Realms Beyond (Work In Progress)

(This is something that I've started to write and I'm not far on it either.)

Chapter One

The atmosphere in the one bedroom apartment reached the point it felt oppressive. Emanating from the radio’s speaker was the song, “The Four Horsemen,” by Metallica. Hard rock and heavy metal music added its own special ambiance to the tense antagonistic situation. Angered at the argument that they were having, Carla stared at John sullenly. Her sour expression broadcasted loudly her displeasure and blackened thoughts. In her rage she considered strongly throwing various things at him like the vase on the end table next to the chair she was sitting in.

Quite often arguments, it would escalate into shouting matches between the couple. It would all start over something that was quite innocent but would be taken wrong by either herself, or by John. Soon, they would once descend into a morass of invective. Of course, neither of them would remember the initial reason for all of the acrimony next day. The only way to soothe their bruised egos was to let time pass and maybe put a little distance into the equation. That is why John would head to the gym, and Carla would take a walk around the block.

"Why are you always such a nagging bitch?" John’s blue eyes blazed with fury.

"That's one too many times that you’ve called me that. You are so impossible. Just impossible to be around." Through her clenched jaw, she growled the words. Deciding she was done with the whole situation, she didn’t want to continue to blow up at him like she had so many times before. It wasn’t helping anyhow so it obviously wasn’t the answer to the problem. And besides, she was tired of it all.

They had devolved to the point there was so little happiness in the relationship. It didn’t take a genius to realize it just wasn’t working out for them and it was time to do something since it wasn’t getting any better. She got up from her chair and stormed across the living room of the apartment. The fact that it was the middle of the night wasn’t even crossing her mind, she was so furious she wasn’t thinking clearly.

"So, where in the hell do you think you’re going?” He thundered at her as she swung the door all the way open and slammed it against the wall. The doorknob made a perfectly round dent in the wall.

Stopping momentarily in the doorway she muttered as she shook her head, “why do I even bother?”

Hearing what she said, in his most authoritarian voice he responded. “I forbid you to leave now.”

“Hrmph,” she took off down the hallway not answering further. He heard her footsteps clomping down the stairs to go down to the bottom floor. A few moments later, he faintly heard the entrance closing. He wanted so badly to run after her, grab her, and drag her back. For a moment, he could picture himself like a cave man carrying her over his shoulder. How dare she leave the place like she just did! She had no right to refuse him! There was no way he was going to put up with that from her.

Then, he remembered what happened the last time when he ran after her and caught her. She hit him with a vicious uppercut which knocked him out. On top of that, the neighbors had called the cops and since they pressed charges, he went to jail. Having lots of time overnight to think about it, he begrudgingly realized that he respected her. At least the way she could hit him was something he could respect.

It was no fun to be in the jail either and knew it was the last place that he needed to be. The place was cold, the lights stayed on and everyone made noise through the night. He was thankful the next morning though when they let him out with just a warning since she wouldn’t press any charges against him.

Still, he learned something important from the whole mess. If she walked out like that, to let her go until she had finally calmed down. Picking a chair, he sat down. Closing his eyes, he began to breathe deeply and slowly in an attempt to defuse his ire.

In her fury she ignored everything that was going on around her as she walked along. That included the pair of eyes that noticed her from the darkness of a shadow. Their interest thoroughly became captured when she tripped on one of the edges of the damaged concrete. Her watcher decided that she wasn’t paying much attention so she would be a good target.

Being in the middle of the night, the city was quiet with all of the bustle decreased. As the darkness enveloped her, it felt comforting to her as her thoughts began to slow. How could it have gone as wrong as it had? Once he’d seemed so very perfect for her and then something had changed. She wasn’t sure what it was either, but whatever it was it wasn’t the same anymore. If he were to disappear from her life she wasn’t sure it would hurt her feelings at all. It seemed that he wanted to do anymore was to control her completely.