Chapter 40
ELOISE
“ W here did you get that?” I see a gun in her hand when she comes back from outside and steps through the door in front of me
“You’ve been whining for ages that you need the bathroom. I need to ensure you won’t run when I untie you,” she explains, tucking it in her jeans as she starts to untie the knots in the ropes.
“Me, run, have you seen the size of me?” I try to make a joke, reminding her that we were friends once.
I have no idea how I’m supposed to get me and my baby out of this.
There's no way Ren will find us here. I had no idea this place existed. I’d never even known my dad had another place until today.
“Just get up.” She pulls the gun back out once she’s finished with the ties around my feet, and I slowly maneuver myself to sit up, relieved at the freedom and being able to stretch.
“You don’t have to point that thing at me, I’m not gonna run,” I assure her as I steady myself on my feet. My legs are a little wobbly, but I really need the bathroom, so I’m going to have to rely on them to get me there.
“I’d rather not take that chance.” She presses it into the base of my spine to speed me up, and I head toward the door on the other side of the kitchen that I assume is the bathroom.
“So, how are you planning on getting away with all this?” I ask, taking a seat on the toilet and sighing with relief as I empty my bladder.
I figure Katelyn can’t do anything to harm me until the baby is here, and although I could go into labor at any time, first babies very often come late.
That would give me time to talk her out of all this.
My plan is to act as normal as possible and hope that at some point, Katelyn gets a grip on reality. “You know, Ren will be going out of his mind with worry, and he’s gonna stop at nothing to find me.” I stand up and wipe, trying my best to ignore the gun she’s still pointing at me, and stay calm.
“I made sure it looked like there’d been a struggle at my place.
Dan cut your hand and made sure you left enough blood behind, for the police to assume we were taken against our will,” she explains while I wash my non-bandaged hand and avoid stinging the other.
“And once the baby’s here?” I look at her through the reflection of the mirror.
“We’re getting out of here; starting a new life, just me and my baby.” Katelyn smiles back at me.
“And where do I come into that plan?” I try my best not to look scared, but it’s getting harder and harder to put on a brave face.
“You don’t.” She shakes her head, pressing the gun back into my back to try and get me moving.
“So you're gonna kill me?” I keep looking at our reflection. If she’s gonna do it, she can at least look me in the eyes and admit it.
“Bitch, I killed my parents. What makes you think I won’t kill you, too?” She smirks back at me.
“I never said you wouldn’t.” I manage a smile at her, knowing that my plan has to change.
We start walking back to the bed, and as we’re passing through the kitchen, I catch a glimpse of the knife that's still on the chopping board. At the very same time, I feel a sharp, heavy kick against my ribs. I can’t help thinking that it’s a sign.
My little girl is reminding me that I need to fight for us, and so I decide to put all those years I spent in drama class to good use.
“Shit.” I clutch the side of my stomach and bend over.
“Eloise?” I hear the panic in her voice as she leans down to check I’m okay. “Eloise, was that a contraction? Is she coming?” I hear the excitement in her voice and realize that she really is bat shit, fucking crazy.
“I think so.” I hobble my way over to the basin unit and grip the edge, glancing to the side and seeing the knife just within my reach.
“It’s okay, just breathe through it. I know you're scared, but you have to stay calm through this. Stay calm for the baby and breathe.” She starts to stroke my back, and I start to breathe like the women in those videos Ren made me watch.
I can’t see the gun, but I know it’s not pressing against my back anymore, and when I decide that it’s now or never, I swiftly reach for the handle of the knife, grip it tight in my hand, and spin around.
I don’t expect to feel it plunge into her flesh, and the look of betrayal she has on her face as she looks back up at me from where it’s stuck inside her, has me shaking my head and covering my mouth with my hands.
“You bitch!” She drops the gun and takes a few steps back, still looking at me with those wide, shocked eyes as she hits the back wall and slumps to the ground.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—It’s okay, we can get you help.
I can call an ambulance.” I think fast, grabbing a kitchen towel and pressing it against the blood that’s seeping out around the knife.
“I think we need to keep the blade in. I don’t know how much you’ll bleed if I take it out.
” My hands are trembling so much, and I can’t decide what to do.
She nods back at me, still in shock.
