Lives Changed; Hearts Shattered

Up until this moment, the loss of my father was the most earth shattering event of my life. Death snuck up and slammed the door on his life, leaving my family with nothing but heartache. I recalled the nights I laid awake crying, pleading for this nightmare to end. But once the sun burned into a new day, I knew this life without him had become my new reality. In those moments, I thought nothing could compare to the hurt of my loss and the fear of a future without him. I was wrong. 

Dark, sleeping apartment buildings littered the space in front of me. Their empty windows stared back as they watched like a jury scrutinizing the plea of a defendant. The pressure against my temple sent waves of throbbing pain as the cold, rigid metal threatened my life. Tears burned as they cascaded down my cheeks. I didn’t want to die, and yet I feared the worst.

My eyes traveled to Margo’s still form, lying on the asphalt. Her blonde hair laid strewn while her shallow breathing assured her life. Only seconds ago, the two of us had rummaged through my trunk to gather our project material. She joked about her merciless statistics professor while I gathered my photography equipment. Mere moments separated the two events - our light hearted chatter and the brutality of this stranger - but it changed our lives as we knew them.

 My stomach tied itself in knots while my jaws clenched together as if someone had clamped them shut. Frantic thoughts pulled me to my mom and little sister. Our playful evening together seemed like days ago instead of hours. By the time of the attack, Syd would have been in bed, probably texting her new boyfriend, while mom would have been taking one last look at her files before turning in for the night. I wanted more than anything to go back and accept my mom’s offer to stay at her house for the night but we had made our decision. 

My heart ached at the thought of their devastated reactions upon hearing the news. They would buckle under the pain of losing another loved one, but this time would be different. That this time they wouldn’t heal. 

But, what about Margo’s family?

The shock from the news would destroy them. Her grandmother would retreat further into the house, while her grandfather’s weak heart would give out under the strain. My heart cried out at the thought of her sweet grandparents slipping away, knowing their grand=baby’s innocence would be shattered. As my eyes ventured to meet the face of my attacker, I knew it was too late. 

A white mask covered his face, and sat in stark contrast with his three piece suit. Slowly, he turned from Margo. His disguise haunted me as I found myself confronted by an entity devoid of any emotion. No trace of sympathy or remorse bled through the white material before me, making my blood run cold. His hands stayed steady as he held the weapon against me, like an experienced hunter.

He gripped my neck with spider-like fingers, his petrifying strength draining my life away. The man loomed over my small frame, the air supply to my lungs diminishing with every passing moment. Even had someone walked by, he made it impossible for me to scream for a savior. 

The cadence of my heart reached my ears, thundering with every measure. Fear consumed me and gnawed at my insides. I couldn’t breathe - couldn’t move. It was like I became part of the darkness, consumed and never again to be seen except.  

“Hand over the bag,” the monster said with a low demonic voice that pierced my spine like pins. My legs turned to lead as my arms forgot how to move. I was at his mercy, though I knew he had none. 

He shoved his gun against my temple, my head slinging against the car. I gagged as his hand around me tightened around my throat.

“Give it to me, Erin” the attacker boomed, followed by the click of his gun. “Give it up!”

 Instincts kicked in and my hand shot up to my throat, clawing at his hand. His grip didn’t falter even as I tore his skin and caused blood to flow. I expected him to howl in pain or hiss in anger, but he loomed over me, unaffected.

My lungs screamed for mercy and the sweet taste of air, but my attacker gazed at me like a test subject, watching the color drain from my skin. Red spots obscured my vision; my limbs felt like bags of sand. 

For a long time, I believed dying wasn’t something to fear and the idea of reuniting with my father made death seem so serene. But it was all bullshit. 

In reality, it was a far cry from the glamorous deaths depicted in movies and television: white lights, images of past memories, even a sense of calm. A soft blow to the harsh truth of permanence.  

 I collapsed as my vision dimmed, until light ceased to exist. Everything felt cold and empty. I waited to see one last flash of memories: my friends, my family, my life, but was met only with disappointment. It wasn’t long before panic picked at my sanity.

 As my life faded, a frustrated growl ripped from his lips before he slammed me to the ground. My body jolted as air raced in to soothe my burning lungs. Labored coughs tore at my throat as I laid there wondering why I was still alive. 

The man mumbled incoherently under his breath. He bent to snatch my bag, rummaging through before smashing it to the ground. I watched, horrified, as the only heirloom of my father shattered along with his legacy. The two of us trained our gaze to the brown bag holding pieces of my heart.

Memories of my father rushed over me: his warm embrace, the smell of pine, and the click of his camera came over me like a wave. A Sedona police officer for twelve years, dad believed in preserving the beauty of life, despite his run-ins with liars and slanderers. He didn’t want to accept the evil of this world, but once I watched pieces of his vintage camera roll from the confines of my bag, I realized the full extent of this cruel world. 

As if remembering I existed, the man snapped his faceless head toward me. Any previous caution wiped away as I belted out a screech of hysteria. He snatched my hair and yanked me towards him. For the first time, the monster’s body language changed from calm and composed to panicked, as my screams echoed against the buildings. His hand pressed over my lips, stifling my cries as he scouted the area for onlookers. 

This was my chance. I clamped down on his hand, my teeth breaking through the weak layer of skin, causing an onslaught of blood into my mouth. Its metallic taste made bile rise, but I forced myself to keep it down. The mass of skin tissue pulsed in my mouth, making me nauseated. 

Curses spilled from his lips as pride wandered into my head. I rid my mouth of the mass, spitting and wiping away the taste of metal and heat from his flesh. I could see his face contorted with rage beneath the white material. Suddenly, I found a surge of satisfaction in the midst of this chaos.

