REYNOLDS ✔️

CHAPTER 4

Maria wakes up next to Alexander, she lays on her side facing him. He lays there his hair spread across the pillow, his chest rising and falling. He is snoring a little, and drooling a bit, but Maria doesn't mind this just makes her fall for him more. She tucks a piece of hair that's in his face behind his ear. She lays there and smiles at him for a while. She was so fascinated by him, she felt so guilty about manipulating him. She couldn't bare the thought of hurting him any longer. She loved her son dearly, but maybe she could find another way to get the money she needed. She decided to go back home to talk to James. She got up, got dressed, and headed back to her home quietly without waking him. She walked in her home and it was extremely quiet.  She looked around and a bunch of memories flooded her brain. She remembered all the times she'd been hit, and all the physical and mental wounds that were caused here. Most of the wounds still haven't healed. She didn't miss this house, and never will. She heard a pair of footsteps coming down the stairs.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to talk to you.." She started her voice shook because she was a little nervous.
"I can't continue to manipulate Alexander."
He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.
"You can't be serious, you think he loves you? Don't you?"
"Yes. I believe that."
He chuckled to himself and walked towards her.
"He doesn't love you. He's using you, for his own personal needs."
"No he's not. He loves me, more than you ever will." She said getting even closer to him, close enough she could feel his breath against her skin. There was a pause for a moment, she could see flames in James's eyes. She ignited a flame inside of him, he was angrier than ever before. This was his breaking point. He slapped her as hard he could, knocking Maria to the floor. Maria winces as she can still feel his hand against her cheek. He kneeled next to her, and lifted her chin up so she would look him straight in the eye.
"Don't you dare...defy me woman." This made Maria tremble. She could feel the anger behind his words. He let go of her and stood up. Maria had a rush of energy go through her, she felt strong and fearless just for a moment. All the anger she had built inside rose up. She clenched her teeth and ran behind James and tried to push him to the ground. But James was quicker than her, he turned around grabbed her wrists to stop her from trying to punch him. After he got a good grasp he let go and let her fall on the floor. He walks into the kitchen, and Maria hears him pick up something. Her heart begins to race, beads of sweat forming. When he walks back into the room it's a rifle.
"James. Please-don't." She begs, tears forming in her eyes. James moves closer to her aiming the rifle right at her forehead.
"James! No-Please!" She cries, tears rolling down her cheeks. He stops approaching her, and cocks the gun. Maria looks him in the eyes and tries to reason with him.
"I can do whatever you want. Just please don't shoot me! Please!" She sobs. He puts the gun down and then chuckles a sick chuckle to himself.
"Okay..... I'll put the gun down, but someone else has to suffer in your place." Maria is confused and then she realizes, Oh no, Alexander.
"No James, not Alexander he didn't do anything!" She cries. He chuckles again, making Maria confused. He pauses and then shouts:
"George, can you come down here please." Maria's mind goes in a million places at once, George is usually at school by now, but then she remembered it was the weekend. George comes running down the stairs with one of his toys in his hand. He just turned 5, he was a slim little boy, he had short curly hair, a few freckles, eyes that resembled his mother, and a nose that resembled his father's.
"Yes, Daddy." He says, he thens sees his mother. "Mommy, are you hurt?" He asks and clearly sees that Maria's cheek is still red, her eyes puffy from crying.
"No, Mommy's just fine, honey." She then looks over to James. "James. Don't you dare hurt him."
"George I want you to stand in front of me." James says.
"Ok Daddy." He moves in front of him and Maria knows that if she doesn't stop him, he will kill her son. James aims his rifle at the back of George's head, and Maria tries to crawl over as fast as she can.
"What are you doing Daddy?"
"We're going to play a little game." He cocks his gun.
"What's the game-"
But before she can,
BOOM
Her son is on the floor, a pool of blood under his head. Maria lets out a gut wrenching scream. She moves over to her son, and takes him in her arms. She hugs him tightly and sobs as she holds his lifeless body. James is long gone, he ran out the back door to make sure he wouldn't get caught. After a few seconds of her holding her son, someone rushes through the door. It's Alexander.
"Maria are you alright? I heard a gunshot-" He sees her holding her dead son in her arms sobbing. She is rocking him back and forth as if he's still alive.
"Oh my god. What happened?" He kneels next to her.
"J-James he-he killed him." She spoke hardly able to get the words out she was barely able to breathe.
"I'm so sorry." He says.
"Why don't you come back over so you can get cleaned up." He helps her up, making Maria leave her son bleeding on her living room floor. As Alexander walks her out with his arm around her, she continues to look back at her son. He was only 5, she couldn't help but feel guilty. Maybe if she had taken that bullet herself, he would still be alive, he would've been able to finish school, find his purpose in life. But Maria was selfish, she wanted to live so that she could see Alexander again. But now it's too late. James is gone, her son is dead, and she has nothing left to live for.