• ~Ivy~
    I opened the window and looked outside to check if he was there, I was relieved when he wasn't. It had been a whole month since the divorce, and I was glad that he had left me alone, for now. He never knew I had kids, since I always hung out at my friends house. Jack was a kind man and he knew how worried I was about my kids. I kept them over at his house whenever David came over to visit. Now that David was gone out of my life forever, I brought the kids back to live with me.
    I turned when I heard a crash in the kitchen and I froze in fear. Oh my god, was David here? Those words continued to spin in my mind as I slowly made my way for the kitchen. I was relieved when it was just Jay and Crona, my two daughters. Crona was a good cook and sometimes Jay would help out, but I was so worried about her that I always tried to keep her out of the cooking. Jay was blind, but sometimes I wondered if she could see. It was Crona who made the mess and I knew that because she had the cabinet open and was looking at me with that guilty look. Jay was sitting at the table already and was staring - well - facing my direction. I helped Crona clean up the pans and continued to help her make the spaghetti.
    I left them to eat while I went back to check the front window. David was violent when he was drunk, especially since he was a hired assassin. All the things he could do to get rid of me still flashed in my mind. Especially since the kids were still in the house, I kept picturing what he could do to them.
    The sun soon set and the moon had risen in the night sky. I closed the blinds and shut the curtains, locking the front door before hurrying upstairs. I walked into the master bedroom where I let the kids sleep and stared at their sleeping bodies. A horrible vision crossed my eyes and I looked around the room in horror. It was covered in blood and when I looked back at the kids, I almost screamed. Their bodies were covered in blood, I took a step back and realized that David was standing up in the window, glaring at me. Then there was a flash and the vision was gone.
    I took a deep breath before walking over to the kids to tuck them in. I kissed them both on the head and then looked toward the window. I stood up and walked over to the open window and looked down at the ground. I wanted it all to stop, to make the visions and worry disappear. I closed the window and locked it before heading back downstairs. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed the sharpest knife there.
    The light suddenly turned on and I spun around, the knife pointing directly at Jack. I sighed and let my arm drop, Jack running over to my side. He was staring at me now, his bright green eyes wide in worry.
    "I cant do it anymore Jack, I cant take the nightmares." I almost started to cry.
    "Then what are you going to do? You cant stay here anymore and it's very obvious. David is gonna find out about those kids!" Jack said.
    We stood there in silence for a bit, listening to the floor creak as if someone was moving around upstairs. Then the creaking stopped and I looked at him with sad eyes. He stared at me for a bit before stepping back, as if realizing what I was gonna do.
    "No! No you can't just leave them like that!" Jack gasped. "Ivy, what do you think the kids will think? They'll be living in hell!"
    "I want you to keep the kids safe, Jack. I trust you more than David." I whispered and then walked toward the back door.
    I walked down the street in the middle of the night with Jack following me at a safe distance. I didn't know what to do yet. I just thought of walking away without a problem. I stopped in my tracks when I heard something, and I knew it wasn't Jack.
    There was a loud gun shot and then I felt myself falling backward. Jack rushed to my side instantly, catching me when I fell. He crouched there with me in his arms, the blood spilling out from my chest. I looked up to stare into his bright green eyes.
    I had nothing to say, it wasn't how I wanted to escape this hell. I looked past his shoulder and saw a familiar figure standing on the sidewalk. The pitch black hair and glowing yellow eyes. It was David, and I knew he had shot me since he was holding something at his side. His eyes were on Jack, hate flaring from them. Jack must have known he was standing there, but he paid no attention to him.
    I looked back at Jack and smiled slightly, the blood trickling from my lips. "I didn't say all the things I wanted to say. And you can't take back what you've taken away." I whispered.
    "I'm scared and I'm alone. I'm ashamed and I need for you to know..." I coughed, the darkness almost clouding my eyes.
    "I can't go back..." I closed my eyes and leaned against him, feeling the warmth ebb from my body. "I feel you near me, always."
    I could feel my own consciousness slipping away, and I couldn't get my eyes to open. I could no longer move my body. I knew what this meant. I was free, but I was alone again. I could no longer see my two little girls grow up. My little blind Jay would never feel her mothers presence near her. My little Crona would have to take care of her little sister alone. But Jack would be there for them, and I would always love them. I allowed myself to slip away, and that beating I kept hearing had stopped. The nightmares ended, and a vision flashed in my mind of two little girls asleep, safe and never harmed.

    I left them in peace...