Page 130 - The Houseguest

DAY SIX
Back to the schematic, I approached Rachel with breakfast and her assignment for the day: “You have homework today, oh captive one.” I could see she had surrendered to hunger pains and eaten the meal I’d left her the evening prior. I smirked at the irony how starving to death proved a difficult task to accomplish...even for someone who claimed she wanted to die. She seemed embarrassed when she recognized the satisfied sneer I was wearing over this victory.
“What do you want?” she moved only her eyes to look up at me. That scar she bore across her face became more prominent when shone upon by the rays of the morning sun. It caught me by surprise as my mind drifted back momentarily to those haunting words: death upon impact.
She had more color in her face today, probably because she had finally succumbed to eating. I threw Karina’s bound book on the bed beside her, the one I had gifted her containing most of her writings: “You need to read this, memorize every word...and repeat them to me, one poem every day. These are the words of the woman you murdered; you need to know about the lives you ended.” She scowled as she glanced down at the book on the bed. “That’s ridiculous,” she quipped. Her reaction to my love’s inspirational writings instantly infuriated me and before I could stop myself, I drew back my fist and propelled it forward into her left eye. Her head was thrust backwards by the powerful blow, but her hands were still fastened above her on either side of the headboard. For a split second, I regretted my actions, realizing the pain I’d inflicted. I took a deep breath and spoke to myself quietly: “Don’t go soft...focus
on the mission. Don’t go soft...focus on the mission.” Unpredictably, 130
The Houseguest by Linda Ellis www.LindaEllis.life