by Gina Keliher
Robbie puts the tea towel and plate down on the side table and walks right up to me. Just holds my hand. No hugs.
“Let’s get you cleaned up.” He says.
I sit on the edge of the bath in my underwear. I’m not embarrassed. Robbie washes Jason’s blood off me but it’s under my fingernails. I hold them up to Robbie and he understands. This should be Ian’s blood, not Jason’s. I climb into the shower and Robbie gets in with me, fully clothed, and washes my hair.
He wraps me in a warm fluffy dressing gown. It smells like mum. We return downstairs
Everyone is sat around the dining room table. Robbie won’t let go of my hand but that’s OK. He got to respect Jason so he shares my pain. Dad has taken Glen in to the study, he realises they shouldn’t be here.
“Now may not seem like the perfect time Alice,” Adrian begins, “but unfortunately there isn’t going to be a better one.
“Hierarchy has been notified. They’ve called a meeting. We don’t know how long Ian has been planning this. How many ‘Takers’ he has amassed. But Alice, know this, we are all one hundred percent behind you. He won’t hurt you or anyone you love again.”
Robbie squeezes my hand.
Mum looks as if she’s going to explode if I don’t say something soon.
“I want him.” I finally say as I look around the table. I see confusion in their eyes. “I want him and I want him to suffer. He’s signed his death certificate in Jason’s blood. I want to find everyone that he’s ever cared about and I want them dead. I want to rip his very Being out of him piece by piece. I want him to beg me to kill him. I’ll make him live for eternity knowing that he brought his pain and suffering on himself. I want him to know that I’m stronger… no better than he is and that he can’t break me.
“No, that’s not right,” I squeeze Robbie’s hand back, “that he can’t break us.”
Ian, let the games begin.