“Have you got a cell phone? I need to call for help.” She shakes her head. “No phones,” she rasps as more colour drains from her face.
“Okay, then I’ll find a phone. I’ll get us help,” I promise her, struggling back up to my feet and looking around for the car keys.
“You won’t come back.” She laughs to herself as if she’s not in any pain.
“Katelyn, I swear to you I’m not gonna let you die.
I have to leave for a little while to get us help, but I promise I’ll be back.
I’m gonna come back, and we’re gonna get you all the help you need.
We’re gonna find your little girl,” I tell her.
“Don’t close your eyes.” I look at the door, wondering if I can somehow drag her out and put her in the car.
If I could drive her straight to a hospital, she could get help much quicker.
I head back toward her and try to shift her, but she’s a dead weight, and she screeches in pain.
My hands are covered in her blood, and she’s getting paler by the second.
“Katelyn, I have to go. I promise I’m coming back.
You just think of your little girl while I’m gone, okay?
Think of how good it’s going to feel when you find her.
” I race toward the door, hoping the keys will be in the ignition.
Once outside, I see there's nothing surrounding us but trees and a huge lake, and I know I have to move fast.
I rush as quickly as my body will allow toward the car, opening the door, and after struggling to get myself behind the wheel, I realize that the keys aren’t in the ignition.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! ” I slam my hand hard against the steering wheel, sounding out the horn and feeling myself panic.
I have to take a few seconds to breathe myself calm and come up with a new plan.
The keys must be in the house, and just as I find the energy to get back out of the car, I hear the sound of a car engine and wonder if I’m hallucinating when I see Ren’s car driving down the track toward me.
“Ren,” I whisper, smiling to myself when I realize he’s found me. I don’t know how the hell he did it, but I should never have doubted him.
I use all the strength I have left to get out and run to him. He skids the car to a stop, gets out, and races toward me; I don’t give him a chance to speak. I kiss his mouth hard and squeeze him just to check he’s real.
“You found me.” I smile up at him. Giddy with relief
“You should know by now, Kitten, I’m always gonna find you.” He smiles back at me.
“I thought she was gonna kill me, she wanted the baby. She was going to take her once she was born.” I try to explain all I’ve learnt in however long I’ve been here.
“ What? ” Ren grabs hold of my arms and holds me back far enough to check me over. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?”
“She drugged me. I was feeling a little weird, but I’m okay now, I promise.”
“And the baby?” His hand presses against my stomach.
“We’re both fine. But I had to do something to save us. I stabbed Katelyn. I didn’t even mean to. I guess I just wanted to shock her enough to drop the gun so I could get away. But it’s bad, Ren, she needs a doctor. She’s inside.” I gesture with my head back toward the cabin.
“Get in the car,” he orders me, suddenly looking furious.
“No, Ren, wait, you don’t understand. She’s ill. She went through something awful. We have to take her to the hospital.”
“Take her to the hospital? Are you fucking crazy? She drugged you, she brought you all the way out here. She was gonna take our baby!”
“Ren, please. If you knew what happened, you’d understand. Please don’t hurt her,” I beg him.
“Just get in the car, Eloise, I’m gonna take care of it,” he assures me, kissing my forehead before marching toward the door of the cabin.
I step back toward his car, scared at what I’ve done.
I never meant to hurt my friend; she’s not evil, she’s mentally ill, and who can blame her after what my dad did to her?
What if I go to jail for this? What if the doctors can’t save her? It’s all too much to think about.
I get in the passenger seat and wait for them to come out, and when I hear a loud bang that scares the birds from the trees, I close my eyes and start to sob.
Ren comes out of the cabin a few minutes later, steadily walking toward the car and getting behind the wheel.
He says nothing as he leans over me, pulling at my seatbelt to strap me in, before he starts the engine.
Reaching his hand behind my headrest, he looks back over his shoulder and reverses up the track back to the road.
“Ren?” I eventually turn my head to look at him. Noticing how focused he is on the road. “Ren, what happened?” I yell at him when he stays silent. “What did you do?”
“The same I did to everyone else who thought they could hurt you.” He looks across at me sadly, and when I break down and start crying, he tenses his jaw, grips the steering wheel firmly, and focuses his attention back to the road.