4
As her vision cleared, the sudden realization came to her that it was Edward silhouetted in the chair against the moonlight outside.
"Oh...My...God", she thought, still frozen, "he's not dead. He's still living here!"
Like pieces of a puzzle being put together in her mind, realizations clicked quickly through her head - no wonder the exterior was so immaculate, only Edward could have done that, there had been no landscapers. Kim must have lied for Edward when she said he was dead. But then why hadn't Kim returned, why did she have a new boyfriend? She stared into the darkness at Edward. She saw the moonlight shining on his scissor hands and with pity she knew that Kim was simply young and would have moved on to a new boyfriend even if Edward had not been run from town.
"Now what to do?" she wondered as she stood against the banister still frozen. She wasn't sure if he had heard her come up the stairs but here was a good chance he had. "Oh my God, what do I do now? Try to leave or what?"
She decided to try and leave and hope he hadn't heard her. She turned and began to descend the stairs. With luck she could make it back out to her car quickly and quietly without him noticing that she had been there. Even though that seemed impossible she hoped she might be able to do it. As she started back down the stairs she realized how very loud her footsteps had been and she didn't see how he could not have heard something.
As all these thoughts were running frantically through her mind she heard, very clearly, his voice in the dark. "Don't go", he said.
She froze. Her breath caught in her chest.
As her vision cleared, the sudden realization came to her that it was Edward silhouetted in the chair against the moonlight outside.
"Oh...My...God", she thought, still frozen, "he's not dead. He's still living here!"
Like pieces of a puzzle being put together in her mind, realizations clicked quickly through her head - no wonder the exterior was so immaculate, only Edward could have done that, there had been no landscapers. Kim must have lied for Edward when she said he was dead. But then why hadn't Kim returned, why did she have a new boyfriend? She stared into the darkness at Edward. She saw the moonlight shining on his scissor hands and with pity she knew that Kim was simply young and would have moved on to a new boyfriend even if Edward had not been run from town.
"Now what to do?" she wondered as she stood against the banister still frozen. She wasn't sure if he had heard her come up the stairs but here was a good chance he had. "Oh my God, what do I do now? Try to leave or what?"
She decided to try and leave and hope he hadn't heard her. She turned and began to descend the stairs. With luck she could make it back out to her car quickly and quietly without him noticing that she had been there. Even though that seemed impossible she hoped she might be able to do it. As she started back down the stairs she realized how very loud her footsteps had been and she didn't see how he could not have heard something.
As all these thoughts were running frantically through her mind she heard, very clearly, his voice in the dark. "Don't go", he said.
She froze. Her breath caught in her chest.