Marie and Howie were sitting down on his couch, not saying a word. The room was starkly quiet, until she broke the silence. “Cou..could I have some tea? Please?” Howie smiles at her, and gets up. “Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back.” he made his way to the kitchen, and started making her a sandwich first. He knew she must have been FAMISHED.
Putting it on a plate, he takes it to her. “I had a feeling you were hungry, so I made you a sandwich.” Marie looks up at him with a huge smile on her face. She takes the sandwich, and savors her first bite of real food in months. “Thank you so much, Howie...” she says inbetween bites. “this is sooo good...” he smiles and finds his seat next to her.
Within seconds, she demolishes the sandwich and sits the plate down. “Sorry about that...so unlady-like, I know...” “I don't care, Marie. What matters to me, is that you're no longer around that bastard. He lied to your family, telling them that he didn't know where you were. He even lied to me about your whereabouts, and said that only HE should worry about you.”
“I...I can't believe him...why would he do all that to me?”
“Because...” he takes her hand, and places it on his chest. “I care for you...so much.”
“You do?”
“More than anything, Marie...I know that you don't want to hear this now, because of your recent struggle, but--”
She places her little finger on his lips. “Tell me everything you feel about me, Howard...I need to hear it.”
His eyes glistened, for they were filled with hope and promise. Her eyes also had that familiar twinkle when he first met her.
“Marie, when I first met you, I thought, “She's almost too perfect...but I would never amount to her standards. When you talk to me, I'm happy; when you call me, I'm filled with glee, and when you stand close to me...I'm complete.”
Marie smiled at me, and hugs me tightly. “I thought I was the only one that felt that way...I don't know why I fell for that...that lunatic...” he runs his fingers through her hair again, and sighs solemnly. “I don't know either...there was something about him that I didn't like.” She looked up at me, her eyes filled with tears. “Why didn't you tell me about him in the first place?” “Sweetheart, if I knew he was mad, I would have told you long ago. I'm so sorry...I never saw his true colors.”
We stood at the balcony for a while, looking at each other. We share saddened gazes, and look down at the streets below. But the most important thing at the moment, is Marie's safety. No longer will she endure his torture again, and I will make sure of that.
Nick sits in his car, looking up at Howie's address on the white metal door. He looks to the right of him and sees the pistol ready and waiting to be used. “Well...” he picks up the gun, and looks at it once more. “Let the games begin.”
“You can stay the night here, Marie. I don't want him knowing where you are.”
“You're so very kind, Howard, thank you...”
We stood in front of each other, smiling, then looking at each other with love mirrored upon each gaze. I get closer to her, and hold her hands in mine; without knowing, I leaned in to kiss her on her dainty, plump lips. I want to kiss her pain away. I wanted to tell her everyday that she'll always be safe.
In a hushed tone, she utters, “What are you waiting for...?” I look down at her, and smile. “Are you sure?” “yes, Howie...I'm sure...please...take the pain away...”
“It would be my pleasure, my dear...”
I look into her eyes again, and lean in once more. Sparks began bouncing up and down my body as we shared a sweet kiss. Ever so slowly, I felt her tension lift up and wither away. We move apart and she looks at me and says, “thank you...” as if she were a little child. “You're so welcome...”
They held each other again, but it was shortlived, for they heard a noise from the halls. “What was that?” Howie asked in wonder as he moved back towards the hallway. “Stay there, Marie. I'll be right back....” she nodded and watched him disappear into the halls.
“Who's in here?” he shouted. Silence was the response thrown back at him, so he called out again. “I said, who's there?!”
“Hello, friend.”
“N...Nick?”
He emerges from the den and stood several feet away from him. “We meet again. I was wondering if you've seen Marie anywhere...? She, oh I don't know, escaped my abode. Any chance on her being here...?” he instantly eyeballs Marie standing on the balcony with her back turned. “There's the little bunny...” as he walks towards Howie, he stands against the doorway, blocking the entrance.
“I will not let you hurt her, Nickolas.”
“Is that so?” he roughly pushed him out of the way, causing him to land against his now broken vase. The sound of the impact caused Marie to sharply turn around. “Howie...? Are you ok?”
“Howie's a bit tied up at the moment...” “Oh, my God!”
“I don't think He can help you right now, Marie...you left when I told you to not try anything funny. Am I laughing, Mar? Huh?” She becomes silent.
