CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
RESTLESS NIGHT
Alice’s POV
The snake sank its fangs into the man’s neck, its powerful jaws crushing his throat as blood sprayed everywhere. The man’s screams echoed through the room, and the snake began to twist and thrash, dragging him under the water as it continued to chew on him. Blood churned in the water, staining it red as the man’s body was mangled beyond recognition.
Elena’s reaction was immediate. She jolted upright, her hands flying to cover her eyes as she let out a terrified scream. Her entire body was shaking, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to shield herself from the gruesome scene.
My heart lurched at the sight of her so shaken. “Elena,” I whispered, my voice trembling as I reached out to comfort her. But before I could touch her, a sudden, sharp knock echoed through the house.
But before I could touch her, a sudden, sharp knock echoed through the house.
Both of us froze, the sound jarring in the eerie quiet left by the paused movie. The knock came again, louder this time, almost frantic. It wasn’t just a simple knock-it was rough, urgent, as if someone was pounding on the door with all their might. The entire doorframe rattled under the force, shaking so hard it seemed like it might come off its hinges.
Elena and I exchanged wide-eyed looks, our fear mirrored in each other’s faces. My heart was in my throat, and I could see Elena’s hands trembling as she clutched the blanket to her chest.
The knocking grew even more violent, now accompanied by the sound of something heavy being dragged against the wood, as if whoever-or whatever-was on the other side was trying to break in. We sat there, paralyzed with fear, and before we knew it, the two of us screamed at the top of our lungs, the sound filling the room as we were gripped by pure, unfiltered terror.
I jolted, a shiver running down my spine as the memory of the snake from the horror movie lingered in my mind. I had thought about it too long, letting it seep into my thoughts and wrap around them like a suffocating vine. As I looked around, trying to ground myself, I realized we were still eating, the atmosphere thick with an awkward silence that hung between us like a wall neither of us dared to breach.
The tension in the air made every bite taste like cardboard. I wanted to say something, anything, to break the unbearable quiet, but my mind was a mess, too tangled with the remnants of the earlier events to form coherent thoughts. I glanced at Elena, who was poking at her food, her expression distant, lost in her own world.
“How about we watch a romance movie after this?” I suggested, my voice almost a whisper as I nervously fidgeted with my fork. The idea of watching something light and happy seemed like the perfect way to escape the heaviness that had settled in the room. But as soon as the words left my mouth, fear crept in. What if she thought it was a stupid suggestion? I quickly added, “Or maybe not… if you don’t feel like it.”
Elena looked up at me, her eyes dull, the spark that usually danced in them completely snuffed out. She shook her head slightly. “I just want to lay my head down, Alice. I’m exhausted,” she replied, her voice soft and tinged with weariness.
“Oh… okay,” I murmured, trying to hide my disappointment. I watched as she stood up, collecting her plate. She moved slowly, almost as if she was dragging herself through molasses. My heart ached for her, knowing she was fighting demons I couldn’t see. She dumped her plate into the sink with a careless clatter and turned to me.
“Goodnight, Alice,” she said, barely making eye contact before she retreated into the hallway leading to her room.
“Goodnight, Elena,” I replied, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears.
As soon as she was out of sight, my face fell. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt and sadness. Why did everything feel so wrong? I sighed heavily, grumbling under my breath as I pushed myself up from the dining chair. There was no point in dwelling on it. Maybe some sleep would help clear my mind.
I dragged my luggage into the guest room, my shoulders slumped with the weight of the day. I placed my suitcase on the bed, unzipping it with a sense of resignation. I started arranging my clothes in the wardrobe, trying to find some semblance of normalcy in the mundane task. Each piece of clothing I folded felt heavier than the last, as if they carried the burden of my thoughts.
Once I was done, I sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall. The silence was oppressive, pressing down on me from all sides. My mind kept drifting back to the scene I had just witnessed between Elena and Liam, their guns pointed at each other, the intensity in their eyes… it was too much.
With a heavy sigh, I stood up and peeled off my clothes, heading into the bathroom for a shower. The cool tiles under my feet sent a shiver through my body, and I turned on the faucet, waiting for the water to heat up. As I stepped under the warm spray, I closed my eyes, letting the water wash away the day’s tension. I scrubbed my skin, trying to cleanse myself not just of the grime but of the unsettling thoughts that clung to me like shadows.
