As we took a pause we heard the children playing and figured their programs were over and maybe they needed some attention. I grabbed Matt and kissed him like it was our last kiss on this earth. I whispered into his ear, “Thank you for being so wonderful.” and he held me tight and replied, “It’s really quite easy since I love you so much.” Matt then jumped out of bed and put on his robe as he rushed to the children. I lay on the bed and relaxed. The window was open and a cool summer breeze was blowing in. I could hear the sounds outside of cars driving by, kids playing and a neighbour hammering nails. I stretched out on the bed staring at the blue sky and the little white flakes of cottonwood pollen floating against the bright blue background. I thought maybe I should count my blessings and try to put all the stress behind me. I felt, in that instant, the rare moment of knowing I was indeed happy and I wanted nothing to spoil it.
I heard the phone ring and a moment later Matt came with the clothes I had left on the kitchen floor and asked if our home teacher, a man from church assigned to visit families and bring a spiritual message once a month, could come over after dinner that evening. As I dressed I replied, “Sure, why not? As long as you promise that after he leaves we can have a night to rival the last two hours that is. You are the perfect drug and I absolutely demand another dose!” He seemed caught off guard but replied, “Uh yeah…sounds like a request I would be happy to fulfil!”
Before dinner we took the kids to the park. I felt so proud to show off my family to anyone who would notice. I wondered how I could make sure their natural intelligence could be protected from the influence of school and asked Matt if we should teach them at home. We had talked about the idea somewhat in the past but now I was giving it serious consideration. I did not want any of my children to be just “average.”
While we sat on the ground Matt mentioned that Dennis Martin was our new home teacher. He was the bishop’s assistant – a rather large man who I had always felt was opinionated. I figured it was okay, but I warned Matt, “If that guy becomes obnoxious I swear I will get the pictures from our last trip to the nudist resort!” Matt laughed and cautioned against it as his heart might not survive the stress.
After shopping we went home and unloaded some groceries. I was starving so I went to the refrigerator to get the last piece of pepperoni pizza from the previous evening. I looked but all that was there were pieces of the combination pizza. I asked Matt in a teasing way, “Didn’t I ask for you not to eat the last of my pepperoni?” He said he had not eaten any. It did not seem important at the time so I just grabbed a piece of what was left before starting dinner.
The kids went to bed and I was anxious for more intimate time with Matt. I hoped “Brother Martin” would not stay long and I even joked as I sat down in Matt’s lap, “Maybe we should just turn the lights off, shut the drapes and pretend we are not home.” He looked at me and smiled, and as I started unbuttoning my blouse, he laughed, “That sounds like a great idea!” However, as I got off him and he went to shut the drapes Martin rang the doorbell. I shrugged my shoulders and started buttoning up my blouse.
He greeted us in a friendly manner and we invited him into the living room. As he sat down he asked how we were doing and Matt mentioned my book. Martin said he had not heard anything about it and asked what it was about. When I responded, “Violent psychopaths” he sat back, “Now why would a pretty girl like you be interested in such a horrible subject?” Matt quickly defended me, “Hey, you should read it – it is really interesting! I had no idea how normal some of these people can appear!” Martin replied in a holier-than-thou tone, “I try to avoid things that could pull me down. Don’t you think it is best to concentrate on that which will uplift us?” Matt responded, “Disease is unpleasant but we have to understand it so shouldn’t we also learn about psychology?” At that Martin seemed anxious to change the subject.
“Matt and Melanie, the message I wanted to leave with you is on families. You have been to church in the nursery and the parents and children seem to absolutely adore you. I just want to ask you, do you love kids?” I thought that was a dumb question and responded, “I have three kids so far, I would hope that is evidence!” as I took Matt’s hand. Martin asked, “Would you like to be with your family in the eternities?” I saw where this was heading – the message was soon going to be that I needed to get baptized and then we could all be sealed and live in Heaven and be near one another. It was a beautiful concept, but I was not really in the mood to submit just yet. Also, I was not sure, maybe it was Martin being so forward but it set me in a somewhat confrontational mode. I asked, “What if you had a parent who was scum, but he were to accept the Gospel – would one have to be near him forever?”
