My Killer

A Bottle Of Red

Food was the last thing on my mind at that very moment, but I didn't protest, I just followed Michael silently to our destination instead. As it turned out that destination was the upstairs kitchen.

The kitchen seemed even colder now that it had become dark outside. The warm light of the sun had been replaced by the cold, almost sterile tinted, light streaming down from the overhead light fixtures. A layer of unease hung in the air, almost like the smell of chemicals would linger long after its use in a dentist's office.

I shivered, not from fear, but simply from being chilled and exhausted. Every single one of those steps leading up those blasted basement stairs had felt like three giant steps packed into one enormous leap. I felt utterly drained by the time we reached the top, drained, and even more sore than I had been when we first left the shower room. But deep down inside I knew that it wasn't the steps that made me feel this way, it was the accumulation of events that had come before them, events that had drained me not only physically but mentally as well. My whole body felt like it had been thrown down those basement stairs only to get dragged harshly up the very same set of stairs again, step by step. Moving hurt, standing still hurt, and sitting down on the chrome and white barstool at the kitchen counter hurt. Each action brought with it a different sort of pain. Sitting down made my back and lower region ache, walking was even more horrid, the teeth on the metal hoops slid over the puncture wounds on my ankles no matter how carefully I tried to move, and standing still, that was actually the worst. Standing still made me feel dizzy on top of all that. That's why I didn't protest at all when Michael indicated that I should make myself comfortable on that one chair.

"You look pale and a tad dehydrated. I'll warm up some stew for us, that'll do you some good."

Whatever...

Michael looked slightly concerned as he stared at me from the other side of the shiny kitchen island. His brow was furrowed, his signature smile exchanged for a thoughtful push of his lips, and his eyes, those told the tale of someone mentally tallying up the damage done. Had I not known what lurked beneath his charmingly attentive facade, I might even have believed in this nurturing illusion of his. But I didn't. His previous actions spoke louder than this sudden concern he pretended to have for my health.

I didn't answer him, but that didn't seem to matter. He wasn't waiting for a reply either, he just turned around and started to pull items from different cabinets as well as something from the freezer.

I sat there, drowning in the silence that had grown between us until he finally broke it. The sound of his dark voice penetrated my numb mind.

"I'll need to take a look at the wounds on your ankles after dinner. We wouldn't want them to get infected now would we."

It wasn't a question even though it wore the cloak of one. No, it was a statement in disguise.

I stared up at his back, exchanging my view of sparkling marble for that of his broad canvas. My narrowed eyes threatened to burn holes with all the contempt I silently aimed his way.

Seriously... now you pretend to care...

I couldn't help but scoff at his sudden interest in my health. And the whispered words filled with disdain, those just slipped out.

"Why even bother..."

I'm not sure if it was my answer or the juvenile way I delivered it which made him put the wooden ladle down and turn my way, but it didn't matter, because he did. Michaels hooded eyes burned me from afar. His face frowned at my sudden detached anger, at my insolence. He looked almost exasperated for a brief second.

"Why bother? Why do I bother indeed..."

My body froze and my breath caught as Michael started to make his way around the island that separated us. He prowled towards me like a stalking predator circling its unsuspecting prey. I wanted to move but found that I couldn't. I just sat there, watching him approach from my peripheral vision. I struggled to swallow, my own tongue felt way too big for my mouth all of a sudden. The fact that my throat suddenly dried up didn't help the matter either.