The Devil at Night

AVA DUVAL 

  When Ethan shut the door behind me, I knew it was time to carry out my plans. That man was like a brick wall — the only obstruction stopping me from leaving the estate. He seemed really tired throughout the day that he ignored all my whining. I pressed my ears against the wooden door hearing his footsteps fade away. 

 Ethan was always there to stop my every attempt to leave. His eyes watched my every move and every decision I made seemed like someone held a gun at my head. 

But today felt different. It was the day I would finally find freedom from this suffocation. The door to his room clicked shut and my chest loosened all at once, air rushing back into lungs that I had forgotten how to breathe. I carefully took light steps to my bed, because even the creak of the mattress had made him glance up once. 

I sat down, my mind trying to devise my escape plan. 

Since I couldn't leave from the main door, and I couldn't reach my car in time before he noticed.

“Fuck this,” I cursed already frustrated. I turned to the window, the moon shone brighter than before almost in a romantic way. 

   A chilling thought suddenly crossed my mind. The window. I could leave through the window. 

What in the heavens was I thinking? If I missed one step, I would immediately fall to my death. The house was three stories long, and my room sat at the highest floor. I wanted to think of something else, but my mind stayed etched at this plan. 

“What if I don't fail?” I asked rhetorically, getting excited at the thought of digging my own grave. My legs strode to my wardrobe, my hand working quickly throwing out my dresses and pants. Then I began working. I tied each piece carefully making sure it wouldn't betray me. The angel in me wanted me to stay put, but the darker side prevailed.

   I pulled each tied piece to enable its strength and felt a little proud about my tying skills. Ethan wouldn't even notice I was gone till morning. Moving to the window I threw the clothes down watching to see its length.

“No, it needs more,” I muttered, tying more clothes to it. This was going to be more work than I thought. I tied one end of the dress to the window and looked down at the height. 

A bile rose in my throat, and I was beginning to have second thoughts. No, if I didn't do this, I would never!

   Mustering up courage, I climbed down the window, grasping the clothes tight, not letting go.

“Don't look down,” I whispered, closing my eyes. I had never been so high up before and now the painful truth struck me. I was afraid of heights!

My stomach flipped, my knees threatening to buckle as the ground yawned beneath me. 

   I slid down making sure my grip was tighter than my fucking pussy. I couldn't die, not now at least. I passed the last floor, and I could hear the pounding of my heart in my mouth. Sweat dripped from my face and my hands were getting warm.

I couldn't slip. I had to hold on at least till I was past the second floor. The breeze decided to turn against me as the rope moved from one end to the other. 

This wasn't how I planned my escape. I kept going, reminding myself not to look down. The breeze made my eyes water, and my hands were slipping. 

   Suddenly everything stopped. The wind turned to something quite trivial, and my sweaty palms were useless. 

The rope had ended.

“Fuck.”

 I had thought the clothes I tied reached the ground, but I forgot to calculate the one tied to the window. 

I looked down to see the floor I was in. Luckily I had passed the second floor, but it looked too dangerous. 

“I should jump. I can't climb back up,” I said, turning to see the distance I had covered. My legs shook and my hands were slipping. 

Jump. Jump. Jump.

My fingers slipped before my mind could argue. The night swallowed me whole. 

  My eyes snapped shut, and the fall didn't want to end. Immediately I opened my eyes, my body hit the grass. 

“I'm not dead.” laughter burst out of me — sharp, hysterical — as my hands flew to my chest, feeling my heart still beating.

 I had gotten past Ethan's presence and that was all that mattered. 

***

    I downed another glass of alcohol rejoicing my freedom. The disco lights moved in motion while …. played. Bodies followed the rhythm while others made out at a corner. I watched two girls making out and muttered under my breath.

“It sucks to be single.” 

The absence of my phone felt like freedom instead of danger—for once.

 I liked that I was here, drinking, watching two people touch each other. 

“Drunk?” Someone said sitting beside me.

“Barely. I want to drink till I can't remember my name,” I replied, requesting another glass. 

  The guy smirked, taking the glass from me. “What about a dance? I'm fucked too.” I turned to him, sizing him up. He had the strangest eyes like that of a cat, and his face. He was worth fun.

