Faith POV:
It's been a week since one of the most frightening nights of my life. It's been hard sleeping at night, but it's gradually getting easier. I keep thinking about the sound of the shots hitting the side of the house, the girls' crying, and the look on Tim's face. He was so terrified...
Today is rehearsals for a George Strait honors concert. They set up a mock-stage in one of the warehouses in East Nashville, since the concert will be out in Vegas. This is my first time performing live in a while, so I'm kind of excited. I hum as I drive in, feeling almost giddy to hear myself behind a mic again. I park in the relatively empty lot, seeing some cars at the far end.
My phone begins to buzz inside my purse. I dig it out, glancing down at a text from Tim. I narrow my eyes, before putting my car back into drive. I speed down the highway, pulling up to the place he said he'd be. I stare at the barn, wondering why here of all places. I get out of the car, and rush inside. I look around, realizing this place is barren. I dig my phone back out, making sure I didn't misread it.
I'm so sorry... I messed up, and I really need you to come help me... I'm in the barn out on the edge of the ranch... Hurry please. - Tim
I walk further into the barn, looking around a little, praying I won't find him lying dead somewhere. The crackling of the crumbling cement sounds behind me, making me turn around quickly.
"Goddamnit Faith... like a fucking moth to a flame, I swear." Dad shouts in anger. I stare at him, feeling my chest pound. I glance at my phone in my hand, struggling to connect things together. He holds up a phone in his hand... Tim's phone... I feel my heart sink, as I grow numb.
"Where is he?" I let out. Dad shakes his head, not willing to tell me. I wince, blindly dialing 9-1-1. I can hear it ring faintly, giving me hope. I back up slowly, looking around the barn for any clues on where Tim could be. Dad is backlit, making him appear like a shadow coming toward me.
"You honestly think I'm going to promote this pathetic thing you two have? That man is nothing but a fucking alcoholic, Faith." He screams loudly, making me cringe. I look at the open door behind him, and determine that I'll have to run for it that way. I take a deep breath, before making my break.
I sprint toward the house, feeling like he's following right on my heels. I run as fast as I can, throwing the sliding door open and locking it behind me. I hear myself hyperventilate, before I realize that sound is mixing with distant, blood-curdling screams. I turn around, following the noise with my eyes. It's coming from upstairs.
"Faith, what the hell are you doing here?" Tim's voice rasps lightly, as he sits with his back against the kitchen cabinets, an half-empty whiskey glass resting in his hand. Sara continues to shriek, disturbing me deep down. She sounds like she's absolutely insane...
"Dad... he stole your phone and lured me to the barn and... and..." I stutter, so out of breath he probably can't understand a word. He simply stares at me, seeming like he's lost of all energy. He tips his head forward, revealing a bandage over his head. He stares down into his glass, spinning it around. His lip begins to twitch, before he completely unravels. He covers his mouth, sobbing violently.
"I... I... I opened the door.... Faith, I swear.... I swear I opened the door." He say hysterically, howling. He places his hands on the sides of his head, his whole body shaking violently. He punches himself in the side of the head, forcing me to intervene. I kneel down, grabbing onto his hands and holding them tightly inside of mine.
"What happened?" I ask calmly, seeing him fall apart in a way I've never seen before.
"I went out... I start... I opened the garage, and I got in my truck. I started the truck, and then I got out, because something in the garage fell in front of my car... I went to grab it, and something hit my head... and..." He stops as sobs consume him once more. "When I woke up, the door was closed, and Sara was holding Colton, and screaming while trying to turn off the truck and open the door... Colton..." He begins, before shutting his eyes tightly. "He wasn't breathing... He wasn't breathing..." He shouts, tears clouding his eyes as he leans his head back against the cabinets. "I killed him... I killed my son... I..." He says, sending chills down my spine. I stare at him, feeling unable to breathe.
