Chapter 7

The next morning Luna leapt onto Iris's face at a fresh seven-thirty to be fed and watered. With difficulty, mainly because the cat was more on the fluffy side and wouldn't get off of her, Iris got up and petted the soft ginger fur.

"Time for breakfast, huh?" Iris spoke softly and smiled when Luna purred.

She got up and quietly made her way to the kitchen in order to not wake up Arrow. She noticed, however, that Arrow's place on the couch was empty and proceeded to the kitchen confused.

She got out the cat food, grabbed the can opener and bowl and opened the food can. Luna sniffed the air once the cna was punctured and jumped lightly and gracefully onto the counter beside Iris, Luna nudged at Iris's hand and tried to eat what was plopped into the bowl before Iris could set it down.

Once it was sat down Iris stared out the glass of the door, something had caught her eye in the backyard. Was that someone watching her? Was it just the sun playing tricks? Whatever it was Iris was determined to find out, she slid open the door, had one foot out when an arm was placed on her elbow.

"What are you doing?"

"Last I checked this was my house." Iris looked back to see Arrow looking perfectly disheveled with her bed head and baggy pajamas.

"Last I checked you were being safe, did you see something out there?" Arrow moved quickly, putting a hand on the door to keep Iris from closing it.

During this Iris felt fur on her ankle and looked down to see Luna making her way around the unfenced back yard.

"No! Luna, come back!" Iris yelled, pushing out of the house.

Iris could hear the footsteps of Arrow behind her but paid them no attention, all she cared about was the cat.

"Luna!" Iris called again, but Luna didn't come running back.

"Where did she go?" Arrow fueled Iris's frustration with that question.

"Does it look like I know?" Iris turned her head, at that moment there was a loud mewling and hissing in the treeline. "Luna!"

"Stop, Iris, stop!" Iris had gone running toward the sound, for all she knew the cat was now injured. She made a beeline for the treeline where the mewling sounded with Arrow hot on her heels, once at the treeline Iris looked around not finding Luna anywhere.

Then she saw it, on the ground by the closest tree was a drop of blood that led into a trail. Lunas or not, Iris followed. Arrow was panting behind her, trying to keep her in the safety of her own backyard, but kept following her nonetheless. Then there was a scream.

"Iris!" Arrow yelled, grabbing hold of her.

"It's not me, well it is, but not right now I'm fine." She pointed at the reason for her screaming and covered her mouth.

The cat was far worse than injured, it hung from a tree with blood dripping from the fresh wound that stained the ginger fur. But there was also something else, the wound didn't come from a slice or cut, it came from a puncture and the source of the puncture was still in the cat, holding a piece of paper.

Not wanting to look any longer, Arrow untied the rope and gently took the cat down. Iris was in tears, it was official, every connection she had to this place was now dead. But, who? Who could do this to such a peaceful creature.

"I'm going to get some gloves to take out the knife, I have a feeling this paper is important so I don't want to rip it more."

Iris could only nod, her life was falling apart in front of her and there was nothing she could do…nothing. She walked slowly behind Arrow, the person who did this would pay. Back in her backyard, Iris sat on a lawn chair and watched Arrow gently place the cat on the grass.

"Are you ok?"

"I don't think I will ever be ok again."

"What did you see that made you open the door?"

"Someone in the bushes." Iris pointed and continued. "They had short blonde hair. I think it was Alex."

"Esty's husband?"

Iris nodded and wrapped around herself, she could feel the arm Arrow had around her but didn't acknowledge it.They sat huddled together for a few moments, Iris looked up only when Arrow moved away from her.

"Can I see the paper?"

Arrow looked at her, put the gloves on, and removed the knife from the cat slowly. Once the paper was dislodged Iris held her hands out for it, waiting for Arrow to hand it over, when Iris had the blood stained paper her hands shook and she let out a breath. Why didn't she think of that? Of course it was that place.

He drove down the road, the smell of the exhaust and the sound of the engine roaring made the ride less quiet, less lonely. He had to get there before Iris did, he had a good thirty minutes headstart and the woods he was headed to was a good two hours out. Two hours in which he had time to think, had time to plan his next move.

The hours passed like the blur of the roads and cars as he sped down the highway. The landscapes all merged into one until he saw the place he was needed, the place where she lay, not dead but also not living. They looked for her, but they didn't do a good job of it. The night she came home and rightfully accused him of cheating was the night he knew had to take action.

The night played in his head, her car pulling into the driveway, her getting out looking upset, tired, and sad all at once. Then she was in the house, looking angry, and saying the words he dreaded to hear.

"Alex!" Her voice was angelic, but the anger could not be hidden. He thought, at first, that she was surprised to see him with her favorite wine and flowers, but then he knew the rightful reason she looked the way she did. "I know what you did."

"What are you talking about dear?" His demeanor falters, but never falls.

"You know what, I know about Hailey." There was a soft thud in which Alex dropped the flowers in his hands.

"Hailey?" There was a flash of something in his eyes, but he kept his composure.

"Don't be dumb, you know what you did." She no longer looked angry, just tired. "Since we both have our name on the lease, I'm going to my sisters for the night. You can tell Hailey we're getting a divorce. I never should have married you, I saw the signs, was told the signs, and still made the mistake of saying 'I do'."

She turned to leave, but the shatter of glass and a hand on her wrist stopped her. He shouldn't lose control like this, but no one could know how unloyal he was. He swung her around and threw her across the room, she was much smaller than him so the only thing stopping her from flying across the room was the wall.

"You never should've come home tonight."

He was on her before she could recover, he didn't really kill her, just injured her enough that she couldn't move. He loaded her into his truck and set off into the night.

That was his mistake, not killing her that night, now Iris knew about his crimes and his infidelity. He walked through the trees and farther into the forest, this was the place they took a camping trip to, the only place Esty never spoke of.

The leaves and branches crunched under his feet as he walked, he remembered the door to an underground chamber and tried his best to locate it in the heart of the forest. Bears roamed here, so he had to be careful and mindful of their territory. He stepped on something that gave a metallic thud and stepped back.

It was here, she was here.

He lifted the door and heard the whimpering of a woman who knew her time was up.