The Man in Black

That was when Paige heard a creak above her. She stopped breathing. She froze. She listened. The mansion was awashed in silence. Her feet felt like lead. She couldn’t move. She gasped for a breath only when her lungs felt like they collapsed in their need for air. She moved one foot carefully. Then, another. She inched closer and closer to the knife block.

            She grabbed the handle to the largest one.

            She heard the sound of its honing as it slipped out.

            She felt a rush of cool air behind her. In mere fractions of a second, an arm wrapped itself firmly around her neck and she heard a gun being cocked against her temple.

            “Drop the knife,” the man ordered, his breath hot against the back of her neck.

            Her neck erupted in goosebumps. The hand that held the knife began to shake.

            “Please…” She whispered, struggling to swallow her fear. But it was like trying to swallow sand.

            “Shut up,” the man snapped, pushing the barrel of the ice-cold gun roughly against her head. “I told you to do something for me. Now do it.”

            Paige gulped hard and dropped the knife to the floor. The man kicked it behind them.

            “Now. Those keys.”

            She eyed the keychain that she still held in one of her hands.

            “Which one is it?” he asked.

            “T-t-the one to…w-what? T-the door?” she stuttered.

            “Don’t play games with me Miss Lady. Which one⸺ˮ

            He never finished his sentence.

            In an instant, another man delivered a blow to his head with the handle of the knife from behind and snatched his gun.

            BANG. One shot through his chest.

            BANG. Another buried in his skull.

            Paige’s eyes widened in shock as he flopped to the floor. She squeezed her hands into solid fists. She looked at the dead body.

            He was completely dressed in black. He wore a black hooded cape, a black vest, black cargo pants, black combat boots, black, leather gloves…The only thing that was visible was his face. His skin was pale. On his forehead and down his face and neck, he had a series of green tattoos.

            She looked towards the man who saved her only to be shocked even more.

            The blue-eyed monster…

            Same intense, eyes.

            Same mysterious demeanor.

            Same black trench coat.

            “You,” he growled, closing in on her fast.

            He pushed her to the counter that was behind her.

            “What the hell were you thinking?!”

            Anger quickly flared within her.

            “I was thinking I’d come here to start some journey or whatever to move on, since some piece of jack thinks it isn’t cruel to tell me someone I care about is dead and then just walk away and leave me there!”

            “Stupid woman…” he muttered loud enough for her to hear.

            “Excuse me?”

            “In case you forgot in that incredibly delusional mind of yours, you almost got yourself killed and I had to save you!”

            “I didn’t ask to be attacked!”

            “That’s not the point.”

            “Then what is?!”

            “If you want to move on then don’t come back here!”

            She let out an exasperated huff as hot tears threatened to break free. The man felt a twinge of guilt. His accusatory expression softened. Paige crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head in the direction of her attacker.

            “Who is he?”

            He sighed. Dragged a hand down against his face. Cleared his throat. She could tell he was trying to come up with a way of not telling her.

            “Just tell me,” she whispered, her tears starting down her face.

            “I don’t know who they are or what specifically they’re after.”

            Her eyes widened. So, there was a “them” now.

            How many of them are there?

What are they so desperate to obtain?

She was sure now more than ever that there were other things surrounding Walter’s death. This wasn’t mere coincidence. While she thought, she unconsciously rubbed the key between her fingers, feeling each individual tooth graze against her skin.

            “Those keys…” the man said, as if in a trance.

            “I…I used them to get in. But I don’t know…”

            Paige wiped the tears from her face before continuing.

            “I don’t remember Walter ever having given them to me. So why do I have them? How…How would I know…to use it?”

            Pity was etched into the man’s face. He shifted from one side to the other uncomfortably. Finally, he spoke.

            “It isn’t safe here. You should go back home.”

            He turned and left Paige alone in the kitchen. She jolted back to life and rushed to catch up with him.

            “There’s more isn’t there? And you know. You’re just not telling me.”

            He turned around to face her.

            “You shouldn’t get yourself involved in this.”

            “I want to know. I deserve to know.”

            The blue-eyed monster let out a chuckle so sarcastic, it made Paige want to punch him in the throat.

            “What makes you so entitled?”

            “What makes you so entitled?” she shot back, nearing him with her hands on her hips.

            His smirk faded.

            “You don’t know me,” he growled.

            “You don’t know me either. So how about we cut the crap?”

            He raised his chin to scowl at her from a patronizing height. Then, he looked away. Paige stood there patiently, determined to not move an inch until he told her something.

            “They’re after something Walter had,” he finally uttered, “I’m not sure who they are. I’m trying to figure out what it is myself. But these people are very dangerous. They would kill until they reached their goal. Apparently, whatever they’re after is that important.”

            “And you don’t know who they are?”

            “No, not exactly. I have my suspicions, but I can’t be sure until I find more evidence.”

            “Why not just call the police to investigate this?” Paige asked.

            “It’ll make things too messy. Besides, it seems like the whole situation started out very private. I doubt they’ll be able to find anything.”

            “But you think you will?”

            The man looked away.

            “Yes. I think I will. Like you, I knew him very well.”

            Paige finally understood. 

            “So, you’re a family member?”

            Jackson inhaled sharply before responding with a tongue gone dry.

            “No, I'm not.”

            “It doesn’t matter anyway. We’re after the same thing, so I’ll help you,” Paige stated.

            “It’s going to be⸺”

            “Dangerous. I get it. What’s your name?”

            “You nailed it with calling me jack.”

            “You’re not serious.”

            “It’s Jackson.”

            “Jackson…” Paige repeated, “Nice to meet you.”