The room was dark. I tried the switches but only one worked. It was better than nothing though.
He was sleeping. He'd been sleeping for all of noon and it was night time. He'd soon wake and I know he wouldn't like this place. It's the best I could come up with last minute. The air here is stale, so I opened the windows. Not much to open since they were already falling apart.
He stirred and the chains rattled. I watched him, playing all the scenarios in my head. He'll wake and be confused and he'll ask me to clarify what was going on. I will and it'll be highschool again.
He'll look at me with those eyes. Puppy heart eyes. I'll confess my love for him and he'll feel the same. My heart leaped with excitement.
He groaned and tried to sit up. I doubt the floor is comfortable. Last minute. I had to do this last minute and it's not like I had the luxury of time and money. My leg bounced nervously from my chair.
He opened his eyes and blinked slowly.
"You're awake!" I blurted. Oops. Why does my voice sound so…off?
"Penelope?" He groggily asked
Ugh. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at that name. I used to be Pen. His Pen. He'd make crude jokes about it and I'd blush all day. But then that stopped.
"I'm sorry. I haven't gotten dinner yet. I needed to make sure you were okay. Are you cold?"
He sat up, or tried as much as the restraint let him.
"Wha- what's this?" He asked, still looking out of sorts. That's what sedatives do to you. You fall into a sleep induced coma and wake up with your muscles like jelly. Disoriented. I gave enough shot of those to my patients. That was one of the many things I enjoyed about nursing.
"I know. It looks bad. But it isn't trust me. Are you cold? I've got blankets in the car."
"Penelope what's going on? Where are we? Why am I in chains? What's this madness?"
"It's not madness. It's nothing to worry about. I know you don't like the place but it'll change soon. I just need to get some gas and we'd be out of town by tomorrow night."
"What are you doing Pen? What is this? This isn't you." He shakes his head.
I can't help but be offended by that. What does he mean this isn't me? I've always been this way.
"It is me. It's who I've been all along. What? You don't like it?"
"No. I don't. What is the aim for this? You're breaking the law and could go to jail."
I laugh. And laugh. Jail? That will never happen. I am not doing anything wrong. Just being with the man I love. It's nothing more.
"You're being unfair. I am not going to go to jail for trying to be with the man I love. Stop trying to make me afraid. I don't scare easily. Remember?"
He falls silent. His golden browns locked on me and I won't lie, it feels really good to be the centre of his attention right now. It's just me he sees. No one else.
"You're supposed to be my best friend."
I saw red. In one swift motion, I was on my feet and the chair was flying across the room, smashing against the wall and crumbling to pieces. He flinched.
"Best friend? Best friend?! We were never friends. We are soul mates, Garrett. You were always where I was and vice versa. Then you changed. You changed. She took you from me."
"Nobody did anything. We were always friends. Nothing more. I'm sorry if I led you on. Pen. You're getting married and I have a girlfriend."
I shook my head to drown him out and fell to my knees in front of him, needing to touch him. My hands clasp his face and those warm eyes light me up. They always did.
"I never wanted anyone but you. I'm not getting married. And she can't love you like I do. She can't give you what I can."
"Stop this Pen. Please. You're making this worse. You can't be here doing this to your Fiancè. You're engaged."
"I'm not. I don't have a Fiancè because he's dead."
Shock is prevalent on his face but that morphs into horror at my next words,
"I killed him."
"You what?!"
"I had to. He wouldn't let me be with you. He wouldn't let me go. I killed him so we could be together. I did it for us."
He is pulling away from me. Not physically but his eyes are saying it all. He tries to withdraw but the wall stops him. The chains rattle some more.
"You're lying. You wouldn't do that, Pen."
"But I did. I did it for us."
He lowered his head and he groaned. When he lifted his head again, his eyes were rimmed red and tears ran down his cheeks.
"Why would you do that? Why Pen? And then this? This is kidnapping."
"No it's not. I -"
I'm interrupted by sirens. I quickly peered out the window and sure enough, there were police cars surrounding the perimeters. I quickly shut the window again hoping it'll keep them out and made my way towards the love of my life.
"How'd they know we're here?" I asked quietly not expecting an answer but got one anyway.
"My phone must be around here somewhere. It has a tracker. Grace must have tapped it."
I decided to ignore the relief in his voice. That name made my blood boil. I didn't know they'd been keeping tabs on each other. I didn't really think to get rid of his phone. It seemed insignificant. I'd left it in the console of the car. I was stupid!
The speakers of the Police came through,
"Penelope Adder, you're surrounded. Come out with your hands in the air."
Anger festered in my blood. One thing was always in the way of my happiness. They wanted to take him from me.
They want to take him from me!
I can't let them. I won't let him go. We're soul mates. No one knows me better. Not like him.
"Penelope, we advise you cooperate. This is your final warning."
I'd locked the double door. It was a huge one. This place used to be a warehouse from what I heard. I'd already planned to bring Garrett here and I did. I'd asked him out to lunch and doped his drink while he used the restroom. I knew we'd have to leave fast but Garrett needed a whole lot of convincing.
Jacob would be found. Dead. In our dining room. Where I'd poisoned him earlier. I just needed him gone. Out of the way. I'd kill Grace too but I didn't have the time. I should have trusted my gut. I should have left town immediately but I had little money.
A loud crash had me jerking out of my thoughts. One of the cops had gotten in through the window.
"On your knees. Hands behind your head." He was pointing a gun at me.
I did as he asked. He came closer and dropped his guard long enough to try and cuff me, and long enough for me to swipe his leg with my hair pin. He cried out and fell. I reached for his gun and silenced him with it. The loud bang echoing in the empty space from the fire of the gun.
With the gun now pointing at Garrett, I tossed him the keys to the padlocks on him.
"Unlock it."
He hesitated but took it. The chains were long enough to allow him movement, hooked to the wall.
"Now get up and walk. Hold onto the keys." I guided him to the door and asked him to open it.
I got close enough to immobilize him with the gun but stayed far enough that he'd not disarm me. He was a foot taller than me, a human shield.
"Walk." I said.
"Don't shoot." he cried as we came to the open.
"Drop your weapon." I heard.
"Garrett!" Grace cried.
Grace! My temper rose and my brain short circuited. I hate her.
My focus was now on her and so was the gun.
"No!"
"Oof!" I was tackled to the ground just as the gun went off.
Garrett was trying to take the gun. No. No. No. She needs to die. This is her fault!
"Pen. Stop."
"Get off me -"
BANG!
The world froze. Or was it just me? Garrett looked pale. Did I shoot him? His eyes dropped to my stomach and suddenly, I felt hot searing pain.
"Oh God. Pen! Call an ambulance!"
He shifted and drew me close, cradling me in his arms. I felt dizzy all of a sudden but he was shaking me.
He looked rough. He was staring down at me with tear stained eyes. He was staring down at me…
"I feel cold." I told him.
"There's a blanket in her car. Someone get the blanket!" He cried. He looked at me. He focused on me. Like I always have. It's always been him in my world.
"Pen. Hang on. Please hang on." He's crying. For me.
"I'm sorry…"
"Pen. It's fine. Shhh. Hey. Stay with me. Okay… don't close your eyes. Stay with me…" his voice broke.
I heard more sirens in the distance and I basked in the warmth of his arms.
The wind swirled around me and the world went black…
This is my response to the Dreem-WOTW S2 R2.
