Killing Me Softly (#Wattys2016)

FIFTY-FIVE

FIFTY-FIVE

It had been so easy to fill the Swiss cheese of her brain.

Between the drugs and the programming he and Keegan were administering, it was almost like taking candy from a baby.

Every time he went to visit, Keegan would huff and puff and demand to know when this would be over, that he was running too many risks by having her there. Phillip would have to remind him of the risks by not having her there. That usually shut him up.

Whenever they spent time together, she was so full of questions. "Who am I?" "What happened?" "Where am I?"

He had stroked her hair and answered her questions in rich, melodious tones. "Your name is Paula."

"Where am I?"

"In the hospital."

"Why am I in the hospital?"

"You've been sick."

"Why? What's wrong with me?"

"You... tried to kill yourself... you drove your car into a tree."

"What? Oh... God... why would I do that?"

"You were upset, because of something you did."

"What did I do?"

"Well... you killed someone."

"That, that, that's not true."

"I'm sorry, but it is."

"Who?"

"My wife. You killed my wife. Tracy. You were in love with me and you wanted her out of the way."

"Oh... no... no, I couldn't have done something like that."

He nodded. "I'm afraid you did," he said matter-of-factly. "But don't worry about anything. I'll take care of everything."

She swallowed. "You will?"

"Oh, yes. I won't let the police take you away. You're not well. I understand that. You were just so in love with me, you couldn't help what you did."

She would look back at him, tears glistening in her eyes. "What are you going to do?" she whispered.

"Don't you worry about a thing. But you have to do exactly as Dr. Keegan and I say, Paula. Otherwise, the police will come and then I won't be able to protect you."

"What do I have to do?"

"Shh, shh. All in good time. Just know that I'll make it possible for you to live a normal life with me."

"Why? Why would you want to help me if I killed your wife?"

Phillip smiled. "Because I care about you. I realized the lengths you would go to for me. I couldn't let you go to jail. You would have gone to jail for the rest of your life for what you did to Tracy. They probably would have given you the death penalty."

"What did I do to her?"

"Stalked her. Told her she had to give me up. When she wouldn't do it, you smashed her face with a rock."

She would cover her face with her hands, horrified. "I could never do anything like that. Ever."

"But you did, Paula. You did."

"What did you do with her body?"

"Don't worry yourself about all that. I took care of everything."

"But, I-"

"So, you owe me your life. Which is why, in turn, you must dedicate your life to me."

"What do you want me do to?"

He smiled. "All in good time. Remember, though... you must do everything I ask. No questions, no complaints. Do you understand?"

She nodded, the slow realization that her life was in his hands beginning to dawn on her. "I... I understand. I'll do whatever you tell me. I promise."

"Good. For now, though, you must rest. You have so much ahead of you and you'll need your strength."

Paula gave him a feeble nod.