To Keep Her Safe is All I Know

Chapter 12

"I couldn't find any tools." He says.

"How good are you at breaking down doors?"

"Don't know, I've never had to do it before."

"Well, there's a first time for everything." Melanie says.

They go to John's bedroom door. Melanie first simply tries opening it, but as Sadie said, it was locked. She knocks a few times, hard and loudly.

"John? John!" Melanie exclaims, continuing to knock.

Melanie puts her ear to the door, but hears absolute silence.

"Let me try this." Chris says, guiding Melanie out of the way before taking a step back. He then runs at the door and slams himself into it as hard as he can. The door doesn't open.

Chris sighs, "I'm gonna be sore as shit tomorrow, aren't I?"

Chris takes a step back and goes at the door again, but it again doesn't open. On the third try, he goes at the door and he and Melanie both hear a loud popping noise.

Chris' eyes widen, "FUCKING HELL!" He shrieks; the noise had come from his shoulder.

"Chris!" Melanie exclaims.

Chris hisses, then speaks, "Hang on, I think I felt it move."

Chris then kicks the door in as hard as he can and it opens. He and Melanie both run in, Chris holding his arm as he did so. 

"John? John?" Melanie asks.

They look around and see John's closet slightly open. Despite the blinding pain Chris was in, his only thought was to protect Melanie, so he stepped in front of her and went to the closet. As he neared it, there already was a terrible smell, and a very gray-pale hand sticking out of the closet.

"Ah!" Chris exclaims, jumping back in fright and bumping into the wall with his hurt arm; he gasps, "SON OF A BITCH!"

Melanie rushes over to the closet and opens it to reveal the bloody and purple shell of who used to be her ex husband with a rope around his neck. Even though he was clearly dead, Melanie found herself grabbing his wrist and searching for a pulse. Obviously, there was none. Both Melanie and Chris' hearts fell to their stomachs. Melanie, who had been kneeling next to John, scoots back a bit and sits on the floor a moment, staring at the wall. Chris suspected she was in shock. Melanie then made eyes with Chris, and he knew she was in shock.

"You hurt your arm." Melanie states.

Chris blinks, then rubs his arm, "Oh, yeah. I don't think it's anything." He lies.

Melanie stands, "No, it definitely is something. Let's go sit out on the couch. I need to call 911 anyway."

Chris just stares at her.

"Let's go sit out on the couch." Melanie says again before turning and walking out. Chris blinks. His eyes dart to the dead body in the room, then he quickly hurries out of the room despite how much it hurt. He follows Melanie out to the living room and she points to the couch. Chris sits down, not arguing.

Melanie stands in front of him, observing him. Chris raises an eyebrow at her, not able to believe she was focusing on him right now.

"You dislocated your shoulder. I knew something didn't look right." Melanie says, "I'll put it back." She says, going to grab him.

Chris leans away from her, "Woah woah woah woah woah! Do you know how to do this?"

"I'm a doctor, Chris."