When love meets fear

When love meets fear
DAVID'S POV

“This is where you taste what judgement is like.“ I muttered as I pulled his arms towards me and placed the melting iron just on his skin.

“Now, life meets dead.“

I smirked, once I heard the hissing sound of the metal and his scream that reached nowhere.

I looked around the empty space, it was eerily silent that I could hear the chirps of even insects. It was dark but somehow, it carried the weight of haunting. I shook it off, I was the one who had come to spell judgement against a life. He need not to live anymore.

“It is the place where you meet your death. Slow, poisoned and destined.“ I said in conclusion, cold — bomb dropping. I had made my mind, and now I stood with my body towering over the dead Andre.

“Too weak.“ I spat, voice low that I heard it break.

He was just too weak. Without looking back, I pushed the chair to meet the floor and there he was still bound to the chair and bound even in death.

I exhaled the air, it was chilling. I dragged the duffel bag clutching it as if I held onto a ghost who still begged for life as the echo of Andre's scream still played in my ears like a war drum's sound that was fading.

I look down, just enough to see myself. My shirt was torn from the way he had held onto me as he cried for mercy, I could see the blood coats that his knuckles made a design on my shirt and the silence in my chest? It was the loudest but satisfaction or even triumph — I never felt them.

But as I walked out of the space, the air felt clogged. I thought I would feel peace. I thought just when he suffered, I would breathe easy but then again! My lungs felt tight as If he raped Jessica in my presence and now. My heart raced as if Jessica stood around the danger that lurked and that made me shiver in fear.

I got to my car, opened the driving seat.

“Go home. No more duties.“ I muttered to the driver who brought me here as I sat inside.

“Hold.“ I said, cold but I never looked into his eyes. I took out my wallet and gave all the notes in it.

“Get a cab.“ I ordered as I sped off, trying to escape the guilt that played in my head that I didn't hear a bit of thank you he had said.

I sped. I badly wanted to get home. To find peace but as I opened the door to the penthouse expecting silence, a calm welcoming, there she sat on the couch eyes piercing that I couldn't look into them. I studied her before looking around. She had been waiting for me just where she sat with the blanket wrapped tightly around herself as if she tried to shield herself from reality.

And then, she looks away. I saw it — the side of her cheek, pale, eyes bloodshot as she looked down to the phone in her hand.

I look confused. I shut the door quietly behind me, the guilt from the warehouse fading away as I walked towards Jessica..

And then, her voice breaks in, soft but not gentle.

“He's dead. Isn't he?“ She questioned and I froze, just mid step as I stared at her, confused, surprised.

“Who… told you? How did you know?“ I stuttered.

“How did I know? Does that even matter?“ She raised her voice as she stood from the couch and glared at me. It was dangerous and the way she moved from the couch towards me who moved backwards until my back and the door met each other, my heart skipped a beat, body stiffening as she went on.

It felt like an interrogation but this one was scary.

“What did you do, David?“

I blinked as I drew myself away from thoughts and shifted from Jessica who tried to tower over me with her stature when I spoke, dismissively as I took off my jacket trying to hide my fears even when I saw my hands tremble. It was visible.

“I stopped him.“ I finally answered. Flatly.

She opened her mouth, the gap from it not so wide or little but just enough to convey her shocking revelation.

“You really did that. But you know what!!? You never stopped him, you destroyed him. You tortured him, burned him alive and he couldn't walk. You didn't just leave him there, David. You killed him!!“

I pressed my hands to my ears as her accusations hit me hard. I couldn't say anything to the woman I avenged for and so I stared shutting my eyes away from her teary face and tightened the weight of my hands onto my ears as she yelled but then I heard it.

“He died because of me. Because you just wanted to punish him for what he did to me and you know what that means?“

I stared at her — blank.

“That's blood on my hands too.“ She cried, her hands spread out just In Front of me and I saw how shut out she was.

“Don't. Don't you dare make this about you. It concerns me too.“ I growled, voice low and dangerous.

She staggered backwards and soon replaced it with disbelief and just there, my heart sank.

She screamed, her eyebrows furrowed towards me as frustration washed over her face.

“How? Tell me? How does it feel to wake up everyday knowing someone lost their life in the most dreadful way just because you existed? Tell me how to live away from that guilt.“

I clenched my fist and voiced out, cold and sharp.

“You want to know what it is like? Since you came into my life, I have never had a single moment of peace.“

I stepped in to where she stood, towering over her as my height overshadowed hers, my chest heaved and for a moment the room was silent not without two raging beastly humans and I, stood like a caged animal, restless as rage took charge. It was not at her but myself, my helplessness — everything.

Now, I lost control as her eyes looked different from the Jessica I knew. It judged.

“Since you've walked into my world, Jessica, I've known just nothing but fear!“ I shouted and It felt like a declaration but it was the truth.

“You think I don't sleep because of what I've done?“ I spat.

“I don't sleep because every night, I just can't rest. I imagine what would happen to you if I wasn't there for a second.“

I stepped in, dangerous! Voicing breaking even though I never intended.

“Every time you cried, I wanted to burn the world for hurting you. And I did. I fvcking did just now and now you looking at with those judging eyes like I am the villain?“

Her shoulders dropped, even her gaze softened.

“Because you just became one. Too me.“

She was right and that hurt. It made my heart clenched tightly. I felt my face twitch in pain as if someone had just twisted a knife they had stabbed inside of me.

I stayed quiet, broken. I felt helpless with no defensive wall built around me until I asked in a weak voice.

“And you think I don't know that? You think I don't hate myself every god-damned day for what I'm capable of or for the danger that never stops lurking!?“

I let out a shaky breath as my chest pounded in fast beats, I raised my hands up to my head and ran them down my face.

I was broken. My knees felt weak and I crouched down to the floor, sinking into my knees as I spoke out — heavy.

“I never asked for you. I wasn't supposed to care and here I am now, drowning in you, Jessica.“ I sniffed.

“You were never my weakness. You are my fvcking downfall!“ I said, voice roaring carrying the sharpness of a new blade.

There was a bit of silence as if the moment softened. I felt watched and when I looked up, I met her eyes red and bloodshot. I saw nothing like anger anymore as it felt replaced by something deeper. Pity? Pain?

With the question clouding my mind, she knelt down just In Front of me as she touched my face gently before whispering.

“This… I never meant for it to happen.“ She looked down, pouting.

The weight on my chest lifted, as I spoke in whispers.

“Neither did I. But we are here now, are we not?“ I laughed gently and briefly.

For seconds, we stayed there. The world still except from our racing heartbeat and so it felt as if two worlds had reunited.

I stared at her, then down to her lips as I watched her bite them. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

Slowly, I pulled her in — close to me as my finger rested on her chin.

I reached just low and close letting my mouth part to embrace her red and cherry lips when…

Jessica stood up.

“I can't do this. I need to… I can't, David.“ She muttered as she withdrew from my hold and walked away. As she did, I felt the energy uncharged from within me as if our world separated.

I couldn't stop her and so I just le
t her go. But deep down, I concluded..

“It should never have been like this.“

But now that she left, there was nothing to do.