Little Lady

Just the sight of the house made me want to curl up and die. I had no recollection of how I'd made it here, had I caught a cab or drove? I didn't know. My face was soaked in tears and I had hiccups from crying so much, I felt hot, too hot and all I wore was shorts and a spaghetti strap shirt, the metal object in my hand felt like it weighed a ton, or did I just feel extremely weak? I walked a little closer, a million flashbacks hitting me across the face like a cold fish, I got sick on the asphalt, coughing and spluttering, the tears still ceasing to stop, I wanted to go home but it was too late for that, I came here for a reason and I had to go through with what I came to do. Wiping the tears from my eyes and heaving a deep breath to try and slow down my sobbing, I headed forward. I already had the plan set out, I'd sneak around the back because it was bound to be open.

It was too dark for me to see well but once I'd stumbled to the back door I had to stop the catch my breath, my legs were a little cut up from twigs and branches I'd tripped over and even some thorns that had swiped past my calves on the way around. I leant my back against the wall and caught my breath, I had to make this quick, any minute the person could realize I was here and kill me. Or worse. I reached for the door handle, my heart thudding in my ears, the door handle slided down easily and just as I suspected the door opened, a big smile ambushed my face and I felt a little triumph even.

Step one equals complete.

I peeled the door open slowly, every creak, every sound seeming far too loud for my ears, I was afraid. Very afraid. He could hear me at any moment. I stepped inside, my bare feet stung from the cold floors contact, I stood still, unmoving, listening out for any sign of movement or sound that would signify he was home. I couldn't hear anything, not a thing. A sly smile crept up on my face and I licked my lips as I realized I didn't care if he was here or not, this was perfect. I slammed shut the door behind me, not caring about the way the cupboards rattled as it slammed. The kitchen looked exactly how it had last time I was here, run down, dirty, a wasteland, the whole house was a wasteland.

I pulled a chair out and sat myself down, bringing one knee up and resting my arm on it, the gun in my other hand and the same smile painted my face. For once I wasn't worried about whether this was a good idea or not, for once I wasn't overthinking. I wanted the door to open in that moment, I wanted him to stumble in clueless and defenceless, I wanted to watch his face drop, hurt him like he'd hurt me, like he'd hurt everyone I loved. Instead though, I had to wait and after an hour and a half, luckily though, my anger was still burning strong, very strong.

I heard the front door open and my breath caught. Okay now I was feeling a little less strong. Only God knows what he was doing for so long, it was for another couple of minutes until I heard the front door slam and his boots thud against the hard wood floor and it took everything in my power to not vomit all over the floor. He was mumbling, to himself or someone else I didn't know, until I heard a soft whimper and a plea. Anger bubbled in my stomach, mixing with the acid in there, the fucking nerve of him! How dare he bring another poor defenceless girl back with him, hadn't he learned anything?

A few more seconds ticked by and I felt a bead of sweat roll down my forehead, I wiped it away, I couldn't hear anything over the sound of my pulse in my ears. I waited for the door to open, I was ready for it, more than ready, if he didn't come through it right now I knew I'd lose it and not have the nerve. It had to happen now.

And it did.

The door creaked open, the ogre walked in, holding the arm of someone who looked just a year older than me, her hair was short and blond and deathly straight, just the sight of the ogre almost made me lose it, my stomach lurched and I held back the bile rising in my throat, stay strong, Leda, stay strong! He caught sight of me and gasped, his blue eyes that I once thought were beautiful widened and the girl next to him looked like she was about to faint. His eyes flicked from me to the gun, which I'd laid on the table, my finger still on the trigger and my hand still wrapped around it, he looked alarmed, I had to speak.

I didn't trust my voice, so I raised the gun and pointed it at his head, his jaw dropped even further and I found a way to draw a smile on my face once again. He went to speak but I spoke before him.

"You stay, the girl goes." It sounded like some line from an action movie and that made me smile even more. I saw his grip loosen on her arm but then tighten again as if he was challenging me, not believing I'd actually shoot him if it came to that.

"I said the girl gets to go!" I yelled louder in case he didn't hear, although I know he heard me the first time, again, his grip loosened and he dropped his arm to his side, his eyes still trained on the gun in my hand. The girl, still mortified looked from me to him and then back to me.

"T-thank you." She stuttered and then before anyone could hold her hostage or stop her exit she turned around and ran, her heels click-clocking on the floor and then the door slamming behind her.

"And then there were two." I sang, licking my lips.

"Put the gun down, we can talk about this." He spoke calmly, confidently as he attempted to take a step forward, I sat up straight and emphasized my hold on the gun.

"Don't be an idiot," I laughed. "I will shoot you." His face hardened and he took another step forward. This time I stood, he had to know I was serious, this wasn't a joke, although it'd only been a couple of months I wasn't a little girl anymore, I had hardened, I was tough now. And even if I wasn't, I couldn't let him know that. He stopped dead at the sight of me ready to shoot him. I wanted to, so badly. I took another step forward.

"If only you realized how much you've ruined my life. Mine. Vic's, and Mike's. You're a lousy piece of shit." He put his hands up as if he was surrendering but I knew better than that.

"You really think you can kill me? You think it won't haunt your nightmares at night? You think you'll kill me and everything will be over? It will never ever be over. That's a promise." His words cut me in the most painful way and my hand began to shake, I tried to take deep breaths, I tried to disguise my reaction but it was no use, he knew I was afraid. I squeezed my eyes shut, I had to get it together. He took a step forward.

"No!" I screamed, my hand still shaking. "You're not in control here! I am!" And he smirked, he actually had the nerve to smirk, and it was so chilling and so evil I felt my whole body shiver at the sight of it.

