Music was playing in my ears; "Looking at Me" by Sabrina Carpenter.
It's very early morning. I open the fridge and take out an energy drink, taking a sip from the can as I step out of the kitchen and unlock the door to my basement. While walking down the stairs, I switch the lights on, revealing a table covered with a sheet. At the corner of the room, a board is covered with a sheet.
I make my way to the board and pull the sheets as they reveal the 1989 incident. The entire story is within this board; from 1987 to 1989.
I remove my earbuds and place them back in the case. Today is the day I pick up the man who killed my family. I'm going to the Federal prison, Ellis Unit in Huntsville.
Last week, I volunteered to pick up Vick Cross from prison. This will give me a chance to meet him for the first time in forever.
I've never kept a grudge for this long before, but I have a right to, right? I was brutally beat and sexually abused. Vick is my main target.
Later, I quietly got ready in my room as I kissed my husband goodbye. The man I ended up marrying was with me all along ever since childhood. Phil Turner. Yes, the Phil Turner from 1989.
He doesn't know I'm leaving tonight, but I am leaving a note. I know it's messed up to do this, but I need to avenge my family. Grayson, Yuna, mom, and dad.
I walk into my kid's bedroom and kiss them both on the forehead. My oldest is Jacky, who is sixteen, and my youngest is Christine, who is thirteen.
I take the keys on the coffee table and quietly exit the house while I taking another sip of Red Bull before opening the door to the car. I sit there for a moment before turning on the ignition and driving out of the neighborhood as the sun begins to rise.
TRAUMA OF '89
VOLUME 1, CHAPTER 4, INTERVENTION
I arrived hours later at the prison and waited for Vick to exit the prison. I wore sunglasses, a hood, and a nurse mask to cover myself. I've been waiting for this moment for thirty-one years.
The officer opens the door as Vick steps out.
"Vick" I whispered.
He wears a plain black t-shirt and black sweat pants and carries a duffle bag.
My phone notification rings. I open my phone to my husband's messages from my notifications "Emily, where are you??" "Don't go, it's too dangerous!" He said.
I begin to feel guilty, but I mute my phone anyways. I can't believe I chose Vick over my own family. I have to get this over with first, and then I will be satisfied enough to come back home.
Vick opens my door and we lock eyes for the first time in decades. Rage fills my head as I think of all the ways I can kill him and make him suffer "Get in the back seat" I say; suppressing my anger.
He follows directions and sits in the back. I tightly grip the steering wheel, still trying to make sure I don't let my anger out and attack him.
He speaks "May I take a sip?" He asks.
Suddenly, I smile.
I've added something in the water to make him fall asleep fast. If he drinks it, it'll be my chance to take him somewhere far from town. He continued to talk to me, telling me the location he wanted to go, but I stared at the mirror the entire time to watch him drink the water. Why hasn't he taken a damn sip?
He suddenly places the water back and I realize, what if he knows something's in it?
I've decided I should just take him to his destination and find another way. Before I begin driving, I hand him a watch with a tracker on it, so I can find him wherever he is.
"What's this for?" He asks while grabbing the watch.
"Something to help you keep track of time. It's a new world out there, and I believe you need something familiar to hold onto" I replied.
I hope that was a good excuse to give him a watch out of nowhere.
"Thank you so much" he thanked me.
I didn't say anything and began driving off. I stare at him in the mirror as he watches the prison get smaller and smaller from his view.
LATER
We arrived at the hotel. He's knocked out cold; his head is rested on the window by his side. The car is parked in a parking lot where only a few cars are in view. Nobody in sight; not a single soul.
I reach over to the passenger's glove department and open it, revealing a gun. I quickly turn to Vick and aim his head.
I could kill him right now and this could all be over, but I thought about it for a moment; the gun still pointing at Vick's sleeping body. I can kill him and get back to my family, or I can play with his feelings and make him suffer the way he made me.
The silence drove me insane, and Vick's stupid face made me worse. I'm about to pull the trigger. This is it.
I bite my lip in frustration as I pull the gun away. I stare out the windshield and place the gun on my lap.
"Vick," I said out loud "Vick, wake up"
The car was still quiet and all I could hear was his soft breathing "Vick!" I raised my voice, not too loud.
"Huh?" He rose awake.
"We're at the hotel. You can leave now" I say.
He opens his door and grabs his belongings "Thank you" I heard him say.
"Good luck," I say back to him as I continue dozing off.
That could've been my chance. No, that wouldn't be satisfying.
At that moment, I wondered what I should do now. I took off my glasses, pulled down my hood, and sighed. Maybe I should spend the night at a hotel too. I pull out of the parking lot and drive off to another hotel.
THE NEXT DAY
As of right now, I'm watching him cry. Vick drops his knees on the floor, bawling like a baby. I smile, watching him suffer while sitting in the car parked across the streets.
I think his family kicked him out of their house because of the incident in 1989. He's vulnerable; I have to do something now to make him pay. This is my chance to strike and manipulate him like what he did to me.
Once I do get him to trust me, that's where I'll strike back at him and reveal everything to him.
I step out of my car, speed walking towards him, but then I make a sharp stop in the middle of the road.
"Nate!" A woman came rushing towards Vick.
Nate? Who is Nate? Who is she? I hear them talking, but I don't know what they're saying. A car honks, startling me as I flinch and quickly move out of the way.
The woman looks at me and says "I got it, don't worry" She smiles.
Is she a relative of Vick? It can't be. I watched his family kick him out of the house earlier. Did I get the right person? Is this Vick? Or is this a different prisoner?
