think gave you the fucking right...?" she said, almost softly under her breath.  Staring me down, my eyes widened and at that second, I considered her crazy.  It was like yesterday didn't exist with how she acted so normal, like nothing happened.  Now today she was acting as if this was just hitting her.  My guess was that she was just ready to express everything that has been building up in her.  Which can't be good for me.

"Look you secretive bitch, I just wanted some damn answers," I hissed back at her, with narrow eyes and thinned lips.  Because no matter if I was slowly filling with fear, I wouldn't show it.  That would only work in her favor.  "You know, answers you refused to give me...."

"For my own choice not to give you the satisfaction over those facts!  Over what was meant to stay hidden!" she said, her voice changing and making a complete turn for the worse.  She was tense, her body almost shaking and I saw her take a few steps closer until she was standing on the other side of the coffee table, looking down at me.

I sighed dramatically.  Might as well get this over with.  Standing up, facing her from across the coffee table, I scowled.  "Alright look, you over dramatic monster.  Lets get this over with," I said, gesturing for her to come a me.  I could care less at this point about a punch or a kick to the gut.  Old news to me.  However, I didn't realize just how large of a line I crossed with her.  Because my assumptions... quickly became an understatement of what she would do to me.

She swiftly moved, reaching out and towards me over the table and before I knew it, she gripped the collar of my shirt with both her hands.  I expected a punch, not this.  Eyes widening at this unexpected movement from her, I felt her instantly pull me towards her.  And in that event, that meant dragging me over the coffee table and to her.  Gasping, my knees hit the sides of the coffee table, making me wince but more importantly, it was a position I couldn't fight her in.  It was quick as she dragged me over the slick glass table and to her, so fast I could barely comprehend how it all happened.