Prologue: Safe… For Now

"We, the jury, find the defendant, Jackson Rippner, guilty on charges of breaking and entering, assault and attempted murder," the middle-aged man spoke up.

With that, the judge said, "We hereby sentence you, Mr. Rippner, to twenty years in prison with possibility of parole. Court adjourned."

Lisa breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Jackson slowly taken away by the police. While she would have preferred Jackson getting the death penalty (or even life in jail), twenty years was good enough. Besides, he'd either be dead by then or even changed so much, revenge would be the last thing on his mind.

As the press surrounded her, Lisa felt the weight lifted off her shoulders. She was finally safe.

Unfortunately, she also didn't know how wrong she would be.