"I…I…honestly don't know what you're talking about." Tom stutters a bit, due to his increase of nervousness, and my confronting tone.
"Stop lying!" My anger grows more as Tom tries to deny it.
"Look man, s-seriously. I wouldn't do anything as sick as that. Whatever she's told you, is a massive lie. She hasn't been taking her meds, so she clearly isn't thinking straight."
"Yeah, that's what you reckon, is it, Doctor Tom? You think I've just got this all wrong?" I say, with venom in my voice.
"Well, you must've done. You really think I would hurt my own wife? I love her, Cain. Whatever she's told you, is just some sick game to get back at me." Tom detests.
"Get back at you for what?"
Tom has now realised he's just dug himself a bigger hole than the one he was already in. He goes quiet, and me, still full of rage, forces him to answer immediately.
"Well, go on. It's not a difficult question now, is it?" I continue, giving an even more threatening and confronting tone.
"Look, maybe I haven't been the best husband…" he replies. I felt like beating him up when I heard that, but I wanted to at least hear him finish what he had to say first.
"...we just spend barely any time with each other, and that's all down to me. I'm out all the time, so maybe these absurd accusations are her way of getting her own back on me."
"Wow, how long did it take for you to rehearse that one in your head?" I say, not buying his excuse.
"It's the truth!" Tom protests, begging and pleading for me to believe him.
"So you honestly think Belle would make up these allegations just because you two didn't spend enough time with each other?" I ask, giving a slight smirk on my face with how ridiculous Tom's excuse is.
"Well, it must be. Why would I hurt my own wife? People lie about things, Cain."
"And some people are evil monsters who abuse others." I protest. "Come on, stop lying, for once." I continue.
"How many times? I'm not lying! I never laid a finger on her!" Tom, although rightly confronted by one of the scariest people in the village, begins to get angry with me not believing him.
"I'd watch your tone if I were you. Things can get pretty grim, real quick."
"Are you really threatening an innocent man who has been falsely accused of hurting his wife? Really? How aren't you believing me?" Tom, still pleading with me to believe him, before having had enough. "Ah, forget this." Tom, sick of the confrontation, walks over to the locked doors to escape.
"Oh no you don't! You're not going that easy!" Just as Tom walks over to the doors, I run after him, and tackle him to the ground. While I have him on the ground, he tries defending himself, and starts hitting me in the face repeatedly. I can feel blood dripping down past my lips, and see a drop of blood hit the dirty floor. As soon as I realised this, I went into 'kill mode', and started full-on punching him in the face several times, and not only did I give him the same gift he gave me, but I also gave him two black eyes, as well as knocking him out.
After I had beaten him up, I was proud of myself. Beating up Tom was actually a great stress reliever. The anger I felt on him earlier, soon started to wash away, as he was laying on the filthy floor, all bloody and bruised. Before thinking about what to do next, I searched my trouser pockets for tissues, to wipe the blood off my face. Annoyingly, there weren't any, so I wiped it off on my jumper sleeve instead, although it did leave a noticeable stain.
As satisfying as it was seeing that disgusting abuser who was lying on the equally disgusting floor get his comeuppance, I knew he couldn't stay there forever. And I also needed to make sure that he didn't tell anyone about what happened here today. I had an idea to keep him quiet. Seeing him unconscious gave me an opportunity to sneak out of the barn for a few minutes for a few things - That being a bottle of water, and an assault rifle.
I unlock the large barn doors, while scanning Tom like a hawk to make sure he's still unconscious. He remained still like a statue on the floor. Now was not only the perfect time, but it was really the only time to leave the barn.
Just as I leave the barn, and close the doors behind me, I see moira in the distance, walking down to me, unbeknownst of the whole situation.
"Hey, Cain." She greets, in a positive, and upbeat tone.
"Hi." I simply respond, coldly.
"Have you seen Charity at all? She looked pretty upset about something." Moira asks, in curiosity.
Now, I could tell the truth, and say that Charity told me about Tom, but then if Moira, or whoever else was to find Tom in this state, it wouldn't take a genius to guess who could've done this to him.
"No, I haven't seen her. It's probably nothing, Moira. She probably doesn't want the hassle."
"Are you sure? She did look really upset when I saw her walking back to her home. I'm sure she wouldn't mind having a good friend to natter to."
"Look, I don't know exactly what she's going through. But regardless, Belle's with her at home. Just leave 'em to it, yeah?"
"Alright, Cain. If you insist." I felt a sense of relief when Moira stopped hassling me about it.
"...But Cain, one more thing?" She added.
"Er, yeah sure." I say, feeling nervous as to what she's about to ask.
"Why is there blood on both of your knuckles? Who is it this time?" I've been caught out. There's no way I can talk myself out of this one. I mean, I could try to, at the very least.
"It's red paint. Got angry at the garage earlier."
"Red paint that looks suspiciously like blood, that happens to be on both of your knuckles. You're beginning to worry me now, Cain."
"Look, don't freak out, alright?"
"'Don't freak out?' So you have beaten up someone?"
"Look, you can't tell anyone, alright?"
"Who is it, Cain?"
"Promise me you won't tell anyone."
"Just tell me who it is, Cain! You're worrying me enough as it is! She yells, becoming more and more vocal the more she gets anxious about who I've beaten up.
"Look, keep your voice down, alright?" I lean in closer to Moira. "It's Tom." I answer, in a quiet and soft tone, not wanting anyone else to overhear.