REALITY CHECK

Home

Fiction

Short Fics

Artwork

LinkinBeat))

Links

She sat on her porch, the only light coming from the small lamp above her head and from the moon. The air was filled with the aroma of sea salt and heather. She breathed deeply, filling her senses with the scents of home. Before her spanned Myrtle Beach, it was there, right at the end of her garden. She stood, listening to the crickets and lapping waves, and walked down the garden's path. She looked out over the sea, the reflection of the moon a white carpet down the centre.

Her silent thoughts of serenity were disturbed by a pair of arms encircling her waist in a soft embrace. She relaxed into the arms, resting her own on his, hugging herself. She smiled as his lips connected with her neck.

'it's almost time,' he whispered softly into her hair.

'I know,' she replied in a whisper.

'It won't be long, you know that,' he comforted her. She turned round in his arms and looked into his deep brown optics.

'It'll be a lifetime,' she spoke.

'It's unavoidable, it's my job. It's not like I don't want to be with you.
It would be easier if I didn't have to home to her,' he told her, his arms
squeezing her closer.

'I just want to be able to wake up with you every day,' she laid her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

'Even she doesn't get that,' he pointed out, rubbing his hands over her
back.

'She gets more than me,' tears formed within her eyes.

'it's not like that's what I want. I wish she wasn't there and I wish you lived near me. I could see you more then,' his voice cracked slightly as his own feelings got in the way.

'Only you can make her go away,' she explained.

'Maybe I will. We'd be happier then. I could move out here with you,' he smiled at the thought of living with her, here on this beach.

'Or I could move to you,' she stated, her arms tightening on his torso. Silence filtered between them, everything felt being said with their bodies, hearts and souls.

'I hate good-byes,' he whispered, telling her in his way that it was time to go.

'I love you,' was her only response.

'I love you back,' he tipped her face up to his and kissed her. He wouldn't say goodbye, he never did. But it was what was happening, their own personal goodbye. Their kiss ended and she let go of him and walked back to her sitting place on the porch. He followed close behind and besides her.

'Not long' he said, tears forming again. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound of the floorboards creaking as he walked away.

'I'll make sure of it,' she whispered when she knew he'd gone.

Chapter 2

Kayla sat alone at the coffee shop table, sipping her cappuccino and pretending to read the paper she held in her hands. In reality, her eyes were fixated on the woman and her friend who sat 2 tables away, oblivious to their watcher. Her eyes never left the particular woman, the woman with the bronzed skin and badly dyed blonde hair, who was sat chatting and drinking with her companion.

The woman Kayla was watching knew nothing of the fate that Kayla was going to bestow upon her, and the thought made her smile. Within 24 hours this woman, this whore, would be gone and out of the picture, and she and Chester would be together always.

It was such a perfect plan, even if she did say so herself. She knew what she had to do and it would be so easy. She hadn't told Chester what she planned to do. He didn't even know she'd left North Carolina, but he would. And she knew he'd be happy. He wanted Kayla with him and he wanted that bitch out of his life. Kayla was going to grant him both requests as a thank you for everything he'd given her. Love. Happiness. Grace. Beauty. She had them all but only because she was his.

The woman and her friend rose from their seats and left the café, still blissfully unaware of Kayla's watchful eyes. Kayla watched them exit the small building and go to their separate cars.

Kayla smiled again and whispered much to herself, 'Your time is now Samantha Bennington.' Finishing her drink, Kayla stood and set off to seal the woman's fate.

Chapter 3

The knocking on the front door startled Samantha from her reading. She wasn't expecting guests, Chester wasn't due home for another hour yet either. Slowly she placed her book on the coffee table and stood from her couch and walked across the carpet to the front door. She allowed from another knock before opening the door as far as the chain would allow.

'May I help you?' she said to the young woman who stood on the doorstep.

'Yes,' the girl replied with a smile. 'My name's Kayla Beck, I'm a friend of Chester's. I knew he was due home tonight so I thought I'd surprise him. Is he home yet?'

Sam was a bit taken back by this. She was a friend of Chester's? she certainly looked harmless, but she could be a fan. Sam frowned before answering. 'If you don't mind I'd like to see some identification, please,' she said with a smile as big as the girl's.

'Of course,' she fished around in her bag and pulled out an ID card and driver's license, handing them to Sam through the crack in the door.

Sam accepted them and looked them over. 'Kayla Beck,' she read allowed. 'When did you receive your license?'

'January 4th 98,' Kayla replied with full confidence, knowing she was right as she wasn't lying.

