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Eddie’s voice screamed in Kate’s ear. “You fuckin’ bitch. You tryna’ kill me?”
He laughed as he climbed on top of her, ripping at her bra with one hand, the other hand pushing into her throat and squeezing.
“You won’t need that gun just yet, Kate.”
Kate’s face throbbed and ached, heat and panic filled her body, as she fought for air. She threw up her fists, striking anything she could to get him off her neck. She connected with what she thought was his nose, which set Eddie back on his haunches, screaming.
She turned onto her stomach, scrambling, as she reached for the top of the mattress, trying to get up and out the door. He grabbed her ankle, and she kicked him in the face before getting back to her feet.
Eddie wailed from the hit. “So ya’ wanna’ fight, huh?”
She turned to see a purple wound swelling quickly near his eye, his black and gray hair falling wildly around his face. She coughed and gasped, as he rose to his feet, lunging. He landed a vicious slap across her face, wrenching her head sideways and sending her into the end table nearest the door. Her hip scraped the corner as she fell into the lamp, taking it and the table with her crashing to the floor.
Kate landed violently onto her side, the blow knocking the wind from her lungs. She choked and fought for air and tried reaching for her throat, but her arms felt numb. Heavy. Darkness faded in and out as did the sound of Eddie’s yelling.
A forceful tugging around her waist kept her conscious. Something hot dripped from her mouth, the bitter taste of iron searing her tongue. The carpet burned her stomach as she was dragged, then lifted and flipped onto her back. She opened her eyes to a gray fog. She blinked to clear her vision but the effort was futile. She stared at the wall just under the bedroom window, the bottom of the curtain moving gently above her.
Eddie’s weight pressed down on her. She looked up at him. His face an angry blur. Despite her efforts, her body refused to put up a fight. In her semi-conscious state, Kate stared under the bed, refusing to look at Eddie, as he worked on the button to her jeans. She kept her gaze on the carpet under the bed. At the far side, something shiny caught her attention. She squinted, which helped clear her vision.
Across the carpeted floor on the other side of the bed, and next to the toppled nightstand and lamp, was a set of keys, a bunch of coins, a wallet, and something else she couldn’t make out.
The tugging at her waist continued. Eddie’s violent words and rough hands faded in and out. Kate’s body felt numb except for the yanking of her jeans.
After finally releasing the button and zipper, Eddie slid backwards off of Kate and worked to pull her jeans down from her waist. She kicked at him, but her legs were weak and useless. She turned her head away from his face, which caused the room to sway. With her head tilted to the side, and her body numb from the attack, Kate focused on that shiny item under the bed. It looked like a small silver tool. Her head cleared enough to see the top of Eddie’s head bent downward, his hair strewn about his forehead as he tugged on her jeans.
He let out a growl. “Goddamn jeans!”
He dragged Kate’s body away from the window and wall and near the center of the room at the foot of the bed.
Kate raised her arms above her head hoping to grab onto her gun which had fallen under the bed near the wooden chest. She felt around until her fingers grazed a shoe. She grabbed it and smacked Eddie across his head with it. Eddie fell to the side and Kate rolled away from him, crawling weakly, searching for the gun. She touched it just as Eddie grabbed hold of her legs, tearing off her jeans. He pulled himself toward her as she wrestled to grasp the trigger. As he came at her with a fist, she smacked him with the side of it, the gun landing square on his jaw. Eddie let out a wail as he fell back.
“Jesus fucking Christ!”
He knelt back, breathless, pressing his hand to his jaw. Kate fumbled to get a better grip on the gun and pointed it at him. Holding it with both hands, she scrambled backward near the foot of the bed toward the door, her hands quivering with fatigue.
On his knees, Eddie looked at her and laughed.
“Is that what this is about? ‘Eh? You comin’ over here to seduce me, and then kill me? Huh, Kate?”
Blood now flowed from his cheek, a crazy grin spreading across his face. His usually-perfect hair fell about his face, as he laughed breathlessly.
With weak and shaky hands, Kate continued to point the gun at him. She stared back, motionless, breathing heavily and coughing, the pain in her face explosive.
Eddie stood and unbuttoned his pants. “You asked for this, Kate.”
“Don’t come any closer, Eddie.”
Eddie ignored her command and moved in quickly. Leaning down toward Kate, he slapped the gun sideways from her hand, sending it bouncing across the carpet. Kate screamed as she leaned out for it, but he stood above her, legs spread. He slammed the door shut and put his back to it. She had nowhere to go. She cowered near the toppled nightstand, with no room to back away.
Eddie made no motion for the gun, his hands now on his hips. He shook his head, as he looked down at her.
“I’ve always cared for you, Kate. You were the girl of my dreams, right?” He shook his head. “But now?” He frowned and shrugged. “I can’t trust ya’. You gotta’ go. Just like your husband. Couldn’t trust him neither.” He laughed as he wiped his wound, looking at the bloody results.
“First though—you’re gonna love what I got fa-ya’. You’ll wonder why you were ever married to that loser, Marco, with his tiny prick.”
He stripped off his pants and pulled down his underwear. Kate squeezed her eyes shut to block the vision of the bleeding man in front of her, his violent state of rage on full display.
Eddie moved in closer, leaning down. He slapped Kate across her swollen cheek and then shoved his hand onto her chest, sending her back to the floor, her head taking a bouncing blow near the closed door. Kate fought him and slapped his hands away, as she tried to throw him off with her hips, but he was too strong, and she was too worn out.
Tears burned her eyes as she knew what was about to happen and hated that she wasn’t strong enough to stop it. Eddie ripped at her underwear, as Kate turned her head to the side praying it would be over soon. Eddie smeared his hands all over her chest, knocking her legs apart with his knees, growling like a rabid dog.
She felt herself leave her body for a moment and then opened her eyes. Within her grasp were the keys, the coins, and the wallet she’d seen under the bed from across the room. But it was that shiny silver tool that caught her eye. She blinked.
A little steel screwdriver.
She reached for it just as Eddie lowered his head to look between her legs, his hand reaching.
