We Were There

Chapter 83: Memory: The Walters

I stumbled and picked myself a lot of times. It was difficult to see everything around me when the moon was totally covered by the hovering grey clouds. I knew this was the end of me, but I just had to lead him away from Thomas. If this was the end of me, at least it wasn't the end of both of us. Maybe this was my fate. Maybe I was destined to die in his hands. I wasn't given time to even catch my breath but I kept on going. I kept on running. 

I felt a cold drop of water ran on my cheek. And then another. Then came another. The downpour came like it was a race. My sweat was washed away easily and it was becoming difficult to run in my soaked gown. It was starting to slow me down. The storm roared; lightning flashed in the distance. I ran and ran, not caring where I was going. I just wanted to get away from him. I just wanted to live. 

To live.

I could see a light emitting from a distance. Knowing what it was, I hurriedly went past countless number of trees until, finally, I was now outside the trail of woods. Unfortunately, to my dismay, I found myself trapped. 

It was a dead end. 

I could feel every pulse in my body as I tried to catch my breath. I was shivering from the cold. I could see puffs of air as I exhaled. The pounding rain continued to hit every part of my body as I sauntered towards the edge of the precipice. The rocky shore below await me for my final decision. To let him or to let me? Jumping below would end me, I knew that. But it was better to die from the fall than to die in his hands. I decided to take one step closer to the edge. And then another. I continued to stare blankly at the deadly rocks and its crashing waves. I would let gravity take its place. At least, I wouldn't suffer.

I took one last step and I was letting gravity engulf me. 

I had led my life. 

It was time I end it. 

Someone pulled me quickly from my supposed demise and pinned me down on the ground. I felt his grip on my throat and his eyes met mine. It was Winston. He was strangling me with might and I didn't have a chance now that I was trapped and in his clutches. I tried to push his hands away but they were too strong. I was struggling with my breathing. He had continued what he had done prior to all this, I was just lucky enough that he was preoccupied by Thomas's calling that I was able to escape. 

But no. 

Not this time. 

My luck had run out sooner or later. My airways were already damaged from the strangling he had done earlier, and he was on top of me to finish the job. His face started to dwindle and his grunts started to sound as if he was going away. I was already dying. And by the time Thomas finds my lifeless body, it would be too late. Too late to say yes to his offer that night. 

Thomas, I had no regrets meeting you. Making love. Giving birth to our children. None at all. If there was one regret that I could think of, it would be the time when I didn't say yes to you. 

I would send your best regards to our children. I would tell them the truth. Everything. I couldn't wait to see their faces again. 

Even if I'm gone, always remember this my love.

I love you.

***

He noticed his wife had stopped fighting. He gave her throat one last squeeze before letting go. He stood up from the ground and stared at his wife's lifeless body. She was beautiful, eccentric and kind. It was such a shame she had to go. He picked the bag where the heads were and made way towards the edge of the precipice. He raised his hands and dropped the bag towards the depths of the ocean. He watched them as they disappeared from his sight. 

Now it was time for his wife. 

Her eyes were open, staring blankly into nothing. But he could see that her mouth had curved into a smile. She was in peace, he told himself. He closed her eyes with his hand before carrying her. She was so light and skinny. This made him feel an ounce of guilt of not feeding her enough while she was imprisoned. He planted a kiss on her forehead and muttered something under his breath. 

And then he dropped her into the deadly shore. 

He watched the shore swallow her like she was a pebble. He had calmed down now that everything was over. He turned back and went back to his beautiful Victorian home. 

The sight of the house brought back memories about his family. But disregarding the painful memories of deception and lies, he continued his way into it. Trails of blood were still visible on the kitchen and living room floor. I just hoped Neema would clean this house before leaving, he had thought to himself. The shotgun was just behind the bergere he had sat earlier. He made his way up the stairs and into the master's bedroom; grabbing a fibre rope from one of the stock rooms he had passed along. He went quietly up and into the study room. 

He stared at the empty room where his wife once was and shook his head, pushing away the thoughts of his mistreatment. He dragged the study desk to the centre, pulled a chair from one of the room's corners and placed it on top of it. He climbed up and tied the rope around the ceiling fan, hoping it wouldn't snap under his weight. 

He placed the noose around his neck, secured it tight and smiled to what he was doing. This would be all over the news, he had thought.  I love my family was his last thought before jumping. 

The Walters were no more.