The Warm Up (Jenna’s Day One)
Oct 21, 2015 0:07:54 GMT -5
Post by Apprentice on Oct 21, 2015 0:07:54 GMT -5
The buzzing of the alarm clock was getting to her. Three times, THREE times he had hit the snooze button with a moan. It must have been whatever was making him sick.
Both Jenna’s husband and 6 year old had begun getting an odd combination of symptoms the day before. Her maternal instincts, that she was ever so pound of, warned her that something was amiss and she had spent most of the night checking up on the two of them.
“Don’t move love, I will get it” Jenna said as she quietly and slowly rose off of her side of the bed and walked to silence the clock. “Stay in bed today, I will watch the gym”. She knelt down beside him and took a second to look him over. At 6’5 he towered over her by a full foot, and working as a trainer had kept his body in peak condition. Why was he so ill in the matter of a single night?
As another long moan escaped his lips as she began moving her hand to feel his forehead. After placing her palm to his brown she let out a quiet gasp, why was he cold to the touch rather than burning up? As if her gasp had been the volume of an explosion her husband’s eyes shot open and lock with hers. In that instant, she knew she was in danger. With all of the grace and poise from her years of honing her body she instantaneously went from a kneeling pose to a near sprint, until she felt the hand that had been on her husband forehead get jerked back.
She was slammed against the wall with a force that she had never known he was capable of using on her. Her vision blurred, but her body tensed. She had full control, she hadn’t lost any feeling or motor control. Being held up by her one arm, Jenna raised her knees to her chest making a small barrier between her and her attacker. Then quickly, with all of the force she could muster, pushed her legs outward, throwing him away from her and dropping her to the floor.
She got up and ran as her vision began to clear, making her way to her daughter’s room. She had to save her child. She turned into the room and threw a quick glance back, seeing him slowly crawl towards the room before she shut the door.
“Sweetie, time to wake up” she said, voice starting to quiver as she realized both her and her husband had exchanged blows. She moved the dresser and the large dollhouse they had given their child on her fifth birthday in front of the bedroom door. It wouldn’t do much to stop him if he really wanted in, however, him injuring himself getting in could help her if it came down to a brawl. They had never fought before now, not even in training, she wasn’t sure how her acrobatics and fluid movements would hold up against his kick boxing. Especially with her daughter-“Sweetie” Jenna said louder now. She turned from the door hoping it would make a difference.
Standing in the center of the room Jenna saw her. “Sweetie” Jenna said softly but didn’t move; something was off. Where were the tears, the crying, and the calling out for “mommy”? Her daughter stood silently, eyes locked onto hers in the same manner as she had seen a minute before. A slow moan came from her daughter as she opened her mouth and moved forward, raising her arms and curling her fingers.
Jenna’s mind froze, and the door began to splinter. This was her family, this was her life. On the nightstand she saw a picture frame of the three of them standing on the docks at James harbor, fishing poles in hand. They had been happy, there was such love that day. The door finally gave as Jenna’s daughter reached her.
The feel of her daughter’s cold hand grabbing her arm pulled her back. Inside, Jenna felt her past rise to the surface. As she watched her daughter raise her hand to her mouth she felt he life slipping away, gone was her motherhood, and gone was her wedding vows. She stood there, and all that was left was Jenna.
A heavy hand came down on her shoulder, and using its momentum she ripped her hand away from her daughter. She jumped away from them and surveyed the scene. The door and dollhouse were in pieces, many of which were stuck in the arms and legs of the larger attacker. The smaller attacker moved forward again, this time Jenna ran the perimeter of the room keeping distance between her and them.
She lined herself up to the ruined doorway and run full speed, jumping through it and raising her arms to shield her face at the final moment. Landing in the hallway, she got up and ran to the kitchen, hearing the attackers pursue her.
In the kitchen she knew what she had to do, she needed to survive this. She ran over to the stove and turned on all of the top burners, making sure that none of them lit. The sound of the gas hissing was soon replaced by the sounds of moans and stumbling. She ran to the back door of the house, and stood waiting. She needed them in the room, they needed to see her and get drawn in to the room. They rounded the corner and picked up speed heading towards her.
Jenna took one last and quick glance at the kitchen she would never use again. Then, determined to survive, she closed her fist and swung. She shattered the light next to the door. Flipping the switch she ran out of the back door, being sure to swing it shut in the hopes that they couldn’t get it open in time to save themselves.
She never turned back. Then ran across the yard and jumped the neighbors’ fence. She ran, she ran for a few blocks before she heard and felt the house go. It was early in the morning, running barefoot in just her pajamas pants and a tank.
