Chapter 5 - The Locked Door

I sat alone in the dark nursery, utterly paralyzed by the horrific betrayal of my own husband. Daniel had stood in the hospital acting profoundly shocked while knowing exactly what was happening all along. I needed to get my innocent baby away from both of them immediately. I grabbed a large canvas duffel bag and began packing Noah's clothes, diapers, and favorite soft toys. I planned to drive straight to Marianne's house, take my son by force, and disappear across state lines forever. I rushed downstairs in the dark and grabbed my car keys from the granite kitchen counter. When I turned the brass deadbolt on the front door, the locking mechanism refused to click open. I jiggled the handle frantically, but it felt as though it was completely jammed from the outside. I ran to the back patio door, only to find the heavy sliding track had been violently screwed shut. Blind panic clawed at my dry throat as I realized I was literally barricaded inside my own home. The ominous sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed loudly on the wooden front porch. I backed away into the shadowy hallway, my heart pounding violently against my bruised ribs. The front door suddenly swung open, revealing Daniel standing ominously on the threshold. He did not look like the loving, gentle husband I had joyfully married three years ago. His eyes were dark, fiercely calculating, and completely devoid of any recognizable human emotion. He stepped inside the house and locked the heavy door securely behind him. "Going somewhere, Emily?" he asked coldly, noticing the packed duffel bag trembling in my hand. "I know all about the stolen sedative vials from your ambulance, Daniel," I stated with manufactured bravery. Daniel let out a slow, terrifying sigh and casually loosened his uniform tie. "My mother always warned me that you were far too nosy for your own good," he murmured darkly. He reached deep into his jacket pocket and pulled out a fresh, full syringe of clear liquid. "She said it would be much easier for everyone if you just went to sleep for a very long time."