Heartbreak Roommate

Chapter Thirty-Four (Part 2)

Footsteps echoed through the hollowed out alleyway, the sun choosing that time to be almost completely blocked out by charcoal, swirling clouds.

It seemed like a millennia before a figure finally appeared in the distance, his body shrouded in shadows and black.

"You really came. I was almost a hundred percent sure you were trying to trick me, or were working with the cops. But you actually came, alone."

HIs voice was like nails on a chalkboard for all intents and purposes for as soon as the first word was out of his mouth, chills erupted across my spine.

His form was taller than I'd remembered, and flashbacks from that night in his room flitted across my waking consciousness. I remembered everything- the begging and pleading him to stop...

"I came because you won't leave the people I care about alone. I came to tell you to leave me and them alone, or what happens next won't be pretty."

How my voice came out strong and without shaking with vibrato in each syllable was lost on me as a small bark of laughter escaped him, sending a sharp shudder through my body.

"Is that right?"

He took a step closer, then a few more, until finally those shadows no longer kept him from my eyesight.

His eyes were sunken in and hollow, his hair scraggly and his face growing a thick blanket of hair which made him almost look like a completely different person. Almost. I'd never forget that detached look in his eyes, like he was half of a human and half of a monster.

"Yes. You took enough from me, and I won't allow you to do any more damage. Because of you, I was damaged. I allowed more predators into my life, because they saw me as easy prey, because of you!"

"I took enough from you?! I would have given you the best night of your life all those years ago if we weren't interrupted. And then everything was fine, even the trial was going to go my way, but Mia's brother was too close to it. He knew his sister was going to testify against me, so when I came up here for a visit to see my favorite girl, he cornered me. What else was I supposed to do?"

His favorite girl? He surely couldn't have been talking about me?

"Yes, Lydia. You're my favorite. The only one who didn't try to fight me in court...until here recently with the murder accusations. All true by the way, but it still hurts that you thought so low of me to immediately assume the worst."

He was outright deluded, that much I was certain. He stalked closer towards me and my heart thundered in my chest. Sweat beaded up on my forehead as it skipped a few beats, and I swayed on my feet.

No, not here, not now. My heart had been managed recently with my medicine, but my doctor had said to keep stress to a minimum.

Facing my abuser and a murderer definitely wasn't following those doctor's orders.

"What's wrong, are you sick? I saw you in the hospital, with that football player. He's in the way, his friend almost took care of him for me but before I could finish him off the cops showed up. It's fine, I'll just take you away from here and we can forget about him, forget about the rest of the world."

I tried desperately to blink back the stars but I couldn't see straight. I began panicking as he kept coming closer. I backed up a bit as the static sounded behind my ears. Where were the cops?!

"Stop, don't come any closer," I said, my breath coming out in wheezes as I clutched at my chest, the tears falling freely down my cheeks as the terror took over me completely, fight or flight kicking in finally.