Our House goes Dark

Cold slaps my face and hands. Tears form in my eyes. When I try to stand, I can’t move. My breath catches in my throat as my heart races.

“Where am I?”

“Shut up! When I want to hear your voice. I’ll let you know.”

His voice, more than the cold, freezes me. Something covers my eyes. I have to find out where we are. If I don’t get away, I know what happens next.

“Where’s Brian?”

“Bitch, say his name once more. And I’m cutting out your worthless tongue. Do you hear me?”

I nod as best I can, while he screams in my face and wraps my hair around his fist. Steel presses hard against my neck. To remain calm is my only option. He tilts my head back farther than it should go. What I’m sitting in wobbles and tilts. From this angle, I can peek out of the blindfold.

A frozen wonderland surrounds us. There’s ice on the trees surrounded by large mounds of snow. We are in the middle of a frozen lake. From this viewpoint, there’s no way for me to see how large it is.

“Are you listening to me? You better pay attention, Teresa. This is your last chance with me, and this life.”

Swinging my head around, I ignore his worthless words. He didn’t bring me here to make up. He plans to kill me. Somehow, I have to get away. His breathing is rough as he drops my head. Fireworks explode behind my eyes. The chair crashes onto the frozen surface and slides. I hear cracking and stop fighting the restraints.

“Yes, darlin’, I would stop moving. Where you’re sitting, I specially picked for good reason.”

Frantically, my thoughts flit through my mind. I have to calm down. Closing my eyes, I sink into my Pilates training. Pushing all other thoughts out of my mind, I concentrate on remaining calm. If I’m going to survive this. I must take charge of the situation.

“Teresa, that expecting sound is music. The ice is slowly breaking apart under you. How many times did I tell you to skip dessert? Those extra pounds are going to kill you in the end.”

He wants my death to look like an accident. He’s hoping that they won’t find me until spring, if ever. The only good of me landing here is he’s not coming anywhere near me. He loves himself too much to risk getting an injury.

Moving my head back and forth rapidly, the blindfold slips off. Slowly, inch by inch, I can see. Working my head against my shoulder, I push it off first on one side. Then the other. Task one is complete. At least I can see now.

When the bright sun hits my eyes, I blink rapidly, trying to adjust quickly. When the dots no longer dance, I study my hands. He was always good with knots. I’m tied with a thick rope to an old wooden chair.

My body shakes uncontrollably partially from the wet cold that’s slowly seeping into my clothes. As well as fear. My teeth chatter, but I ignore that. I have to get out of this chair. Off the ice, then I can worry about warming myself up. If only he would fall through the ice. Ending his mocking laughter and menacing threats for good.

“Darlin, if you promise to come back to me. I’ll let you go, we’ll get coffee and a hot bath.”

He’s laughing and crying. When I look over, he’s on his knees with his arms stretched out towards me. In both hands is a hunting knife. His eyes are still beautiful, but vacant. Whatever thin line he was teetering is no longer there. Sanity has left him.

If only I can coax him closer and use one of his knives to free myself. Dismissing this thought, I turn away from him, jerking on my arms. I’ll not risk him killing both of us. One arm on the chair is loose.

He grunts, “You made me do this. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I never would have hurt him. Why did you leave me?”

I turn my face to stare at him. My chattering teeth make it difficult to speak. “Why couldn’t you leave us alone?”

“You’re mine. How many times do I need to say that?”

“Why did you send that strange box to our home?”

“It tormented and frightened you. Can’t you see how much I love you?”

He inches closer to me. “What was in it?”

Howling laughter bursts from him. “These two beautiful knives right here. Do you see them? That’s what killed your precious Brian. I almost killed you, but the cops showed up, and we had to run.”

My soulmate and the love of my life. I can’t think about him right now. If I do, I’ll sink into a depression that’s deeper than the icy water surrounding me. The cracking grows louder, he’s put me on the thinnest part of the lake. If I can’t get free soon, maybe I can take both of us out.

Wiggling back and forth, I try to loosen up both arms. Water splashes as I hear CRACK! We both stop. I barely breathe. But, I notice that the rope is becoming more slippery and loose. Just a little more maneuvering and it slips off my right hand.

With fingers that have gone numb, I work on my left hand. Large chunks of ice fall directly into the lake behind me. Travis is no longer my concern. I want to live, whether he does. Matters not at all to me.

He deserves to be punished for what he has done. What punishment is worthy of a man who is no longer sane? Once my left hand is free, I work on my legs. Not only did he tie them to the chair, but he also wrapped them in duct tape.