I stood to my feet and let him guide me. I let myself get drowned in the music while my hips grinded on him. His hand traced down to my waist and back up to my breast. 

A little fun wouldn't hurt. I thought, letting him do his thing. The tip of his tongue licked my ear, making me shudder. 

My hands stayed wrapped around his shoulders and his hand grabbed my breast. I opened my eyes taking a glance at my wrist watch.

3:00 am.

  I snapped back to reality, giving the young man a little push. “I should get going. It was fun with you,” I said, backing away from him. He grabbed me by my hand pulling me towards him.

“But I'm not done.”

  His words crawled over my skin like maggots stacked in a sink. 

My eyes twitched wondering where this man got his audacity. My lips twisted in disgust.

“I am,” I snapped, forcing my hands away from him. I walked faster than before pushing past people struggling to reach the door. 

  When I got out, I heaved, reminding myself not to dance with strangers. I mumbled strange words wishing I took my car with me. 

“You said you didn't want to remember your name, yes?” I turned quickly at the voice. 

“Well not anymore,” I persisted, taking a step back. The man came forward. His gaze shifted from my face down to my breast. He wet his lips as he marched towards me.

His breath stank of alcohol and entitlement. 

  My legs moved on instinct, I sprinted down the road not knowing my destination. I needed to get away from this monster before he got to me. He was two steps behind me, and when I tripped, it was a blessing for him. He pinned me to the ground, my shoulders scraping the gravel.

My heart rate increased, and my breath hitched. 

I should've stayed put at home. I closed my eyes when he clutched my throat and smashed his lips on mine. My body fought back, but he was stronger. Faster. 

I kicked my legs, but he put me in place. 

Things had gotten way out of hand.

***

ETHAN COLE 

  I scoffed while scrolling through Winnie's chat. They had another mission in an hour so I let them prepare. My thoughts drifted to Ava, she had been cooped up at home for a while and I knew how suffocating that could be. 

“I guess I should let her be tomorrow,” I muttered standing up from the bed. The breeze blew and the house felt hollow like I was the only one alive.

“Hollow,” I said to myself suddenly realizing something.

The word hit me wrong. 

Hollow.

   The cleaners didn't live in the Duval house, and the security was strangely few around the house. Only Ava and I stayed and if it felt empty that meant it was. I rushed to her room, quickening my pace. My hands hit the door twice before I called her name. 

“Ava if you're…” I opened the door and let out a groan.

“Shit, why did I accept this job.” I walked into the room scanning it. She had taken her time to knot her dresses together like a reckless teenager sneaking out—except this wasn’t a crush. 

This was danger.

“Ugh. She's something else,” I grumble still searching. Just then her screen came on, a notification from a friend asking her whereabouts.

If her friends didn't know where she was then… I grabbed the phone and luckily, she didn't have a lock. 

Scrolling through her chats, I found it. She headed to a twenty- one plus party where people either got pounced on or the other way around. 

“I'll need a raise,” I cursed, grabbing her car key on the shelf and running downstairs. My gun was always on me so I didn't need much. 

  Swiftly, I hopped into the vehicle and sped out of the estate, the security allowing me to pass without hesitation. 

Yes, they worked for VAR, but that wasn't my concern now. 

I drove past the streetlights and when I reached the club, I couldn't find a trace of her. I asked around and when the bar attendant told me she went out with a guy, I knew I had to act fast. 

  My legs moved quickly as did my eyes. Then I heard it, her scream. It sounded desperate, like she needed someone to help. 

I ran following her painful scream. The man had pinned her to the ground and his lips were on her. I grunted, hatred and disgust rose in me, consuming me. I hated fuckers like that and I had no regret killing them a thousand times. I cocked my gun, pointing it at him. 

Shoot. 

I pulled the trigger and the bullet hit the back of his head. He collapsed falling to the side. Ava kicked pushing him aside. 

Her eyes were wide with fear as tears filled them. Her mascara had smeared her face. She turned to me and without hesitation ran. She wrapped her arms around me and I didn't push her away. She sobbed, her tears staining my shirt.

I didn't mind. She needed it. 

“Don't ever leave without my permission,” I muttered. She nodded, breaking into another round of tears. 

“Good girl.”