Martin commented, “All people are ultimately good and nobody is out of reach of God’s love and redemption so maybe that bad person would become righteous.” Normally I would have been able to play along and not escalate this issue into a battle but I was starting to feel like I had the previous night! I felt the adrenaline surge as I commented, “So I might not have a choice as to tell a lousy father to stay away from me, in fact, I might get stuck with him forever! Is this what you are saying?” Matt tried to intervene but Matin was not going to allow him to do so. Martin said, “We have to forgive all people! That’s what Jesus taught so maybe…” I released Matt’s hand and stood up. I almost could feel myself blanking out, a sensation I had not felt for years, as I screamed, “If that is what I am supposed to accept then from this day forward I refuse to set foot in your church again!” I turned to Matt, “And I refuse to allow the children to go there as well! In fact, from what I once read I can refuse for you to go there, is that right?” Matt started to answer but Martin cut him off, “Well, technically, but…” I interrupted him in a quieter but meaner tone “No, I cannot take this right now – leave, get out of my house now!” They both looked stunned so I yelled so loud it woke the children, “I said leave this instant or I will!” I then ran into the children’s room and locked the door. I could hear Martin leave and Matt came to the door.
“Melanie, honey, I am sorry for what happened, could you please come out?” I needed to hurt someone at that moment, I did not know why but I had to lash out at Matt. However, I did not want to scare the children so I told him, “I am sleeping in here tonight, do not bother me, understand?” He again asked me to open the door and I told him to leave me alone. I was enraged, but I also understood it was not Matt’s fault. I needed some time to calm down and figured that by tomorrow everything would be back to normal. I just had to get that letter and burn it!
The next day I opened the door and Matt was in the living room waiting for me. He asked, “Would you like to have a couple of hours alone?” I said that I would appreciate that and I reached out to him. He took my hand but I could not fake any emotions – I was still in shock I suppose and I needed some time alone to gather my thoughts, burn that lousy letter and restore my life. As Matt got the kids ready to take them out I went into the living room and sat there, alone, pondering my hatred for my father and the new problems he had caused me. I could hear Matt open the door – my daughter called out, “Mommy?” but I did not bother to answer. Matt said he would be home in a while but all I could say in reply was, “Whatever!” as he walked out the door.
I sat there feeling sorry for myself I guess. I searched inside my mind and maybe wondered who I really was. It had been a certain comfort that my mother had died as it helped me in not having to answer to anyone else but myself, as well as those I chose to have around me. I vowed that I would not let my father barge in and destroy my new life. I sighed and told myself, “Melanie, all you have to do is get rid of that letter and patch things up with Matt.” I even started to think about the holiday plans that he and I had talked about. I walked into the kitchen, picked up the letter, and stated, “You don’t want to meet me Mr. Johnson – I might have to show you who I really am.” At that I opened the window and set his letter on fire, taking a certain comfort knowing
I was burning his return address so I had no way of contacting him.
I took a deep breath and decided that I could pretend nothing had happened. I undressed and headed for the bathroom. I turned the water on and suddenly I heard a crash in the kitchen. Had I left the window open? I could have sworn I shut it but maybe I was mistaken and the wind had blown something over. I opened the door and looked down the stairs…but I did not hear anything else. I figured there was nothing to worry about so I went back and took my shower, all the time wondering when Matt would be home so I could set everything straight again.
After I dried off I was in no real hurry to get dressed. I went down the stairs and noticed a vase had fallen to the floor and was broken. I figured it was not so expensive but that it was best to go ahead and get dressed so I would not get cut cleaning up the mess. I then looked up and noticed the window was shut. And then I had that creepy feeling that I was not alone. I could feel the hairs on the back of my head and on my arms tingle and stand erect. I slowly looked around, instinctively covering my breasts with my left arm. I realized that our guns were in the bedroom, but that meant going back upstairs – and I was on no state to rush outdoors and wait for Matt to get home. I then grabbed a butcher knife and surveyed the house.