The bathroom filled with steam, the hot water soothing my aching muscles. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wash away the memories of what had happened. I could still see Liam’s face, the hurt in his eyes when he accused me and my sister, Elizabeth, of framing him. The nerve of him! Who did he think he was, throwing around accusations like that? And to think that I’d ask my sister to sleep with him… it was ridiculous! He was my husband… or at least, he had been.
The thought hit me like a ton of bricks. He was no longer my husband. We were divorced. But could I really accept that? Could I truly move on from everything we had been through?
I shook my head, shutting off the water and stepping out of the shower. I wrapped myself in a towel, the soft fabric absorbing the droplets clinging to my skin. As I dried off, I tried to push the thoughts of Liam out of my mind, but they kept creeping back in, refusing to be silenced.
I pulled on a nightgown, too exhausted to bother with my usual skincare routine. My bed looked inviting, and all I wanted was to crawl under the covers and forget about everything. But as I laid down, sleep eluded me. I tossed and turned, my mind refusing to quiet. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw them-Liam and Elena-guns drawn, ready to destroy each other.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to sleep, but it was no use. I couldn’t escape the haunting images. And then, as if to torture me further, the memory of Liam’s accusations flashed through my mind again. The anger bubbled up inside me, and I sat up abruptly, clenching my fists.
“He’s such an idiot,” I muttered to myself. “Who does he think he is, accusing me of something so absurd? And to think I’d ask my sister to do something like that… he’s lost his mind!”
My voice echoed in the empty room, the only sound breaking the silence. I felt a lump form in my throat, and tears pricked the corners of my eyes. It wasn’t just anger I felt; it was hurt. Hurt that the man I had once loved so deeply could think so little of me. Hurt that everything we had built together had crumbled into nothing.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. It was over. We were over. There was no point in dwelling on the past. I laid back down, pulling the covers up to my chin. But even as I tried to find comfort in the warmth of the blankets, sleep still wouldn’t come.
And then, as if the night couldn’t get any worse, the image of the snake from the horror movie slithered back into my mind. This time, it wasn’t the man being chewed alive by the snake-it was me. I could feel the cold, slimy scales against my skin, the fangs sinking into my flesh as it wrapped around me, squeezing the life out of me.
I jolted awake, gasping for air, my heart pounding in my chest. Sweat clung to my forehead, and I wiped it away with trembling hands. I couldn’t stay in this room. I needed to get out, to breathe, to find some semblance of calm.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, making my way to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. The cold water was a shock to my system, but it helped to clear my head, if only a little.
I needed water. Real, cold, refreshing water. But as I glanced around the room, I realized I hadn’t brought a jug of water with me. With a sigh, I decided to venture downstairs to the kitchen. Maybe a glass of water would help to calm my nerves.
I slipped out of my room, shutting the door quietly behind me as I made my way down the hallway. The house was eerily quiet, every creak of the floorboards amplified in the stillness of the night. When I reached the kitchen, I opened the fridge and pulled out a jug of water. I poured myself a glass and gulped it down, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat.
As I put the jug back in the fridge, I hesitated. I didn’t want to go back to my room, not yet. The thought of lying in bed, alone with my thoughts, was unbearable. I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off everything.
I wandered into the living room and grabbed the remote, turning on the TV. Maybe a romance movie would help. Something light and fluffy, with a happy ending. I began scrolling through the options, trying to find something that would take me out of my own head.
But before I could settle on a movie, a soft knock echoed through the house. I froze, the remote slipping from my hand and clattering onto the coffee table. My heart leaped into my throat as the knock came again, this time louder, more insistent.
I took a step back, fear creeping into my chest. Who could it be at this hour? And why did it feel so ominous? My mind raced, the earlier horror movie flashing through my thoughts again. I tried to brush it off, telling myself it was just my imagination playing tricks on me.
But then the knock turned into a bang, the door shaking on its hinges as whoever was outside pounded on it with increasing force. My breath hitched in my throat, and I stumbled backward, my heart racing as I remembered my earlier fear.
It couldn’t be… could it?
The banging grew more violent, the door rattling as if it was about to come off its hinges. I stood there, frozen in place, unable to move as the terror took hold. My mind screamed at me to run, to hide, to do something, but my body refused to obey.
And then, as the door shook violently under the assault, I did the only thing I could. I screamed, my voice echoing through the room.