Someone Hiding in the Shadows...

112 - A Cloak of Fear

I screamed in terror, as I saw a reflection in the aluminum splash back of the stove. Distorted due to the distance, it was unclear exactly who but there was someone behind me!

I felt the hairs sharply rise up on the back of my neck and It was as if I had an electric shock that had set all my senses on full alert. In a lop-sided wobble, I spun round, clutching my stomach protectively with one hand and grabbing the nearest object with other.

My eyes blazed with alarm, as recognition came to the fore. My breath held for a moment in shock and I felt myself slowly exhaling, as instinctively I tried to calm myself. Anger rose up through my core, as my fingers stretched out and tightly clasped around the neck of the glass olive oil bottle.

My heart beat so hard, I thought it would explode as I screamed, "Help me; there is an intruder in my flat! Call the Police!"

My body trembled with fear, as the empty space between us decreased.

"Get away from me. Leave me alone. Leave my baby alone. You are not taking my baby away from me!" I screamed as my legs began to shake.

Theodora was in front of me. Sexy and dressed to the nines, her look was just on the edge of smuttiness but she had pulled it off. Regardless of not having access to all the usual accoutrements due to hospital care, her nails and hair were immaculate. I despaired, given my current predicament and my limited maternity apparel; my image was not exactly sultry!

Focus woman! Deal with the problem at hand. I told myself.

I felt incredibly nervous, finding it hard to stand yet the words escaped of their own accord.

"How did you find our home? And more to the point, how did you get in?" I whispered.

Theodora just stood there, not answering, apparently sizing me up.

Sweat dripped from my body seeping into my clothes as time appeared to stand still, in perfect silence, as we both considered our next move.

Theodora took a step towards me, moving her hand forward from behind her back. I saw the glint of a large carving knife sparkled in her hand as it came into focus. My mouth felt dry, as I involuntary, stepped away from her. A sneer and a strange smile formed on her face, as the distance between us shortened, Theodora taunted me with the blade, slicing to the left and crossing over to the right.

"No," I screamed, at the top of my lungs, as she advanced towards me like lightning, the knife edge just grazing my arm, as I moved sideward at speed to avoid her.

I winced in pain, as a thin line of blood appeared from the cut and I jumped further out of her way.

Theodora sneered back at me in satisfaction. We paced around each other, as though in a strange latin dance. Then she came at me again, the blade held in both her hands aiming for my stomach. I screamed with every fibre of my being, as the knife cut into my thigh.

The adrenalin, kicked in as with no hesitation, I took my only chance and raised the bottle as high as I could, whacking Theodora over the head with all the force I could muster. There were no second chances here; everything was at stake if I wanted to walk out of this room alive with my baby.

I hit Theodora as hard as I possibly could with the bottle. Shocked and in a dazed state, she staggered backwards and forwards in front of me.

Now, with gained a momentum, before she had a chance to recover, I went on the attack again. Venting my anger upon her.

Hate.

Pain.

Anguish.

There was a deep need to not only protect myself but the life of my precious baby within me.

Thud. Bang. Crash.

It sounded as if a car was hitting the kerb at great force, as the bottom of the glass exploded; shards shattered everywhere and sparkled like diamonds across the floor.

The knife fell from her hand with a clang, as it slid across to the far side of the kitchen.

My hands shook, as I stood here clasping the broken stem of the glass bottle remains. I was reluctant to let it go of my weapon.

Theodora looked at me in utter confusion and disbelief, as she collapsed like a heap on the floor.

A victorious smiled formed on my lips, as I took in her sorry state.

"You shouldn't have underestimated me!" I said inside my head as I smiled at her. The pain started to throb in my leg.

I felt a pain in my chest and in an effort to calm myself I tried to control my breathing in measured breaths.

Theodora was motionless on the floor and eyes remained closed. Blood trickled from the side of her head and red covered the kitchen floor, mesmerised I watched it run into the spaces between the tiles and mix with the olive oil.

I felt a long breath escape my lips, easing my anxiousness and with instinct my hand stroked my stomach.

"Mummy won't let anything bad happen to you darling. That vicious bitch will never get you!" I said with venom, as my hand let go of the remains of the bottle in my other hand. The glass bounced and broke into many jagged pieces, scattering over the floor.

I stroked my stomach rhythmically, as the baby kicked me several times.

"Don't worry darling. Mummy's here. She's never going to harm you or anyone else ever again!" I told my child, as I smiled.

Edit 2.2 August 2017 (PAL)

Don't forget to vote if you enjoyed...please click the star before you go, as it means my story reaches more people.....comments welcome...I'd love to know what part of the world you are from too....

No part of this may be reproduced or transmitted in any forms or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission by the author.

Many thanks for reading my work and sharing my writing journey

Feel free to check out my poems and other works...do let me know what you think, it means a lot to me to hear what you think and will help me grow as a writer.

Many thanks,

Kimberley S B Lieb

I have dedicated this chapter to TheJennyHaniver as she was one of the people spotlighted by #NBR this week and I enjoyed her story.