Page 85 of Their Chosen

He took a swig from the liquor bottle and swayed slightly, a cigarette in his other hand. He didn't drink liquor often, but when he did, I knew it would be worse for me.

Bolstering my courage, knowing I would only have one shot at this, I inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to focus as much as I could.

Finally, I sprang from my bed, rushed to him, and grabbed his pocketknife. He swiped at my hand, but his drunken reflexes made him too slow to stop me. One blessing in disguise.

Nikki cried out as the liquor poured over her burns, having been knocked from his hands during our short struggle.

“You stupid, cunt!” he cursed, more pissed at the spilled liquor than me having his pocketknife. He turned to me as I held the knife out at him and then laughed. “Just what are you gonna do with that, little girl?” he sneered in challenge.

“Get off her,” I demanded, waving the pocketknife.

He stood slowly, swaying slightly as he brought the cigarette back to his mouth for another drag. He exhaled with a laugh. “Put the knife away before you hurt yourself.”

“No. Leave us alone,” I told him, hoping he wouldn't make me follow through on my threat. He stepped closer to me in challenge. “Stop,” I growled as I thrust at him.

He laughed again at me, and I saw the moment he decided to rush me. Fear clogged my throat and made me too slow to react as he barreled toward me.

But then he stumbled on a shoe that must have been knocked into the middle of the floor at some point and fell into me. Right into me and the blade that I held in my hand.

He pulled back, hand going to his side. “You stupid bitch.” His bleeding was worse because of the alcohol, which thinned it and prevented clotting. The blood leaked steadily through his fingers, dripping onto the floor.

He took a drag on his cigarette, still intent on inflicting pain on me. His body numb to his own pain right now, barely registering his wound. He lunged at me again, holding the cigarette like a weapon.

I swiped at the cigarette and knocked it from him before he could burn me again, but he got his other hand on the one holding the knife, twisting my arm until it dropped to the floor.

A light flickered, drawing my attention to where the cigarette had fallen, the smell of something burning reaching my nose shortly after. Jim's pants were on fire. The liquor must have spilled on him, too. Fuck.

He hadn't noticed yet and managed to punch me while I was distracted by the flames slowly creeping up his leg. I fell backward again as he finally started cursing.

He stumbled around as he tried to put out the flame. I got to my knees and scrambled for the knife that I had dropped, clasping my hand around the blade again, needing to get Nikki out of there.

I rushed to where he had tied her up and started to cut at the frayed rope, praying he stayed distracted long enough. My hands shook the entire time, making the process slower. Fuck. I needed to hurry.

I finally released her hands, her crying form crumpling to the floor. I put an arm around her, helping her to her feet. “Come on, Nikki. We need to get out of here,” I pleaded with her.

As I got her to her feet, I turned around to see that Jim had put out the flame and was now facing us both. “You stupid fucking, cunt! I'm going to kill you.”

He rushed me again, and I lashed out at him to protect Nikki. The blade landed in his chest and got stuck, slipping from my fingers as he fell backward.

He gasped for breath, using each one to curse me as I picked Nikki back up and rushed her past him while he was distracted. The gurgling was the last I heard from him. A sound I would never forget. The sound of death. Of a man dying by my hand.

I dragged Nikki outside and called 9-1-1 using the landline. We lived out in the country, and I knew it would be a while before the cops showed up. Nikki was frozen in shock as I set her in the grass near the driveway.

I had just killed a man and knew I couldn't stay here. I ran back inside, back to my room, pausing in the doorway to see Jim's sightless eyes, open and not blinking. His chest didn't move. For a moment, I was frozen at the sight. I did this. I killed him.

Shaking myself from my stupor, I rushed past him, stepping over his still form to grab shoes, clothes, and a little money that I had stashed away in hopes of running away when I had gathered enough. I shoved it all into my backpack before I ran back outside to Nikki. I threw a blanket I had brought with me over her shoulders.

“Nikki. Look at me.” I shook her when she didn't immediately respond to me. When her vacant eyes met mine, I mumbled, “I've got to go. Jim won't ever bother you again, but I can't stay here. You'll be safe now. Blame everything on me.”

Her shock kept her from responding, from registering what I’d said, but I knew she'd remember when it wore off. “I love you, Nikki. You take care. I'll find you again when it's safe,” I promised her.

Her brow furrowed slowly in question as my words started to register. I kissed her brow, being careful not to hug her where she’d been burned. “I love you,” I whispered again as I heard the sirens approaching.

I rushed off into the night, gone before they ever arrived.

Chapter Thirty Five: Rhowyn

Fuck! I thought to myself, slowly swimming back to consciousness and away from the nightmare that had been my life. The first thing I registered was the sense of worry that came from somewhere else. It wasn’t mine, but I felt it just as if it was. Then the pain in my back came to my awareness. Fuck! That hurts. Somehow, this pain was worse than when Jim would burn me. I didn't think I had ever felt pain like this before and that was saying something.

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