Chapter 3

Bzzzzzzz Bzzzzzz Bzzzzzzz

Alyssa and Ken both glance over towards Alyssa’s bag that she dropped earlier. Ken walks over and rummages through her bag. He finds her phone just as the buzzing stops. Ken brings the phone over to Alyssa.

“What’s the password?”

Alyssa stays silent so Ken grabs her by the hair and pulls back forcing her to look him in the eye.

“I’ll ask you one more time. What. Is. The. Password.”

Alyssa gives him her password, fearful of what he might do to her now that his lust has been satiated. Ken unlocks the phone and reads the last text she received. He turns the phone screen towards Alyssa.

hi hun. be home soon.

Alyssa starts to panic.

“You have to leave. Please!”

Fearing for her husband’s life, Alyssa tries to negotiate with Ken.

“You can have all the money we have in the house. Please. I’ll help you!”

Ken grabs Alyssa’s by the hair stopping her constant babbling.

“I don’t care about the money,” he coldly responds. “If you’re a smart girl, you won’t say a word to your husband.” Alyssa stares back silently, her eyes wide open in shock and fear. Ken gives her a little smile.

“If anyone is going to die here, it will be him.”

Alyssa’s eyes start to tear up. Ken continues.

“It is all up to you whether or not your husband lives or dies.”

TUESDAY NIGHT

Alyssa’s husband lays in bed in his blue pajamas. He is in his usual position, on his back facing upwards with his eyes closed. Alyssa comes into the bedroom closing the door behind her. She’s wearing the same matching blue set of pajamas. It was an anniversary present that she got for them last year.

Alyssa comes over to the bed and sits on the side of it. She glances at the door she had just closed, noticing that it wasn’t fully closed. There was a slight gap between the door and frame. With his eyes still closed, her husband hasn’t noticed her subdued state.

“I need to eat breakfast earlier tomorrow,” he starts to tell Alyssa. “They want me in early tomorrow for a meeting. It’s so annoying that they scheduled this so last minute. I always tell them...”

His complaints about work are overheard by Ken who is standing by the doorway. Ken peers through the crack as Alyssa’s husband continues to blabber on. He is completely oblivious as Alyssa stares towards the open crack where she can barely make out Ken’s shadowy figure.

Ken raises the kitchen knife to remind Alyssa of his earlier promise. Alyssa gulps and tucks herself into bed. Feeling shame, she turns her body away from her husband, her eyes looking warily towards the doorway.

Feeling arms wrapping around her waist, Alyssa jumps. Her husband startled looks at her in confusion. Alyssa quickly regains her composure.