Questions continue to flood in my mind while I watch her help Vick up. They walk away while Vick is holding onto her.
I slam my car door shut after getting in the driver's seat, still thinking about her. I open my phone to find hundreds of notifications from my husband. I start feeling guilty. Maybe I should respond.
I open my phone and call Phil.
He picks up immediately while shouting "Emily, Emily!! Why did you go!? I've been worried sick, Emily!! What the heck, where are you, Emily!!?" He shouts.
He sounded angry and worried for me.
"I had to go" I respond.
"Without telling me that you would actually leave!? Babe, you have a family here, are you serious!? You chose Vick over us!? Why didn't you let me go with you!!?" He screams at me while sobbing.
I silently press my lips together in frustration.
"Emily, come back here right now, or else I'm coming to you!" Phil shouts.
I lift my head and watch as the woman helps Vick in her car.
"Emily, Emily!!" He continued shouting at me.
"Meet me at the location I'm gonna send you, and drop the kids off at your sister's place" I say, and end the call.
Maybe I shouldn't have left my husband all alone with the kids. My husband joining me can be a good thing, though. He can help me with investigating the woman and Vick.
LATER
I think I'm becoming a stalker. I'm parked in a car, watching from a distance as the woman and Vick enter a restaurant. Once they grab a seat at the table, they begin talking.
I step out of the car and enter the restaurant "Table for one, please" I say to the waitress.
I'm luckily sat next to them and begin listening to their conversation.
"So, where are you from? Here?" She asks.
"I'm from here, but I still couldn't find my family," Vick says.
I start questioning what he just said. He couldn't find his family, but he was with them earlier, was he? Is he lying to her? Is she his next target?
I contemplate whether I should make a scene or not. Why would he be lying to her?
I can't make a scene. If I do, that would ruin my chance to get closer to him and kill him. But, then again, if I don't, she could die.
"My mom is babysitting Carson right now," the woman says.
Carson? What did I miss? I zoned out for a second and now I'm lost in their conversation.
"Maybe I can meet Carson one day," Vick said "I can be his new babysitter so your mom wouldn't have to always come by,"
So, he doesn't know who Carson is? She's a stranger to him. I have to act now.
"Ma'am!" The waitress shouts at me.
I quickly lift my head, facing the woman with a tablet "Sorry for yelling, I've been calling you for twenty seconds already. Are you ready to order?" She asks.
"Yes" I answer "May I get a diet coke?"
"Would that be all?"
"Yes, thank you"
She leaves my table as I turn around. Me and the mysterious woman lock eyes for a second as I quickly turn away.
Oh no, that was suspicious of me. I'll just sit here and wait until they finish their food.
After an hour, they finally got up and paid at the front. Their conversation was interesting. All they talked about their hobbies and their childhood.
Is Vick on a dating app? Is this their first date? No, because she picked him up off the sidewalk when he was bawling his eyes out. I walk to the front to pay as they leave the restaurant.
I have to hurry before they drive off. I watch the woman help Vick in the car. I want to do something. I want to find out more. I'm going to have to keep investigating to find out who she is.
Their car drives away. I hope she'll be okay, but I wish she didn't get in my way of getting close to Vick. In the conversation, Vick seemed like a nice guy. He sounds so sweet. He sounded....manipulative.
I gasp and panic as I run to my car and quickly drive off. I chase them down, following them every turn. A few minutes after following, their car parks in a driveway as the garage opens.
A kid walks out of the garage, it's probably Carson.
I quickly step out of the car and shout "Wait!!"
The woman turns her head to me "What?" She questions.
I stop for air in front of her "It's not safe! It's dangerous!!" I shout.
"What's happening?" Vick steps out of the car.
"He's dangerous!" I grab the woman's arms "Do not let him get near you!"
"He's just a friend, let go of me" the woman demanded, furiously.
"No! That's Vick Cross!! The man who manipulated plenty of young boys and girls into his gang's van!! He killed everyone who gets in his way!! He's a human trafficker!!"
Vick starts shaking quietly as I pull the woman further from Vick.
"The 1989 Incident?" The woman asks.
"Yes," I answered.
The woman looked horrified "How are you out of prison? Is this why you couldn't find your family!? Did you lie to me about your coma? Your name!? Everything!!?"
Vick was quiet as he stood there, gazing at the ground. I had to get my cover blown. I had to save this woman from Vick.
"Leave," I say "Leave!!" I scream.
Vick moves slowly like a snail and walks away from the driveway, disappearing behind the car.
I go on the sidewalk and watch Vick slowly leave us.
"What's your name?" I ask the woman.
"Charlotte" she replies.
"I know you're a kind woman and all, but never go out of your way to letting a stranger step in your house; not even your car" I walk away.
Charlotte lets out a sigh of relief as she takes Carson and her mother back into the house. I enter my car and take off my mask, giving myself a moment of silence to relax.
The ignition turns on while I'm watching Vick through the windshield, smiling.
Charlotte's garage suddenly opened, catching my attention. She rushes out of the garage and towards the direction of Vick.
"What is she-!?'" I questioned.
I look ahead in the distance as I watch her body slam onto Vick. Her arms wrap around him as they share a moment of reunion.
Charlotte and Vick both walk together back to her house, and my mind floods with even more questions "What is she doing? What the heck is she doing!!?" I shout in frustration as my heart starts beating fast.
Does she not care? Did she forget what I just told her? I don't know what to do anymore. I sat there in my car, filled with confusion and frustration.
TO BE CONTINUED....