Victoria

Rose left the house dark. She preferred it that way anyway. She made her way into her favorite room, her sanctuary as she called it. A small living room behind the kitchen. Here is where she could be herself - or who she wanted to be anyway. She didn't have to put any shows on here. She flipped through her CD collection and chose one of her favorite Christian rock singers. She slid it into the tray, chose track two to start with and fell backwards onto the sofa putting her arm over her eyes. The song was appropriate for how she felt at the moment; 'I Can't Do This' by Plumb. No truer words were ever spoken or sung in her opinion. She didn't want to process the information she'd received tonight. Rather she wanted to forget it. And run. Run as far as she could. Deep down she knew he would find her no matter where she went. She may get a few years of peace here and there, but it would never end. He would always find her. Always. He'd found her again. A message waited for her in the woman's memory. A message she didn't really want to hear. Absently she rocked her foot with the beat of the music and let her mind slip into the fitful dream that was waiting on the edge of consciousness.

She walked through a house she'd never seen, yet was perfectly familiar, to the restroom, the dead woman's reflection stared back at her through the reflection in the mirror. Her soft ivory skin and liquid green eyes, eager to face the day. She pulled her black hair back into a bun and applied her conservative make-up. She wanted to look intelligent today. A knock came at the door. She turned to greet and young girl of seven, all smiles. "Morning mommy." Kisses to the forehead and a pat on the back was greeting enough for the child. She scampered down the hall with her doll carelessly draped over her right arm.

The woman walked down two doors and knocked. "Coming," came her young son's voice. She made her way into the kitchen, poured her daughter a bowl of cereal, herself a glass of orange juice. The boy entered, grabbed himself some cereal. "You gonna be home in time for game tonight?" he asked. "We play at four."

"Uh huh. I took the afternoon off. Better hurry, your bus is going to be here any minute." The kids dropped their bowls in the sink and shot out the door as the bus pulled up. She rinsed her glass and the bowls and grabbed her purse to head off for the day. The day went by uneventful enough. Two lectures and lunch with her husband. A quick stop at the store to pick up snacks for the game. It was her week to bring them. She paid the cashier with her debit card. Her heels clicked against the asphalt as she crossed the lot to her yellow convertible Saab 9-5. She liked to park near the back of parking lots. For the exercise. The bags made it the back seat, but he would stop her from making it into the driver's seat. Her keys landed in a puddle. There was no scream.

She blinked against the bright light above her. Terror filled her heart and her throat but she remained silent. She scanned the room for anything that might tell her where she was. It looked like a hospital room. Oh, so maybe I just passed out and I got brought here, she thought. She relaxed a little continuing her evaluation of her surroundings. The monitors next to her bed beeped at a steady rhythm, no warning bells that she could make out. An IV had been placed in the vein just above her wrist, but there was no tape to hold it in place. The temptation to remove it was expunged as he entered the room. White coat, stethoscope, soft brown eyes peering out from behind wire rimmed glasses that rested on a young white face. Okay, a doctor, good. A bit young, but still a doctor. She swallowed. I hope. He smiles revealing perfectly straight teeth.

"What happened?" She squeaked.

"Nothing you need worry about, Victoria. You will be just fine."

"Why am I here?"

"I need your blood. It's very rare. Very, very valuable." He said it simply, like it was inconsequential. Fear began its journey back up into her throat as he continued. "Oh, don't worry, it's for a good cause. Your blood will save many, many lives. Your death will not be in vain."

The panic returned in fitful breaths. Unable to find her voice, she began to hyperventilate.

"But I need you to do something for me. Can you do that, Victoria."

She didn't move; couldn't move. She immediately understood why deer stand still as they watch the head lights of a car coming at them. Too scared to move. Too scared to scream or breathe right. Facing death was quite surreal.

He flipped the switch on a machine that was silent before. She felt a twinge of revulsion as it began sucking the blood from her veins through the IV tube into a large plastic container on the floor. She reached for it but he grabbed her arm. His icy grip was hard as stone. She tried to struggle against him without success.

"Just let it happen. Its easier that way. For you." He smiled again, taking her other hand and holding them together with one of his. "I need you to remember this. Remember me."

She found her voice and forced a scream. It was quickly stifled by his other hand. His golden eyes now inches from her own. Wait? Weren't they just brown? His breath filled her nostrils with the sweet smell of lemons and honey. Then he said the words, the last words she would ever hear. "I'm still waiting Twila. Come to Daddy you little freak. I keep hunting until you come home. I know you're watching." A crooked grin pinned itself to his ivory face. Her hand relaxed under his. He chuckled with a low growl. "Don't keep me waiting long."

Rose shot up with a start. Her lungs refusing to process the air she sucked. She tried to swallow which didn't work either. She crossed the hall to the bathroom and vomited the days intake. Every nerve in her body felt raw. For the first time in seven years she felt fear. Deep, gut wrenching, life changing fear.

She knew it would be him; that he had found her as he was bound to sooner or later; as he always did. But knowing doesn't prepare one for the shrieking horror his silky voice invoked. Why can't he just let me be? She balled up on the floor and cried herself into exhaustion.