'And your date of birth?' Sam questioned, still looking over the two cards.

'April 17th 1980,' Kayla replied, a smile still on her face.

'Checks out,' Sam closed the door and pulled back the chain and reopened the door. 'Please come in.'

'Thank you,' Kayla accepted the invite and strode into the hallway that opened out into the living area. The TV silently played MTV, two dogs laid on the floor and a coffee mug was set on the table. 'Just like it looks on the TV.' Kayla laughed.

'Sorry about the mess,' Sam handed the IDs back to Kayla.

'It's OK, I never keep my house tidy either.'

'Yeah, it's Chester who's the obsessive compulsive, not me,' Sam tried to sort the clutter that was on the coffee table.

'Ever the tidy one, he is. Kinda gets annoying though when he attempts to sort out my place,' Kayla kept smiling as her eyes wandered around the rooms' contents. She looked over the couch, the walls, the CD collection and the photos around the TV. Her eyes focused on THAT photograph that was beside their TV, she almost gypped but managed to stop herself to save face.

'Would you like some coffee?' Sam asked, straightening herself.

'That'd be great,' Kayla replied, following Sam through to the doorway at the back of the living room. The door came out facing the bottom of the stairs. The bar area was there at the side of the stairs, a bottle of Jack Daniels stood on top of it.

'Milk? Sugar?' Sam called from the kitchen as Kayla moved to the shelves next to the bar.

'Neither, thanks,' she picked up one of the Japanese shot glasses from one of the shelves. 'Interesting shot glasses,' she called through to Sam.

'Thanks, their Chester's favourites,' the closeness of Sam startled Kayla, who hadn't noticed the woman's entry.

'Figured they would be, they do have naked people on them,' Kayla giggled, accepting a mug from Sam.

'So tell me, how do you know Chester?' Sam asked curiously, making her way back into the living room and seating herself on the couch.

'I own, owned a cafe back in North Carolina,' Kayla started her reply but paused to sip her coffee.

'Your license said you were from NC,' Sam made a passing comment as Kayla composed herself to continue.

'Yeah, lived there all my life. Anyway, one day Chester came into the café for lunch. We didn't have many customers and he was an unfamiliar face so I made conversation while he waited for his meal. He seemed to welcome my company so I stayed and we chatted while he ate. We got on well and arranged to meet that night for some drinks with the rest of his band. Since then he's always visited me when he's been in NC. He's also kept in touch my phone too,' Kayla gave her explanation and drank her coffee.

'It's strange how Chester's never mentioned you before,' Sam stated sceptically, sipping her own drink.

'We don't really share the type of relationship where he would mention me. I mean, how often do Linkin Park go to Carolina? We hardly see each other, but he does call me every couple of weeks. I suggested he use e-mail, it's easier and cheaper. When I suggested it, he looked like someone had told him you'd just died!'

'I know what you mean! I suggested he use it because it's so much better for communicating. He then pointed out to me that whenever he's put in the same room as a computer both spas out and the computer usually crashes!' both women shared the joke and laughed. 'You said that you owned a café back in NC. What happened?' Sam asked when their laughter had subsided.

'I got bored with NC and decided to move states. California seemed the best option as I know people here. So I sold my café and moved here about three days ago. I haven't told Chester yet and thought I'd surprise him tonight. Hence me being here,' Kayla explained with another smile.

'Cool. Well it'll be great having another girlfriend here, I guess,' Sam made the suggestion of an impending friendship.

'It would be nice if you were going to be here to be part of it,' Kayla whispered, a smirk on her face.

'What?' Sam asked in shock.

'You heard me bitch!' Kayla stood and uncovered the pistol she'd had in her pocket.

'What the fuck?!' Sam cried, jumping up from the couch.

'Careful, don't make any sudden moves. You wouldn't wanna startle me and have me squeeze this would you?' Kayla referred the gun's trigger.

'What do you want?' Sam asked, tears trailing softly down her cheeks as she feared for her life.

'We want you out of his life!' Kayla snapped back, kicking the coffee table out of her way.

'We?' Sam asked, cowering slightly as Kayla moved so that she was stood directly in front of Sam.

'Yeah, me and Chester. We've been having an affair for months and you were stopping us being together. Bitch!' Kayla cried, back-handing Sam with her free hand. Sam fell backwards, landing on the floor. She looked up at Kayla and a visible red line flowed from her nose.

'I- I don't understand,' Sam spoke between sobs.

