A wonderful feeling of peace washed over Matt as he sat back in his living room recliner. The house was clean, the kids were off to school and his morning coffee was hot. The notion that he’d been in Hell, clawed his way out, climbed the mountain and was now sitting on top of the world, filled him with gratitude.
"Ahhh," he released a contented sigh into the room.
Rusty, sitting beside Matt on the arm of the chair, started to purr in response to the sounds of calmness. It had been a long time coming for Rusty and Matt.
"It’s a beautiful day, Rusty," Matt said and took another sip of coffee. Rusty purred louder.
It had been a long, awful summer for the pair. Also, for Matt’s two kids, who had suddenly lost their mother to a serious mental illness. He tried not to think about it in that moment but the wounds were so fresh and still needed tending. Only three months had gone by since his wife of eleven years had been forcibly taken from their home. Janey had not shown any signs that she was harbouring such a sickness. Insanity had sprung from her like a tight coil. Her family, friends and co-workers all agreed that it was a shocking display from someone that had seemed so well adjusted, so healthy and happy. Janey was vibrant and enthusiastic, a great mother, a fantastic wife and a good friend. The last week in May had ended with her screaming that she would kill them all and never look back.
The rant had not started as such but was more of a conversation in the beginning. The kids were in bed and Matt and Janey sat at the kitchen table with hot chocolate. She was going to tell Matt about the assertiveness training group she had started as a result of a program offered at the local college. He’d read the pamphlet, it said it was a fun and fascinating journey into a place of personal empowerment. Something like that couldn’t hurt. Five minutes into the kitchen table conversation, Janey had begun to express an intense dislike for her boss. In a matter of twenty minutes, the cops had her pinned down on the kitchen floor, prying a butcher knife from her tight grasp as she screamed obscenities at Matt. Fortunately for him, the kids had heard it and called 911. They’d never heard anybody talk like that before, least of all their mother. They knew something had gone wrong.
They’d taken Janey to one of the best psych hospitals in the province and his health insurance covered her every need. The emotional damage had been most severe. Every time he tried to relax, the horrors of the last three months resurfaced. But this time, he tried to push the terrible memories away. He deserved peace now. Everyone was safe and stabilized. Despite the fact that he didn’t know what happened to Janey, Matt knew that he’d been tremendous in handling the crisis. Janey was locked up and being treated by professionals. The kids were responding well to his support and had adjusted enough to start the school year as confidently as possible. The most gracious part of the whole experience was the fact that his work had granted him six weeks of stress leave, all paid, to re-evaluate his life.
Matt took a long sip of his coffee then set the cup down and began his count down to relaxation. It was a method taught to him by one of the family counsellors at the hospital. Rusty purred lovingly beside him as he mumbled.
Ten - Picture yourself on a warm beach.
Nine - Feel the sand on your toes.
Eight - Let the sun warm your bare skin.
Seven - Hear the soothing sounds of the ocean waves.
Six - Smell the fresh, salty air.
Five - Sit back and . . .
Matt heard a noise from the kitchen. He opened his eyes and slowed his breathing so he could hear better. Nothing.
Now I’m going nuts.
Rusty continued to purr on the arm of his chair. Apparently he hadn’t heard anything at all. Matt gave him a pat on the head and settled back into his seat.
Ten - Warm beach, breathe deeply.
Nine - Sand between my toes.
Eight - Hot sun, bare skin.
seven - Waves soothing me.
Six - Smell . . .
A long, rumbling growl replaced the peaceful hum of Rusty’s purring. Matt’s eyes opened as his faithful cat released a hostile hiss of fear. Rusty’s eyes were focussed intensely on a spot directly behind Matt. In a few lightening quick seconds, Rusty let out a whining screech and bolted out of the room. Matt turned quickly which sent his coffee flying off the end table and across the living room. He saw a flash of silver coming toward him and jerked to the left. The blade sunk deep into the back of the recliner.
"You sick, fucken bastard," Janey screamed. She wrestled with the knife, trying to pry it free from the coils in the chair. "I’ll teach you to fuck with me. Nobody fucks with Janey. You should know that Matt!"
Matt’s body went slack. Weakness threatened to overcome him as the process of shock robbed him of rational thought.
