Around two in the morning
I was deep in my slumber next to Josh in my room when I was woken up by some clanging around in the kitchen. I look over to Josh and he's knocked out. He's snoring so heavily I don't want to disturb him. I sneak out of bed without making any noise and grab my silk robe hanging behind my door.
I open the door very still and silently. It's completely dark in here. I try to be careful going down the stairs but there's a small creak. I pause mid step and I swear I hear a movement around the living room.
"Hello?" I say as I step down. Again, another movement.
"Aunt Cheri? Is that you?" I race down the stairs not caring much about that noise. Whoever is here already knew I was going down. I quickly head towards the kitchen counters. I open the knife drawer very silently and pull one out. There's a slight noise of it hitting the drawer and I shut it. I creep around by crawling. I go behind the sofa.
There's a shadow near the television. Luckily the outdoor lights of the neighbors home shined through our white curtains. I hear them shift around. The one time I don't have my cell phone to dial 911.
"Who's there?" I say one more time. I'm getting ready to hop on my legs and pounce at this intruder.
"I heard you were pregnant." His voice speaks.
"What are you doing here?" I stand. I hid the knife inside my robe. The robe strap holding it up was tight enough to keep it hidden.
"Are you going to keep it?" He inches closer.
"Yes." I say. Slowly taking a step back.
"Is it mine?" He asks, closer.
"Yes," back step.
"Who's going to raise it with you?" Closer.
"Celeste and Josh made an arrangement with me." Step back.
"I heard you have a new boyfriend." He laughs. Two steps closer. "Probably that loser."
"I don't know who's telling you things but they don't know what's going on in my life." Two steps back. I'm up against the wall now.
"You scared?" He laughs. "You should be."
"Don't you want your seed to live a happy life?" I ask him. He inches closer. I'm thinking about grabbing the knife in just two more steps with my right hand.
"What I wanted was for you to be mine in the first place." One step closer. "If that baby is mine which I know it is since no one else was up in you besides me, I wanted to raise it. You know you stopped me from doing a lot. I was gonna go to college. I was gonna get a scholarship. I could've been a great dad. Really." He steps closer again.
"Back off," I stutter. "I'm warning you." I shake.
"Boo," he laughs manically. "You are such a bitch. I'm not even going to regret killing that fucking baby. I'll be doing your aunt a favor." Another step and he's inches away. How long has he been here? I pull out the knife and hold it out at him, walking to the side leaning up against the wall.
"Don't make me do this Alan!" I sob. "I loved you. I let you hurt me so much." I'm crying. "Please don't do this!" I'm grabbing the knife with two hands as I inch away to the side. He just inches closer, fearless.
"What do I have to live for anyway?" He taps his chest. "Fucking do it already because I'm going to make sure you don't live."
He gets whacked in the head with a huge fire stick. It was Josh, he wore nothing but his pj pants. Alan falls in front of me. Josh takes the knife out of my hands and shoves it into his chest then places it on the counter. He pulls me in for a hug and I sob on to his chest. Moments after, Aunt Cheri and Sarah are both storming down the stairs. They hit the lights and see the mess that is.
"What have you done?!" Sarah's eyes widen. "Josh!"
"It was self defense." He says. "Aunt Cheri you have cameras don't you?"
"Yes I do. What happened here?!" She runs over to me. "Are you injured?" She checks me.
"I'm fine." I say and I turn to the sink, pushing through Aunt Cheri and puke.
"I didn't even think morning sickness was this bad early on," Sarah says. "Josh is he dead?"
Josh leans down and checks his pulse.
"Seems that way." He pauses. "The cameras will show the cops it was self defense. Can one of you call?" He says. He walks towards me and pats my back as I finish puking.
Aunt Cheri ends up calling the police while I go brush my teeth. When I come back down, they're already here. A paramedic took Alan's body away. The cops put Josh in cuffs and we kiss goodbye.
"I'll see you soon, I love you." He says before being put in the back of a cop car. His college essay would've been top notch.
"I love you." I say. I caress his cheek.
We overhear the cops radio in their car.
"We need an ambulance immediately at…" they mention Celestes address. Josh and I look at each other through the window.
I look over at Sarah.
"Take me now."
The cop car races to the address and Sarah follows. Aunt Cheri also came, she sat passenger. Through the back window I peak out. I see Celestes mom hugging her dad. It looks like she's sobbing away. I can't hear though. The world is muted away as I pray my best friend is still alive.
"Brace yourself," Sarah says to Aunt Cheri as she parks the car.
I get out and race towards Celestes parents immediately.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Is the first thing I ask.
"Oh honey," her mom pulls me in. "Someone came and strangled her to death!"
"Whattt… no." I say softly. "No no no!" I snap. "She has to be okay."
"I'm sorry sweetie, she's passed," her dad says. He breaks. Soon her mom lets me go and hugs him instead. They cry together.
I run to the cop car Josh is in. I can feel how damp my eyes are.
"She's gone," I say to him and he watches me cry.
"Can you guys just please let him out? Clearly he needs to be there for his pregnant girlfriend!" Sarah demands at a cop. The cop shrugs her off. "Look when you get shot, I'll be the one on the job and I bet I'll remember this moment!" She snaps. He looks fearful and opens the back door.
"He stays cuffed until questioning!" He demands to me.
Josh stands immediately and he leans forward. I wrap my arms around his back and sob on to his shoulders.
"She's really gone." I weep.
"She's in a better place," he tries to act strong but I hear the pain in his voice. I look at his face and I see the watery eyes that are starting to get red. I hug him again. "I'm so glad I killed that fucker." He whispers into my ear.