Crazy Progress

No Quarters
Just a card
'This is crazy' He says
'It's not crazy' I say
'It's progress'
News lost on him as he shakes his head and mutters
'This is crazy'

- Noemi Lee

He then leaned further down so his mouth was beside my ear, the proximity was almost too much to bear.

"The games start now, Victoria."

I stared back at him, my mouth opening and closing in shock. Any other time I may have deemed my reaction amusing, but not now. These were hardly normal times. I could feel the icy feeling of disbelief begin to make its self known. His audacity was admirably purposeful.

He laughed unkindly at me, as he cruelly monitored my reaction.

"How dare you?" I whispered in a chocked voice, tears stinging at the edges of my eyes. I turned my head slowly wiping my eyes with my sleeve, annoyed at myself for giving in but not wanting tears to spill down my cheeks for him to see either.

"If you want to play some sick fucking game then fine -
but you -" I took a deep breath, recollecting all the calming exercises I had learned over the years. "You keep Eileen out of this."

It didn't work.

I was seething. Rage was wrapped around my every word. You'd have to have been a fool not to hear it and Jack was no fool.
He didn't feel threatened at all by me, and why should he? I was like a barn mouse confronting a lion. I had nothing on him.

"Oh? You want old Jacky boy all to yourself?" he inquired, his smirk wide and as prominent as ever.

In my minds eye I could see one of two things. The first was me brutally murdering him in a fit of rage, the second was him viciously slaughtering me.

"You're fucking insane." I spat back at him.

He didn't seem to like that. Not at all.

His eyes flashed dangerously and he leaned back slightly so as to get a better look at me, taking in my crumpled and shaking form. He squinted again, almost daring me to continue.

"What did you say?" he growled.

"I said you're crazy." I repeated, venom dripping from my every word. I wasn't going to lie, he was crazy. What sane person did this? His face suddenly turned stoic, all traces of amusement long gone.

Grabbing my wrist tightly and pulling me away from the wall, he stared intently at me, his black smouldering gaze turning my legs to jello.

"I am not... crazy." he snarled, gritting his teeth. His fingers were digging painfully in to my wrist and I let out a pain filled gasp. His voice had taken a different edge to it and it sent shivers up my spine. It was like he was trying to reason with me, beg me to understand.

"Jack, stop."

"Listen here beautiful. Just because you're pretty doesn't mean I won't carve you up." he licked his lips tentatively, taking in and savoring all of the conflicting emotions I felt.

"I've done far worse to people who have even dared look at me the wrong way." he continued, his voice dangerously low.

I sniffed indecently and felt the tears of fear welling up in my eyes. My hardened exterior was breaking, crumbling and failing me at a rapid pace and I didn't even bother to try to pretend at all. The truth of the matter was, I was upset, scared but most of all I felt a conflicting rise of sickening guilt.

"Are you going to hurt her?" my voice was trembling and he could hear it.

He stared at me blankly for a moment, confusion sweeping over his face. Then almost as quick as it happened, he masked his bewilderment with disgust.

His eyes rolled up to the ceiling for a moment and he prodded at his lacerations. He was contemplating,no doubt thinking up the perfect answer to counter me with. His eyes finally fell back down to rest upon me. His voice had turned more husky and he stared intently at me, as if trying to get the message across more than verbally.

"I'd honestly be more worried about yourself, girlie."

It was at that moment that Eileen decided to make her entrance. Jack pulled away from me immediately, turning swiftly around and pretending to be watching what ever was on T.V. I however took a bit longer to compose myself, wiping vigorously at my eyes and patting down my clothes.

I smiled weakly when Eileen grabbed her bag from her sofa and stared at me her head cocked to the side.

"Are you alright?" she asked, worry lacing her voice. She must have seen the stray tears on the sides of my eyes.

I stared past her at Jack who had turned slowly towards me grinning. He was daring me to rat him out to Eileen. I could see him pushing me to take that one, audacious, step.

Instead I held my tongue and yawned mechanically.

"I'm just tired."

He titled his head to the side, I couldn't tell whether he was disappointed or pleased. But he worried at his scars and squinted at me before marching over to stand by Eileen.

"I better, uh.. get going." Jack said, gazing down at Eileen's slender form. I still stood against the wall, watching him cautiously like he was a snake ready to strike.

"Oh, well I'll see you around then Jack." she replied, smiling lightly. I could see that love sick look in her eyes and it made my blood boil feverishly. What I saw made my blood boil even more and I had to stop myself from launching a few well aimed attacks at Jack's face.

Leaning down he stared intently in to her eyes, she was captivated by him that much was obvious and he used this to his advantage by lowering his head and kissing her full on the lips. My eyes went like saucers and my breath caught in my throat.

That sleazy little...

He then hugged her, gazing over her shoulder at me and then winked before turning around and making his way out of my apartment.

Eileen stood there for a few moments solitary, staring after him.

I idly scanned her face and felt selfish disappointment course its way through my veins when I realised she hadn't seen anything.
Of course she hadn't seen anything.

"He's perfect." Eileen commented seriously.

I said nothing in reply, scared that if I spoke too soon I would say something I shouldn't.

So instead I excused myself and wandered in to the kitchen, taking refuge on a chair and sobbing quietly in to my hands.

The next day I woke up in bed. I had no recollection of how I got there but I assumed I had wearily dragged myself there at some point during the night. It was clear Eileen let herself out last night, and had been too ecstatic from the events revolving around her perfect life to notice the state I was in.

My eyes were sunken, skin thin and pale - almost like paper.

I hated this, I hated feeling like this, but most of all I hated the reason.

I was too fatigued, emotionally, mentally and physically to come up with an alternative plan or to pitifully search for a coping mechanism. Today I was on an auto-pilot, zombie mode.

I secretly feared to know what Jack was truly capable of. And I half wished I had never gotten involved with him in the first place.
The consequences were terrible and I found myself mulling over unpleasant thoughts for the duration of the morning.

I arrived at work not greeting anyone and walking mechanically to the shop floor. I hadn't notice the apparent mayhem that buzzed around me, or the fact that the store was actually closed. It wasn't until I reached the second aisle however, that I noticed three police officers making their way towards me with stern expressions on their faces.

Incredibly stern expressions.

"Officer?" I choked out, my voice cracking from the strain of trying to give a persona of normalcy.

"Miss. Taylor?"

"Yes." I confirmed, curiosity piqued.

The three police officers stared at me hard. One of them twitched whilst the other fidgeted they exchanged looks of discomfort before setting their eyes on me again.

"We'd like to question you regarding a murder."

A/N: I haven't updated in so long. I am honestly incredibly sorry. I realise this chapter isn't significantly long either but I promise the next one will be. Hope you enjoyed :)
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