The Wrath

Chapter Twenty-Three

Nadines eyelids flutter, then her eyebrows lower into a frown as she groans, she wearily opens her eyes. She blinks them a few times and her eyes focus on a long haired ginger Cat whose washing itself on a nearby bench. Then she hears birds singing, she quickly sweeps her eyes around. She's lying on a paved path, there's grass on either side of her and a pink flowering Hydrangea in front of her eyes, swaying slightly in the breeze. Confused Nadine raises herself up on her forearms, then grimaces placing her hand tentatively on the back of her head. She sees a big heavy branch laying in the grass a few feet away from her, suddenly she remembers what happened. The Cat stops washing itself and watches her intently.
Groaning Nadine staggers onto her knees, there's a big graze on her cheek where she had hit the paving slabs. She looks around recognising her Garden and Danis pet Cat, Bernie. She gets onto her feet then staggers sideways into a red flowering Camellia bush. Nadine shook her head clear then noticed that the back door into the house was open, leading into the Kitchen.
She stumbles forwards heading into the house, she glances down and concentrates on the concrete steps. Gripping the door frame to steady herself, she uses it to help pull herself up the steps, she's hopeful that the grogginess will wear off soon.
She raises her eyes then gasps, immediately turning her face away. As she stands in the doorway, not wanting to enter the Kitchen she listens, straining to hear any noise coming from inside, but there is only silence. She sadly looks into the Kitchen again then edges forwards into the room.
The small Kitchen table was laid out nicely, a tablecloth, candle, a bottle of beer, a microwave meal and silverware. Seated in the chair, with his arm stretched out reaching for his beer, his head slumped forwards was Sean.
Nadines head lowered, she didn't know whether it was through sadness, an unwillingness to see and have this image in her head forever or an act of respect that the killer had not given Sean. Staying close to the wall Nadine slowly circled her way around the Kitchen. Although Sean was dead, she was cautious about going near to him, or turning her back on him. Been stuck in this living nightmare can make the mind play tricks on you. Every shadow, every creak can scare you out of your mind, if she was going to confront Alan she needed to have her wits about her. She felt the doorway which leads to the Dining Room and backed into it, leaving the Kitchen, but her eyes remained on Sean. She closed the door which separated the Kitchen and Dining Room, then finally turned around.
She screams loudly as she finds herself standing beside Dean, who was also sat down. Sitting upright, the dagger handle still protruding from his chest, with his arms resting atop the table. He had been staged in the chair, his head tilted on one side resting against his shoulder with playing cards fanned out in his hand. There was an upside down pack of cards in the middle of the larger table. Nadine glanced across the table then her eyes widened and her hands covered her mouth.
"No," she uttered.

She ran across the room then gripped both sides of Johns head, raising his face,

"John. No," tears ran down her face as she saw the blood stains that had dripped from his mouth.

Nadine sobbed uncontrollably, she pulled him close to herself and lowered her head, burying her face in his hair. She wrapped her arms around him tightly then kissed the top of his head, talking to herself.

"You weren't supposed to be here," she whispered, her voice broken by crying.

She gripped his head and lifted it again, her face changed from despair to sympathy,

"Oh God, what did he do to you?"

Tears still rolling down her cheeks, she leant close to him leaning her forehead against his, she squeezed her eyes shut.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I couldn't save you."

She rested her hand on his, bending the cards that had also been wedged into his hands. As she moved her head away, his head slumped back down, as if he was concentrating on the cards that he had fanned out in his hand. Nadine thumped her fist down on the table and shouted out angrily,