Just Keep Swimming

How to Get Rid of a Stalker Assassin

It's been a couple days since thing 1 and thing 2 stopped by the Library. I grab the duct tape out of the drawer and start taping the tarps over the windows. Don't want to be caught with my pants down on a full moon night. Since the apartment is pretty small it only has a few windows so I'm done in no time flat. I throw myself onto my bed in a very dramatic teenage fashion. I try not to but I can't help but think about the Avengers. Will they let it go or will I be seeing more of them? I hope they just let it go. If not I'll have to resort to option one and run. I will not risk them leading him to me. I glance over to the window and can tell it is officially night. To pass the time I decide to check my email. I grab my phone and pull up my inbox. Sure enough I have a new message from my only friends in the world.

Hey Belle,

We miss you a lot and can't wait to see you again! How is New York treating you? I heard it rains a lot. Have you had any trouble? Everything's been pretty quiet over here. School's about to start back up but the only one excited is Emma. You know how she is ;). When can you come back for a visit? I hope it's soon. Call us or email us if you ever need anything. We....women....have to stick together ;).

Love,

Cleo

P.S. Don't forget about the full moon tonight!

I type out a quick reply but keep it pretty short. Not a lot has happened and I haven't had any major snags yet. We shall see if these visits by superheroes become one but for now it's fine. Everything's fine. My life is fine. I'm beginning to notice that saying something is fine makes it sound like it's not fine.

Maybe moving to New York wasn't a good idea. I don't even want to think about what will happen if he finds me. Which means I'm definitely thinking about it now. Everything was escalating when I left, would he pick back up where he left off? Would he even care? I wonder if he even remembers he had a child to begin with. I doubt he has wasted any effort on finding me. But this doesn't stop me from hiding. Even though I'm eighteen now he still controls my life. I don't want to take any risk that might lead to a family reunion. Maybe I should look into moving. Ugh. I rub my eyes. Nothing is ever easy. I feel the exhaustion hit me as I lay on my bed and soon my eyelids drop.

Picking up the next color I turned back to my coloring book. I decide to color the flowers next. I just began shading them in when the front door slams open. I flinched but was not surprised. This was not a new occurrence. I quickly began to collect my book and colored pencils and silently made my way to the door. If I could just get to the stairs, I could avoid him. He was always so unpredictable when he was drunk. Unfortunately he was drunk more often than he was sober.

"Where are you going?" I heard a voice slur behind me. I froze and turned around slowly. He was leaning on the doorway looking at me lazily holding a short glass of dark liquid. Taking a swig of it he waited for me to answer.

"I-I was just h-heading to m-my room."

"God, can't you even talk right?" he started looking at me in disgust, "What do you have there?" He was pointing at my drawing. I turned it to show him.

"It's just something I was colo-" I cut off as he ripped the book from my hands.

"Well, I know what you won't be one day." I tried to tell myself it wouldn't bother me but it still hurt. Why did it still hurt? But that night the hurt began to change into something else.

"I could say the same for you," I muttered heatedly.

"What'd you say?" I didn't catch the warning tone in his voice as he stepped forward so I continued.