Gone was her husband, her daughter, her home and her old life. She ran, and never looked back.
Both Jenna’s husband and 6 year old had begun getting an odd combination of symptoms the day before. Her maternal instincts, that she was ever so pound of, warned her that something was amiss and she had spent most of the night checking up on the two of them.
“Don’t move love, I will get it” Jenna said as she quietly and slowly rose off of her side of the bed and walked to silence the clock. “Stay in bed today, I will watch the gym”. She knelt down beside him and took a second to look him over. At 6’5 he towered over her by a full foot, and working as a trainer had kept his body in peak condition. Why was he so ill in the matter of a single night?
As another long moan escaped his lips as she began moving her hand to feel his forehead. After placing her palm to his brown she let out a quiet gasp, why was he cold to the touch rather than burning up? As if her gasp had been the volume of an explosion her husband’s eyes shot open and lock with hers. In that instant, she knew she was in danger. With all of the grace and poise from her years of honing her body she instantaneously went from a kneeling pose to a near sprint, until she felt the hand that had been on her husband forehead get jerked back.
She was slammed against the wall with a force that she had never known he was capable of using on her. Her vision blurred, but her body tensed. She had full control, she hadn’t lost any feeling or motor control. Being held up by her one arm, Jenna raised her knees to her chest making a small barrier between her and her attacker. Then quickly, with all of the force she could muster, pushed her legs outward, throwing him away from her and dropping her to the floor.
She got up and ran as her vision began to clear, making her way to her daughter’s room. She had to save her child. She turned into the room and threw a quick glance back, seeing him slowly crawl towards the room before she shut the door.
“Sweetie, time to wake up” she said, voice starting to quiver as she realized both her and her husband had exchanged blows. She moved the dresser and the large dollhouse they had given their child on her fifth birthday in front of the bedroom door. It wouldn’t do much to stop him if he really wanted in, however, him injuring himself getting in could help her if it came down to a brawl. They had never fought before now, not even in training, she wasn’t sure how her acrobatics and fluid movements would hold up against his kick boxing. Especially with her daughter-“Sweetie” Jenna said louder now. She turned from the door hoping it would make a difference.
Standing in the center of the room Jenna saw her. “Sweetie” Jenna said softly but didn’t move; something was off. Where were the tears, the crying, and the calling out for “mommy”? Her daughter stood silently, eyes locked onto hers in the same manner as she had seen a minute before. A slow moan came from her daughter as she opened her mouth and moved forward, raising her arms and curling her fingers.
Jenna’s mind froze, and the door began to splinter. This was her family, this was her life. On the nightstand she saw a picture frame of the three of them standing on the docks at James harbor, fishing poles in hand. They had been happy, there was such love that day. The door finally gave as Jenna’s daughter reached her.
The feel of her daughter’s cold hand grabbing her arm pulled her back. Inside, Jenna felt her past rise to the surface. As she watched her daughter raise her hand to her mouth she felt he life slipping away, gone was her motherhood, and gone was her wedding vows. She stood there, and all that was left was Jenna.
A heavy hand came down on her shoulder, and using its momentum she ripped her hand away from her daughter. She jumped away from them and surveyed the scene. The door and dollhouse were in pieces, many of which were stuck in the arms and legs of the larger attacker. The smaller attacker moved forward again, this time Jenna ran the perimeter of the room keeping distance between her and them.
She lined herself up to the ruined doorway and run full speed, jumping through it and raising her arms to shield her face at the final moment. Landing in the hallway, she got up and ran to the kitchen, hearing the attackers pursue her.
In the kitchen she knew what she had to do, she needed to survive this. She ran over to the stove and turned on all of the top burners, making sure that none of them lit. The sound of the gas hissing was soon replaced by the sounds of moans and stumbling. She ran to the back door of the house, and stood waiting. She needed them in the room, they needed to see her and get drawn in to the room. They rounded the corner and picked up speed heading towards her.
Jenna took one last and quick glance at the kitchen she would never use again. Then, determined to survive, she closed her fist and swung. She shattered the light next to the door. Flipping the switch she ran out of the back door, being sure to swing it shut in the hopes that they couldn’t get it open in time to save themselves.
She never turned back. Then ran across the yard and jumped the neighbors’ fence. She ran, she ran for a few blocks before she heard and felt the house go. It was early in the morning, running barefoot in just her pajamas pants and a tank.
Gone was her husband, her daughter, her home and her old life. She ran, and never looked back.