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Cuts Like a Knife

Jillian

"She's mine."

The words were worse than any physical stabbing. Tibby's eyes were wide and wild. Her sneakers were two filthy blurs as she kicked violently, but to no avail.

"Just let her go," I said, my voice sounding calm even though I did not feel calm. Not in the least.

"I've wasted five years of my life because of you. Five years!" Gregg screamed. He was just as filthy; his hair much longer than I remembered, pulled back in a ponytail. He shook Tibby hard. "STOP MOVING!"

"Don't hurt her. Please!"

"Please?" he sneered. "You think that's really going to work? You ruin my life and you think politeness is the answer? I told you then and I'll tell you know. I'm going to kill you for what you did. But first, I want to see you suffer. I think watching this thing die first might make you suffer. Will it make you suffer, Jillian? Oh, how I love to see your tears."

I was crying uncontrollably, yet I couldn't feel the tears. All of my memories were crashing down upon me. I wanted to curl up and shield my head like I had done so many times before but I fought the reaction. This wasn't about me. This was about Tibby. I had to save her. He could do what he wanted to me, but I just had to get her away from him. I could tell she was crying hard now, but the last shake had stilled her feet. A large wet spot spread down her leg and I knew she had peed her pants. Gregg realized the result of her accident at the same time.

"Stupid. Fucking. Kid. You pissed on me!"

He threw her down on the ground like she was made of rags. I ran toward her, but he immediately grabbed her ponytail and yanked her head back. Tibby began to scream.

"Don't come any closer," Gregg hissed. I let out a moan of anguish as he withdrew the switchblade from his back pocket.

"You didn't do a good job with this one either," he said, sneering at me. "She doesn't know when to shut her yap. Always was crying and screaming, right? Well, I know how to shut her up."

He flipped the switch and the sharp silver blade popped up, the tip a fine, deadly point. I pressed my hands to my chest, not surprised to feel my heart practically beating its way out.

"If you want any chance at a life at all, you won't do this," I blubbered. "You'll go to prison for life. What is this going to accomplish? Why couldn't you have just left us alone?"

"Alone? ALONE?! I'll show you what alone feels like!"

He picked Tibby up by the ponytail. Her arms flew out in my direction.

"MOMMY!" she screamed. "MOOOMMMYY!!"

"Where are you going?" I screeched.

"No use getting blood on this nice grass!" He cackled and began dragging her back towards the trees. With his foot, he kicked the door to the shed open. A cloud of dust rose in his wake. Tibby tried to get a grip on the ground with her feet, but Gregg was much too strong. I watched in mounting horror as he spat on the ground and slapped her across the face, quickly silencing her. I prayed she had only been knocked out by the blow and not worse. He shook her and when she didn't respond, he glared at me, his lips twisting into a Joker-ish smile.

"Care to join us?" he said, his voice unnaturally sweet. "I might not spill so much of her blood if you do."

I couldn't feel my fingers or toes. I wasn't sure if I could move. I forced my head into a nod. His eyes crinkled.

"Good," he sneered. "Ladies first."

I walked towards him slowly, my eyes never leaving Tibby's body. I was a graduate of self-defense classes. I knew what I had to do. I had to keep him talking. I had to keep plotting out possible scenarios and not dwell on the worst.

"Tell me something first," I said, keeping enough space between us that I was still out of reach. "How did you find us so quickly?"

The look of pride he gave made me want to vomit. He was still hanging in the doorway. "It was easy," he said. "Sandusky was no problem. One of my buddies found out where you were even before I got out. This," he looked around quickly. "This was more of a problem, but I have your mom to thank."

I was sure my heart stopped. "My mom? What did you do to my mom?"

"Your mommy and I just had a nice chat. It's amazing what having a gun pointed to your head will do. She was so agreeable to call you and you being the stupid cunt you are just spilled the beans so easily, didn't you?"

I wanted to slap myself. I should have known when the call ended so quickly that something was wrong. I should have been more aware, I should have--

"Mom? MOM?"

Gregg looked behind my shoulder and I couldn't help but turn around even though I already knew what was happening. Cole was headed towards us, practically running. He held the phone in his hands and a look of fury on his face.

"NO!" I shouted, waving him away. "DON'T--"

BANG!

My words were drowned out. The sound of the discharge exploded my eardrums, replacing all sound with ringing. I lost my footing and dropped to my knees.

BANG!