Janey pried the knife from the chair and brought it up high over her head. For one, brief moment, Janey and Matt stared at each other. Their eyes locked. Janey stood, mesmerized by his eyes, like she was remembering something very important. It gave Matt a second of hope. Maybe this insanity spell had suddenly been broken.
Janey was the one to break the contact. Her focus changed as she looked around the room bewildered and obviously confused. With one hand holding the knife over her head, she reached down with the other and pulled a piece of foam out of the hole she’d created in the chair.
"Janey?" Matt pulled himself out of the vulnerable position he’d been in and stepped back out of Janey’s reach.
"Matt, what’s going on?" She spoke softly and dropped the foam. It bounced off the seat and onto the floor.
"Janey, put the knife down," Matt tried to be soothing. Calm, calm, let’s all be calm.
Janey stepped to the left, beyond the chair, so there was nothing in between her and Matt. She brought the knife down to her waist, the blade pointing toward Matt.
"What’s going on Matt? I’m scared." Her eyes darted around the room then fixed on him.
"Please Janey, just put the knife down and let me help you," Matt’s voice came out strong and clear but inside, his heart was pounding to hard and he was having a hard time breathing. He held out his hand to Janey to show his willingness to help. She looked scared and confused, so desperately confused.
"Help me, Matt. I don’t know what’s happening," she said, stepping closer to him.
"I’m here, hun. I’m here for you." He took a step toward her.
The pleading look in her eyes turned into bitter hatred in a blink. Everything about her hardened. She lunged forward sticking the knife into the fleshy palm of his hand.
"You gullible asshole," she yelled.
The room spun wildly and all Matt could see were red and silver flashes. Red, silver, red, silver then suddenly, a bolt of blue. Red, silver, blue. He fully expected that he would just pass out right then and there but the sirens pulled him back to the moment.
Janey let go of the knife. She started screaming and yelling wildly as his blood splattered across her white, hospital issued, sweatsuit. Janey was truly gone. He’d been in serious denial up until that moment but there was no doubt now. All strength left his body as he watched her draw a pistol from the pants pocket of her suit. She pointed it at him briefly then turned her attention to the activity outside. Four police cars were visible from their position in the living room. The officers had spread out, surrounding the house.
Matt stumbled back and away from her. The edges of his vision were greying out. Janey’s panic at the sight of the police exploded in a frenzy of screams and flailing arms. She ran at Matt and pushed him over to get at the door that led to the north side deck.
"I’ll teach you to take advantage of me!" she screamed.
Matt crawled out of her way hoping she was not going to use the gun on him. It was clear that her focus had changed. She burst out of the living room and onto the deck. Matt heard one of the officers tell her to calm down and drop her weapon. A shot rang out and then a moment of complete silence. I wonder where Rusty is. It was the only thought Matt could identify in his mind. He knew the kids were safe at school and Rusty was the only other thing he cared about in that second.
"You stupid, woman hating, bastards. I’ll show you what’s what," Janey screamed. Her voice rang out through the whole neighbourhood. "I’m in control. Me, me, me."
Another shot. Matt watched as the gun flew out of her hand. She was thrown back and her body hit the door, then bounced forward. She landed half in and half out, across the doorway. Her eyes fluttered as Matt watched a splash of pink grow out of her chest. It grew across the whole front of her shirt, pink to deep, dark red.
"Janey?" Matt tried to stand up but the knife still sticking out of his palm had caught on the couch and sent a searing pain up into his head.
"Janey?" he said again and watched her convulse on the floor. He saw the police officers descend upon her. They came to his aid, blocking the view he’d had of his wife.
"What happened?" he asked the officer the knelt down beside him.
"It’s alright. You’re safe now. We are going to get you to a hospital," the officer spoke calmly.
"Okay," Matt answered meekly. "Can you make sure my cat is in the house before you leave. He shouldn’t be outside. He’s big and orange. His name is Rusty," he added.
"Sure thing, sir," the officer said with a kind smile. And with that bit of assurance, Matt passed out.
Had me looking over my shoulder! The imagery is just so vivid and the dialogue is engaging. This reads so close to a newspaper article reporting a mental institutional escape and the events reported by the police. Great write, Jenn!