"You're not in control," he laughed "you will never be in control, I'll always have a hold on you. You escaped me but I was still in your every thought!" His voice boomed and I'd had enough I cocked the gun and pulled the trigger, he almost jumped out of his skin, not expecting me to actually pull the trigger, honestly I was a little shocked myself. It missed him by a mile, I'd never used a gun in my life and it showed but it was okay, I was going to try again.

Before I could cock the gun again he rushed at me, knocking the gun out of my hand and wrapping his thick hands around my throat.

I gasped for as much air as I could, clawing at his hands, trying to pry them off of me as I struggled, his grip only tightened though and my airways were beginning to feel limited, I felt my face grow hot, I could imagine it turning from pale to red, the same color as my hair. I hit him, I clawed at him, I kicked at him but nothing would make him release. He was talking to me, but everything was white noise, my head spun, my heart pounded, I couldn't concentrate, I couldn't feel anything other than my neck being squashed.

I was going to die.

He was going to kill me.

You will never be in control.

I swung my leg at him for the final time; the finally kick I had in me, and his face contorted in pain as he released me. I'd hit him in the nuts, I stumbled backwards, gasping over and over for as much oxygen as my little lungs could take, I felt hot tears dive down my face. I almost died. He rolled around on the floor, grasping his crotch and groaning in pain, this was all a bad idea. I shouldn't have come here, I couldn't take him on. I concentrated on catching my breath, inhale, exhale. When I finally had I rushed for the back door, ready to admit defeat and flee while I still could but as I grabbed the handle I heard him cock the gun and I froze.

I swallowed hard. It hurt.

Slowly I turned to face him. Feeling numb, feeling empty. He held the gun strongly in his hand, like a man who knew how to handle a gun, and boy I wouldn't put it past him to know how to use it. My eyes widened but I didn't plead for my freedom or beg for mercy, I just stood there. He smirked and started towards me, licking his lips, the only thing that stood between us was the table.

"How does it feel to know you're about to say your last words?" He raised an eyebrow at me and I folded my arms over my chest, mainly to hide my hands from shaking but partly to look tough. I had to be brave, all my life I've been weak, all my life I've lacked everything good. I had to show him I wasn't going to back down. I wasn't going to go without a fight.

But I sure as hell wasn't going to beg. I walked forward, ignoring the ringing in my ears, he watched me intently, wondering what on earth I was doing, I didn't falter though I just kept heading towards him. I walked around the table until I was a metre away from him.

"Shoot." I said flatly. He frowned at my words as if that was the last thing he'd expected me to say. I took one final step forward.

"I'm telling you to shoot." I spoke more confidently than even I expected myself to sound. "If you let me go, I'm just going to come back, and whatever I do to you, I'll make sure its the most painful way to go." He looked surprised, like he couldn't really decide what to do with himself, whether I was bluffing or not. Acting on impulse I put my mouth around the gun, my eyes almost level with his, he looked shocked. Afraid. Surprised. I raised an eyebrow at him, basically telling him to go ahead.

He just held the gun there, unsure of what to do, unsure of if to shoot or not. His frown deepened as he realized he was no longer in control, neither of us were. He sighed and dropped his head for a ef moment and I smiled triumphantly, removing my mouth from the gun. Suddenly it hit me, Vic would be here any minute, I'd somehow made it here before him and he'd be here soon, when his father had a gun, I had to stop him, I had to beg him to come back with me, I couldn't allow him to stay here.

The ogre dropped the gun to his side and I smirked, walking past him, purposely brushing my shoulder against his. I didn't feel too scared, he didn't have a hold over me anymore, I had a hold over him. He knew I'd be back, and he'd be dying with anticipation. The thought made me smile.

"You're so naïve." I heard him chuckle but before I could turn around there was a bang and my skull felt like it was on fire, I heard a high pitched noise as my head smashed off of the floor, I opened my mouth but I couldn't speak, my vocal chords failed me. Or maybe I just couldn't hear my own voice over the ringing. There was too much going on, all I saw was white, I swore someone said my name but I couldn't be too sure. I was limp, my heart was slowing and I could barely breath or move. Someone enveloped me in their arms, or maybe that was me hallucinating because my worst fear was dying alone. And now I was.

The screeching stopped, my fingertips felt cold and numb, I opened my mouth a final time but nothing came out once again. Someone told me it was going to be okay, and I didn't know if it was God or the voice in my head but I didn't believe them. The pain was too much.

The darkness engulfed me.

Notes

AND THAT IS ALL MY FRIENDS. WE HAVE REACHED THE END.
Y'all thought she was going to kill herself, didn't you? Muahaha.
So please, let me know how you liked or disliked the ending.

And I'd like to say thank you for reading and sticking by this story, even through its really boring chapters and my slow updates. You guys are the greatest. Thank you to clairephernelia, jesslovesptv, mikefuentesisperfect, larapodx, boulevard-of-broken-dreams, and everybody else that commented throughout the whole story, you all kept me going. Then again thanks to anybody who commented, ever, even if it was just once, or even if you never commented at all but you read it, still, thank you, I'm very grateful.

If anything in this story has been particularly triggering then I sincerely apologize. Please look after yourselves and know that I'm here 24/7 for anybody who needs a nice talk or needs to vent to somebody, I'm always here okay, just pop me a message. :)

Thank you once again and if you're feeling extra lovely I have a new story called Forget Regret, if you'd like to go read it, that'd be awesome. Thanks :)

I love you!
And Merry Christmas (FOUR DAYS TO GO, YO)