3 Months

"How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back. There are some things that time can not mend. Some hurts that go too deep... that have taken hold." (Frodo Baggins - Lord Of The Rings)


The skies were heavy. The usually clear night sky of Miami swamped with intruding clouds that threatened a downpour as Lisa Reisert made way to her car in the parking lot of the Lux Antlantic, the memory of her attack didn't haunther as it had done. Before Jackson. So she put the fact that she was hurrying toher vehicle in the dark, down to the weather and not her fears.

Thoughts of him were becoming less frequent as time went on, she had no idea what had happened to him as she stared blankly ahead as she drove home, but hisface would come to her from time to time, each time an array of different emotions and different memories of their very short time together would passcarefully through her mind and luckily, they would disappear just as quickly.

Lisa slowed as she pulled into her condo and sat. The ice of his eyes left a constant echo, of remorse? Disappointment? She did not understand or know why this happened but each time he came, especially in her dreams, she felt scolded. She breathed a sigh as she took out they keys from the ignition and took her usual footsteps along the short path towards her house, pulling down her skirt and blouse from the irate wind outside.

Lisa had always liked the appearance of her condo at night, the faint lights lit the sides of the path and walls, making the condo warm and inviting and it always calmed her. Unlocking the front door, she continued inside, with her purse, laptop bag and groceries filling her hands. She flicked on the lights with her elbow and placed her keys on the chest of drawers in her hallway. Lisa absently sighed. Resting the grocery bags on top of the mahogany drawers as she placed her purse and bag against the mirror behind.

"I'm Exhausted." She breathed, straightening the vase of fresh flowers her father had given her, admiring them. Looking up towards the mirror just above the drawers,a shadow shifted and a chilling voice from her past sent spirals of fear within her.

"Im counting on it." A figure, cloaked completely in black clothing, whispered from behind, she let out a shriek as a leather gloved hand clamped harshly over her mouth, the cloth he was clutching also covered her nose. Her groceries dropped to the floor, the sound of eggs breaking and the glass of the wine bottle smashing terrified her further as his other hand wrapped tightly around her waist.

Lisa kicked desperately against the large oak drawers sending them backwards into the stair banister, earning a grunt from the attacker and further into the chest of her assailant, her hands and arms flew at his face in her vain attempts to break free, struggling wildly, she kicked off the contents on top of the drawers, the vase smashing into the mirror before crashing on the wood panelled floor, pieces of glass lodged into her calf but the momentum of kicking sideways gave her an advantage. She elbowed him in his side, granting her success as his grip loosened.

Wasting no time, Lisa stumbled straight down the hall, towards the kitchen as fast as she could, what she could only identify as chloroform she had been smothered with making it a difficult task as it began to take hold. She could hear him close behind her as he let out a frightening snarl. Running into the poorly lit kitchen, she reached over the island to grasp a

knife, only to be once again tackled from behind,his weight pressing her hip bones and the grip on her face from his gloved hand, pushing her forcefully onto the counter as he smothered her mouth once again. The knife she watched clatter uselessly to the floor. Her muffled pleas were ignored as tears of helplessness and agony from his brutal grip flowed down her face onto the cloth gagging her and cold, kitchen surface beneath her. She felt a hand pull the hair from the up side of her face gently from her eyes before he leaned down carefully.

"Shh.." He whispered softly, before darkness stole her. Not a rasp in the voice she was certain she had damaged.