“I wanted to wait for you,” Charlie continued. “I wanted you to come home to me.”
He brushed the hair back from his eyes, and Sally saw the madness in them.
She whirled, making a run for it. The car entrance to the garage was behind her, on the other side of the garage from Charlie. The gate would be closed, and her clicker was in her car, but there was nowhere else to go. Maybe she could scream loud enough for someone to hear.
In a dozen quick strides, Charlie caught up to her, grabbing the back of her sweater and dragging her down to the ground. She flailed with her arm, her hand making contact with his face.
***
so pretty the hair I want to touch it not right to look like that I want to touch it touch it touch it
my hands reach out, wrap around her throat she likes it she looks at me like she loves me she loves God she loves me so much I love her don’t want her to breathe it hurts when she looks like that
she grabs my arms tries to pull me close wants a kiss she loves me I squeeze she loves being squeezed coughs ‘cause it hurts a little but she likes it likes it loves me -
***
“Charlie, no!” Sally screamed, trying to fend off his groping hands. She was too far away from the gate. No one would hear her. The parking lot was empty except her truck and the Toyota. Charlie’s hands were scrabbling as she tried to fend him off, grasping for her throat. She flailed upward with her legs, knocking him off balance. Already bent over as he was, it knocked him down. Sally scrambled to her feet and fled for the door to the office.
If you can just get to the office, you’re safe, she thought, her mind swimming. Just make it. Run. You can hold the door closed. Behind her she heard his footsteps. Almost there. Her hand found the door handle. Made it.
The hood of her hoodie snapped back, Charlie’s fingers wrapped in it. The collar slammed against her throat, making her gasp for breath as she was flung to the ground again. Her fingers were wrenched from the door, causing pain to shoot from her hyper-extended wrist.
He was on top of her again and his hand touched her face.
***
STOP IT I love you and you love me back I know you do STOP IT stop hurting me I don’t want to hurt you you love me -
***
Sally slapped the hand away, screaming. Something flashed in her mind, something she’d seen in a movie once, a woman punching an attacker in the throat. She tried it. The strike was weak but it connected.
***
fucking WHORE you shut the fuck up when I want to love you and get your hand off me -
***
Charlie coughed, dazed for a moment, reeling back. Sally tried to scramble out from under him, but she was dazed from the Touching, disoriented from flashing between Charlie’s perspective and her own. He tightened the squeeze of his legs, pinning her, and finally his hands found her throat.
***
now you SQUEEZE you love being squeezed you love me SQUEEZE stop crying stop fighting don’t fight me you love me SQUEEZE -
***
Sally’s breath caught in her throat, trapped beneath Charlie’s fingers. Her left arm flailed at his face, failing to reach him - she’d never realized how long his arms were, like an ape’s - while she flung her right about.
Her right hand reached something.
A fire extinguisher.
She had no leverage and it seemed too heavy to move, but fear gave her strength. She swung it at his head. It struck him just hard enough to fling him off her body. As air rushed back into her lungs she gasped and wheezed, stars exploding in her vision. Panicking, she stood as quickly as she could, holding the fire extinguisher in both hands like a weapon. Charlie stood as well, once again blocking her escape.
The door swung open behind him. It was Sean. Charlie was too focused on Sally to notice, and his own heavy breathing kept him from hearing the door, whose hinges Sally always kept well-oiled.
In an instant Sally saw Sean see them. He registered the fire extinguisher in her hand and the marks on her throat. Suddenly he was charging Charlie from behind. Charlie heard him too late, whirling just as Sean tackled him. They hit the ground hard and rolled. Sally saw Sean get two good punches in, but then Charlie rolled on top. He clawed at Sean’s face, his long, dirty fingernails leaving red rents in his flesh. Sean cried out in pain, but managed a weak swing from below that connected with Charlie’s chin. Charlie reeled, but only for a moment. Then he was choking Sean, trying to kill him the same way he’d tried to kill Sally.
The fire extinguisher swung hard, and the back of Charlie’s head split open.
His body tumbled off of Sean, who lay there, choking and gasping. Sally stood above him with the fire extinguisher, staring at Charlie’s body in horror. I killed him, she thought. Her body went numb and the fire extinguisher fell from her lifeless fingers. Oh my God.
Sean’s eyes focused enough to see her standing above him. He managed to gasp, “Thanks.”
Her attention was drawn by the word and she looked back at him. She couldn’t even nod. She could still feel in her hands the vibration of the fire extinguisher in her hands as it caved in the back of Charlie’s skull. The sickening crunch reverberated throughout her body like the aftershocks of an earthquake.
Sean held up his hand. “Hand up?”
Sally looked at him, still numb. The question meant nothing to her. Sean shrugged and pushed himself to his feet. He looked at Charlie’s body, seemingly mesmerized. Then he pulled a phone from his pocket and dialed three digits.
“Hello, police? There’s been an attack.” Sally’s attention faded again as Sean listed the business name and address, his voice trailing off to a buzz in her hearing. After a moment he clicked the phone off, then looked back at Charlie. Finally he turned back to her.
“Hey,” he said. Her eyes drifted to him slowly. “Are you okay?”
She was surprised to see what looked like genuine concern on his face. She couldn’t answer.
He looked away, putting a hand to the gashes on his face. “I mean, I’m sure you’re not okay. I just mean...I don’t know.” He pointed at the office door. “I came back because I left my jacket in the office. Thought I heard something down here. I should have come down faster.” He looked back at her. “I’m sorry.”
Sally looked at him quizzically. On impulse, she reached out and Touched his arm.
***
Eyes are so pretty. I hope he didn’t hurt her. I think I got there before he hurt her. I hope I did.
I’ll tell the cops whatever I need to. I’ll say I hit him. She shouldn’t get in trouble. Fucker was crazy.
Want to kiss her. Shouldn’t be thinking about that right now. Don’t want to freak her out.
Wish she’d kiss me.
***
So she did. It wasn’t as bad as she’d thought.
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OTHER BOOKS BY GARRETT ROBINSON
FIND ALL OF GARRETT’S BOOKS AT:
GarrettBRobinson.com/Books
The Realm Keepers Series — Epic Fantasy from Another World
VOLUME ONE: MIDREALM
VOLUME TWO: WYRMSPIRE
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REALM KEEPERS: EPISODE ONE
The International Assassin Thriller
HIT GIRLS
The Hilariously Gory Horror Series
NON ZOMBIE
NON ZOMBIE II
The Ridiculously Fun Fairy Tale Adventure
THE NINJABREAD MAN
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Garrett Robinson lives and works in the Los Angeles area. He has accumulated numerous credits in independent film and continues to make films along with his friends in the filmmaking collective We Make Movies.
As with all people in the film industry, Garrett is constantly looking for an edge to help him turn his passion into a full-time career. To that end, he has embarked upon a new business model. Garrett is turning all of his script ideas, short form or long form, into novels and novellas and self-publishing them. By garnering attention for the stories he has created, he hopes to gain the opportunity to turn those stories into films. Many of his works are for adult audiences only, but he has published popular books for younger readers, including the Realm Keepers series and The Ninjabread Man, co-authored with Z.C. Bolger.
Garrett lives in Los Angeles with his wife Meghan, his children Dawn, Luke, and Desmond, and his dog Chewbacca.
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