Alice Avery
When I was a kid I loved Walt Disney. I loved the fantasy, the dreams it gave me. As a child you're told to dream big, that these dreams you create will come true. Though now I know that dreams don't come true, but nightmares do.
I stepped back from the door, my eyes didn't leave the haunting figure in front of me.
"Who is it Alice?" I heard Theo ask vividly through my disoriented senses.
The evil stalked closer to me, he was the closest thing to the devil. I shuddered as I stepped back until I was pressed up against a wall.
"Alice seriously wh-" Theo cut himself off with a shocked gasp once he saw who was standing there. "Why the hell are you here?" Theo boomed in a protective tone.
"What? I can't see my daughter?"
"Don't call me that." I was no daughter of his, you don't treat your daughter the way he treated me. "You don't get to call me that anymore."
He stepped in further and closed the door behind him, locking it shut.
"Don't do that," he suddenly spoke and jolted his finger at me. "Don't act all tough now, because you know deep down I terrify the living hell out of you."
I stood my ground, I refused to be scared. I was a different person now, I wouldn't let him have power over me anymore.
"Why are you here?" I questioned and crossed my arms in front of my chest. I was shocked to see him at first but now I needed to be the one to get inside of his head, not the other way around.
"I wasn't going to let you run forever. I'm your father, you didn't think I'd come looking for you?"
"You are not my fucking father!" I yelled with aggression. "You haven't earned that title and you never will."
I gave him a death stare, he looked neutral; nothing was bothering him.
"Now tell me why you're actually here," I demanded a second time.
His face was blank, "your mother died."
"The two of you have been dead to me for years, you're both heartless. I'm glad she's dead, I wish you were too."
I would never wish death upon someone but they both killed a part of me that I will never get back. They ruined me, tormented me and I'll die before I forgive them for it.
"Keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you," he warned bitterly.
"Go to hell, Vince." I spoke his name coldly.
I watched him narrow his eyes at me, the look on his face brought back traumatizing memories. He took another few steps forward.
Theo walked in front of him, "don't touch her."
Vince shoved Theo out of the way and he hit the ground roughly. Before I could catch up to anything, the side of my face was struck with an all too familiar punch.
I stayed up right, my head just fallen to the side. I brought my hand up to my temple and winced at the pain. My ears began to ring as I looked back up to him.
"You can do better than that, can't you." I provoked, I was aware of the mistake I was making but I wasn't going to shy away and cry in the corner.
"Alice don't," Theo scolded me in a brotherly tone.
"Come on, hit me." I ignored Theo and continued my provoking.
"You're almost as stupid as your mother," he hissed.
I knew him too well, I hated it because he had a sick mind and I knew every last detail of it. "What did you do to her?"
He tilted his head in a creepy manner, "what do you think I did?"
I let my guard down slightly. I knew my family was professionally crazy but I didn't think murder would ever occur. That's the first thing that came to my mind; he murdered her. I was utterly confused, shocked. I didn't think he'd be capable of such a cruel thing.
"Did you kill her?" I wouldn't be able to sleep at night without knowing the truth.
"Oh so now you care?"
"No I just want to know if you're as crazy as you say you are, I want to know if you killed your fucking wife!" I said in a demanding tone.
My voice echoed through the apartment, turning over to check on Theo I had never seen him so shaken. Vince walked up to me, inches away he whispered.
"She screamed out for you on her last breath."
An unstoppable tear trickled down my face, he grinned at it.
"You're fucking insane," I trembled.
"You're goddamn right I am," Vince said proudly. "You are too, you just haven't accepted it yet."
I shoved him away without any hesitation. "Did you just come here to confess to a murder?" My chest heaved up and down, I felt like I was going to faint.
Suddenly his phone rang , there was an uncomfortable silence in the air. Reaching into his pocket he accepted the call and stepped out of the apartment. I turned around to Theo, getting a glimpse of him before he ran to the sink and threw up.
"Theo you need to go," I said and he shook his head while he still lingered over the sink.
"No, what are you doing? Lock the door we don't want him back in here," he struggled out.
"He's not going to go away we both know that, he's here for me not for you so just go away. I'll call you."
He lifted his head, "I don't want to leave you alone with him."
"Get out Theo, there's nothing you can do."
I grabbed his keys from the table near the front door and threw them to him, he caught them before slipping his shoes on.
"Be careful," he spoke before opening the door. Theo looked down both sides of the hallway, "he's not out here I should just stay-"
"No," I cut him off. "He'll be back, trust me."
Theo looked at me sympathetically before wrapping his arms around me. "I love you," he told me.
"I know," I said before pulling away. "I'll see you."
I shut the door behind him and I didn't bother to lock it. The man I once called my father was inescapable, like a sickness without a cure.
I believed I was in denial, he killed Angie, he killed the woman who was supposed to be my mother. I had seen and heard a lot of screwed up things in my lifetime, I never thought I'd have a murderer amongst my bloodline. He thinks I'm like him, that scares me more than you'd ever imagine.
I sat there silently as I waited for him to return. He wouldn't leave unfinished, that's wasn't like him, and he certainly wouldn't leave for good after confessing to a brutal murder.
I soon heard footsteps from outside the door, I stood to my feet and inched closer. The door opened and Vince walked in, another set of footsteps sounded and in came Colton.
As soon as Colton saw me he grinned, "did you miss me?"
My eyes moved between the two of them as I tried to understand why they were paired together. After putting the pieces together, my face fell to a scowl.
"You twisted bitch, you told him where to find me." I stomped forward and pushed Colton.
He grabbed ahold of my forearms and held a harsh grip. "Still feistier than ever."
I glared at him and pulled my arms out of his grasp. I turned back to Vince, he looked down to me like I was a little girl again.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" I asked for the millionth time.
He shrugged, "thought you'd want to know about your mother."
"You don't just tell me you killed someone. I could turn you in, have you investigated." I said in the most calm way I could.
"I could just kill you too."
"So you're threatening me now? I wouldn't recommend that." I spoke in a sly tone and moved forward.
My eyes searched him and I eyed an outline of a gun that was held in his waistband. Trying to destroy all the fear I had, I spoke. "You won't kill me but," I quickly pulled the gun out and held a firm grip on the handle. "I might kill you."
"Drop it." I heard Colton's voice boom beside me as I felt a cold barrel press to the side of my head.
"Get that gun away from me or I'll shoot, I don't care if I go down with him."
Vince nodded at Colton and the gun was moved away from my temple.
"You don't even know how to use that thing princess, give to back."
My jaw clenched, "let's take a walk down memory lane shall we?"
He scoffed, "what are you talking about?"
"It was 2010, I was barely a teenager. You were drunk out of your mind and started hitting me, you were more ruthless than ever." I got chills from remembering that day, it messed with me for years. "I shot you and you passed out, I was twelve."
His face changed and he snickered, "that never happened."
"Then explain the scar on your leg, about 4 inches above your knee I'd say. What's that from Vince?"
His cocky persona was stolen and replaced with despair and insecurity.
"I know how to use the damn thing, don't underestimate me again."
In a flash, Vince's hand wrapped around the barrel of the gun and he shoved my hand away from the handle. The black handgun was back in his possession and he positioned it back in his waistband.
He grinned and leaned down to my level. "I threaten to kill you and you don't care. You're held at gunpoint and don't even flinch. Don't try and tell me you're nothing like me, you're just as insane as I am."