In The Dark

Today’s word from https://fivedotoh.com/2022/10/08/fowc-with-fandango-twitch/

A twitch of his shoulders. I decide there and then what I needed to do. A person, who I once trusted with my life, is out to kill me, to get rid of any evidence in his involvement in drugs – in Joe’s death. He may not have given him the noose, but he had tightened it with his threats.

Older than Joe, he would have looked like the cool kid on the block. The one with the fancy clothes. Talking a way out of the estate. Why hadn’t I thought of it before. Those moments spent with his mum, when she spoke with pride at her son’s achievements.

A slip of her tongue, and the nick name – Big T.

Months, of getting used to being in the dark, and I slip into my kitchen.

‘Sarah! Sarah! Just answer the door, and we can talk.’

The click of a gun, and I reach for my grandfather’s service revolver. Hide it in my pocket. It’s more shadows than light now. I reach into the fuse box and cut out the lights.

I can hear is light footsteps, the crash of my bathroom door opening. ‘Sarah, you need to let me explain. You don’t know what it was like, being the one not born into money. I couldn’t speak of my working-class dad. All their parents were lawyers, doctors. Me I had to fight my own corner, but I got them back.’

I don’t speak, just listen to his lame excuses.

‘It’s funny, I never heard of the Chicken Shop Scam before I got involved in drugs. Nobody warned me, but I wasn’t stupid. Pulled myself through the ranks, got my money by listening to the right people. Then I met Joe, outside the Chicken Shack. Forgot his wallet, so being the kind person I am, borrowed him some money. It’s a pity he lost the lot . . . Well, you know it wasn’t an accident. We just take back what is ours in the first place.’

My breaths are quick, but I don’t talk.

‘Graham, well, wrong place, wrong time. Although it was good to be the last thing, he saw that night. The look on his face, begging me to not kill you. I nearly did you know, but you got lucky.’

The palm of my hand pushes into the trigger. It would be so easy to stand up, fire to the sound of his voice.

‘I tried again, that evening in your room, but you weren’t much of a threat. Going blind, not able to do your job. I thought of Mike, another thorn in my side, and thought, two birds, one stone.’

‘You won’t get away with this! You do know that.’

‘Sarah, nothing sticks with me. It’s like I told Mike, as I pushed him out of that car. You see Sarah, it’s just you and me now.’

I shuffle across, as he moves into the kitchen. He knocks into my counter, giving me time to move into the front room. I’m not sure I can keep this up, but need to get out of this house before he kills me too.