Chapter 18

Planting the heavy axe deep into Matthew's right shoulder, he looks at Jessica, mouthing the word "why." The force of the axe entering his body sends him over the banister and flipping in the air until he lands hard on the floor below. Jessica runs down the stairs screaming, "Derrick! I'm up here! He's dangerous! Run!" But Derrick and Erika stand there watching the pool of blood get bigger and bigger as it escapes Matthew's body. Jessica cries as she runs into her brother's arms. He squeezes her tightly. Erika watches them, tears swelling in her eyes. "You came for me. You came for me." Jessica kept repeating, crying into Derrick's shoulder. He pulls her away from him and inspects her forehead and the wounds. Then he glances over at Matthew, lying lifeless on the floor. "Do you think he's dead?" Derrick asks the girls. "I don’t want to find out." States Erika as she ushers them out the door.

Police lights fill the night sky as the three of them make their way down the staircase. There is a loud bang as the officers break open the gate and then travel up the driveway to them. An officer hops out of the cruiser and runs to the three of them. "Are you all right? What's going on here? Which one of you is Jessica?" Jessica is seen by a paramedic who knows her mother and tells her how frantic she's been since she went missing. Derrick and Erika try to explain to the officers but only Jessica can explain everything. They head down the hill towards Derrick's car as police officers approach the estate. Jessica stays up near the house and explains to an officer everything that happened, how she got there, about Matthew, and how he possibly killed Shawn. She told them where to find the bodies she found and how she pushed Matthew over the banister after striking him with an axe. "When I heard my brother come through the door, I thought Matthew might try to hurt him, so I reacted. After hitting him with the axe, the force of it sent him over the railing. I didn't mean for him to die. I was trying to protect my brother." Jessica admitted honestly.

After answering several more questions, Jessica was finally free to go. "Did you want to come with us to the Hospital, honey? We can get you looked after." The Paramedic tells her. Jessica takes one last look at the house and then down the hill to her brother and Erika. "I really just want to go home. See my Mom, get some sleep." She says to the paramedic, tearing up. "I understand. I'll call your Mom. She'll want to get home right away to take care of you." She tells her pulling out her cell phone. Jessica thanks her and walks down the hill towards her brother and Erika. "You need a ride?" Derrick asks her. Jessica looks up at the sky and all around and says, "Nah, figured a nice night walk would do me some good." Erika laughed as Derrick threw his arm around Jessica and walked her around the car. "Get in you weirdo." He says laughing at her. Erika hops in the front seat and Derrick in the driver. He looks at Jessica in the rearview mirror and says, "I'm really glad you're okay. I know I don’t say it enough, but I love you, weirdo." Jessica laughs and says "I love you too. Now stop with all the mushy stuff I'm out of tears." They all laughed as they drove away from the nightmare Estate, leaving it, and all the memories in the rearview mirror.

Jessica watches impatiently as the estate is no longer visible in the mirror. Then her focus trails down to Derrick and Erika's hands intertwined as he drove along the dirt road. "Am I missing something?" Jessica says laughing at her new discovery. The two of them laugh embarrassed and release their hold. Laughing at them Jessica says, "No. No, no. Please don't stop on my account. I'm going to have to start calling you two Derricka." Jessica says bursting out laughing. Erika gets a real kick out of it but Derrick just shakes his head at her. "Really?" He says to Erika, who just might pee her pants from laughing too hard. "It’s pretty catchy, no?" She asks him, tears streaming down her face. "Okay." Says Derrick exhaling. "What about Erik, then? Yeah? That's pretty funny." He says with a chuckle. Both girls stop laughing and Jessica says, "No, that's just a name." Erika laughs the kind of laugh when you try to stop yourself from laughing. And Derrick looks at her shaking his head. Erika just thinks he's too darn cute though and gives him a gentle kiss. "Ew, gross get a room!" Jessica yells at them, shielding her eyes.

