Lightning Strike: PART Three: Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

 

            “Hello, Trisha.” He spat out her name like it was venom. “Or shall I call you Linda?” He sneered then as he held the gun out in front of himself casually aiming at her as if he held nothing more then a toy water gun.

            “What a mess you have gotten into this time.” He laughed as Trisha stood motionless in front of him. She kept glancing at Emmy who sat back at the bed, frozenly staring at the gun in her father’s hands. Trisha could feel the spot on her chest where the gun was aimed at her, burning like a bud of a cigarette being put out on her flesh.

            “Did you honestly think you could kill me?” James spat out in her direction. His eyes burned into her. For the first time in a long time Trisha could see that he was completely sober and his head was clear. Brilliant clarity burned through his eyes as he silently studied her.

            “I must say, I knew you were trouble from the get go,” He said thoughtfully. He rubbed his chin with his free hand but the guns sights never moved away from her.        

            “But I never imagined you would be this much of a bee in my bonnet.” He ranted as he pushed the gun closer to her body as he extended his arm out completely in her direction. He stepped forward and she crept along the wall to keep herself as far away from his as she could. He stood by Lance who was still unmoving on the floor and she swung wide to stand beside Emmy, on the bed.

            The young girl clung to Trisha’s arm in an attempt to comfort herself as she silently watched the scene with her lip quivering.

            “Thought you had it all figured out did you?” James asked sarcastically. “Thought you could kill me with low dosage sleeping pills, burry me in a shallow grave, and hop state with my child?” He asked even more sarcastically then before.

            “Even thought you could seamlessly integrate with this country bumpkin town and no one would know the difference?” He laughed in a merrily at her expense.

            “Well let’s see what your new Romeo has to say about it, shall we?” He laughed and kicked Lance in the side, hard enough to probably crack a few ribs. Lance moaned in reply and opened his eyes. Trisha felt a mixture of emotions. Glad that he was alive, yet scared out of her mind at what might happen now that James intended to let her secret slip before he obviously shot her.

            Lance’s eyes widened in alarm as he took in the sight of the large man with the gun standing over him and he struggled to sit up. His eyes watered heavily and he held the back of his head with one hand as he braced his upright body with the other.

            “Who are you?” He groaned as he looked at James with alarm and anger. James laughed even harder and looked over at Trisha.

            “Why, I’m Trisha’s long lost husband of course.” He smiled wickedly at Lance’s confused expression.

            “Oh, that’s right.” He exclaimed as he waved the gun around the room as he spoke. “I meant Linda.” He hissed out the name as if it was his own personal joke. Lance looked at Trisha with his eyes searching hers for the truth.

            “I though your husband was dead.” He spoke softly. Trisha barely heard him over the humming of the blood rushing through her veins.

            “So did I,” She whispered back. James’ laughter exploded through her as she broke eye contact with Lance and looked over at James.

            “Here is the kicker, buddy boy.” He spoke merrily at Lance. “She tried to kill me. I don’t know what sad, little excuse she spoon fed you but she tried to kill me in cold blood.” He looked over at Trisha. “You failed miserably though didn’t you, my sweet?” He chuckled.

            “I’m unstoppable, honey.” He grinned as he pointed the gun at Lance’s chest. “I’m going to make you pay for what you have done. By the time I’m finished you will be begging for me to kill you.”

            Linda’s heart dropped into her stomach. She could see clearly then that even though his mind was clear of alcohol or drugs that his brain was even more clouded then it ever was. His sanity had always been weak but it had cleanly been broken now. He wasn’t afraid of anything and that made him more dangerous then he had ever been.

            Before Trisha could open her mouth to reply, James cocked the hammer back on the hand gun and aimed it squarely between Lance’s eyes. Times seemed to be moving at half the normal speed. Trisha saw Lance’s body stiffen and his eyes cringe shut. She threw her hands out in front of her as she felt her throat tear open with a scream. Trisha wasn’t sure what happened after that. One second James had his finger on the trigger and the next he shouted out in pain as he fell backwards towards the doorway. Emmy was connected to his leg with her teeth bearing down on the muscle there.

            James cursed and flung the butt of the gun down on the child’s head. She dropped to the hard wood floor like a lead weight. Trisha gasped and pulled Emmy to her chest. Emmy opened her eyes and let out a wail of pain and alarm. Simultaneously, Lance jumped from his spot on the floor and connected with James’ shoulder. The gun went flying from his hand. James pivoted in his place and his elbow was brought across Lance’s cheek bone and nose like a whip. Blood and spit sprayed across the room as he crumpled to the floor.

            James said nothing but instead looked at Trisha with eyes glowing with anger before charging across the room at her. His weight pushed Trisha off of her knees and to the wall behind her. Emmy was forced to the floor at their feet. James’ hands closed around her throat as he pressed his body into her. She could feel the tendons strain in her throat as he crushed her neck between his fingers. She choked and gagged but couldn’t draw in a breath. She could feel her eyes bulging from their sockets, but what worried her the most was that as he pressed against her she could feel his excitement pressing into her leg as she saw black spots jump out in her vision.

            She drew her knee up with all of her strength into the hard lump in his pants. She felt his hands leave her throat and she painfully inhaled as he groaned and fell to one knee. Sensing that she only had a few precious moments to escape she stumbled to the doorway and looked back only once over her shoulder to see that he was already fumbling to his feet in hot pursuit.

            She had to get him as far away as she could from Lance and Emmy, even if it was only long enough for him to kill her. Maybe that would be long enough for Lance to get Emmy to safety.

Reviews

[Craig2591]

Very suspenseful chapter! I like "Trisha could feel the spot on her chest where the gun was aimed at her, burning like a bud of a cigarette being put out on her flesh." I think it was well written.

[Tabitha t]

Thank you! I enjoyed this bit of the scene. I imagined so many sensory things going on that I was afraid I had gone a bit to far. I am very glad you approve.

[Marie]

This is a good, exciting chapter, and I have only one suggeston to make; it's about wording:
"Glad that he was alive, yet scared out of her mind at what might happen now that James intended to let her secret slip before he obviously shot her." (You don't need the word "obviously" in this sentence.)

[Tabitha t]

Thanks for the review I agree that it is a stronger sentence without the obviously so I'll delete it. Thanks