“Where’s Robin?” I asked as I struggled to get to my feet, keeping my eyes locked on his ready for his next move. His eyes were sharp and aware like an eagle with its prey insight.
“Not here.” He said.
“She has to be here. I just heard her.”
He lifted his hand showing me the mini recorder. He clicked play and Robins voice echoed out followed by her scream. He clicked off and stared at me waiting for my response.
“Is she dead?” I didn’t want to know. Not really, but I couldn’t help it, the question just came out.
“Not yet.” He said still smiling. “I wanted the pleasure of making you watch.”
I slapped him as hard as I could across his face, he barley flinched. He just turned back, looked at me, and carried on smiling his eyes fixed on mine as if he was waiting. For what I had no idea. I stepped back, my thighs colliding with the end table at the bottom of the stairs. We both watched as the vase on it lost its balance before smashing to the floor.
I looked back at Ethan just as he did the same, then I ran.
I manoeuvred my way through the dining room and into the kitchen, my hand grabbing the handle of the door as if it was a lifeline. It wouldn’t budge, but still I pushed and pulled it trying to open the door, the knuckles on my hand where white from the force.
“It’s no use Vanessa. The house is all locked down.” Said Ethan from behind me.” I turned and pressed my back against the cold metal of the door. My hand still holding on to the handle.
The pressure of the door against my back pushed the gun that I had tucked in my jeans against my back. I had forgotten that I had stolen Melody’s gun from her.
Ethan moved slowly forward, stalking me. He knew I had nowhere to go.
“Don’t fight Nessa.”
“Don’t you ever call me Nessa. You never get to be able to do that again.” I spat. “You don’t even get to call me family anymore.”
He stopped a few feet in front of me, his hand running along the surface of his worktop. My eyes fixed and watched his fingers as he teasingly advanced towards the knife rack.
Cautiously I slipped my hand from the hand to the gun, ready, waiting for him to make his move.
“I don’t think you’re having fun. Nessa.” He said my name purposely to annoy me.
“I didn’t realise I was supposed to.”
“Oh Nessa. Just like your mother aren’t you, she…”
“Don’t you dare. “ I yelled. “You didn’t know her; you don’t get to judge her.”
“No I didn’t know her.” He said. “But then neither did you.”
It all happened so quickly. Ethan laughed and pulled the large knife out; I sprang forward and pulled the gun out. We stood still suddenly. His knife to my throat and my gun to his chest.
“Quite the situation we have here. Tell me Nessa what should we do?”
“That’s easy. I shoot you. You die.”
“Really? How delightful.”
His arm swung up knocking the gun out of my hand. It hit the smooth surface and slid off the counter onto the floor on the other side. His knife nicked my chin as it rose. I pushed him as hard as I could out of my way and launched my self after the gun.
I picked it up and ran out of the room. His house was like a maze. So many rooms. I ran to the set of corridors on the left of the house and entered the last room, closing and locking the door behind me.
The window on the other side of the room was secured electronically. There was no way I was going to open it. The glass was decorated with iron bars. Even if I smashed the glass I wouldn’t be able to get out, even screaming wouldn’t help, and no one would hear me.
I could hear Ethan’s footsteps against the floor outside the room, they were getting closer. I crouched down beside the bookcase, holding myself still so that he couldn’t hear me.
“You know Mark has a lot more fight in him than you.” He said, but I didn’t answer I was going to give myself away this time.
“Quite a temper he has on him.” he laughed.” Even poor Robin got scared when he had his little temper tantrum earlier.”
Ethan stopped talking, but he was still moving I could hear doors opening and closing. Finally, he stopped outside the one I was in and tried the handle. I watched as it twisted, my body was shaking.
“Mark didn’t appear to enjoy the little film of you and Keller the other night. Shame though it was good to watch. Though I don’t think, Mark liked the way you seemed to be enjoying Keller so much. The language that came out of his mouth.”
He was trying to goad me. I clasped my hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming out at him in frustration. The b****** had managed to film me sleeping with Keller. I would never get Mark back. I just hopped it didn’t stop him keeping Robin safe. I preyed that he didn’t take it out on her.
I heard the jangle of keys and then a clink as Ethan inserted a key into the lock. Tiptoeing backwards, I stood behind the door, my eyes fixed on the handle listening for the sound of the lock as it engaged and betrayed me.
The door opened, it moved as if someone had set a film to slow motion. I aimed my gun just passed the door, ready for Ethan to enter. As soon as I saw him, I fired.