The drive home is silent, the love birds in the front seat, holding on to this special thing they found. And Jessica in the back seat, grateful to be here, alive, and able to witness it. It isn't long before they reach their house. Jessica and Derrick both sink into their seats when they see their mother's car already parked in the driveway. Derrick makes a gulping sound and looks to Jessica, "Do you want to do the talking." Jessica shrugged, knowing it would be best. "I can just wait in the car," Erika says, both Derrick and Jessica disagree with her. "Nope. No way. Nah, you're coming." Derrick shuts off the engine and they all get out of the car. Their mother, flings open the front door and screams, "Oh my god, my babies. Oh my god, you're safe!" She scoops Jessica into her arms and examines her forehead. Derrick slides behind Erika and puts his arm around her waist. His mother notices this and smiles at Erika. "Hi, I'm Mom. Are you hungry? Come inside, get cleaned up." She escorts Jessica into the house and Derrick kisses Erika on the top of her head. "Will you spend the night with me?" Derrick asks her sweetly, she wraps her arms around his waist and smiles. "Will you drive me to work?" She asks jokingly. "Will you make me a coffee?" He jokes back.

The two walk up to the house arm in arm. They all felt shaken from what they've just experienced, but they also felt hopeful for what the future will bring. Inside the house, Mom was already fixing up Jessica and had a bag of buns open on the table. There were deli meats in a Tupperware container and a pitcher of juice on the table. Erika smiled at Derrick and jumped into action. "May I help you make some sandwiches?" She asked their mom politely. She smiled at Erika and told her, "Please! I've heard you make the best sandwiches in town! Derrick told me a lot about you." She said with a wink that made Erika smile at Derrick. He never took his eyes off her. Jessica told her mom what had happened, avoiding certain details that she thought were unnecessary. "Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Don't talk to strangers!" Their mom said as she cleaned up some of the dishes. Jessica and Erika smiled at each other, it was good to have her there in their home. It felt right.

Mom excused herself for the rest of the night, warning the kids to make good choices. They all smiled at her and nodded. Derrick ran out to grab something from the car and Jessica took this chance to confess what happened to Erika. "I slept with him." Erika gasped. "You didn't!" Jessica nodded. "And it sucks because he was a really good lover." Erika smiled but then got serious. "I was scared girl. I'm glad we got you in time." She says hugging her. "Oh, I almost forgot. Here's your phone." She said pulling it from her back pocket. Erika smiled as she took it. Just then the house phone rang, Jessica jumped to get it as Derrick came back into the house. "Hello?" She asked, but the line was silent. It sounded like someone coughing in the distance, and then it got closer. Breathing. Heavy breathing. Derrick watched Jessica as she stiffened up. Erika saw the expression on her face and took the receiver from her hands. She then hung up the phone and unplugged it from the wall. "Tomorrow." She tells them. "Not today. We’re done with today."

Jessica takes a breath and smiles at Erika. "Thank you." She says and hugs her. Then she turns and hugs Derrick. "Thank you for coming to find me." She tells him, trying to hold back tears. "I will never let this happen again." He says to her, which makes her cry a little. "Well, I'm going to get some sleep. Hope you love birds enjoy your evening. Good night, Derricka." And she heads up the stairs. Erika laughs as she wraps her arms around Derrick. "You can sleep in my bed." He tells her sweetly. "And where will you sleep?" She asks him, he looks over at the recliner and she says "Then that's where I'll sleep too." He rolls his eyes and says, "We both can’t sleep there." She looks around the living room and asks, then how about the couch. He sighs and realizes he's stuck with her. "Fine. But I'm only doing this to protect the house. If I tell you to run, you listen okay?" She gets up to her tippy toes and gives him a kiss. Then she sweetly says, "No." and he rolls his eyes at her.

The two snuggle up on the couch with a blanket. Erika lays on top of Derrick, who has his arms wrapped protectively around her. The two fall asleep watching the news channel. The voices of the news reporters lull them into a heavy sleep sending them into dreams. Just then, a banner crosses the screen titled "Breaking News". A woman begins to describe the situation. "This evening, a man by the name of Matthew Healey has been reported missing and dangerous." Matthew's image from his driver's license floods the screen with his bushy overgrown beard and short hair. "He is claimed to be convicted of multiple murders and kidnappings. He escaped a crime scene early this evening after police had arrived on site. They have advised that he is wounded and possibly armed seeking medical attention. If you see this man please call police immediately and report his location. Again he is dangerous and armed. Please be safe out there." Jessica swallows hard as she stands in the living room holding the remote control in the process of shutting off the TV. She stares at Derrick and Erika sleeping on the couch and then looks back to the TV. Frozen in place, Jessica has only one thought. Matthew is alive.