The rope slips right off, even with my hands shaking uncontrollably. It’s the duct tape that won’t budge. I’m going to have to hop out of here. He’s no longer even looking at me. The light dancing off the tips of his blades has his full attention.

Scrambling up as quickly as I can I hop in the opposite direction of where he sits. Avoiding the large hole, ice splits every time I take a hopping step. Getting down on all fours, I slide, letting my arms do the work.

Slipping and gliding my way across frozen wet ice is no picnic. The alternative is less so. My body convulses from fear, cold, and fatigue. After thirty feet, I wonder what the point is. I’m slowly freezing to death. I can’t run, and there’s a maniac on the ice with me.

“No!” His bloodcurdling scream pierces the air. “Don’t leave me. I promise to be good.”

Something slams next to me, and I duck. Stuck in the ice close to my head is one of his new shiny knives. Picking it up carefully with my frozen hands, I saw through the tape. His raspy sobbing breaths are getting closer. I can’t look up. Getting the tape off is my priority.

His splashing footsteps are quickly approaching. Then I hear a crack that echoes around the trees. Followed by a loud splash and crying. Slicing at the tape and my legs, I’m finally free. By the time I look up, there’s no sign of Travis.

Just the broken chair, the lake, and me. The only evidence he was ever here is the knife I hold tightly in my unfeeling fingers. Carefully standing, I pocket the knife and try to run. There has to be someone to help me. My time is slowly ticking down. If I don’t warm up soon, I’m dead.

Slipping and sliding, I backtrack, avoiding the gaping dark hole. I need to find how he got us here. He must have some sort of vehicle. I just hope that the keys are in it. When I slip and fall into a puddle, I slide dangerously close to the sharp edge. Scrambling, I spread my body out and inch my way free.

Getting on safe ice is my only thought. Gulping ragged breath makes me turn, and I feel claws grab ahold of my ankle.

“If I can’t have you. Then no one can. You’re coming with me, and can be mine for eternity.”

Everything slows down. I look at his twisted face, wondering how I ever thought he was handsome. My leg kicks out, connecting with his nose. Blood sprays. His head jerks back, but his hold on me is like steel.

Reaching my hand in my pocket, I pull out his hunting knife. Taking it out of its holster in one move, I sit up, driving it deep into the hand that holds me. His screams and curses chase me across the unstable ice. I move as quickly as my frozen limbs and the wet unstable surface allow.

Animalistic howls follow me the entire way. Suddenly, all is silent. Searching for footsteps, I almost miss them. I have to backtrack and make my way up a steep sloop. Luckily, I find a large stick to use as I push myself up the bank.

Leaning on it heavily, I search around. There has to be somewhere safe and warm to go. My strength is ebbing. Sliding on my backside down the slope, I amble off in a random direction. Looking all around for any signs of human life.

There’s no car or house. Nothing but trees and snow. I sink into a large drift, unable to go any further. A car horn sounds as my eyes close. I force myself to sit up and listen. The sound of traffic is better than any song I have ever heard.

Slipping and running, I make my way to a two-lane highway. Stumbling a couple of steps onto it, I collapse in a heap. I’m going to rest and wait for someone to drive past. The light is fading, and my only hope now is they see me before they run me over.

Hands lightly slap at my face. “Dear me. What are you doing out here in the middle of the road?”

“Jake, hush now. Stop wasting the poor girl’s time. She’s soaking wet and mostly frozen. Get her in the car, we’ll take her to doc’s.”

“Yes, Martha. You better call ahead. You think we should call the sheriff as well?”

“You and your silly questions, of course, we will. Get the poor girl in the back seat. I spread a blanket out for her. Come on now hurry, I don’t like the color she’s turning.”

I’m fading slowly. Lifting one weak arm, I whisper. “Thank you. Watch out for Travis, I’m not sure if he’s dead, yet.”

Bright lights and warmth wake me up. Looking around, I’m confused and jump when a strange man walks in. Who’s followed by a Sherriff.

“Young lady, you gave us quite a scare. What were you doing up on Munster’s Pond? It’s only half frozen at this time of year.”

“Doc! How many times have I asked you to let me do the questioning?”

“Sorry sheriff. I keep forgetting I’m no longer your deputy.”

“Your job is enough work for three big-city docs. Now, young lady, if you don’t mind. Can you answer the question?”

I do, slowly, with many stops and starts. Their expressions are grim. They look back and forth several times.

Weakly, I cry, saying. “The story is outrageous, I know. But if you call my local police station. They can verify.”

“We’ve been in contact with them. We got your fingerprints and name. There’s no one else on that lake, though. I guess we’ll have to wait for the spring thaw to find his body.”

Shivering, I look out the window. Hoping there is a body to find.