Depraved Appetites Chapter 3

Please enjoy chapter 3 of my first book!

The Roommate

“Where the hell have you been all damn day?” I ask.

“Just over at Scarlet’s. What’s the problem?” Roxie says.

“The problem is, I know where I put my shit, and now it’s not there!”

“Well, here I am. I don’t know anything about your missing stuff, I’m sorry. I can’t return something I did not take.”

Pacing the floor, holding my head in my hands. I know she knows what I am talking about. I know she took it.

“Please don’t play dumb with me, you know what I’m talking about. I guess I can’t trust you anymore.” He said.

He can’t trust me anymore. He’s the one who’s been cheating since day one, and beating me since we got back from our honeymoon. If anyone should have trust issues, it’s me! Shit, I shouldn’t have come back; my medicine is not worth the third degree.

Suddenly, he sees I've stopped listening, and in exasperation, he demands that I return everything taken. With a shrug, I refuse, and now he's enraged. We part ways, and as I head to my room to call Scarlet, I hear indistinct muttering coming from the other room, so I follow the sound, tiptoeing as quiet as possible. At the end of the hall, I can see Tristan talking to Holly in the living room, through a mirror across from where I'm standing, but they can't see me. There is this impending doom. My heart is pounding in my ears. There’s a lump in my throat, and I’m start to sweat through my shirt. Holly is being encouraged and rewarded with alcohol to attack me. She believes him when he tells her that I stole from him, and I deserve punishment. Now that the demands from him are higher, so are the rewards. Tristan holds up a baggie of cocaine. I'm shocked, terrified, and I can't believe what's happening here. Tristan shows Holly demonstrations, as if they're in some kind of self-defense class. Right then, my flight senses kicked in, and I took off towards my room and locked the door. Filled with a sense of dread. Suspecting Tristan was behind this all along, my doorknob rattles, they must have heard me, I thought as Holly springs into the room, in a position to pounce. How the hell did she get in?

"Well, well mother. What do you have to say for yourself?" Holly asks, blocking my only exit.

Even though I'm petrified, I am not going to give my fourteen year old the upper hand. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

She laughs at me sarcastically. "Oh I think you already know." She said maliciously.

What do I do? How do I handle this? I don’t think any mother should have to be put through this. I don’t want to hurt her, and I really don’t want her to hurt me again. What if Tristan comes to help her? Oh jeez, I have to get out of here. Holly lunges at me, and takes a swing. She jabs me with a southpaw, and as she lets me get to my feet, she thrusts towards me, charging quick and fast, pushing me through my second story window.  

Waking up, realizing what just happened, panic sets in, and my adrenaline begins to rush. How long have I been out? Did my daughter just try to kill me? What if she comes back to finish the job? My mind is racing with all these questions, my heart's pounding so hard, I can feel it throbbing in my chest. I'm covered in debris, cuts, scrapes, and blood. I've got to get out of here and back with Scarlet; I know she'll help me. Digging in my pockets, I have my car keys, thank God! Now, I don’t know if I can get up after having the wind knocked out of me. Ugh, I groan, it hurts.

There’s a rustling in the bushes near me. Oh shit! What's that sound? I think I hear someone, and then I see their headlights. Oh no! What if it's them? The car comes into focus as it slows down near our house and, Wait, I know this car. They're pulling in. I sit up as much as possible and wave my hands into the air.

"HELP!" I yell at the driver as they exit the car.

"Roxie, Oh my gosh baby, are you ok?" Scarlet asks me.

"No, please get me out of here please!"

Scarlet helps me up off the ground, lets me wrap my arm around her neck and helps me hobble to her car.  Meanwhile, apologizing for letting me leave her place and I keep telling her that I had to. Then, Scarlet asks the burning question of who put me in my current position, and I explain what happened. Afterwards, it occurs to me that she just showed up, and I ask her how she knew that I was in trouble. She explains that she didn't know that part, just that I was supposed to call, and when she tried to call me, there was no answer, so she followed her instinct and it led her to me. Wow, that's incredible, I thought. As she tends to all my wounds and wraps my ankle in an ace bandage, I express my gratitude and love.

Into the evening, Scarlet and I are in bed, and my mind just won't turn off so I can get to sleep. As happy as I am too have Scarlet; the love of my life, it saddens me deeply to know my family has turned against me. I can't believe my daughter attacked me. I should have been much more afraid of them than I was, especially Holly. I really need to get the rest of my stuff from the house, but how? Well, I guess tomorrow, there isn’t supposed to be anybody home. I'm terrified to go alone, I hope she is will go with me. I wish my brain would shut up. Maybe my adrenaline is still running? Finally, I was able to relax my body, close my eyes, and feel the warmth of her touch wrapping around my waist as I drift off.

I arise to Scarlet singing, "Good morning sweetheart, it's time to get up." How lovely it was to be serenaded upon waking.

"Awww! You're so sweet. I love you baby. Would it be ok with you, if we took the day off and went to my old house to pick up the rest of my belongings?" I ask.

"Yeah, of course we can. Nobody's home, right?"

"No, that's why I want to get in and get out, and be done with it. My ankle is feeling better too, so that helps." I said.

