He tossed his briefcase violently across the car to the passenger side. It bounced off the door and popped open, spilling his papers to the floor beneath the seat. Figured, he thought. The last few explosions of rain pounded against his head as he ducked into the car, dripping wet. He sat for a moment in the stench of wet dirt and felt a small tingling sensation in the back of his neck as his sanity slowly slipped away from him. Just as well, as he was losing everything else in his life too.
He peered through the streaked glass and pulled his car out into the road beneath the spotlight. The sounds of music began filtering through the static of the radio and he thought that she probably wasn’t even home yet. His beautiful, stunning, bitch of a wife was most likely still out at the bar and wouldn’t be stumbling home for some time. She would plop down in bed next to him around four in the morning and pass out as the rush of air brought the stink of bourbon and Camel Lights wafting from her hair and clothes. She promised him she didn’t smoke.
He turned left through the yellow light and felt the dried salt crusting on his skin. The piece of shit boss had been riding his back all afternoon and the sweat had stained his shirt beneath his arms and down the middle of his back. He could feel the big toe on his left foot poking through the newly acquired hole in his sock as he drove down the black streets. Amazing how things just seemed to pile higher and higher. He didn’t exactly know why it seemed like everything was kicking him in the ass lately. He didn’t really know why it seemed like everything was pounding down upon him lately, piling up…breaking him. He didn’t understand why his boss was such a jackass and had to prove how much power he had every second of the day. Sometimes, when he sat at his desk staring at the front wall of his cubicle, he thought about maybe putting his boss’ head in a vise and crushing it like an orange, spilling all of the bile and nastiness onto the ground for the janitors to clean up with the sawdust that they always carried around. Just innocent thoughts though.
He brought the car to a halt. The windshield wipers continued on in their monotonous motion and he thought for a minute that he was nothing more than they. He was nothing more than a dismal windshield wiper. He had one task to do in his pathetic life and sometimes he couldn’t even do that right. Sometimes he would leave streaks on the glass where part of the blade couldn’t quite collect all the rain, and sometimes he would simply fall off the side of the car. He woke up, went to work, and came home, without an ounce of excitement in his entire day. He was emotionless. He really didn’t see his emotionless days passing anytime soon either. But, although dull, being void of emotion had its benefits. He wouldn’t feel sorry when he would push a small child out of the way on his walk to work, or accidentally bump into a certain female coworker’s chest on his rush down the hallway.
The light faded to green above him and he continued stagnantly on the worn path to his empty apartment. Of course, he only assumed it would be empty; because, why should tonight be different than any other? Why would she be there awaiting his return, to talk about the days events and to kiss as he strolled through the door? Why should she be there this time when she gave him the security in knowing that she would be somewhere else? Why should she be there on this night of all nights when all that he felt sure in knowing was that she would be out with her friends?
But, as he turned down his road, he hoped so badly that she would be there tonight: just tonight, if any. He wanted to walk through his door and see her face after his long day. He wanted to be able to smile at her once more. He wanted to be able to be happy one last time.
He passed the little Italian restaurant just down the road from his apartment and quickly thought back to the man he had met with just a few days earlier…Dominic. He had been planning the entire conversation with Dominic for weeks prior to the meeting at work. The talk went pretty much as planned. He was pleased and he simply wished that this one time, things would go his way and that all the cards would fall into place. But, he quickly brushed away the thoughts of Dom. He didn’t want to think too long about who he had employed to help him.
The box of Chinese food between his legs warmed his thighs and the smell danced its way up his crooked tie and circled around his face before diving into his nose. He had stopped just past the office for the food and, truthfully, he had become quite fond of the comforting takeout as of late. Stacey was never home to cook, much less sit down with him to a normal dinner, so he had found it much easier to stop by the string of restaurants down the road from the office and pick up a dinner for one rather than struggle through making a meal and worry about whether or not she was going to come back to the house to sit with him. It had also begun to help take his mind off of where she was and what she was doing. He was sure it would also soon allow him to act as if things were still normal.
