by C. M. Carpi
She stood before me with eyes focused on mine as she looked totally lost. Her blond hair pulled on the top of her head without care and her pale skin and cold blue eyes told me there was something wrong. Despite all that, she was very beautiful. She wore a black wool overcoat and Louboutin shoes. The slow motion was on again. Only when she took her hands off her pocket, I noticed the gun she brought.
“Hi, Elena.” — A pervert smile emerged on her face and my legs buckled. – “I thought that would be harder, but lucky me!” You’re right here before me.” — She said while moving closer to me until her face was centimeters away. — “What a pity you are alone!”
What did she mean by that? My body started shaking uncontrolled.
“You look scared. Are you, Elena?” — She asked in a whisper. My purse fell on the floor and I leaned on the car.
I’ve never seen her face before, not even in photography. Daniel didn’t have anything resembling her, but for some reason, I believe it was sixth sense or the stress, I knew exactly who she was.
Anna.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” — She walked around me slowly. — “And I confess I expected more.” — She stopped beside me and said in my ear.
The gun barrel touched my arm and gave me chills. She seemed lost in hatred and I knew I had to fear her. Tears rolled down my face, as I couldn’t hold them and felt the gun moving through my shoulder to my chest. I closed my eyes and waited, but her voice made me open my eyes.
“This isn’t funny.” — She pulled my arm and kept the gun aimed on my back. — “I want Daniel to see this.” — My heart stopped.
What does she want him to see?
When the doors opened, everyone turned to our direction. Daniel wasn’t there.
“Well, better than I expected.” — Ana pushed me out of the elevator. — “I didn’t expect such an audience.” — She looked truly happy.
Sophie walked to us, but when Anna put the gun on my head, she stopped with eyes wide opened. Everyone stood up, as if they couldn’t move.
“Elena?”
Thank God! I thought when I heard his voice. I opened my mouth to answer, but my voice choked. She held my neck and made me face him.
“Elena, why…” — He stopped talking when he saw what was happening. The white wine bottle fell from his hand and shattered. His face turned into despair. — “Anna…” — His anguished voice made me terrified.
“Daniel” — He frowned and I could see terror in his eyes, as he stepped forward. — “Don’t move!” – She screamed and made him stop. — “I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this.”
This? Me? My face covered in tears. She dragged me to the center of the living room as eight terrified people watched and didn’t know what to do. They were Daniel, Owen, Caroline, Thomas, Lucy, Sophie, Scott and Paul.
“Anna, don’t do that.” — Sophie looked calm, she walked to us as Daniel held her.
“Anna” — Daniel raised his arms, as if he were surrendering. — “What are you doing?”
She smiled before answering.
“What do you think?” — Everyone had eyes fixed on us. — “I want you to feel what I felt.” — Sophie started crying as she called her.
“Anna, you don’t want to do that. You’re not like that.” — Her arm eased around my neck and I took a deep breath. The gun wasn’t aimed to my head and I relaxed for a moment. She let go of me and I felt like some type of thrash. She walked towards Daniel and Sophie, pointing the gun to them.
“You used to be my friends. Especially you, Sophie!” — She screamed while aiming at her and Owen who stood between them.
“Anna, let’s talk, please…” — He was calm, but she interrupted him.
“Talk? Do you want to talk? — She screamed and laughed at the same time, hysterically. She pointed the gun to Caroline, who cried while Scott held her hand. — “Do you remember me? I grew up with you, I was part of this family, but now? Now I’m alone here. Completely alone!”
“This isn’t true, Anna.” — Daniel started, but she interrupted him too.
“You all despised me. You despised me, Daniel? And why? Because of her! Because now everything is hers!” — She cried as she pointed the gun to me again, moving fast and striking my cheek with the gun butt. I fell on the Persian carpet and as I put my hand on my cheek, I noticed the bleeding. I tried to breath but the air seemed too thick inside my nose. A hiccup escaped and Daniel ran to me without considering what might her reaction be. He kneeled beside me and pulled me closer.
“I’m here, love.” — His voice was low in my ear and I felt my body finally relaxing. — “I’m here, nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Daniel” — I whispered as I tried to breath. — “I need to tell you…” — But he interrupted me.
“Not now.”
“I need to tell you…”
He wouldn’t let me finish it.
“Shush!” — He wiped my tears with his thumbs and helped me stand. My body felt lighter and I had no control. When I looked at Anna again, I saw the tears in her eyes, and for a second I felt sorry for her. She didn’t seem angry. She looked completely sad, and when she spoke, her voice was so low that we barely heard her.
“Daniel” — He looked at her and kept his arms around my body. — “You promised me” — He started to cry and rubbed the gun on her face as she tried to wipe the tears. — “You promised you’d take care of me, Daniel.” — She was so anguished I could feel her suffering.
They were all standing and no one knew what to do. Paul and Scott moved, but she noticed soon.
“You’d better not to move.” — She said before she started walking to our direction. — “You said you’d be with me and I believed you.” — She pointed the gun at me again.