Hearing nothing, nor seeing any signs of an intruder – the door was actually locked – I guessed that maybe the vase had been placed too close to the edge of the cabinet and had fallen on its own. I still firmly clutched my knife though as I went up the stairs to our room. I slowly opened the door and looked around but still nothing. I took a deep breath and reasoned I was just being jumpy due to the stress of the last couple of days. Then…my life as I had known was shattered as much as the vase in the kitchen!
I suddenly heard a male voice from behind, in an arrogant tone that I quickly remembered hearing the previous week in the interview. My heart stopped as he stated, “Hello Miss Lindberg.” I quickly swung around with my knife pointing right at him. However, what greeted me was the sight of that same man with a large gun aimed directly at me! “Why Melanie, is this the way you welcome all visitors to your house? I have to admit, your lack of formal attire, coupled with the knife, lends to somewhat a kinky greeting. Maybe you should have shown this side of you to your visitor last night?”
He laughed and then motioned the gun towards the bed. I quickly took inventory of the situation and guessed the outcome – rape and then a bullet to my head. It was strange having a gun pointed at me. Thoughts rushed into my mind. I wondered what it was going to feel like when he finally pulled the trigger. Would it hurt? Would I lie there and bleed to death, or would he shoot me in a spot that would extinguish my life quickly, painlessly. I wondered, would my consciousness end like a TV turned off – a fade to black? I also thought how much a waste – I had treated my body with the utmost care all my life and, probably, I would soon be a pile of dead meat. I hoped that Matt would find me before the children. I did not want my children’s last image of me to be one of torn flesh lying in some undignified position.
I hesitated, but then he demanded, “Put the knife on the bed, now!” I complied...waiting for what I anticipated would be the next demand, and wondering what, if anything I could do to get out of this predicament. He then said, “Let me guess, you think I am going to rape you and then kill you, right?” I stared at him not saying a word. He continued his taunt, “Melanie, Melanie, Melanie, sure, the thought had crossed my mind. I mean, I could tie you up, do whatever I pleased with you and then…well, what then Melanie?” I asked, “What do you mean?” He laughed again and continued, “Okay girl, I could always degrade you and then strangle you, stab you, cut your throat or just shoot you…which would you prefer?”
I decided to play along and maybe buy some crucial time to think about what to do. I tried to surprise him, “Well, I am not sure. I would hope that you could just leave and we could pretend this never happened. I mean I have no reason to call the police. Would that be possible?” He shook his head to indicate it was not. I continued, trying to maintain an assertive, yet non-threatening tone, much the way one might approach a mad dog maybe, “How about sex? Look, my husband will not be home for hours – maybe we could just…” He interrupted me, “Sorry, that is not an option either.” I was now quite worried, what option did I have left? I continued, “Well, I hope this is not the way it is going to end for me. Yet I suppose I could let you choose my end, but would you at least promise me that you’ll reconsider and let me have fun with you before that moment?” He did not laugh but he just looked at me, “What do you mean by that?” I replied, in a manner to convey that I was not afraid, “What do you think? If you are going to leave me here dead the least you can do is let my last hours be pleasant, isn’t that at least fair? And maybe, hopefully, you might see that killing me would be such a waste.”
I hoped my unusual request, coupled with my granting him the opportunity to let me live, might save my life for at least some time. He then said, “I knew it, I was right! You are a cold bitch, as cold as I am. Okay, maybe I didn’t come here to molest you or to kill you. Happy?” I slowly nodded. “Good! Now that we have that cleared up – but remember, I have nothing against being the last human being you see before you take your last breath, so do as I say and you might just live. Oh, and in case you forgot my name it’s Vincent – okay? From now on you call me by my first name.” I wondered what he meant by, “from now on” but at that moment I just wanted to live.
