A beam of light streamed down from the staircase at the end of hall. As the light intensified, I heard the footsteps of the devil. This was the third time that I have gotten to hear that sound, the sound of a monster arrival. I was luckier the first time. And the second well I'm still breathing. But the third won't be a charm. Probably will be the last.
Even through the pain I caught sight of him. He stepped closer dragging one of his legs along; He came to a clear picture. As soon as he came into the visible light a breath of relief left consoling my entire body. "Thank god" I muttered almost to myself, seemed like calling 911 had not gone waste after all. The glistening police badge of Wilmington P.D was there hanging on his belt. The police have found me.
Since they already found me, it was a matter of time that I could escape this gruesome nightmare and run back into his open arms and feel the most secured warmest embrace of all. I will be saved.
I still couldn't see his face clearly because of the acute torch light he held at me and definitely I hadn't heard him utter a single word. Why isn't he informing the team that I'm here? He leaned on to my side and unlocked the handcuffs from a key that came forth of his front pocket. Then my puzzled mind put back the pieces together.
"You were a cop?" I hissed under my breath. Though my wrists were released it didn't make much of a difference.
"I am a cop" he was leaning so closed to me that I could feel the smell of vodka in his breath. He put on the lights. They were so dim. There was no menace in his face or stance. I watched him dragging himself closer to me and sat on the wooden stool at the foot of me. "You might be wondering what had happened to my leg right?" He asked casually biting his nails.
"You and your goddamn leg should rot in hell for all I care" I snapped though my voice barely made it out with the trembles.
"I knew you were one stubborn ass the moment I laid eyes on you" He blew a low whistle and in the next second he was clutching my chin giving me blisters "Look what you've done here?" he lifted the hem of his pants and show me a cut with gushing blood. I might have cut him deep.
"Keep your hands off me" I spitted out.
He barked a laugh "Oh forgive me those bruises were not my intentions" no of course not.
"So you're not finished yet?" those words blew acid in to my mind even though I managed them to come out for him to answer.
"I haven't even started yet. Blame your weight I had to drag you down the stairs and you quite didn't fit in to the trunk of my car so I had to make you fit there too." He went on viciously laughing in the middle "and it wasn't easy getting you out of it either. Thanks to your knight in shining armor I had to make it quick so I dragged you across a pretty rough ground to here....so yes I'm not even started yet."
My breath hitched. Jay! He's coming? How did he know? Slightest hope rose deep inside me. No matter how much I wanted him to stay out of this; he is going to come for me. He'll be here in no time. Whatever this monster had it in his mind I knew from the pit of my mind that he will get me out of this. He wouldn't give up on me that I knew for sure like I trusted my own damned heartbeats.
They say when you are loved deeply it gives you strength and if you love someone deeply it gives you courage. I'm not going to sit here till he enjoys my misery. I'm going to fight because I've got both; Strength and Courage.
"Trust me. You better save yourself now. He won't stop until he kills you." I muttered sharply managing to smile with my bruised lips.
"Now you talk" he stood up and turned around rubbing his bald head. Next thing I felt was his bare fist crushing my jaw which threw me over some wooden boxes.
The blow I felt on my ribs was sickening. I barely crawled myself off the broken boxes scraping off both hands and knees. He lifted me up with my shoulders like I was weightless and slapped me so hard it went ringing in my ears for a moment. I couldn't stand straight let alone fight him. "What do you want?" I croaked.
"What do I want?" he pulled my hair so that I was bending back over to face him "I want you to beg...beg me to spare you. In fact they all did. And some I had considered and...well one wasn't that lucky" he dragged me from my hair along the broken boxes and I had no idea from what else I have stumbled upon till he finally throw me on to a pile of rolled fabrics.
Most likely I should be dead by now. But I wasn't. He lit a cigarette hissing under his breath. My hands were searching something solid to hang on and make myself vertical. That's when something strangely cold touched my skin. I pushed them aside. A roll of fabric rolled down along with me. I was back on the floor.
I weighted myself on my elbows and rolled over. The blood which was spattered on the floor made me shiver thinking how much have I bled. With a sickening gasp I saw that blood wasn't mine. I unfurled the bloody fabric slightly and I gasped; the cold thing I felt earlier on me wasn't anything I could have expected. All I could see was a blood soaked hand of someone's hanging out, the rest was covered under the roll.