He pulled the Honda into the small parking garage and scooped up the papers that littered the floor. Crumpled, he stuffed them back in the briefcase and snatched it up off of the seat as he carried the Chinese in the other hand. The keys jingled and he fumbled with them with his right forefinger and thumb as the handle of the case occupied his remaining fingers. A siren, far off in the distance, rang out through the garage as he unlocked the door leading to the staircase. As he stepped through the doorway, he actually felt a nervousness in the pit of his stomach for the first time all night, wondering if Stacey would be home. His footsteps were loud and they boomed through the empty stairway. He nudged through the door leading to the fourth floor and began walking down the long hallway. As he struggled to keep the box balanced in one hand, he couldn’t help but wonder how everything had gone with Dominic. He had made the phone call, but things could still go wrong.
As he shuffled his keys once more, he looked up and saw the door to his apartment…cracked and ajar. He dropped his briefcase and the precious Chinese and rushed through the open door, his heart pounding through his chest the entire time.
* * * * *
The sun had long since been laid to rest and the rain was tapping against the windows as she stood in the doorway to her closet. She stared into the mirror at her beautiful, naked frame and wondered how in the world she had become so amazingly exquisite. She loved to look at herself, and loved even more to speak of her own greatness.
She brushed back her hair with a painted hand and brought it down to the base of her neck. She stood for a few moments thinking about what she was going to wear…about what skirt would get the grandest reaction. As she thought, her hand slowly moved down her chest and her nails touched gently between her breasts, sending goose bumps tingling down her spine. She only wished for her husband to have that effect: to be able to touch her with such care and love.
Her hand continued down to her navel and circled the bar that rested there. She played with it and watched as the light cast a beautiful shadow across her body. ‘Look at that. Look at what he is throwing away. Look at what he could care less about.’ Little did she know that at a time she was the only thing in the world he ever did care about.
She took a deep breath and grabbed the black skirt out of the closet, sliding the fabric against her skin as she closed her eyes and tilted back her head. He would complain again that she wasn’t home for him when he came from the office, but she surely couldn’t be expected to fester in the dingy apartment all night, awaiting his return. He didn’t care about her anyway, so why should she wait for someone who didn’t appreciate her?
She finished getting dressed and walked into the bathroom. She looked amazing in the small black skirt and the leopard print top. She would have to meet her friends at Tammy’s soon so she had to rush through the last few touchups to her makeup.
As she finished applying the dull red, she smiled slightly, imagining the white lies those lips would tell. She would almost certainly have to lie to her husband about everything that she did, but what else could be expected? His actions were forcing her to deceive him. It had gotten to the point lately that she didn’t even think about him when she went out at night, and didn’t even care any longer. He treated her like she was his property and like she was never allowed to go anywhere or do anything with her friends. She had quickly grown tired of his demands.
The phone startled her as it rang loudly through the hallway. She got to her feet and picked up on the fourth ring.
“Hello?” She heard a click on the other end as the person hung up the phone. She stood for a moment waiting for it to ring again, but it didn’t. Strange, she thought as she walked back down to the bathroom to finish her lips.
Not a few minutes after she got back to the bathroom, a knock at the door made her jump and caused her to drop the lipstick against the edge of the sink. “Damnit,” she managed as she slowed her heartbeat back to a normal pace. “Just a minute!” She ran her hands down the front of the skirt to make sure it was straight and brushed back her hair once more. Her footsteps were loud on the hardwood as she walked down the hall to the door.
“Stacey?” She stopped in her tracks. She was intrigued but at the same time uneasy because the voice that came from the other side of the door was the voice of a man. “Stacey, you in there?” She walked slowly to the door and pressed her eye up against the peephole…it was covered.
“Wh-who is it?” The tremble in her voice was noticeable. She glanced up to make sure that the door was still locked. There was no answer from the other side. “Who’s there?” This time there was a more forceful tone that boomed from within her.
“Stacey,” the voice laughed slyly, “Stacey…are you in there?” His voice was dark and disturbing. It cracked deeply, almost like he was covering his mouth. “Stacey…let me in. I want to see where you live.”
Her heart raced and her breathing came quicker. She looked around for something…anything. She didn’t know what she was looking for until her eyes locked in on the phone. She needed to call someone. Who…she didn’t exactly know.
“Stacey, I need to see you. I’m coming in.”
Stacey began to slowly back away from the door and made it about five feet when the shards of wood from the entrance came crashing against her bare leg and stomach. The sound of the door being broken in must have blasted throughout the entire building, but not a soul came to her aid.
Her screams rang loud as she crawled back, grabbing for something…anything that would help her fend off the beast of a man that came rushing through the open doorway. He lunged down quickly upon her but she moved at the last second, causing him to fall hard against the wood. He wore a black ski mask, which surely distorted his vision and caused him to miss her.
