What They Deserve

FORTY-ONE

Bailey stretched, scanning the living room for signs of Sam. She didn't know if she felt relieved that she didn't see him or sad. After a minute, she replayed last night in her head.
          
He had been watching the news, specifically that story about the rat eaten woman and her missing friend. And he had changed the channel too quickly for it to be nothing. Plus, she had caught his worried expression before he wiped it off. Giving him credit, he was good at hiding it all. If she hadn’t crept into the living room, she would have never caught any of it. But why did he lie?
          
Bailey sent Sasha a text and gave her time to respond by getting ready to go to work. She frowned at her phone and decided to stop by Sasha's house. 
          
When she got there, the place was locked and dark. 
          
Bailey narrowed her eyes, suspicious that something was wrong. Sasha always left the light in her entrance on and it should have shined through the small window in the door. 
          
She grabbed her keys out of her purse and let herself in. There was a stale scent in the air, as if no one had been in the house for days. She walked around, calling for her best friend and receiving silence. 
          
There was no sign of a struggle and no sign of any kind of rushed packing. Everything seemed to be in order; except for a flash of sparkle peeking out from under the bed.
          
Bailey leaned down to retrieve the item. Her heart hammered as she stared at Sasha's phone. Scenario after scenario played in her mind as she turned the phone over and tried to turn it on. The screen remained blank.
          
She jumped to her feet and ran to the front. She had to find out where Sasha was. 
          
Sam's face appeared as she wrenched the door open, inches from hers. He wore a smirk and twirled something in his hand. Bailey looked down to see an ice pick. She struggled to control her breathing, unsure of what to do. She couldn't slam the door shut; he had moved forward and was pushing her back into the house.
          
She stumbled, almost falling, but she regained her balance and twirled around. Before she could even take a step, Sam grasped her by the waist.
          
"Not so fast." His voice didn't sound right. It was raspy, making the whole moment much creepier. He pulled her backwards against his chest. One arm slung across her chest as the other came above her. 
          
She looked up to see that he had the ice pick gripped in his clenched fist. "No!" She tried to break his hold on her, but he was strong and wouldn't yield.
          
Before the ice pick pierced her heart, Bailey screamed and opened her eyes. She was on her couch, the throw blanket tangled with her legs. She jerked into a sitting position and whipped her head around to see that she was alone.
          
"Oh." Bailey breathed as she placed a hand over her racing heart. "What the hell?" She stood on wobbly legs, trying to make herself get moving. 
          
Just as she made it to the hall, her phone started ringing. She realized that it was on the coffee table and rolled her eyes as she trudged back.
          
"Hello?" She hadn't even checked to see who it was. 
          
"Hey, love. Just wanted to say good morning." His voice was his, but it still sent shivers down her back. The nightmare was still too fresh.
          
"Uh...good morning." She stammered the response, ready to end the call.
          
"You okay?"
          
Bailey knew his eyebrows had creased as he asked the question. She knew he was genuinely concerned for her. But his own worried face reminded her that there was a reason she'd had the nightmare.
          
"Yeah. Good. Had a nightmare." She forced herself to answer him.
          
"Same. Sorry that happened." A tinge of sadness could be heard.
          
"Yeah. Me too." She managed to break out of her stupor and make her way to her bedroom. "Look, I'm running very late. I slept through my alarm."
          
"Okay. Have a good day. I love you."
          
"Thanks. You too." Bailey disconnected the call and wondered if she should have returned the sentiment. 
                    
She shrugged it off and got ready for work. She had started preparing the new building and she planned on interviewing for the next few days. There was also the task of training Kiya to be the manager. 
          
Her day was busy and she bounced back and forth between locations. It was great that Kiya seemed to pick up on everything pretty quickly, but she wasn’t having too much luck with the people she interviewed. By the time she got home, she was worn out.
          
Bailey huffed as she tossed her bag to the floor. All she wanted was a glass of cool, crisp wine and a cheesy romance movie. 
          
She made her way to the kitchen and poured a large glass of her desired beverage. Before heading to the living room, she cherished a long sip.
          
"Mm." The liquid tingled the back of her throat. 
          
The chiming of Bailey's phone pulled an annoyed groan from her. She had left it by the door, with her bag and she wasn't in the mood to chat or text.
          
She set down her glass on the scarred oak coffee table before going to retrieve the device. The phone chimed again just as she grabbed it from where it rested.
          
In a flash, the irritation was replaced with dread.
          
There was a message from Sam.
          
He used to be the one to turn a sour day around, used to make her look forward to almost anything. 
          
She cringed at the thought. How could things change so fast?
          
Hello, love. Wanted to see how your day went. Xoxo
          
His second message was only a heart eyed emoji. 
          
Bailey let out a shaky breath and typed a nonchalant ok before leaving the phone on the bag and going to her wine. She found a movie and settled down.
          
She didn't know when she had fallen asleep, but she knew someone had awoken her. Her body tensed, her breath caught in her throat. The hairs on her neck raised.
          
For a brief moment, Bailey considered calling out to the intruder. Instead, she moved with caution. Her eyes were wide in terror as she struggled to see anyone in the darkness. She found herself wishing she'd switched off the energy saver mode setting on her television.
          
There was a movement near the hallway leading to her bedroom. She whipped her head around, but didn't see anything. Creeping toward the hallway she focused her eyes there.
          
A foreboding feeling washed over her as she got to the spot; there was a small coat closet. She reached out a shaky hand to the hideous brass doorknob and yanked it open, her vacuum and overstuffed coat the only occupants.
          
Bailey closed the door, resting her forehead against it, her hands clenched by her sides. 
          
"Too much wine." She forced herself to relax, flexing her fingers a few times to get her blood flowing. When she turned around, Sam stood there, a knife in his hand and a crazy glint in his eyes.
          
Bailey's eyes snapped open to a blinding bright room, her breathing quick. She pushed herself to sit up as she realized she'd fallen asleep on her couch. Her wine glass was sitting where she'd left it. As she realized it had all been a dream, that foreboding feeling washed over her again. 
          
"Hello, love."