In The Last Days

Stepping Stone.

"What, cat got your tongue?" He taunted.

"I won't allow you to intimidate me."

Joe's chuckle sent cold shivers down her spine. Even though it was over the phone, his voice never failed to put her on edge.

It was already night but she didn't think she would be able to sleep now.

"Heard about your little accident." He said.

Rose had always known it was only a matter of time before he'd confront her. But she'd hoped it'd be later rather than sooner.

"Please just leave me alone." Her voice was surprisingly strong even to her own ears.

Even though it's been a while since she saw him, for which she was grateful, a feeling of dread filled her.

She didn't want to talk to someone that could potentially send her back to the hospital.

She knew without being told just what he was capable of.

Her grip tightened on the phone as she let out a breathe to steady herself. She sat up and held the bible close.

"You don't scare me anymore. I did nothing wrong to you and you're making me suffer for things I didn't even do. I have enough on my plate I don't need you adding to it." She hoped her boldness didn't get her into trouble.

Her grip tightened on the Bible in anticipation of his next words.

There was silence for a long time before he spoke.

"I see you've grown a backbone Rosie. You really think Michael can protect you from me?" He asked chuckling darkly.

Her heart lurched slightly but she steadied herself.

"Nowhere is safe for you babydoll. " He said darkly.

"Not from me."

"You'd be surprised at He who has my back. " Rose didn't know how she, a timid girl could talk back to her bully.

"I'm not afraid, not anymore. You are just a bully who is as lost as I was. You don't have to make people around you suffer because of your fears and insecurities."

"Shut up! What do you know about me?!" He yelled over the phone.

Rose gasped, really taken aback by his outburst. She could hear him breathing heavily from the other end of the phone.

Her eyes were wide with surprise and with a realization that she'd hit a nerve.

"You know nothing about me or why I do the things I do." Joe gritted out with clenched teeth.

"What could possibly be your reason. People suffer because of you." Rose told him.

The way he treated her was sometimes nothing compared to what others suffer at his hand.

"Watch your back baby doll. That prank was only just the beginning." He said.

"I'm not afraid of you." She said boldly.

"You should be, you really should be."

"What happened to you Joe that made you so bitter?" Rose asked at a loss of words in understanding why he did the things he did.

"Why would I tell you anything. You're nothing more than a stupid little girl who got beaten and sent to the hospital."

Rose clenched her teeth, the words hurt more than she'd admit.

"Watch your back Turner, anything can happen." The line went dead.

His words held a promise and she didn't know what upsets her more the fact that he threatened her or the fact that she'd have to be extremely careful from now on.