“Anna, no! Please, don’t do that.” — My heart was pounding. He moved over me and protected me with his body. He tried to keep calm, but his voice showed otherwise. He was frightened and scared, very scared.
“Why not?” — She seemed to smile, but I couldn’t tell from where I was. — “You took everything from me! You took everything that I loved!” — He held my neck and I couldn’t see his face, but I noticed his tension listening to that. He pressed my neck a little. Her words hit him hard. — “I can’t lose you too, Daniel!” —She fell on the couch and cried. Lucy tried to move, but Thomas held her. Daniel made a gesture and they stood where they were. His hands touched my face and he kissed my forehead and my lips.
“Everything is going to be okay.”
“No!” — I whispered while holding his arms.
I love you. He didn’t say anything but I heard that in the way he looked at me and it made my entire muscles contract. I felt this was a goodbye. He let go of me and turned to her. I tried to hold him desperately, but he kissed my hands and kneeled before her while putting his hands on her knees.
“Anna, look at me.” — I understood what he was doing, but it was difficult to look though.
He whispered something in her ear and that made her calmer. She wasn’t crying anymore and a smile emerged on her lips. I saw when his hand stopped on the gun. Anna looked like she went out of a trance; she got up and looked at me.
“Why should I believe you, Daniel?” — She raised her gun and pointed it to my head again.
“Anna” — He stopped behind her and focused on every movement. — “I’m not leaving this time.” — He went closer to her and touched her shoulder. I covered my mouth as I felt I would lose senses.
Keep calm, Elena. Breathe and keep calm
“Come with me.” — He put his hand around her waist and she faced him triumphant. She put her gun down. — “Let’s get out of here, just the two of us.” — She nodded and it looked like the atmosphere went calmer. At least for seconds.
&nb
sp; “Just the two of us?” — He assented.
His eyes turned to me and I nodded. He needed to do it, for me, and for her. The problem is that she knew it from the beginning, and it was just a test. She wouldn’t leave before finishing what she started, and in a fast movement she aimed at me again. She looked deep into my eyes and I saw the sorrow and tears of despair. I saw what would happen and he saw it too. Everyone shouted at the same time. I couldn’t move.
My body wouldn’t obey.
“NO!” — Daniel screamed holding her arm as she pulled the trigger. An excruciating pain took me over and I fell.
This time, I would let darkness cover everything.
Daniel
I went crazy when I heard the shot. I saw it when Elena fell on the floor. I saw the blood staining her light jeans. I saw it when Lucy approached her followed by Scott and Sophie.
“Elena, open your eyes!” — Somebody asked.
“Elena, can you hear me?” — They were all talking at the same time, and the intercom rang while Anna threw the gun on the floor and cried. Caroline approached her and held her, trying to make her calm down. Owen tried to do the same and Thomas called someone. Paul kneeled beside Scott and stretched Elena’s leg while looking for something on the floor. It all happened in slow motion before my eyes as I tried to regain control of my body.
“Daniel! Daniel” — I was brought back by Sophie’s screams. I went next to her and kneeled. Elena opened her eyes slowly and dizzy. I put my hand under her head and she looked at me. I felt the tears filling my eyes, as I felt relieved. She pressed my hand.
“It was a grazed shot, but she’ll need stitches.” — Scott looked at me. I nodded. Lucy grabbed a white towel somewhere and put around her leg. The towel went red in a few minutes. They got up as I picked Elena up and she cried while holding my neck.
“Daniel…” — Anna’s voice full of sorrow and regret as she called me, and I took Elena out of that place. — “Daniel, please?” — I wouldn’t hear anything.
While we went down the elevator, I heard her cry against my neck. I felt the pain because I knew it was my fault.
“It hurts.” — She said in a whisper.
“It’ll be over soon, love.” — I kissed her cheek. — “I promise.”
We crossed the hall and I tried to avoid people from seeing that and asking questions. Sophie took off her coat and put it on the towel when George appeared.
“I heard a strange noise and neighbors are calling…” — I didn’t hear what else he said. Paul continued faster as we got inside the car Scott had parked in front of the building and we moved to the hospital.
She didn’t need stitches on her face and when Lucy finished the bandage on her leg she fell asleep, holding my hand. She didn’t want to take the medication the nurse brought because she said she was allergic and she just asked for Paracetamol. I thought that was odd but I didn’t question her.
I left her with Sophie and left the room to take some air. I needed to think about everything that happened and being around didn’t help me. I sat on the chair in the hallway in front of her door and closed my eyes. I was thinking over about everything that happened today until I fell asleep.
“Daniel?” — I opened my eyes and the only people qualified to make me calmer stood in front of me. My mother’s smile was comforting and my father touched my shoulder and sat beside me. I felt the weight on my shoulders getting lighter.
“Is she sleeping?” — I assented and she held my hand. — “Don’t you want to come home for a while? It’s almost 5 a.m.”
“No, I’ll wait and take her home.”