A slight movement from Margo caught my attention. Her hand twitched and her head lifted enough for me to notice. Even if no one heard my screams, Margo could escape and call for help. I prayed the events still laid fresh in her mind, despite her having been knocked unconscious. 

Before I could send her a signal, his gun struck my head with a sickening snap at contact. Blinding light conquered my vision as my head screamed. I fell against the pavement, feeling my head crack against it,which made me cry out. Every ounce of fight I had exited my body as my head throbbed from the blow. 

Certain this was my last chance to escape, I attempted to crawl away. My stomach convulsed with the impact of his boot. Breathing became impossible as pain consumed me, and no sooner had I stolen a breath, my stomach yielded and spilled its contents. My throat burned and my nose stung with every breathing second.

It wasn’t long before my body began to shut down. Everything hurt and I had no strength to even scream. This was the end. I waited for the sound of his gun, knowing my actions had consequences, but stopped cold when I heard an entirely different sound. The rip of his zipper against metal met my ears, realization turning my blood into ice. The faint sound of rustling fabric sent vicious surges of panic through me. 

With pain in every movement, I turned my head to the attacker and saw his pants around his ankles. Everything seemed cold and void of color as the man hooked his arms  around my hips and yanked my body closer to his. Gravel dung deep as it pierced and ripped the flesh on my back.

Despite my efforts to fight back, he inched my jeans around my knees, making sure I felt what was to come. The rough material rested at my ankles while his hands ventured over my legs, mapping the territory.I sobbed and pleaded, begging him to stop, but it seemed only to fuel his desire. My skin crawled as if spiders had invaded my body. I tried to push his heavy, solid body away from mine, but he only chuckled at my feeble attempts. 

The monster looked down at my fragile form on the ground, wounded and broken. His hand rushed to my head and slammed me into the puddle of liquids I expelled moments ago. The rancid smell hit me like a sledgehammer, causing renewed retching and vomiting. 

His fingertips played at the edge of my lace panties as his breath trickled down the nape of my neck. I dung my teeth into my bottom lip in hopes to masquerade his touch with pain. Desperate, I tried to force my mind to think of other things, but it kept reeling back to disgust and self-loathing. 

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he whispered, taking a whimper from me. 

“Get off her!” Margo screeched as her body collided with his, sending them to the ground. Her small frame pinned him down for only a moment, but long enough for me to scramble to my feet. “Run!” 

I couldn’t leave her behind. I moved towards her, but as the monster wrestled out of her grip, Margo shot me an unwavering glare. “Go!” 

Nothing in her voice shook and her eyes met mine with determination. It was as if we both knew it was only a matter of time before he would break loose and used his rage to fuel his torture. She made the sacrifice to distract the demon so I could run for help. I needed to do my part.   

Making quick work of my jeans, I ran toward the closest building in sight. My legs ached from the repeated beatings, but I forced my body to keep running. Fear raged inside, but I needed to find someone, anyone willing to help. The only thing driving me to take another step was the constant reminder of my best friend fighting for our lives. I couldn’t slow down. 

My feet hammered against the pavement, but guilt clung to my ankles as I fought the urge to run back. I had left Margo with this towering monster. His intent radiated on my skin, forcing tears from the depths of my terror. If he violated her with those same disgusting, spider-like fingers, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. I had to look back. 

My eyes caught the attacker’s form crouched over her familiar frame. Her arms and legs trashed against him. Even with Margo’s size, she made up with determination, but as the man reached beside him, every ounce of hope vanished. 

He pulled back the hammer of his pistol and squeezed the trigger. An explosion thundered around me. Grief clenched my lungs as my every fear became reality. Her dream of owning a restaurant, getting married, and raising a family faded as her hand collapsed against the cold ground. Her grandparents’ distraught faces consumed me. I could only imagine her lifeless body laying before her friends and family. She wasn’t supposed to die like this. 

My foot caught on a curb, bringing me down like a wet rag. Flesh hit concrete and I felt the tear of skin from my knee. Every part of me wanted to break down as a heaviness settled in the center of my chest, but as I glanced once more,  the silhouette of the tall, white demon met my eyes and horror overruled all emotion. His break-neck speed and his long arms swinging at his side sent me scrambling to my feet.

Panicked, I sprinted away from the sidewalk as I tried to avoid the same fate. I looked around and down the alley, seeing a cluster of cars on the street before the entrance of the woods. I knew if I ran fast enough, I could disappear and hide out until morning. The consequences of entering an eerie forest in the dead of night screamed in my head, but I had exhausted all my options.

This is my last chance. 

I ran toward the woods, adrenaline pushing me faster than ever before. His frantic footsteps slammed against asphalt close behind me.

My labored breaths urged me on with every step. I tried to grasp a thought, but my mind refused to focus. His pace closed the distance in no time, the sound of rustling fabric growing louder. I needed a distraction or something to slow him down.

A stack of wooden shipping pallets pulled my eyes over and without a second thought, I yanked the pile to the ground behind me. Hope soared in my chest as the barricade laid between us. Surveying the rubble, I smiled as air filled my lungs and my muscles sang with relaxation. The moment was short lived as the crack of pallet boards caused my body to clench in terror.

Knowing my time ran short, I focused back on my path, but soon felt my heart sink. In the midst of all the chaos and adrenaline blindly pushing me, a towering wall stood before me. I couldn’t move forward and with my wooden obstruct separating life from death, I had no place to run. Dead end. 

“End of the line,” the demonic voice growled, followed by the click of his gun.

I dared to meet his gaze, trailing up to his face. His demeanor changed: his shoulder square, his back straight, gun raised. He shook his head as he stood over me like before. I stared in horror, my last seconds of life coming to an end. Closing my eyes, I said my silent goodbyes to Syd and my mom before a deafening noise reverberated among the silent cluster of apartments. Then everything went black.