Vincent told me to get dressed. He then demanded, “Pack as if you are going on a very, very long journey. I complied but asked, “So Vincent where are we going? I mean my family…” He interrupted and stated, “Melanie, you don’t have a family anymore!” I stopped, frozen and fearing what he meant by that. Vincent then said, “Oh don’t worry, they are alive and well. And if you want to keep it that way you have to say goodbye to them. The way I see it, I can kill you and then you’ll never see them again anyway, or you can come with me and maybe live. It’s your choice.”
My hands were shaking as I put on my clothing. He then directed me to get a suitcase and start filling it up. As I complied I wondered why he was asking me to pack. I knew my chances at living were slim if I let him take me away, but my chances were zero if I refused. He started laughing as I was piling clothes in the suitcase, “Melanie, you ever wonder why people do not check their basements or their garages when they get home? I have been in your basement for almost two days – listening to all your conversations and arguments. And you never even suspected anything. Funny thing, isn’t it?”
I did not find it amusing – I continued to pack and then looked at a picture of Matt which had been taken the first day he told me he loved me. I reached for it but he told me to move away. Then he asked me for my purse. I pointed to the corner of the room and he looked inside. Then he took a pair of socks from the floor and pulled then over his left hand. “Melanie, toss me the picture.” I complied and then he threw it down on the floor, busting the glass. He then picked it up and smashed what was left on the bed post, mangling the image beyond recognition. He then rummaged through the purse and took out my wallet. He flipped through and took the picture I had of Matt and crumpled it up.
I asked, “Why are you doing this?” He then said, “Shut up and grab a piece of paper. And if you do anything I don’t like I will make sure I shoot you where nobody will be able to put you back together, but it will take a long time for you to finally die, get the point?” I was quite frightened at that moment and showed him the paper. “Good, now Melanie, I have heard your arguments – things are a bit tense between you and Matt. And those kids, so full of life, aren’t they? Now either they come home and find you gone, or they come home, find you dead, and then get the opportunity to join you shortly afterwards. We clear on that?” I nodded, worried about my family, as well as myself.
“Melanie, write in your letter that things have been falling apart at work, yeah, I heard you talking to Matt about that too. Say you have had enough of livi
ng a lie and you want out – no more kids, no more Matt, no more university, and no more stupid religion. And tell him to forget about looking for you because you aren’t coming home. Make some mention of your father – like that he had the right idea after all. Make it convincing and your family lives – try being sneaky and I will cut your fingers off and show them down your throat before I show you what a 45 calibre can do to your pretty little tummy of yours.”
I did as he said but tried to be abrasive enough that Matt would know it was not my words. I asked if I could leave a note in the letter for my friend and he said forget it. I replied, “Look, I have known her since high school and we were like sisters and it would be odd for me not to say anything to her.” He said to just “go for it” and at the end, where I said I was sorry for hurting him and wishing him a wonderful life with the kids I wrote to Nicole, “Remember the complaints I made about Matt the other day at the park, and how if I took off it would be HIS fault? Well, I guess this is it.”
I handed the letter to Vincent and asked, “So do I keep my fingers?” He said, “At least for now” and told me to leave the note on the bed. He also mentioned, “Speaking of fingers, leave your wedding ring next to the note.” I took off the ring, looked at it, wishing Matt would burst through the door and kill this fiend but then Vincent yelled, “Do it now!” I sadly complied. I had one other hint to try to convey though – I also took off Nicole’s ring and left it there as well. Vincent did not take notice of that as he then directed me to head to the garage to my car. He warned, “I will be in the back seat and I will splatter your brains on the windshield if you do anything besides what I tell you to do.” As I opened the garage he also commanded me to use the spare bathroom next to the laundry before we left as it was going to be a long drive. I went in to comply but asked, “Can I at least shut the door?” He laughed, “Lose your modesty or lose your life! It’s your choice.” I suppose the fear overshadowed the humiliation of that moment.
Deliverance from Evil Page 4