"Calm down..." I release, grabbing onto his hand. "Tim, I don't think--" I start, before he becomes hysterical again.
"How the hell could I forget to open the door?" He cries out, winding me. I squeeze his hand, before feeling the weight of the world on my chest.
"Tim, my father is out back, in the barn, with your phone. I think he had something to do with this. This wasn't your fault." I state, watching his eyes shift. "He texted me from your phone, trying to lure me out here." I add, seeing things begin to click in his mind. He stands up, gripping onto the counter for leverage, before opening a drawer. He grabs something out of it, and starts toward the back door without saying a word. "Tim..." I call out, before he disappears out into the yard. I stand to follow him, walking a few steps toward the door.
"That's real sweet... you trying to help him..." I hear him say, wrapping his arms around me and pressing something against my side. I freeze, feeling everything inside of me turn cold. I don't know what to do here...
"Tim!" I screech at the top of my lungs, feeling the walls shake, before his hand finds it's way over my mouth. I shut my eyes, before hearing footsteps across the room.
"And just like a sick puppy..." Dad says, as I reopen my eyes. Tim stands across from us, holding a pistol in his hand. He looks beat up and worn down... I've never seen him quite like this. His hand squeezes the pistol a little tighter, making Dad laugh. "Son, the second your finger tenses on the trigger, I'll fire a bullet in her head." He threatens. Tim raises the pistol, and glances my way.
"You wouldn't kill your own daughter." Tim says, making my stomach twist, as I feel cool metal brush against the side of my forehead. I shut my eyes for a moment, feeling my body quake. Tim wouldn't test him.... would he?
"Is that really a chance you're willing to take?" Dad taunts, as Tim stares at me. "If you were going to shoot me anyway, I guess I wouldn't have to live with the consequences now, would I?" He continues, as I watch Tim's patience run thin. Tim breathes deeply, his eye moistening the longer he stands in this stalemate.
"Did you kill Colton?" Tim asks, making me wince. Dad laughs, sending chills down my spine.
"I didn't come here intending to... but Tim, you made it so damn easy. I saw the opportunity, and I struck. I didn't plan on killing him - I didn't even know he was inside. I thought it'd be a pretty good way to take you out though. It'd be fast and hard to track, and fairly guiltless..." Dad explains, taking my breath away as I feel tears fall from my eyes.
I watch Tim's hands shake around the gun, as his mind runs. His eyes shift slightly, like he's addressing the situation. He quickly pulls the trigger, forcing me to flinch. I feel my heart stop, as I await for the loud boom that follows. Instead, we only hear a small click. Tim stares, before squeezing the trigger a little harder. Again, just a small click.
"You honestly think I would leave the ammo inside your poorly-hid pistol?" Dad mocks, while Tim's jaw drops slightly. His eyes cloud with tears, as his lips twitch. He's in a complete state of disbelief, and so am I. He was ready to risk getting me killed... "You've got me thinking... maybe I should rethink my approach... sever the head, so to speak." He says, dragging me toward the kitchen. He digs out a large knife and walks me back to where we were standing before. "I'd rather see my daughter dead, than see her as a canvas for your fists." He seethes, sending chills through me. I see Tim seem to pale out, as he nods ever so slightly.
"Please don't hurt her." Tim lets out, making Dad laugh once more.
"You were ready to risk her life just to get a shot at me, and now you want me to shelter her? To spare her?" He taunts, before holding the blade against my throat. I feel myself grow tense, as I try to back away from the blade, winding up with my back pinned against Dad's chest. "No. You were ready for her to die, so I'm not going to pity you. Her judgement and state of mind is so skewed that I can't even pity her. You both need this." He says, while Tim seems to grow panicked.
"Please--" Tim starts, before I see Dad extend his arm. He quickly plunges the blade into my chest, taking my breath away. I see Tim's knees weaken, as mine completely give out. I fall onto my knees, feeling unable to breathe, as a fire ignites from the sight of the knife's hole. I hover my trembling hands over the handle of the knife, wanting desperately to pull it out. The moment my fingers graze it, searing pain emanates from the wound, making me scream. I fall onto my side, writhing as I try to find comfort.