I caught my breath in horror. That was enough for me to push myself further away. I was gasping in fear, in disgust and I wanted to scream but the sound didn't make it past my lips. Only a sickening whimper leaves my mouth. The nausea was inevitable. How long could she have been dead? Yet no one noticed she was laying here on a pile of clothing like some kind of wasted good. All I could spit out was "Why? Why?" I was crying. There were only tearless broken sobs. I couldn't bare another second of this.
"Well I told you one wasn't lucky enough, didn't I?" he answered carelessly with a puff of smoke. "You know what, you could either be on tomorrow's newspaper under the heading the great escape ... and sit for a couple of interviews or I don't know .... you could end up like her. It's your call!"
My Mom, Dad and Jesse.......and finally my Jay; all those faces hallucinate under my eyelids as I shut them firmly. I will not make it Jay. All I prayed with the strength still left in me was him to gain the courage to overcome this. I've seen how much of a mess he could become. I gave up. Covering both ears from my contused palms I tried to lessen the trembling though the torment was there to stay. I screamed.
He pulled me up and pinned me up on to a wall. I wanted him to make it quick and kill me. But then I heard the happiest sound my mind could summon. It was Jay's voice calling me. Could dying be that painless? Am I dead? Or could someone possibly dream in the face of death? I might be hallucinating but it was a good way to go; with Jay on my mind. The force which held me up was snatched away suddenly and I slumped on to the floor abruptly.
My vision was blurred but eyes were never needed for me to recognize his presence. He knelt beside me and took me in to his arms carefully. "Hey Ems? I'm sorry!" he pressed his lips just above my eyes and kissed me softly, hugging me in. "You're safe baby, I'm here." His voice, his warmth was soothing against my skin. I knew I looked so messed up right now. But pressed in to his chest there's no other place I rather feel safer than that.
"It's just some bruises Jay. I'm fine. You've made it on time" I made it out in a clearer voice between the slow sobs. "Did he get away?"
"I'll take care of him. First I need to get you out of here." I wanted to raise my head and see what he meant by that. Instead I hid my face against his shoulder wrapping my sore arms around his torso. I was already healing.
"I got her, in the basement. Get here now" he called someone.
I wanted to ask who came with him but I didn't have to. Liam appeared out of nowhere. "Is she okay?"
"I want you to get her out of here. Take the car. Get her to the nearest hospital okay." Jay went on without bothering to hear my opinion. My chest felt as though a stone had rolled on top of it. I was mad and restless at the same time.
He was planning to go after him. Yeah, I wanted him to save me but that was it. I couldn't bear to leave him here. Definitely knowing that he is going to retaliate a monster "No-" I croaked "-don't leave me"
He pulled me closer placing his forehead on mine. "I'll meet you at the hospital okay. Liam will be there right with you."
I was anxious. "He's a monster Jay. You don't know what he's capable of"
"I'll meet you at the hospital Ems. I promise you okay. I promise" he was sincerely promising though I didn't accept it in any way as long as I am in my right senses
"No Jay" My voice came out in a shriek.
"I guess you should listen to her Jayden. She needs you right now. Let the police handle this" I thanked Liam for backing me up though I didn't voiced it in to words.
"Huh" Jay's lips stretched in to a thin line "He is the police Liam. A killer with a badge" his eyes dilated with rage. "He is drunk and he was limping I saw him"
He loosened my arms and nodded Liam to get me. I had no strength left in me to protest "Liam please don't let him. Please" I whimpered as I couldn't do anything other than begging.
"Jayden...." Liam took me into his arms holding me up.
"If Melanie was here instead of her and you had to witness her like this would you let him go? Would you let him sleep a single night knowing that she wouldn't get to sleep in peace? This has to end today Liam. I trust you with my life here. Take her out." Jay made his point clear leaving Liam speechless.
"This basement exit leads to the upper valley of the lake; since I didn't cross paths with him on my way here he must have probably taken that exit." I lost Liam from my side that second.
"Be careful man" Liam warned him before turning around and carry me away. As he took me out of the basement all I could do was sob in to his shirt as shivers passed on to every cell of my body.
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✔Author's note
Are you excited or not? I really need to know. Leave a comment. And do vote. It means so much to me. Otherwise I don't know what you really feel. Love you all. Stay safe.
PS : Check out the tagged comments for the songs that I thought might go with some of the scenes.
Until next time,
Udari❤