Page 28 of The Dark Obsession

I sit in the dark, staring numbly at the blank TV screen, just trying to make sense of anything—sense of me living, or her living, of love for a parent, or the pain of death.

“Did it hurt? Did she suffer?” I cry out loud.

Chapter 13

Ishakily wrap my arms around a mustard-yellow cushion, the grey-fabric sofa beneath me teeming with memories of my mother—a housewarming present from her. I never liked it, although now, I couldn’t see why I didn’t love it. I stare aimlessly at the reflection of the TV which shows the empty double window behind me. It’s dark in the front room, the light from the hallway not making much of an impact on the moonless early morning.

I force myself to rise unsteadily and sleepily off the sofa and drag my feet across the carpet and into the brighter hallway. My head pounds as the light burns my eyes. Squinting, I crunch my hand against the light switch and turn the hallway pitch black. I feel my way to the staircase and climb slowly. With each step, my vision adjusts.

I look at the top of the staircase, so used to seeing the empty window which shines onto my back garden. I don’t even use the energy to focus.

Seven steps from the top of the staircase, I count.

Six steps from the top of the staircase, my peripheral vision alerts me of movement by the window. My heart jumps, but it soon regains its natural rhythm.

Five steps from the top, I try to force myself to stop, to run down the stairs, but my body is already on the fourth step.

Three steps from the top, I speed up, my heart thudding against my chest. With a drop in my stomach, I remember the events of earlier that night.

Two steps from the top, a shadow jumps out from around the corner.

I let go of everything around me, the force of hands whacking against my chest pushes me down the stairs. A rush of adrenalin pulsates through my head, forcing me to keep my eyes open.

I see nothing but blackness and am unable to figure out where I am when I finally stop falling. My eyes, which are still wide open, fill with a warm liquid that I can feel dripping into my hair.

???

Finally, a peaceful and dreamless sleep. I don’t feel cold, but somehow, I’m shivering. I hear a jingle of what could be bells, though I don’t really care; I’m in my own world here.

“Rosa!”

I stay silent. If I don’t answer, maybe he’ll leave me alone. Why can’t he just leave me to sleep anyway?

“Rosa.”

The owner of the voice shakes me violently. He lifts my head and tries to pry open my left eye. It feels quite stuck. My eyelashes tug on each other. My head pounds to the thump of my heart and quickens as my memory returns. It hits me like a tonne of bricks; my mother is dead.

I open my mouth to shout, but nothing comes out. I flail my arms about, searching for the body to the voice. Cold water falls onto my closed eyes, making me jump, my eyes finally unsticking.

The pale face of a shocked Dale looks down on my fluttering, blurry eyes. Concern fills his dark brown eyes as he lifts me into a sitting position. His hand traces my face and stops just above my hairline. “Rosa, darling. You’re lucky it’s not deep. Can I help you up?” His voice sings almost happily in my ear.

I stiffen nervously as he puts his head under my arms and slowly lifts me to stand. We walk together to the sofa, his hand wrapped tight around me.

I sit silently for a moment, slowly straightening out my head. My eyebrows rise, and a sharp pain jabs through me. “How are you in here, Dale?”

“Surprisingly, your brother called me. He couldn’t get hold of you and, for good reason, got worried. What the hell has happened?”

A moment of silence passes as I ponder the idea of Ben calling Dale after what Ben said the other night.

“My mother has been murdered.” I say, finally.

“Darling, I know. I’m so sorry.” His lips brush my forehead. “But I meant, what happened to you?”

“Someone pushed—” My body shakes uncontrollably as this morning’s events catch up to me. I grip Dale’s arm and pull his body across mine, as if to shelter myself.

“What? What do you mean, Rosa?” Dale doesn’t wait for my explanation; he is gone before I can inhale deeply enough to stop shaking. His heavy footsteps thunder around the house, checking every corner, every room, every window and door for a sign that someone was in here. “It couldn’t be. No-one could have been in here. The doors and windows are all still locked. I unlocked the front myself.” His hands lock onto my face. Looking into my eyes, he kisses my lips.

My body still trembles under his large, pale hands. “I know what happened to me, Dale.” I pull my face from his.

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