She stumbled back into the living room, as everything seemed to be going in slow motion. She was so terrified that she didn’t even have time to think about what was happening. All she knew was that she either needed to get out of the apartment or kill this bastard.
The man let out a groan and came thrashing around the corner, lunging once again for her. He missed once more and tripped onto the couch in front of him. He was up in mere seconds though and followed Stacey into the bedroom area. She put enough room between them when he tripped over the couch and managed to lock the bedroom door. She cried steadily behind the barricade, as the assailant became enraged and began pounding on the door, spewing obscenities.
What was she going to do now? How did this even happen to her? It seemed like it was a flash in her mind as the acts took place. He would break through the door soon, so she had to think of something quick. If only they would have put a phone in the bedroom like she had wanted, she could call for help. But, alas, no phone. She managed to compose herself and looked over to the bedside and saw the lamp. It was an old lamp that her grandmother had given her about ten years ago, and was made of the hardest material she thought she had ever known. He never liked it.
She heard the door begin to crack as his foot slammed hard against it and she rushed over and yanked the cord out of the wall, bringing the lamp up to her chest. The door was giving way, so she hurried over to the side of the doorway, and brought the heavy lamp above her head. The man gave a few last thrusts and came crashing through the bedroom door. She was ready, and brought the heavy glass lamp down over his head, shattering it into his skull. He hit the floor hard, and the steady stream of blood came quickly from the back of his head. He didn’t move.
* * * * * * *
About ten minutes later Stacey’s husband came rushing through the door and found her curled up on the couch, clutching a pillow. A briefcase and Chinese food were spilled on the floor in the hallway and he rushed over to his wife, taking her in his arms and brushing her hair back from her wet face. He heard the sirens as they stopped outside his apartment. The police rushed in a few moments later and watched as Stacey pointed with a scared finger toward the bedroom. They ran in and found the bloody assailant lying face down on the carpet.
Stacey sat with her husband on the couch for a few hours while the police removed the body from the scene. They collected what evidence they could, and after a time, they left and barricaded the door. He and Stacey packed a small bag and left with the police. The hotel down the road had some pretty decent rates and they got a room for the night. Words were used sparingly in the car. It didn’t seem right to speak. They made it to their room and crashed down onto the bed.
He looked at her and felt his heart pound through his chest. His wife had just been assaulted and he didn’t really know how to react to how she had pulled through the situation. She trembled on the bed next to him and stared straight ahead at the wall. Eventually, she broke down and cried into his shirt, telling him all that had happened. He listened to her story as though he already knew what had transpired in the small apartment. He looked at the window, covered in rain, and rubbed her back as she sobbed into him.
After he had finally gotten her settled down, they figured that they would try to get some sleep. He had talked her into calmness; telling her that nothing else was going to happen. Of course, in her state, she believed him. He looked at her lying in bed, and was actually amazed at how humble she had suddenly become. She wasn’t the same arrogant bitch that she had always been, but he knew this phase would pass, and she would be back to her normal, angry self in a few weeks. All he could do was smile and shake his head as he walked around to the other side of the bed. He pulled the covers back and sunk into the cool sheets, next to her.
She turned towards him and draped an arm across his chest. He patted her hand and almost laughed as he thought about the situation. He waited until he heard the softness of her breath turn to sleep, and then removed her hand from his body. He leaned up on an elbow and looked deep into her face. Things had come such a long way. Things had changed so much since they had come together. She had changed. He couldn’t even remember how in the world two like them could ever become partners. He still loved her, but she didn’t care for his feelings any longer. As the moonlight shot across the room, he looked at her closed eyes and thought about how yet another thing that he had attempted had failed.
He took one last, deep breath and grabbed his pillow. He placed it down across her face and looked away as she passed into the night, with surprisingly very little struggle. Dominic had fallen, but the plan would work. It had to work. He waited until the last movements escaped her frame and then removed the pillow. Her face was still and her eyes remained open, in a shocked look. He closed her lids and placed his pillow back down on the bed. He lie down next to her and put his arm across her back, pulling her closer to him.
“Finally, we are sleeping together.” He rubbed her head as he looked into her blank face. “Now do you have time for me?”
He smiled as he closed his own eyes and fell into a slumber. He never slept better than he did on that night.
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