My feet stamp on the floor, banging it. I’m starting to feel lightheaded, pain and fear pouring in to fill the space in my lungs where air should be.
Make noise. Fight.
Don’t stop.
“Your boyfriend has a drinking problem,” His hands tighten. “Jared Bennett. It won’t be too hard to put together that he lost his temper. Especially after losing his brother like that. Tragic. Of course, you knew him too.”
My nails rip into his cheek, aiming for his eyes.Don’t you talk about them.
Fight, Emmy. Fight.
It sounds like Ben.
I manage to get a finger into Arron’s grip, creating a small pocket of space as I heave for breath. My face is wet with tears and sweat as he pulls me forward, yanking open my front door to the hallway outside.
Hot breath in my ear. “Falling down the stairs, after fighting with your boyfriend. What a sad end to a pathetic little life, Emilia. Just another statistic. A loose end.”
The stairs are three feet away.
Two feet.
A foot.
I have nothing to hold onto as he drags me forward. Only gray, painted walls that scrape beneath my nails, Arron’s face flickering in the light as he leans into me. “Bye, Lia.”
Help me.My lips form the words.
But the stairwell is empty.
Nobody is coming.
The light above us flickers – and goes out, plunging us both into darkness.
I’ve been here before. With him.
Stalking me through the house, cutting off the light to send my fear soaring before he eventually caught me. The storm outside to hide the screaming. A fear of the dark that I’ve never shaken off.
Lamps on at all times.
An umbrella to light up the dark.
Arron curses under his breath. The space around us is pitch black, and he fumbles.
Helets go.
There’s a crack as I hit the very top of the stairs.
My shoulders.
My head.
Gasping, I roll away, grabbing for something to hold onto.
My hand grips something soft, and I pull myself up.
Arron’s startled shout cuts off. There’s a rush of air that whistles past my face, and a thud.
And then… silence.
