Bloody Surprises

"Howard," I said as tried to calm Vannier with my eyes, "Let her go."
"Oh I will," he said, "But you have to come here." His face was swelling and very bloody.
"Why won't you give up?" I sighed more frustrated than frightened. Vannier however was almost shaking with fear.
"I can't," he still had that annoying grin on his face; "You are mine."
"Can't we just talk without you threatening anyone?" I asked through clenched teeth. My hand- which still clutched the pipe- was hidden behind the remnants of my dress.
"Please let her go," I asked again.
"Okay," he said to me.

To Vannier he bent to tell her, "Walk. If you run I will rip you apart."
I don't think she could have spoken so she just nodded. He let her go and she walked rather quickly towards me. I took her hand and pulled her half hidden behind me. I slyly passed her the pipe. She immediately understood and clutched it tightly. The adrenaline was pumping now. If I failed I might just faint from lack of blood and Howard would win. But if I got far enough... maybe I would win.

"Hmmm...Maybe I can keep both of you," Howard mused, we both grimaced.
"We're going to run..." I muttered under my breath to Vannier, she squeezed my hand in acknowledgement.
"Dream on sicko!" I shouted, "We aren't your toys! Ah looks like we have company," I looked over his shoulder. And like the idiot he sometimes was; he turned. I grabbed Vannier tighter and we ran. I heard him yell behind us as he gave chase. My chest burned with the cold air that hit it.

"Come on Audra..." I murmured as we turned the next corner. Hand in hand we ran never slowing. I could hear Howard’s cursing behind us as well as his heavy footfalls. The next corner bright lights flowed over us and then I collapsed.

"Stay away!" I heard Vannier say through a thick cloud.
"Sir please," a man said, "On the ground or we shoot."
"Lucy! Please hold on the paramedics will be here," my angel said. I swam above consciousness and opened my eyes.
"Seth," I sighed. Well he was a sight for sore eyes. As well as Howard on the ground with several officers holding guns over his head.
"Aren't they going to shoot him?" I asked as Vannier knelt down on the ground with me.
"No most likely he'll be tried as insane," she muttered, "You look awful."
"So do you," I grinned, "Hey don't disappear on me."
"Not planning on it," she smiled. And then everything else was a blue and red blur as the medics came and took me away. I was in a drug filled haze for almost a week.

I awoke to see Seth slumped on a chair next to me.
"Where's my dad and Audra?" was the first thing I asked.
"We take shifts," he grinned, "Someone has to stay with your two younger brothers." But underneath the grin was something else.
"What's wrong?" I panicked. My heart monitor spiked.
"Whoa," he said as his hands fluttered, "Chill Lucy."
"Okay," I muttered, "But please tell me."
"Howard's going to walk free," he sighed.
"What?" I asked, "But all those people, Vannier and me, they can’t just free a psycho!"
"Calm Lucy," his face was stone but it wasn't directed at me, "He has family in high places. He got his freedom if he spends three years taking regular visits to the asylum or something like that."
"But one day he'll be free," I said quietly.
"Yes," my darling said grimly, "But we'll be waiting for him." He stood up and kissed me.
"Your mum wants to see you," he said as an explanation for his leaving, "I'll be back when she's gone."

Sure I wasn't going to see Howard for awhile, I thought as Seth left, but my dreams were where he haunted me freely and one day I knew he wanted to make that sick dream a reality.