Double Down (a double standards series) Dark Romance (Part 7)

What's Considered Normal Anyways

I stood stock still in the very same spot I was in when the door blasted open and CJ's father fell in apparently shot. I still held the few dirty dishes in my hand that I was about to take to the sink. I still had a firm grip on them, so firm in fact I'm surprised they hadn't cracked.

As softly as possible I sat them back on the table as not to make a sound. I don't know why that mattered because I was the only soul left in this room, this apartment.

Guns. Guns everywhere along with a tremendous amount of screaming and hustling about. I'm not sure what I just witnessed but I knew something wasn't right. There's something about these people and I'm not sure I want to be here when they return. CJ did ask me to stay but how could I? My hands trembled and I felt panicked. I've got to get out of here, away from them.... Away from CJ.

This just isn't right. Families just don't carry guns around and go hunt people. What have I gotten myself mixed up in now? Yes I needed to go and go now. Maybe even leave my apartment and this city, put as much distance between me and this family as possible. Not only do I have the worry of Derrick coming for me hanging over my head, now I have this to worry about. Yes, it's time I left New York and set my site's elsewhere.

On weak ankles I walked slowly down the hall towards the door. The door that now had a pool of blood lying in front of it. As I made my way down the hall my eye's settled on a portrait of a beautiful woman and a very dark and dangerous looking man. I stopped and took the photo in. This has to be CJ's grandparents. The man's eye's seemed to bore into mine as if saying "I dare you to leave". While the woman's much kinder eye's seemed to be asking me to stay. My skin prickled up as I suddenly felt an overwhelming presence in the air. It was time to go now.

Jerking my eye's from the picture I continued down the hall but felt as if their eye's followed me. I finally reached the door and brought my hand to my mouth. The metallic smell of blood lingered and a bloody hand print smeared the door. Fighting the urge to wretch, I extended my trembling hand to the brass door knob. Holding my breath I twisted the handle and gently pushed the door open careful not to come in contact with any blood. Poking my head out of the opened door,I glanced up and down the hall. All was quiet and very empty. Gripping the door frame I balanced myself well and pivoted over the pool of blood. Obviously in the Harper's rush to leave some stepped into the blood and there was a trail of bloody footprints down the corridor. I clung to the sides of the wall to prevent getting near them.

I finally made it to the shiny steel elevator and hurriedly pushed the button. An eternity seemed to trickle by before the doors finally dinged open. I exhaled as I stepped in to find it empty. Since the incident it seems all signs of life had been sucked out of the building, except for me. It was if I was the only person left on the face of the earth. That was until the elevator came to a stop in the bottom floor.

Stepping off I inched my way toward the lobby. As I turned the corner I stopped in my tracks and swooped behind a pillar. In the lobby stood several suited men barring guns as if they anticipated some form of an attack. Taking a moment to regain some composure I scanned the area for another route of escape. In the far corner I spied a black door with an exit sign overhead. As sly as a fox I scampered from my hiding spot and darted to the door. Upon reaching it, I cracked it open only enough to slide my body through. Once inside the door I gently closed it as not to make a sound. Before me was a staircase that led father down. Perhaps it led to the basement of car garage. Honestly I didn't care where it led to as long as it led me out.

Skirting down the stairs quickly I prayed I'd bump into no one. At the bottom was another long hallway. Inwardly groaning I made my way deeper into the bowels of this building. There had to be an exit somewhere. As I walked in I took notice of the hallway. This wasn't a typical basement hall no, lavish carpet cushioned my feet and a dark mahogany wood lined the wall's. Eventually I came to a metal door. There was no sign to indicate where it led but it was my only shot. Pushing the door open I peeked in.

My eye's grew huge as I found myself looking at some sort of underground world. Many suited men scurried about wielding guns. There was half naked women pranceing about or dancing on a stage. The smell of fine foods wafted through the air and it dawned on me that I really shouldn't be here. In fact I probably shouldn't have seen this at all. I had the feeling I'd just walked into some hidden organization and if caught it wouldn't be good. Pulling the door shut I backed up a few steps and prepared to flee. Just as I turned to run down the rest of the hall my path was suddenly blocked. Coming to a halt I gasped and saw Mizery standing there. "What are you doing Alice?" She inquiring while playing with her knife.

I knew I had to be careful with my choice of words. "I was trying to head on home but the lobby is full of strange men. I don't know what's going on here but I think it's best if I go this being a family emergency and all".

Mizery looked at me suspiciously. "Does CJ know you're leaving?"

" No. Once I reach home I was going to call him and let him know".

"Hmmmm". She said as she placed the point of her knife to her finger.

" tell me Alice, what did you see behind that door? "

"I, I, nothing. Nothing at all". I stammered.

She gave me that grin that can be so unraveling and purred. "Good girl. It would be in your best interest to keep it that way don't you think?"

" Yes, yes indeed. I saw nothing". I said quickly and hoped I sounded convincing.

"Excellent. Now if you are truly wanting to leave there's an exit at the end of this hall but beware, if this upsets CJ it won't be good. He'll come for you and this time he probably won't play nice. Best of luck".

Without another word she disappeared into secret world I had just discovered. Not waiting a second longer I darted down the hall until I came to the exit Mizery spoke of. Slinging the door open I found myself in a parking garage and made a heady path out of here. Once home I immediately started packing the few thing's I had in a trash bag. My next stop would be to draw my meager savings from the bank and catch a flight to anywhere but here.

I loved CJ but this was too much. After living the life I've lived I now craved normalcy and there was nothing normal about any of this.