After we get ready, we hop in the car and make our way back to the house that nearly killed me a little over twelve hours ago. Admittedly, I am scared to death to go back. I'm visibly shaking, sweating, and beginning to feel nauseous the closer we get. Scarlet pulls in the driveway, the bedroom curtains are snapping in the wind, forcefully pulled  in and out of the shattered glass. It brings tears to my eyes just looking at it. Remembering the her cold hearted attack brings all my raw emotions to the surface and I have a break down, right there in the car.

"I can’t do this.” I said.

“Yes you can. Nobody’s home, and even if there was, I would die protecting you.” Scarlet said.

“Ok, I think I can.”

In my head, I kept repeating, I can do this. Everything will be ok. Every part of me wanted to turn and run away as fast as I could, but I forced myself out of that car and made the short walk; that seemed endless.

At  the front door, I pull out my key to unlock it, and it appears that Tristan has already changed the locks. I guess he didn’t want me to come back. Scarlet takes a chance and knocks. After a minute, we hear locks opening. Who could it be? I ponder. My anxiety rises when I hear the chain drag across the metal, then we're greeted by a sexy woman who I have never seen. She is so voluptuous with long blonde hair and the prettiest ice blue eyes I've ever seen. What on earth is she doing here though? Who the hell is she?

"Hey ya’ll, my name's Isabella, but ya’ll can call me Izzy! It sure is a pleasure to meet ya’ll" She said buoyantly, with a big smile.  "I just moved in, and I'm still trying to get settled in, but things sure are different since I was out last time. Please excuse the mess. Apparently, there was an accident here last night. It’s so good to make your acquaintance. Can I offer ya’ll some sweet tea?"

"Absolutely, thank you. Just as soon as we get packed, we'll sit down and chat." I answer.

Observing her every word, "It’s good to meet you too." We introduce ourselves hesitantly for fear Tristan has told her about me. Izzy invites us in after we inform her that I've left a few of my possessions behind.

Scarlet and I go to my old room and pack the little bit of stuff I left behind.

“Why in the world would you agree to sit down with that woman? Tea!? Who offers people tea anymore? I’ll tell you who. Crazy people!” Scarlet waves her finger in my face.

“Calm down. You sound like the crazy person, right now. Now, I know she has to know something, and I am going to find out what it is.” I said.

“Pardon me, are ya’ll gettin’ along ok in here?” Izzy asked.

“Oh, we’re doing great, thank you.” I answered. “Scarlet, would you please put this bag in the car for me?”

“Sure, no problem.” Scarlet answered.

“The sweet tea is ready whenever you ladies are.”

The three of us gather around the dining room table, and I can’t help but take notice of Izzy’s southern mannerisms. Her perfect posture even makes me sit upright. I shook my leg, nervously under the table, waiting for the right time. Is she going to tell me, or am I going to have to ask? Finally, I cave.

"So Izzy, tell me, how did you and Tristan meet?" I asked.

Izzy fell silent. Her eyes went cold. She never faltered from pouring her glass of tea. A slice of lemon was placed on the side of each glass, and then she sat down. Izzy looked me dead in the eyes, and for a moment, I felt her suffering. This was not something Scarlet could or would ever understand.

“Listen sugar, I’ll answer your question, but only if I can tell you the whole story.” Izzy said.

“Yes absolutely. Please do.” I said.

“I was living with the man I was going to marry, and he was a fine upstanding citizen who was a major part of our community. I caught him in scandalous behavior, and I know it’s unladylike, but I snapped and lost my temper.” Izzy said, stopping to take a sip of her tea.

Scarlet and I are so entranced by her story, that you could hear a pin drop in the house.

“I took the ceramic coffee mug I had in my hand and bashed him over the head with it. He had blood running down his face, and gosh, it was everywhere. It certainly wasn’t my proudest moment.”

“I just can’t see a sweet girl like you, doing a thing like that.” Scarlet said.

“Well, unfortunately I did, and the police came and arrested me. I was sentenced to five years in prison for first degree assault with a deadly weapon. After I went through booking, they placed me in a pod that would become my new home for the next five years.” Izzy said, with tears building up in her eyes.

“That’s where you met Tristan.” I said.

“Pardon me.” Izzy said, and quickly departed.

“Oh my God! Something is wrong here.” I said.

“What do you think it could be?” Scarlet asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe she’s upset about having to relive her experience in jail. That would make me cry.”

Izzy returns with bloodshot eyes. I can tell she was sobbing pretty hard.

“I’m so sorry ladies. I’m not a very good hostess, running off on y’all like that.”

“No, it’s ok. Take your time.” I said.

Scarlet shoots me a dirty look. Whatever, she’s going to have to get over it.

“Yes, that is where I met him and he was the first officer I met. He made me promises he never kept and he made me do unspeakable things with him.”

“Really? I’m so sorry.” I said, not quite believing her story yet.

“Also, he made me tell him I love him, and write these love letters or he would make my life a living hell on the inside. It was already bad enough, I didn’t need him to make it worse.” Izzy said.

Now, I believed her. I know how cruel Tristan can be, and I’m so irate that he would do this to someone in prison; someone who is already so helpless. He took advantage of her, and me, and now he’s going to pay.

“The only reason I agreed to move in here, is because I have nowhere else to go. When he offered, he said I could have my own room, he just didn’t say I would have to pay rent by means of sex. I guess one mistake can cost you your life.”