Him ~ chapter three

By Maryanna Gabriel


    As I stared at the murky depths a new thought came to me. I began to drain the water and then I unplugged it. Closed for use. Good solution. I felt pleased with my decision. I was starting to develop a fever. I was getting sicker and sicker by the minute. Somehow I had caught the flue, presumably from my grand daughter. I lay on the couch. My body was steeped with fatigue. The phone began to ring. I didn't answer it. A flurry of emails ensued. I carefully and politely answered every one and responded that the hot tub was now closed. I slept a little. There was knocking on the door. Returning to consciousness something inside of me told me not to answer. My temperature was beginning to soar.

     The light began to fade and I crawled into bed. He had just come to the door again and banged it so hard I would not answer it even if I could. A black fear took hold. He was banging the side of house. I could hear he was trying varying plugs in the sockets. I realized with a sickening lurch of my stomach that he was trying to start the hot tub. I felt I was falling into a swoon, a cloud of dark anger that was not mine was engulfing the house. I felt sicker and sicker. It was then I heard it. He was trying the door handle. As he rattled it the lock held. I drifted. Somewhere in the distance I registered the sound of something smashing.