a bad man

He was waiting between the houses, angry and tired of fighting with her about it. He was done with the bitch. She was just too unreasonable and it was too difficult trying to work things out with her. And there was always the chance she might talk to the police ... she’d said she wouldn’t, but there was always the chance.

He’d been waiting for her, even though a misty rain had been falling the last hour. He knew she’d be walking by here -- it was part of her damn therapy. “It helps me relax and get my thoughts straight,” she’d said. Ha! Get her thoughts straight. As if she’d know when they were straight without him to tell her about it. What was she doing, trying to think without him anyway.

It was almost dark when the sound of raindrops all around turned into the sound of shoes walking in raindrops down the block. He tensed, checking to see if anyone else was out, to see if she was alone. He let her walk past, then quietly stepped across the grass to come up behind her.

“Hello, Donna,” he said. “How are ya?”

“Chet,” she gasped, startled. “I didn’t hear you.”

“You’re getting wet walking home like this; let me give you a ride. The car is just down the block.” He reached out to take her arm.

She took a step sideways and said, “N-no, thanks, I like walking home. It helps me relax.”

“Sure, but you’re getting wet. Why don’t you just get in and I’ll drop you off.” He moved in closer to her as she continued stepping to the side.

“No. Really, I like to walk.” She started walking again and picked up her pace.

“Donna, I insist,” he said forcefully, moving in, claiming her arm, shoving it under his, and bustling her off across the grass toward the car. He covered her hand with his, taking hold of several fingers. “Don’t yell. You know what I can do if you yell. Don’t make me hurt you.”

She was terrified and angry at the same time. She’d told herself she wasn’t going to get in this kind of fix again. He just kept angling them toward the car. She couldn’t get in the car, she just couldn’t. If she did, she knew she might never see her way out again.

Then, before she could think of anything to do, he was opening the driver’s door and pushing her inside. She clumbsily crawled over to the passenger side, wondering if she could get out her door before he caught her, but he must have read her mind. “Don’t try anything stupid,” he said as he started the car and pulled into the street.