'Oh be quiet you pathetic little whore! Chester and I are in a very tight relationship but because of you we have to be kept apart. Well not anymore! Chester said he wanted you gone so I'm doing the honours,' Kayla smirked again, towering over the fallen form.

'You're going to kill me because Chester asked you to?' Sam was shocked, she thought he loved her.

'Oooooooooooh, you're quick!' Kayla laughed. 'Any last requests?' Kayla asked, cocking back the gun's safety.

'I-'

'WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!'

Chapter 4

'Chester,' Kayla smiled, turning in the direction of his voice.

'What the hell are you doing to my wife?' Chester cried, sadness and fear filling his eyes as he looked down at Sam who was in tears and her nose was bleeding.

'I'm doing exactly what you wanted me to,' Kayla replied, the gun still trained on Samantha's head.

'What I wanted? I don't even know who the fuck you are!' Chester cried, slowly moving towards the stranger in his living room.

'Of course you know who I am! Don't lie Chester, please, this isn't time for games. I'm getting her out of the picture, just like we discussed last time you were in NC,' Kayla reminded him.

'I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm sorry but I've never seen you before,' Chester explained, still inching across the living room floor.

'But- Chester please, don't do this. Don't be like them, don't tell me I'm crazy!' tears began to fill Kayla's eyes, her hand shaking.

'I'm telling you, I don't know you!' he shot back, getting closer still.

'Don't fucking lie to me Chester!' she screamed, moving the gun from Sam to Chester. 'You know who I am, you love me! You told me. You told me you wanted to be with me, not her. I know you told me!' her voice was loud and shaky, the gun's barrel pointing directly at Chester's torso.

'What are you talking about?' he narrowed his eyes at her and tried to move forward more.

'Stop right there asshole! I'm not having this, I'm done with people telling me I'm crazy. With them telling me that I'm imagining you. I'm not, you're real! You are in my life, you do love me, you are mine!'

Kayla was shaking violently, tears poured from her eyes.

'I'm sorry but I don't know what you're talking about. I've never met you before now, never,' Chester explained calmly.

'LIAR!' screamed Kayla, advancing slightly, her finger twitching against the trigger.

'Just put the gun down and we can forget this and you can go home,' Chester whispered.

'Home? Do you know what it's like back there? They're all insane, the lot of them! And they've put me in the middle of it all. I don't belong there, I'm not crazy. You're real-see, you're stood in front of me. I refuse to go back there! You can't make me do shit! Why can't you just tell the truth?' Kayla was crying and her words shook along with her body.

'I'm not lying. I don't know you. Look, if you put the gun down, we can sort this. You don't have to go back there, OK? You just need to do the right thing and calm down,' Chester spoke soothingly.

'SHUT UP! SHUT UP!' Kayla screamed, her finger beginning to tighten on the trigger. 'Stop lying and let me finish what I started!' she turned the gun back on Sam who hadn't moved.

'I'm not going to let you do that,' Chester snapped.

'Oh yes you are, it was your idea. Say goodbye to the little woman,' Kayla grinned maliciously and pulled hard on the trigger.

A scream erupted from within Sam and Chester flew across the room towards the two women. The bullet struck flesh and bodies connected with the floor. The gun skidded across the floor and a groan escaped from Kayla's lips, her body limp. Chester pushed himself off of Kayla's fallen body and he turned to his wife. Blood gushed from an open wound that he immediately went to
cover.

'Thank you,' Sam whispered through clenched teeth. She flinched as Chester applied more pressure to her arm.

'You OK?' he asked her, giving her a small smile.

'I'll live. It's just a small wound, nothing life threatening,' she smiled herself. 'What about her?'

'She hit her head on the way down, she's out of it,' Chester whispered reaching up for the phone.

Chapter 5

Chester and Sam sat in the back of the ambulance outside their home. An EMT wrapped a bandage around the wound on Sam's arm to stop the blood loss while they travelled to the hospital.

'You were very lucky your husband was there to knock her down or that bullet would have gone through your heart, not just your arm,' the EMT told her.

'I know,' Sam said, smiling at Chester who in turn hugged her tight and kissed her head.

The two watched as Kayla was led out of the house my two uniformed cops. He hands were handcuffed together, he head bowed, her eyes bleary. She glanced towards the couple, her eyes apologetic as she was put into the back of a van.

'She's going to the local psychiatric facility,' the EMT explained for them, even though they already knew that.

'It's where a girl like her belongs,' Sam whispered as the doors to the ambulance were closed on her and Chester.

THE END | Short Fics

Part 1