“So we will stay with you.” — My father said and I nodded.
“Where is Anna?” — I asked my mother. She should know what happened by now.
“On the second floor.” — I looked at her in confusion as she continued. — “She’s being medicated and after she’ll be transferred to a psychiatric institution.”
I covered my face with both hands and my mother caressed me while saying in my ear.
“She needs care, Daniel. Medication, therapies, and the hospitals she went to so far didn’t help. She…”
I got up fast and kicked the chairs on the other side of the hall. I felt like I didn’t know where I was. The nurses looked at me to figure out what was happening.
“Daniel, calm down! You’re in a Hospital!” — My father tried to hold me, but I pulled my arm harshly and walked to the exit. My mother ran and stopped in front of me, putting both hands on my chest.
“Daniel, please.” — The concern in her expression made me stop.
“I know what you think.” — My father said. Of course he knew. — “What happened today is not your fault.”
“Do you really believe that?” — We sat again. — “Where am I now? Elena is hurt, and Anna is going to a psychiatric hospital, and for what?” — He opened his mouth to answer, but I was so angry I couldn’t hear anyone. — “Why did you stop me from doing the right thing?!” — I shouted and my mother held my hand.
“Daniel…”
“No! I should have married her. She needed me. What did I do? What did I do, mom?” — I could hear despair in my voice as tears rolled down my face and she held my hand so strong it seemed she was trying to stop me. — “I ended her life…”
“No…”
“Daniel, that’s enough!” — My father said, but I didn’t even look at him.
“I killed Matt. I killed their son.” — She refused. — “She needs me.”
“Daniel, stop that!” — My mother wiped her tears before continuing. — “You can’t keep doing this to yourself.”
“You will never understand.” — I leaned on the chair and closed my eyes.
“Daniel, look at me.” — Her voice seemed far away.
“I have nightmares with that night. I hear horns and glass shattering… I hear Anna’s screams. I see Matt. He’s always there when I close my eyes. I see him dying every night. Again.And again.And again.” — When I looked at them, I noticed they already knew that. My father held my arm and nodded. — “I cannot lose anyone else, dad.”— I wasn’t talking just about Elena. I thought about Anna as well.
My mother embraced me and we stayed like that. I needed that. I needed someone to tell me everything was going to be okay, even if it wasn’t truth.
“Daniel?” — My sister called me from inside the room. — “She woke up.” — I got up, but something stopped me from getting into the room. — “Daniel, where are you going? She’s calling you.”
* * *
“Are you okay?” — She asked as we left the hospital. I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t look at her without feeling guilty. — “Daniel?” — She called me again. She looked anguished. I looked at her and noticed how scared she was.
“That’s okay, love.” — I touched her leg and forced a smile. She looked at me for some time and finally focused on the street.
“Aren’t we going to your house?” — She broke the silence as I left Upper East Side and followed to Brooklyn.
“Not today.”
She assented and didn’t say anything until we arrived at her house.
Elena
He carried me and put me on the couch. My leg hurt, but it wasn’t worse than the fear I was feeling.
He was very quiet and distant as he sat beside me. He started rubbing his eyes and running his hands on his hair. It looked like he was trying to control himself, but it was too hard.
“Will you tell me what is going on?”
He looked at me with half-opened eyes and I felt a chill all over my body.
“There´s nothing’s wrong.” — He lied. — “Would you like something to eat?”
I nodded. I knew I needed to eat, and I couldn’t remember the last time I had a decen
t meal. I just couldn’t think about it now.
He stayed with me all day and just left to buy ingredients for a soup that none of us ate. He didn’t talk to me. Just answered some questions, but avoided looking into my eyes.
I felt asleep in the evening and I woke up alone in the next morning. I looked for a note over the house. He always left a note when he woke up earlier than me, but there was nothing but an empty space in my chest.
I waited for him for hours. I couldn’t reach him through cell phone, and I finally called Sophie.
“Elena, are you okay?” — She answered quickly. I thought about lying and saying I just called to chat, but when I opened my mouth I felt like a button inside my head turned on. I started to cry and I couldn’t say anything.
“Elena, what did Daniel do?” — They must have known his reaction after everything. I knew it too but I tried to not to believe it. — “Elena?”
“Sorry.” — I said when I finally recovered.
“You don’t need to apologize, sweet.”
“I can’t talk to him. I woke up today and he wasn’t here.” — She sighed and stayed silent. — “Sophie? Do you know where he is?” — I knew the answer.
“No, Elena. Sorry.”
“Okay.” — I’m not sure she heard it.
“Do you need anything? I can go over and stay with you.”
“Thanks, but I prefer to stay alone for now.”
“I’ll be here if you need anything.” — I assented. I turned off the phone without saying goodbye and cried on the couch until I fell asleep again, exhausted and alone.
It was already dark when he went inside, wearing the same clothes from last night. He looked pale and tired. He had drunk. I felt the scent of liquor when he came near me and tried to reach my hand and sit on the couch. I didn’t let him touch me.