blood of another on my hands. Please don’t think I take that lightly because I don’t. I regret what I did and I can’t take it back, and I can’t explain to you what came over me the moment it happened. All I can do is tell you how deeply broken I am, that this is my life now and that I hurt you and Lana, two people who I care about a lot.”
Silence settles between us. Rex says nothing, just looks at me, but I can see his mind racing behind his hazel eyes. Abruptly, he pinches the bridge of his nose, clenching his eyes closed as if he’s in pain. His mental state is deteriorating.
I decide to take the opportunity to glance behind me into the woods and wonder if I should now make a run for it. How far do the woods stretch out for, until I could hit the Ohio River and possibly dive in and swim to safety? Would I make it or would Rex drown us both trying to catch me again?
I swing my gaze to the car. Could I jump into the car and lock the doors? It could give me precious time to stay alive, and if the keys are in the ignition I would have my saving grace.
I scan Rex’s jean’s pockets not seeing any bulge or hear any rattling when he moves. Rex stands tall and pins me with a glare, one that sends a chill down my spine. His gaze alert and his jaw set. His expression exhibits determination. A decision he’s made which is now cemented to his core.
“I don’t want to talk about this shit anymore. We’re here for a clean slate, Dell… a new beginning. We’re going to wash away all our regrets.”
My eyes widen at Rex’s words.
A new beginning?
I’m almost too afraid to believe what I just heard.
Trying not to spook him I calmly ask, “How do we have a new beginning—” The sound of a horn in the distance cuts off the rest of my words. I glance over my shoulder to the bend as I recognize the sound and vibration of the earth. A train is coming.
“It’s going to be beautiful, Dell, us together, a new beginning. Leaving all this bullshit behind.”
I twist my head back to Rex and my brow furrows as I take in his words and try to understand them. We’re only about a meter away from the tracks, so I begin shuffling sideways. My sole concern right now is to move far away from the large oncoming train that won’t see us until it’s around the bend.
I turn my back to Rex and inhale the fresh woods scent and feel a cool breeze against my skin from the wind blowing through the trees. All of those beautiful sensations disappear when two strong hands grip my biceps from behind and begin to drag me back towards the train tracks. My eyes pop open and an icy sensation runs through me.
Fear grips me. I knew it. My heart knew what we are really doing here, but my mind still fought for supremacy, for hope in a man who I will always love, in my memories. Cocking my knees, I begin kicking at Rex behind me. I wriggle my shoulders violently and as a result, a sharp pain shoots up my neck, but Rex doesn’t release his hold on me, his grip only becomes tighter.
“Rex,” I say in a warning tone. “Let me go.”
I sense Rex shake his head. “You and I, Dell, we’re starting over. We’re leaving this world behind. We’ll wash away our regrets and sins and try again.”
Oh my god. He’s unhinged. This isn’t Rex. This is a mad man.
I continue to thrash my body around, desperate for Rex to weaken. “No, don’t do this. Rex, this isn’t you. Please.” I’m not ashamed to admit I’m whimpering, but my pleas go unheard as Rex shoves his arm under my right bicep and across my ribs, his hand digging into my left hip painfully.
He then lifts my feet off the ground and carries me over the metal rails and onto the sleepers, stopping us exactly in the middle of the tracks. The vibration from the train tracks travels all through my body. So much so, I can’t tell if it’s my shaking body or the oncoming train.
The train turns the bend and the driver sounds the horn once, twice, three times.