"Don't you fucking move." Dad seethes, forcing me to look up. Tim stands closer to me, appearing like he was rushing to my side. He freezes in his place, as Dad points his gun at me. "I'll fire a shot right into her goddamn head if you get anywhere near that girl." He threatens, while Tim stands, physically shaken. I cough, before noticing something dripping sideways down my cheek. I'm coughing blood... I continue to cough, feeling it start to clog the back of my throat. I feel like I'm suffocating... "I rather watch her suffer, than have you save her life." He continues to fire, making Tim wince. He stands, seeming to almost gasp for air.
Tim slowly tiptoes toward me, as Dad speaks nonsense. Dad stops speaking, catching my attention for a second. I feel my stomach drop as he charges toward me. He grabs onto the blade and my shoulder, before abruptly twisting it, giving me the most disgusting, painful feeling. My eyesight grows spotted, as I shriek, feeling everything inside of me churn. Tim covers his mouth, shutting his eyes tightly as I continue to scream. Tears burn my eyes, while I try to find anything that I can to distract myself. I keep trying to focus on Tim's breathing, knowing it used to always calm me down.
"Are you trying to pull one over on me?" Dad snarls, while Tim stands, completely terrified.
I jump, as I hear a shot fire out. I scream, thinking that Dad's shot Tim. Tim still stands, and now catches his breath, while Dad lies on the ground, clasping his stomach. Sara stands by the staircase, holding a shotgun. She looks over at Tim, as Tim rushes toward me. He rolls me onto my back, making it feel much less comfortable. He presses around the wound, before exhaling deeply.
"Jesus christ..." He lets out under his breath. I cry like a child, gasping between every couple cries. He wipes my tears away, while Sara comes over with a blanket. "Did you call 9-1-1?" Tim asks. She nods, disappearing for a moment, before returning with water and a bag of ice, like that'll help.
"Pull it out." I howl, just wanting to be comfortable. The longer I lie here, the more it stings and burns. Tim looks at Sara, before shaking his head.
"I can't pull it out. That'll make the bleeding worse." He explains, smoothing my hair back. Something in his eyes tells me that this doesn't look good... He takes the blanket from Sara, lying it carefully over me. I start to cough again, forcing him to turn me onto my side. "Should I pull it out?" I hear him ask Sara quietly. She bites her lip, looking at the wound.
"It'll cause a lot of bleeding, Tim..." She replies softly. He nods, seeming to cringe a little.
"She just needs to be comfortable... I just... I want her to be comfortable, and if that'll help..." He says, while she nods. He places his hand on the handle, slowly pulling it upward. I hear myself screech, as I feel the worst sensation I've ever been forced to feel. He continues to pull it out, having to use a decent amount of force, until it is completely free. I feel myself grow light headed, as I can finally relax. To my own surprise, the removal of the knife doesn't help my pain. I feel my tension give way, as I grow fluid.
Tim sees this, and clings tightly to my hand. He then raises my hand up to his lips, and presses them together, shutting his eyes tightly. I watch in awe, feeling like I'm watching him evolve in front of my own eyes, returning to a man I saw decades ago. He sniffles, as I notice something shine on his cheek. A river of tears reveals itself, before he reopens his eyes, and presses the back of my hand against his cheek. I can feel the trail of tears on his flushed skin, distracting me from myself.
"Ah..." I hear myself shriek, as I feel a sudden sharp twist of pain in my stomach. He takes a deep breath, smoothing my hair gently with his free hand. I can feel his hand shaking against mine, making me think of a memory from long ago. "Applegrove..." I release, watching him look into my eyes for a moment. A slight smile appears, as he nods slowly, understanding exactly what I mean.