“AM I LAUGHING?!” “No...”
“Exactly. Now, why don't you come to me, and we can talk this out?” he crooks his finger for her to come to him, but she stood her ground. He becomes angry once more. “I said, come here.” “No...no more, Nick...” “Then so be it...” he walks slowly over to her, taking out his pistol; her blood drained the instant she saw it glisten in the moonlight.
“What...what are you doing...?” she asked with cold fear in her voice. “What do you think I'm gonna do? I'm gonna teach you a lesson, little girl. I TOLD you not to hang with Howie, didn't I? I guess holding you in my house wasn't good enough, huh?” “I HAD to get away from you! You're a fucking psychopath!”
“.....what did you say?”
“I said...you're insane.” he charges her, and grabs her hair yanking it back hard.
“Don't you EVER call me that! My friends and family call me that all the Goddamn time, I do NOT need it from someone who disobeys me! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” she weakens in his tight grasp and her eyes well up in tears again; this time, fearful tears. “Yes...I understand...” he puts the gun up to her head, and smiles down at her.
“Why don't you ever listen to me, huh? Do you know what happens to bad girls...?” he looks down at the balcony, and slips his gun back into his jacket pocket. “That's not a bad idea...” “W...what is?” “We're so high up...it would be a shame for someone to lose their balance up here...”he looks down at her and tightens his grip on her hair more. “Wouldn't it?” “YOU WOULDN'T DARE!”
“I would.” She bites his hand, and he growls in pain. As she tried to run away from him, he grabs her leg letting her fall on her face. “Please, don't do this!” “It's too late now, Marie. Say goodbye.” he drags her back towards the balcony and picks her up, holding her over his head. He muted out her cries and screams; the only thing he wanted was to end her life, and try to find someone who will love him and appreciate his ways.
That's all he wanted. He wanted a little slave to obey his every command, and be at his every beck and call. He sweettalks them, and woos them, and within moments, they're a piece of clay in the palm of his hand. But since she's the type of woman that wanted no part of that, there's only one punishment suitable: death.
“This is the end. I loved you so much, Marie...but it's time to go.”
Footsteps trample the floor, and a rough push thanks to a bloody Howie's adrenaline causes Nick to let Marie go . . .
But caused them both to dangle over the ledge. She clung onto the railing for dear life as she tried so desperately to not look down. They were 10 stories up. “Howie, help me!” she shouted with anguish. “I'm coming!” he shouts back as he reaches for her hand. “Give me your hand, love!” weakly, she managed to grab his hand, and hold onto his arm with her other. “That's it...you're doing fine, sweetheart...” she's finally pulled up, and is safe on the ground. “Are you ok, Marie?” “Yes...!” she gasps in relief. “I thought I was a goner...” “Not when I'm here.”
“Howie, HELP ME!” he runs back towards the railing and sees Nick still dangling. “Please...spare me..” “Don't let me die, D...I'm sorry for everything I've done...Don't let me die!” “And what will you do then? Do the same things to other unsuspecting women? Just like you did Marie? I don't think so...”
Unbeknownst to the others, Nick was standing on a stone gargoyle, and little did Nick know, that the gargoyle was old and loose. “I can change, I promise...” “No...” the gargoyle begins to weaken and break away; he looked down and saw this, now looking scared for real.
“PLEASE! HELP ME UP!” Howie walked off to the side, and next to look down at Nick's hanging misery was Marie. “How does it feel, Carter? How does it feel to taste your own medicine?” He doesn't say a word. “It...it doesn't taste very good, I assure you. Now, please...help me...”
She looked into his pools of blue once again, seeing the solemnity etched in the gaze. Sorrow. Needing of forgiveness.
She closed her eyes, clutching onto the railings, slowly erasing every 'good' time they shared.
And then, a scream was heard...
And then, a crash.
She opened her eyes and looks over the ledge, seeing Nick, lifeless on top of an SUV.
“Goodbye.”
She walks up to Howie, and embraces him again, no longer afraid.
“Are you alright...?”
“I am now. Thank you...”
They both look down over the ledge, seeing a crowd gather around his body.
His reigning terror has now come to a grim end, and Marie has broken free from his shackles of control and insanity.
Forever.
Author's Chapter Notes:
This is the eighth and final chapter of this story. I want to thank you all who has made this my most read story on this site.
